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H.R. 840: Veterans' Access to Child Care Act

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H.R. 840: Veterans' Access to Child Care Act

116th Congress · introduced 2019-01-29 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2019-01-29 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 4 recorded votes in our records. Latest: House roll call 72 (2019): On Agreeing to the Amendment, HR840 (2019-02-08), Failed. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Veterans' Access to Child Care Act

Plain summary

Veterans' Access to Child Care Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide child care assistance to an eligible veteran who is actively participating in treatment by attending appointments for any period that the veteran (1) receives covered health care services at a VA facility, and (2) is required to travel to and return from such facility for the receipt of such services. The bill defines covered health care services to mean regular mental health care services, intensive mental health care services, health care services related to substance or drug abuse counseling, intensive health care services related to physical therapy for a service-connected disability, emergency mental health care services, or such other intensive health care services that the VA determines would be more accessible to veterans if child care assistance is provided. The term eligible veteran is defined as a veteran who is the primary caretaker of a child and who is (1) receiving covered health care services from the VA, or (2) needs and would receive such services from the VA but for the lack of child care. The bill provides for various types of child care assistance, as the VA considers appropriate. Such child care shall not be provided by any center or agency that employs a person who has been convicted of a sex crime, a crime involving a child victim, a violent crime, or a drug felony. The bill requires the VA to inform eligible veterans of the available child care assistance. The VA must post an easily accessible notice on a VA website describing the child care assistance benefit and eligibility requirements.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Veterans' Access to Child Care Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House)

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The strongest published arguments

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26] · 22 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr. (D-CA), Salud O. Carbajal (D-CA), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Steve Cohen (D-TN)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26] reported raising $580,025 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (2)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong116-hr840 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116