No Funds for Repeat Child Care Violations Act of 2026

Floor Speech

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Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 7726, the Stop Child Care Scams Act.

As families across the country struggle with the high cost of childcare, Republicans are advancing legislation that would make it easier for the Trump administration to withhold funding that helps working people afford childcare and helps providers keep their doors open.

Why? To give President Trump more authority to target States he disagrees with politically under the guise of combating fraud.

We already know exactly how this administration uses this kind of authority. Earlier this year, it implemented its nationwide Defend the Spend policy requiring States to submit a slew of new data to access childcare funding Congress already appropriated.

States were never required by law to provide this information.

As a result, several States have reported being unable to access funding, and the administration refuses to answer basic questions about how this policy works, who reviews the information submitted by States, and how that data is used. This lack of transparency should alarm every Member of this Chamber.

The administration claims this is necessary to combat widespread fraud in our childcare programs, but it has failed to produce any evidence whatsoever. That tells us everything we need to know. This was never about fraud. It is about President Trump's petty political vendetta against blue States.

I submitted an amendment that would have delayed implementation of H.R. 7726 until the administration finally provides transparency into its defend the spend policy, but Republicans refused to allow a vote. Until we get answers, we should not be expanding President Trump's ability to interfere with childcare funding that families depend on.

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