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Single mom typing on a laptop while working in her home office. Multitasking mom working on a new creative project at her desk. Female interior designer carrying her baby on her laps.
Policy and Advocacy Legislation Personal Finance Letter to Legislator
Policy and Advocacy Legislation Personal Finance Letter to Legislator

AccessLex Institute Supports the Child Care for Working Families Act Which Would Lower the Cost of Child Care for Families Including Those Pursuing Higher Education 

The Honorable Tim Walberg
Chairman
House Education and Workforce Committee
2176 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

The Honorable Robert Scott
Ranking Member
House Education and Workforce Committee
2328 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Chairman Walberg and Ranking Member Scott:

AccessLex Institute® is pleased to offer its support for H.R. 4418, the Child Care for Working Families Act. Introduced on July 15, 2025 by Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA03), Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA-05), and Representative Summer Lee (D-PA-12), the Child Care for Working Families Act would ensure that working families pay no more than 7% of their income on child care while also improving its quality and access.

AccessLex Institute, in partnership with its nearly 200 nonprofit and state-affiliated ABAapproved member law schools, has been committed to improving access to legal education and to maximizing the affordability and value of a law degree since 1983. The AccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence® advocates for policies that make legal education work better for students and society alike and conducts research on the most critical issues facing legal education today.

According to a recommendation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, families should not spend more than 7% of their income on child care costs. However, the average single parent spends nearly 37% of their household income on child care for one child and married couples pay almost 11%. What’s worse is that the cost of child care has increased 25% in the past decade, with infant care costs now exceeding the average cost of in-state tuition at public four-year colleges in 29 states and the District of Columbia.

This financial burden does not just fall on parents in the workforce: 24% of undergraduates and 32% of graduate students are parents. For student-parents, many of whom have limited access to affordable on-campus child care, the high cost can lead them to devote less time to their studies or even drop out.

Making child care more affordable could help increase completion rates and lead to greater academic success. As the postsecondary student population changes, the support provided to today’s students must change to meet their evolving needs. AccessLex Institute supports the Child Care for Working Families Act because it would provide critical financial support to low-income families both in the workforce and pursuing higher education.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected] or Nancy Conneely, Vice President of Policy, at [email protected].

Sincerely,
Christopher P. Chapman
President and Chief Executive Officer
AccessLex Institute®

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