Safeguarding Taxpayer Dollars in Child Care Act of 2026

This bill strengthens fraud prevention in two federal child care programs: the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). It requires the Secretary to investigate fraud involving program funds and mandates permanent debarment (removal from the program) for providers found to have committed fraud, such as submitting false information, misrepresenting services, or improperly spending funds. Providers debarred from one program (like CACFP) face automatic debarment from the other (CCDBG), creating a unified enforcement mechanism. The law directly affects child care providers receiving federal funding, aiming to protect taxpayer dollars by ensuring only compliant providers continue to serve eligible families.