Representatives Blake Moore (R-UT), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), and Don Bacon (R-NE) have introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at strengthening notification requirements in military child care programs. The proposed Military Child and Youth Program Abuse and Neglect Notification Act would mandate that parents or guardians be informed within 24 hours if alleged or suspected abuse or neglect involving their children occurs at a military child development center or similar program.
The bill seeks to formalize an existing Department of Defense policy, which previously did not require parental notification in such cases. Additionally, the legislation requires that the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, as well as congressional members representing the district where an incident occurred, be notified within 72 hours.
“As the congressional representative of Hill Air Force Base and father to four boys, it is an honor to serve our military community and their families. I’m proud to co-lead legislation that would require the DOD to immediately brief parents over suspected abuse or neglect of minors at DOD childcare facilities and create additional congressional oversight mechanisms,” Rep. Moore said. “We must do all we can to ensure safe and healthy environments for all children, including those under the DOD’s care.”
“Parents who entrust their keiki to a military child care center deserve one guarantee: if something happens, they will be told quickly, clearly, and without exception. No family should ever be kept in the dark when it comes to their child’s health, safety, and well-being,” Rep. Tokuda said. “As the mother of two boys, we must demand nothing less for our military families, and as a member of the House Armed Services Committee, we must ensure effective Congressional oversight and accountability across the military child care system, because no federal agency should be allowed to hide the truth.”
“No parent should ever be kept in the dark when it comes to the safety of their child. I’m glad to co-lead the Military Child and Youth Program Abuse and Neglect Notification Act with Rep. Tokuda, which requires programs to notify parents within 24 hours of any suspected abuse or neglect, no exceptions. Our bipartisan bill also requires notifying the Armed Services committees and the Members of Congress for the installation where the incident happened within 72 hours to provide real oversight and ensure these failures are never repeated,” Rep. Bacon said.
Support for this legislation is reflected by its inclusion in language adopted by the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026.
The measure is cosponsored by several members from both parties: Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Robert J. Wittman (R-VA), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), Wesley Bell (D-MO), Derek Schmidt (R-KS), Ed Case (D-HI), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Jennifer A. Kiggans (R-VA), André Carson (D-IN), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX), and Donald Davis (D-NC).
Blake Moore has served in Congress since 2021 as Utah’s 1st District representative after succeeding Rob Bishop; he was born in Ogden in 1980 and lives in Salt Lake City.
