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H.R.3643 / 115th Congress

Children First Act of 2017

Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Aug 4, 2017

Children First Act of 2017

This bill provides additional funding for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make grants under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to provide child care for infants and toddlers under the age of four. Specifically, HHS must make grants to: (1) expand access to high-quality child care for infants and toddlers who do not receive child care funded through the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), (2) increase the quality of child care funded through CCDF, and (3) provide financial incentives to highly-qualified child care providers and their workforce. HHS may make grants to enable the provision of child care during nontraditional and unpredictable hours.

Under current law, an individual is exempted from TANF's mandatory work requirements if the individual is a single custodial parent caring for a child who is under 6 years of age. This bill expands the exemption to include a single custodial parent or other individual with custody caring for a child who is under 13 years of age.

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Who introduced it

Rep. Crowley, Joseph [D-NY-14] · D–NY

Committees

  • Education and Workforce Committee
  • Ways and Means Committee
4 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  2. Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  3. Introduced in House

  4. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Aug 11, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.3643 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.3643 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

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Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

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Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.3643 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

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