Report on unmet need for child care in areas with significant populations of members of the Armed Forces

(a) In general Not later than September 30, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the unmet need for child care in areas with populations of members of the Armed Forces that includes— (1) an assessment of— (A) the unmet need for each military installation, specifically those families who have no childcare at all; (B) the military families on the waitlist for a child development center on an installation who may be using a family childcare home or fee assistance until they can get off of the waitlist; and (C) areas where there may be significant challenges providing care to dependents under the age of 5; (2) a review of the efforts of the Department of Defense to recruit and retain eligible child care providers; and (3) a plan for meeting the unmet need for child care. (b) Appropriate committees of congress defined In this section, the term appropriate committees of Congress means— (1) the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; and (2) the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives.