Multigenerational Caregiving Data Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8792
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-13: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-01T16:15:07Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The legislation, titled the "Multigenerational Caregiving Data Act," aims to improve federal data collection on individuals who provide unpaid care to both children and adults across different age groups or health conditions. It addresses gaps in existing surveys to support better policymaking on economic, health, and workforce issues related to caregiving.
Key Provisions
- Data Collection Requirement: Within three years of enactment, the Secretary of Commerce must ensure that at least one major federal population survey includes a question identifying multigenerational caregivers from the prior 12 months.
- Flexibility and Testing: The question's wording, categories, and placement can be adjusted for clarity and to reduce respondent burden, with cognitive and field testing required beforehand.
- Voluntary Participation: Responses to the new question must be voluntary.
- Reporting Obligation: Within two years after implementation, the Secretary must submit a report to Congress evaluating data quality, response rates, and recommendations for future use, then publish it on the Department of Commerce website.
- Definitions:
- Major federal population surveys include the American Community Survey, Current Population Survey, National Health Interview Survey, or similar nationally representative surveys.
- A multigenerational caregiver is someone providing unpaid care to at least one person in one category (child under 18, adult aged 18-64 with a health condition or disability, or adult 65+ with a health condition or disability) and at least one person in a different category.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill introduces a new federal mandate requiring specific data collection on multigenerational caregiving in at least one major population survey, where no such dedicated question currently exists. It does not repeal or amend prior statutes but adds oversight and reporting requirements for federal statistical agencies.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Agencies like the Census Bureau and National Center for Health Statistics would need to modify survey instruments, conduct testing, and analyze new data, potentially increasing administrative costs.
- Citizens: Individuals may encounter an additional voluntary question in surveys, with minimal direct burden due to testing requirements; improved data could indirectly inform policies affecting caregivers' economic and health support.
- International Relations: No direct effects are outlined in the legislation.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Multigenerational caregivers and their families.
- Federal statistical agencies under the Department of Commerce and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Congress and policymakers focused on caregiving, labor, and health issues.
- Researchers and advocacy groups using federal survey data.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
The bill operates within Congress's authority to direct federal data collection through statistical agencies and raises no apparent constitutional issues, as participation remains voluntary. It promotes evidence-based policymaking without mandating new regulations or funding allocations beyond existing survey operations.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Houlahan, Chrissy [D-PA-6]
Cosponsors (3)
Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17], Rep. Luna, Anna Paulina [R-FL-13], Rep. Turner, Michael R. [R-OH-10]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-13: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
- 2026-05-13: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-13: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Multigenerational Caregiving Data Act — issued 2026-05-13 — PDF (5 pages)