Bennet, Collins Celebrate House Passage of their Bill to Expand Tax Deduction to Include Early Childhood Educators

About About Michael Legislation News Press Releases Social Media Newsletter Archive Services Priorities Top Issues Child Tax Credit Investing in Colorado Contact Map Español Acerca de Michael Escribe a Michael Prioridades Servicios Visitando D.C. Bennet, Collins Celebrate House Passage of their Bill to Expand Tax Deduction to Include Early Childhood Educators Bill Now Heads to President’s Desk to be Signed Into Law Washington, D.C. — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, and Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, celebrated the House passage of their Supporting Early-Childhood Educators’ […] Sep 17, 2026 | Press Releases Bill Now Heads to President’s Desk to be Signed Into Law Washington, D.C. — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, and Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, celebrated the House passage of their Supporting Early-Childhood Educators’ Deductions (SEED) Act. This legislation would help early childhood educators cover the cost of supplies, books, and other classroom materials by allowing them to claim the above-the-line $350 tax deduction currently available only to K-12 teachers. The SEED Act served as the legislative vehicle for passage of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which has now passed the House of Representatives and the United States Senate. “Early childhood educators should be able to claim the same tax deduction available to elementary and secondary school teachers, and I hope the President will sign this legislation immediately,” said Bennet. “As the former Superintendent of Denver Public Schools, I know firsthand how often educators dip into their own pockets to provide school supplies for their students – this bill ends an unfair double standard and ensures that those who teach our youngest kids are supported.” “In Maine and across the country, we are fortunate to have so many dedicated educators who work hard to ensure that every child has a learning environment that is safe, welcoming, and enriching. Despite tight personal budgets, it is truly remarkable how often teachers use money out of their own pockets to purchase classroom supplies for their students,” said Collins. “As the author of the original tax credit for K-12 teachers, I am delighted to help expand this benefit to pre-K educators. I thank Senator Bennet for his partnership in this effort to provide early childhood educators with well-deserved tax relief, and I look forward to seeing it signed into law.” “We are deeply grateful to Senators Collins and Bennet, and Representatives Fitzpatrick, Panetta, Valadao and Goodlander, and the bipartisan lawmakers in both chambers who championed the SEED Act and helped get it across the finish line,” said Sarah Rittling, Executive Director of First Five Years Fund (FFYF) . “We look forward to building on this momentum and continuing to advance bipartisan solutions that strengthen child care for families, educators, and communities across the country.” “NAEYC applauds the bipartisan passage of the Supporting Early Childhood Educators’ Deductions Act, which reimburses early childhood educators for the out-of-pocket classroom expenses they take on to improve children’s learning environments, as K-12 educators have long been able to do,” said Paola Andujar, Senior Policy Specialist the National Association for the Education of Young Children . “We are grateful that Congress is taking a step to recognize the complex, skilled, professional work of early childhood educators which lays the foundation for the youngest children to thrive. We look forward to building on this effort to support the early childhood education workforce by continuing to push for needed investments in quality ECE and compensation for early childhood educators working in all settings.” “The earliest years of a child’s life are among the most important for their development, and early childhood educators play a critical role during those years. Yet too often, these educators reach into their own pockets to buy the books, supplies, and materials they need to support the children in their classrooms,” said Allison Dembeck, Head of Policy, Save the Children . “We are pleased to see the bipartisan SEED Act on the verge of becoming law, giving early childhood educators access to the same tax deduction already available to K-12 teachers. This is a meaningful and long-overdue recognition of the educators who care for and teach our youngest children, and an investment in children and their futures.” “Executives Partnering to Invest in Children (EPIC) strongly supports the bipartisan Supporting Early-Childhood Educators’ Deductions (SEED) Act. Early childhood educators support children’s development and learning during their most formative years wh