New Task Force Mandated to Tackle Cost-of-Living Crisis for Working Families in 180 Days

The Working Families Task Force Act of 2025 isn't about creating new programs right now; it’s about creating a dedicated, high-level team to figure out what new programs we actually need. This bill establishes the Interagency National Task Force on Working Families, giving it a clear mandate: figure out why life is so expensive for the average working family and propose concrete solutions.

The Federal Government’s New Brain Trust

Think of this Task Force as the federal government’s attempt to get all its policy ducks in a row regarding the daily grind. The Secretary of Labor has just 90 days to get this group running, pulling in top officials from nine major departments, including Health and Human Services, Education, Treasury, Commerce, and HUD. The goal is to stop agencies from working in silos and force them to coordinate on issues that affect families—like how housing costs (HUD) impact childcare access (HHS) and job stability (Labor).

This isn’t a leisurely study group; they must meet quarterly and have a sharp focus. Their entire mission, outlined in Section 2, is to investigate everything from inflation and wage stagnation to the availability of affordable, quality childcare. For someone juggling two jobs and a mortgage, this means the federal government is finally trying to connect the dots between the cost of gas (Transportation), the price of groceries (Agriculture), and whether their tax credits (Treasury) are actually helping them keep pace.

The 180-Day Deadline: What They Must Deliver

The real pressure point of this bill is the 180-day deadline. Within six months of the law passing, the Task Force must submit a detailed report to Congress. This report isn't just a list of problems; it requires specific, actionable legislative and regulatory recommendations. They need to develop ways to measure how economic issues affect affordability—a crucial step toward data-driven policy.

For example, the Task Force is specifically required to review existing financial supports like the Child Tax Credit, the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, and the Earned Income Tax Credit. If you’re a parent relying on the EITC to make ends meet, the Task Force is tasked with figuring out if that credit is still doing its job or if it needs a serious overhaul to match today’s living costs. They also have to look into structural issues like affordable housing, job training, and access to affordable renewable energy, making sure the solutions they propose are comprehensive.

Connecting Policy to the Paycheck

What does this mean for the average person? If you’re a construction worker struggling to find affordable housing near your job site, the Task Force is looking at ways HUD and Transportation can coordinate to lower those costs. If you’re a remote tech worker whose kids need reliable internet for school, the Task Force is mandated to address the digital divide and tech access. By bringing together agencies that deal with everything from environmental hazards to financial literacy, the bill aims to create a unified strategy that acknowledges how interconnected these daily struggles are.

While the bill itself doesn't guarantee any specific policy changes, it guarantees focused attention and a public report detailing exactly what needs to be done. It also requires transparency, forcing the Task Force to publish its findings and list every expert and stakeholder consulted, which gives the public a clear way to track the data and hold Congress accountable for acting on the recommendations.