Dem Women’s Caucus Calls on Speaker McCarthy to Fund Child Care Before Looming Cliff on September 30th
DWC Members: “Addressing this crisis should not be a partisan issue. Working parents are watching closely, and they do not want to see this looming child care crisis ignored.”
Washington, D.C.—Today, Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) leaders Chair Lois Frankel, Vice Chairs Nikema Williams and Teresa Leger Fernández, Policy Chairs Ayanna Pressley and Kathy Manning, and Representatives Sara Jacobs and Suzanne Bonamici led 46 additional DWC members in calling on Speaker McCarthy to immediately provide additional child care resources, including by bringing the Child Care Stabilization Act to the House floor, before a looming child care funding cliff on September 30th.
In 8 days, key child care funding will expire—and estimates from the Century Foundation suggest that more than 70,000 child care programs will likely close and approximately 3.2 million children could lose their child care slots.
“The Democratic Women’s Caucus urges you to immediately act to provide additional resources for child care, including by bringing up the Child Care Stabilization Act for a vote and advancing an appropriations bill that increases funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG),” wrote the lawmakers in the letter. “Additionally, we urge you to work with us towards comprehensive long-term solutions, like the Child Care for Working Families Act, to bolster the care economy to prevent the need for future emergency spending.”
As working parents across the country struggle to find and afford quality child care, the DWC members made clear to House Republican leadership that, “Addressing this crisis should not be a partisan issue. Working parents are watching closely, and they do not want to see this looming child care crisis ignored. We urge you to take immediate action to prevent this catastrophe.”
The Democratic Women’s Caucus has led the charge in urging for action on child care, including by hosting a shadow hearing on the looming funding cliff, endorsing a letter to the President requesting funds for child care in any supplemental request, and requesting a strategy meeting with the President to address the child care crisis.
In addition to Reps. Frankel, Williams, Leger Fernández, Pressley, Manning, Jacobs and Bonamici, the letter was signed by Representatives Becca Balint, Nanette Barragán, Joyce Beatty, Lisa Blunt Rochester, Julia Brownley, Shontel Brown, Nikki Budzinski, Yadira Caraveo, Kathy Castor, Judy Chu, Yvette Clarke, Jasmine Crockett, Madeleine Dean, Debbie Dingell, Veronica Escobar, Sylvia Garcia, Jahana Hayes, Chrissy Houlahan, Val Hoyle, Sheila Jackson Lee, Barbara Lee, Zoe Lofgren, Doris Matsui, Lucy McBath, Jennifer McClellan, Betty McCollum, Grace Napolitano, Nancy Pelosi, Brittany Pettersen, Chellie Pingree, Katie Porter, Delia Ramirez, Deborah Ross, Andrea Salinas, Linda Sánchez, Jan Schakowsky, Hillary Scholten, Haley Stevens, Rashida Tlaib, Jill Tokuda, Norma Torres, Lori Trahan, Lauren Underwood, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Jennifer Wexton.
Read the full letter below and HERE.
Dear Speaker McCarthy, Majority Leader Scalise and Majority Whip Emmer,
We are rapidly approaching a child care crisis that will be devastating for working families across the country. In less than 10 days, key child care funding will expire—and estimates from The Century Foundation suggest that more than 70,000 child care programs will likely close and approximately 3.2 million children could lose their child care spots.
This worsening crisis will have a ripple effect across the entire economy, with a recent report from The Century Foundation showing that the upcoming funding cliff will cost states $10.6 billion in economic activity per year and cost families $9 billion each year in lost earnings.
The Democratic Women’s Caucus urges you to immediately act to provide additional resources for child care, including by bringing up the Child Care Stabilization Act for a vote and advancing an appropriations bill that increases funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). Additionally, we urge you to work with us towards comprehensive long-term solutions, like the Child Care for Working Families Act, to bolster the care economy to prevent the need for future emergency spending.
Addressing this crisis should not be a partisan issue. Working parents are watching closely, and they do not want to see this looming child care crisis ignored. We urge you to take immediate action to prevent this catastrophe.
Sincerely,
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