01 Mar 2018 Child Care and Development Block Grant in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 in Children
Dear Senator Cochran, Senator Leahy, Senator Blunt, Senator Murray, Representative Frelinghuysen, Representative Lowey, Representative Cole, and Representative DeLauro:
We are writing to thank you for prioritizing significant additional funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. Child care costs are a major challenge for millions of working Americans and dedicating additional resources to CCDBG is one of the best ways to help American families achieve stable employment and improve child and family well-being. Last year we teamed up to chair the Early Childhood Initiative for the Bipartisan Policy Center. Among the recommendations we put forward in our recent report, A Bipartisan Case for Early Childhood Development, increased funding for CCDBG was a key priority. We believe this program is critically important to help America’s most vulnerable children access the quality care and early learning environments that will give them a strong start in life. At current levels of funding, however, the program is reaching only a fraction of the families who need assistance.
In addition to expanding child care resources in the FY2018 appropriations legislation, we urge steps aimed at ensuring that CCDBG resources result in increased access to quality childcare, as intended by Congress.
