“It’s imperative that our legislators take advantage of this unprecedented opportunity and ensure the current provisions for kids and families remain in the final package that gets signed into law”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Suzanne Arnold, [email protected], (609) 610-4957 (M)

Washington, D.C. (September 17, 2021) – Save the Children is pleased to see families and children so historically prioritized in the current draft of the Build Back Better Act. For months, Save the Children – together with its political advocacy arm Save the Children Action Network and more than 375,000 advocates nationwide – has tirelessly advocated to ensure children and families are prioritized in this legislation. Save the Children Action Network launched digital advertisements, and advocates have written opinion editorials and Letters to the Editor, met with their congressional delegations, hosted events and sent over 62,000 messages to Congress – all in support of the legislation’s child- and family-centric provisions. 

“We’re thrilled with the prioritization of kids and families in the current draft of the Build Back Better Act. The impact this once-in-a-generation opportunity would have on children and families cannot be overstated. Millions more children would have access to high quality early childhood education and go to bed nourished. Millions more parents – particularly women – could enter or re-enter the workforce. And, countless immigrant families wouldn’t face potential deportation and separation from their American children,” said Janti Soeripto, Save the Children President and CEO and Save the Children Action Network Board Chair. “It’s imperative that our legislators take advantage of this unprecedented opportunity and ensure the current provisions for kids and families remain in the final package that gets signed into law. Only then can we begin to build back better and stronger than ever.”

Save the Children and Save the Children Action Network look forward to working with policymakers in the House and the Senate to ensure the following portions of the House bill are signed into law:

Early Childhood Education and Care

• Drastically expand access to high-quality and affordable child care, so no family pays more than 7% of their income
• Establish universal pre-K for all 3- and 4-year olds
• Invest in child care facility repairs, upgrades, and expansions
• Ensure the child care workforce are paid equitable wages
• Permanent expansion and refundability of the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC)
• Permanent expansion and refundability of the Child Tax Credit (CTC)

Child Nutrition

• Expand the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program (Summer EBT) so more children and their families have access to nutritious food while schools are out of session
• Expand the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) to provide more children access to free school meals with less barriers.
• Expand Direct Certification of applicants for free and reduced-price school meals to reduce system errors and ensure children in need do not miss out on equitable opportunities

Immigration

• Ensure a pathway to citizenship for millions of families

 

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