FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

The passage of the Child Care is Essential Act and the Child Care for Economic Recovery Act brought bipartisan support for a historic level of investment in the child care industry

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 29, 2020) – Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) applauds the House of Representatives for passing two important pieces of legislation: the Child Care is Essential Act and the Child Care for Economic Recovery Act.

“I commend the House for passing these two pieces of legislation, both of which are crucial to getting the child care industry back on its feet and ensuring parents can get back to work knowing their kids are in safe and nurturing environments,” said Mark Shriver, President of SCAN. “The bipartisan support for these two bills is hugely encouraging and illustrative of the growing political consensus around the vital importance that a strong child care industry plays in our economic recovery.”

The Child Care is Essential Act includes $50 billion in stabilization grants to ensure providers are able to weather the pandemic and remain open. The Child Care for Economic Recovery Act would make longer term investments in the child care infrastructure and workforce, increase the mandatory child care funding to the states and provide tax credits to parents to help them better afford child care.

“Now is the time to act upon the growing consensus around child care though concrete policy solutions and robust funding that will create real and lasting change for an industry indispensable to the American economy and family,” Shriver continued. “Today, the House made a great first step, but policymakers must keep the momentum going. SCAN will continue to speak with legislators and advocate on behalf of parents, kids and child care providers nationwide to ensure the House and Senate continue to prioritize $50 billion for the child care industry, particularly in the next stimulus package.”

SCAN – together with its nationwide base of grassroots advocates – continues to mobilize in support of policies to protect and expand child care and early education. SCAN advocates have sent over 100,000 messages to Congress this year, pushing for robust and flexible funding to keep child care programs open during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

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Save the Children Action Network was created in 2014 as the political advocacy arm of Save the Children, to be the political voice for kids. We work to ensure that the issues critical to children’s lives and futures are given top priority by our elected leaders, building bipartisan support to make sure every child has a strong start in life.