Congressman Dan Goldman Urges Congressional Leadership to Save Vital Child Care Programs

Critical Child Care Programs Set to Expire September 30, Jeopardizing Financial Stability for Hundreds of Thousands of Working Families

Loss of Programs Set to Cost 232,000 American Jobs and $10.6 Billion in Economic Activity

Read the Letter Here

Washington D.C. – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) joined the Congressional Dads Caucus in a letter urging Speaker Kevin McCarthy (CA-20) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08) to continue providing funding for critical child care programs that serve over three million children nationwide. On September 30, the funding for the Child Care Stabilization Grants along with appropriations for critical programs such as the Child Care and Development and Block Grant are both set to expire.

“We founded the Congressional Dads Caucus to bring fathers’ voices to the fight for policies that uplift all families, such as affordable and accessible high-quality child care.” the lawmakers wrote. “The Dads Caucus is made up of a diverse group of fathers and mothers who represent districts from across the country. As working parents, child care is not just an abstract issue to us. We have heard from countless constituents, businesses, and advocates from across the country about the increasing difficulty families face affording and even finding child care, and many of us have experienced these challenges firsthand.”

It is projected that that more than 70,000 child care programs could close if funding does not continue, causing 3.2 million children to lose their child care spots. Additionally, projections by the Century Foundation predict that 232,000 jobs and $10.6 billion in economic activity per year would be lost without continued funding for child care programs.

Read the letter here and below:

Dear Speaker McCarthy and Leader Jeffries:

As members of the Congressional Dads Caucus, we write to emphasize the critical need to support ongoing and expanded funding for child care as our country faces a caregiving crisis. As you know, we face two deadlines on September 30 when funding for Child Care Stabilization Grants expires, as well as the regular fiscal year ends along with appropriations for critical programs such as the Child Care and Development and Block Grant (CCDBG). As you continue discussions regarding federal funding, we urge you to provide increased funding to child care programs that help millions of Americans afford this critical necessity.

We founded the Congressional Dads Caucus to bring fathers’ voices to the fight for policies that uplift all families, such as affordable and accessible high-quality child care. The Dads Caucus is made up of a diverse group of fathers and mothers who represent districts from across the country. As working parents, child care is not just an abstract issue to us. We have heard from countless constituents, businesses, and advocates from across the country about the increasing difficulty families face affording and even finding child care, and many of us have experienced these challenges firsthand.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress recognized the critical importance of funding child care by increasing funding for CCDBG and instituting bipartisan Child Care Stabilization Grants. The additional funding provided during the pandemic allowed states and providers to keep their doors open, lower enrollment costs, increase compensation for staff, and invest in infrastructure to better serve children and families.

Allowing funding to lapse is not an option for the millions of American families struggling to find and afford child care. A report from the Century Foundation projects that more than 70,000 child care programs could close if funding does not continue, causing 3.2 million children to lose their child care spots and jeopardizing the financial stability of families nationwide.

The child care crisis affects all parents and is not just about families’ economic success and stability, but our country’s as well. The decision to fully fund our child care system impacts families, businesses, workers and laborers— our entire economy. The Century Foundation also projects that across all states, 232,000 jobs and $10.6 billion in economic activity per year would be lost without continued funding.

Congress needs to take action to make high-quality child care more affordable and accessible for all because our nation’s economic competitiveness, financial well-being, and very future starts with our children. We urge you to address the looming funding cliffs by expanding funding for child care and giving our nation’s families and children the tools they need to succeed.

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