NWLC Applauds HHS Secretary Becerra for Strongly Supporting Emergency Child Care Funding During Senate Appropriations Hearing
Washington, DC – Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee held a hearing on the President’s domestic supplemental funding request to Congress, which includes $16 billion for child care. The witnesses at today’s hearing included the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra, who underscored the urgent need to pass $16 billion in emergency funding for child care.
“Tens, if not hundreds of thousands, of kids and parents in each of your states could lose out on coverage unless Congress commits to additional funds,” Secretary Becerra said in his opening remarks. “The emergency funding request would shore up the child care sector and mitigate the likelihood that providers would close their doors or raise child care fees for families in the face of a child care workforce shortage.”
Melissa Boteach, Vice President of Child Care and Income Security at the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), released a statement after today’s hearing:
“Secretary Becerra clearly outlined the dire consequences that will be felt by children, families, and the economy if Congress fails to pass this emergency funding for child care. I hope members of Congress will heed the warnings of the Secretary and recognize the impacts that are already being felt in communities across their states now that the stabilization funding has expired.
“I want to thank Senator Murray for holding this important hearing, as well as to all the Committee members who highlighted the urgent need to address the child care crisis in their questioning. It is vital that both Democrats and Republicans come together to swiftly pass this emergency funding to prevent the child care crisis from getting even worse.”
NWLC is a leader in efforts to pressure Congress to pass $16 billion in emergency child care funding. Earlier this year, NWLC led a memo with 15 other groups outlining the need for $16 billion in emergency child care funding to avert a child care crisis after America Rescue Plan child care stabilization dollars expired on September 30. In September, NWLC led another letter, this time with nearly 1,000 organizations from all 50 states, urging Congress to invest at least $16 billion per year in emergency child care funding.
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