On May 30th, the Trump Administration released their proposed FY26 Discretionary Budget Request, kicking off the FY26 appropriations process and suggesting significant shifts and cuts in federal spending priorities. The President’s budget request is only a set of recommendations to Congress as they ultimately make decisions about how to fund discretionary programs, however it does provide valuable insights into the administration's key priorities and aims to shape congressional decision-making. 

At the end of May, the House of Representatives voted (215–214) to pass their budget reconciliation bill, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1). While Congress had the opportunity to make meaningful policy changes that would improve the lives of working families, young children, and the people that care for them every day, this bill does not deliver.  

On July 31, Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) introduced two bipartisan child care bills that aim to ease the burden of child care costs for families, encourage businesses to support additional child care supply, and support the child care workforce. CCAoA supports Senator Kaine and Senator Britt’s bills and applauds their bipartisan effort to strengthen the child care system.  

On March 23, 2024, Congress approved a FY24 appropriations package, ending a particularly long and turbulent federal funding cycle.  

Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) applauds this hard-fought bipartisan deal aimed at protecting and prioritizing child care funding for families, children and communities across the country. This package builds on recent historic progress to lower child care costs for families and improve access to the high-quality care they need. 

Negotiations for annual federal funding are in full swing, and we have a fight ahead to ensure child care and early education programs receivethe necessary investments to support children, families, and communities.