Congress is back from August recess, and making funding decisions that will impact child care accessibility and affordability nationwide. These decisions will shape the resources available to families and child care providers across the country.
Recently, both the House and Senate advanced their individual Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) appropriations bills, which contain their funding levels for child care and early learning. Over the coming weeks, the two chambers will negotiate to reach a final agreement that funds child care and early education programs for the next fiscal year. The deadline to pass all FY26 appropriations bills is September 30, 2025, which marks the end of the current fiscal year. If Congress does not pass these bills by the deadline, the government will either pass a continuing resolution (CR) or face a shutdown. CRs provide temporary funding at current levels, buying Congress additional time to finalize appropriations. Continuing resolutions can last for short periods of time (days, weeks), or for the rest of a Fiscal Year.
Senate Bill Offers Stronger Support for Child Care
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved their Labor-HHS appropriations bill just before leaving town for August recess. The Senate bill proposes to protect child care and early learning programs by slightly increasing funding for some programs. The bill sets the overall Labor-HHS spending number at $197 billion, which includes a $170 million increase for child care and early learning programs over FY25, including:
- $8.8 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) – $85 million increase from FY25
- $12.4 billion for Head Start – $85 million increase from FY25
- $315 million for Preschool Development Grants Birth-5 (PDG) – level with FY25
- $75 million for Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) – level with FY25
House Bill Cuts Back on Child Care Funding
After returning from August recess, the House Appropriations Committee followed the Senate and approved their Labor-HHS appropriations bill. The FY26 House bill sets overall Labor-HHS spending at $108.6 billion, which is a $6.8 billion cut (-6%) from FY25. Some child care and early learning programs are level-funded, which fails to account for inflation and effectively reduces resources over time, leaving them unable to meet growing demand. As a reminder, FY25 funding levels for child care and early education programs are the same as FY24 funding levels. According to the Center for Law and Social Policy, level-funding in FY26 as well would mean that 24,000 fewer children will have access to child care through CCDBG. In alignment with the President’s budget proposal from earlier this spring, other programs in the FY26 House bill face full elimination, which would weaken the overall child care infrastructure. Funding levels for these programs in the House appropriations bill include:
- $8.7 billion for CCDBG – level with FY25
- $12.3 billion for Head Start – level with FY25
- PDG and CCAMPIS are eliminated
Why These Programs and Critical and What Advocates Can Expect Next
In the coming weeks, Congress will need to come to a final agreement on child care funding levels. CCAoA urges Congress to consider $8.8 billion for CCDBG from the Senate’s appropriations bill as the floor in ongoing appropriations negotiations, and increase support for child care and early education programs.
Families nationwide are already stretched thin, and CCDBG acts as a crucial support, making child care affordable for eligible working families. At the same time, Head Start programs provide comprehensive early childhood education, health, and nutrition services for children and families. PDG funding helps states build stronger early childhood systems through careful needs assessments and strategic planning, directly enhancing access to quality child care. Together, these programs provide essential support to families and strengthen the entire child care infrastructure.
At current funding levels, these core programs continue to reach just a fraction of eligible families, leaving far too many struggling to find and afford quality child care. Investing in child care has far-reaching effects that strengthen whole communities and is supported by an overwhelming majority of parents. When the child care system has enough resources, parents gain peace of mind knowing their children are cared for in safe and supportive settings while they work; child care providers can support their staff and maintain high-quality care; and local economies grow as more parents join the workforce. Most importantly, children get the solid foundation they need for a successful future.
Time is Running Out: Urge Congress to Protect Critical Child Care Funding
The coming weeks are crucial for securing the funding that families, children, and communities urgently depend on. Lawmakers must hear firsthand from their constituents about the real impact child care challenges are having in their districts and states. Make your voice heard below:
