--- title: Biden's finishing what Obama started with early learning description: Biden's finishing what Obama started with early learning --- [![Child Care Aware of America Logo](https://info.childcareaware.org/hs-fs/hubfs/social-suggested-images/usachildcareaware.site-ym.comgraphicslogo-new.png?width=690&height=350&name=usachildcareaware.site-ym.comgraphicslogo-new.png "Child Care Aware of America Logo")](https://www.childcareaware.org/) - [English ](https://info.childcareaware.org/media/bidens-finishing-what-obama-started-with-early-learning#) - [Español (Spanish) ](https://www.childcareaware.org/?lang=es) - [Child Care Career Center](http://careers.childcareaware.org/) - [Help for Military/DoD Families](https://www.childcareaware.org/fee-assistancerespite/) Search ![CCA Logo/Homepage link](https://info.childcareaware.org/hubfs/ChildCareAware_October2019%20Theme/Images/menu_img.png) ## Media Center For media requests, please call 703-341-4161 or email [news@usa.childcareaware.org](mailto:news@usa.childcareaware.org). # Biden's finishing what Obama started with early learning October 27, 2021 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) The Hill *Op-ed by Mario Cardona, CCAoA Chief of Policy and Practice* President Biden’s child care and universal preschool proposals have received a lot of attention, much of it focused on whether the proposals will survive negotiations in the Senate around what to maintain in the Build Back Better Act, the President’s “human infrastructure” bill.  What has attracted less attention is how the policy design represents a distillation of some of the best thinking on how to create universal preschool and a child care entitlement that guarantees nearly every family access to affordable, accessible, high-quality early learning opportunities. [Read the full op-ed](https://thehill.com/opinion/education/578697-bidens-finishing-what-obama-started-with-early-learning). Topics: [Media Mention](https://info.childcareaware.org/media/tag/media-mention) ![Mario Cardona](https://info.childcareaware.org/hubfs/Cardona_Mario_New-Bio-Template-730-x-730.jpg) ### Written by [Mario Cardona](https://info.childcareaware.org/media/author/mario-cardona) Mario Cardona is Chief of Policy and Practice for Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA), providing leadership and outreach to the government, CCAoA members and the general public on issues relating to the early care and education system. Cardona previously served in the Obama Administration as the Senior Policy Advisor for Elementary and Secondary Education on the White House Domestic Policy Council. In that role, he led the Administration’s legislative strategy, budget proposals, and policy initiatives to advance and execute President Obama’s early and K-12 education agenda. Prior to his service in the White House, Cardona held senior roles in the U.S. Senate, including as a principal advisor to the Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. While serving in Congress, Cardona wrote and led staff negotiations to pass the Child Care & Development Block Grant Act of 2014, a law that comprehensively updated the quality and safety standards in federally subsidized child care for the first time in nearly twenty years. Cardona earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin, a master’s degree in education from Harvard University, and a juris doctorate, with honors, from the George Washington University Law School. Cardona joined CCAoA in January 2021. 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