Senate Funding Bill Proposes Necessary Increase in Child Care Funding

Child Care Aware of America applauds Senate increase in annual appropriations for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), urges Congress to act.  

Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed a $2.3 billion increase for early learning programs. The increase is part of the Fiscal Year 2025 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. As part of the early learning increase, the Act provides $10.35 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) - a $1.6 billion or 18% increase over fiscal year 2024. This funding will help more working families find and afford quality child care programs.  

Child Care Aware of America CEO, Susan Gale Perry, on the Senate Committee passage of increased child care funding: 

“The Senate-proposed funding increase for child care and early learning is welcome news. Across the country, CCAoA’s network knows firsthand the challenges parents, providers, businesses and communities are facing. Child care prices are too high for too many families, wages are too low to keep teachers in child care classrooms, and we need to do more to increase the availability of quality child care. More money flowing to states will help make our child care system stronger, which makes America stronger. CCAoA urges Congress to support and build on the Senate proposed funding levels for FY25.” 

Earlier this month, the House Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies approved $8.8 billion for CCDBG in FY25. The House and Senate must agree on a final Appropriations bill ahead of the end of FY24 on September 30, 2024.  

Child Care Aware of America and partner organizations have urged Congress to provide at least an additional $4.3 billion for CCDBG in an FY25 Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee Appropriations bill, for a total of at least $12.4 billion.