Democrats introduce legislation extending child care funding in bid to keep day care doors open

A group of Democrats are seeking to extend child care funding in a bid to keep day care doors open as billions in federal subsidies are set to run out Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year.

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), joined by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (Mass.) and other Democratic lawmakers, introduced the Child Care Stabilization Act on Wednesday — which would extend the pandemic-era funding ahead of the looming funding cliff. 

The legislation would provide $16 billion in mandatory funding each year for the next five years to continue the Child Care Stabilization Grants program for child care providers, according to a statement from Murray’s office.

“Ask any parent, any provider or any business in just about any part of this country, and they will tell you: We have a child care crisis in America,” Murray said in a press conference Wednesday. “And that crisis could soon go from bad to worse as essential relief for the sector expires at the end of this month.” 

Sanders echoed Murray’s warnings, “If Congress does not act soon, over 3 million kids are in danger of losing their child care slots, over 230,000 child care workers could lose their jobs, and child care facilities all over the country could be forced to close their doors.”

The $40 billion in funds that were part of the American Rescue Plan sought to reduce the economic burden of the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding helped keep child care providers afloat during the pandemic, while saving child care slots, Murray’s office said.

The legislation follows calls from Democrats earlier this year who have scrambled to push for an extension. 

The White House also threw support behind the bill, pointing to the importance of child care funding for families.

“Families need a strong, stable and affordable child care system,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. “Without it, we will jeopardize the gains that have brought the share of women in the work force to a record high. We look forward to working with Congress on how it can take immediate action to provide relief to child care workers and the families that depend on them, while also pursuing long-term solutions.”

According to a report published in June from The Century Foundation, an estimated 3.2 million children are at risk of losing child care without the funding. The foundation estimated one-third of child care facilities that receive the funding will close, costing the U.S. economy more than $10 billion per year and costing families $9 billion annually in lost earnings.

This story was updated at 9:49 pm EST.