U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON D.C. — U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), one of only two Head Start graduates to serve in the Senate, joined U.S. Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to reintroduce the Child Care for Working Families Act, comprehensive legislation to ensure families can find and afford the high-quality child care they need. 

President Trump has withheld Head Start funding and fired early child hood education workers in New Mexico, gutted oversight of and support for the federal child care office, held up childcare funding to states, and now created massive shortfalls in states’ budgets with Republicans’ Big, Bad Bill, which cuts funding to Medicaid and SNAP –  to give massive tax giveaways to billionaires – and may well force states to pare back on their own investments in child care.

Heinrich and Luján’s Child Care for Working Families Act will dramatically expand access to pre-K, and support full-day, full-year Head Start programs and increased wages for Head Start workers. Under the legislation, the typical family in America will pay no more than $15 a day for childcare — with many families paying nothing at all — and no eligible family will pay more than 7% of their income on childcare.

“Too many families are forced to make the impossible choice between earning a paycheck and childcare – and that’s if they can even secure a spot at their local daycare. We should make it easier for parents to put food on the table and give their children the high-quality early childhood education they deserve,” Heinrich said. “I’m proud to co-sponsor legislation to lower the cost of childcare, expand access to early childhood education, and support high-quality educators. While President Trump and Republicans keep driving up the cost of childcare, groceries, and utilities, I will always fight to lower costs for New Mexico families.”

“Affordable, accessible childcare is a critical lifeline for working families in New Mexico and across the country. No parent should have to choose between earning a living and ensuring their children are well cared for,” Luján said. “This legislation will help expand childcare access by building more centers, supporting the recruitment and retention of early childhood educators, and making childcare more affordable for every family. While Republicans are slashing funding for Head Start and other federal childcare programs, Democrats are advancing commonsense solutions to support families, invest in the future of our children, and strengthen our economy.”

Specifically, the Child Care for Working Families Act will:

• Make childcare affordable for working families.
• The typical family earning the state median income will pay less than $15 a day for childcare.
• No working family will pay more than 7% of their income on childcare.
• Families earning below 85% of state median income will pay nothing at all for childcare.
• If a state does not choose to receive funding under this program, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary can provide funds to localities, such as cities, counties, local governments, districts, or Head Start agencies.
• Improve the quality and supply of childcare for all children and expand families’ childcare options by:
  • Addressing childcare deserts by providing grants to help open new childcare providers in underserved communities.
  • Providing grants to cover start-up and licensing costs to help establish new providers.
  • Increasing childcare options for children who receive care during non-traditional hours.
  • Supporting childcare for children who are dual-language learners, children who are experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care.
  • Support higher wages for childcare workers.
• Childcare workers will be paid a living wage and achieve parity with elementary school teachers who have similar credentials and experience.
• Childcare subsidies will cover the cost of providing high-quality care.
• Dramatically expand access to high-quality pre-K.
• States will receive funding to establish and expand a mixed-delivery system of high-quality preschool programs for 3- and 4-year-olds.
• States must prioritize establishing and expanding universal local preschool programs within and across high-need communities.
• If a state does not choose to receive funding under this program, the HHS Secretary can provide funds to localities, such as cities, counties, local governments, districts, or Head Start agencies.
• Better support Head Start programs by providing the funding necessary to offer full-day, full-year programming and increasing wages for Head Start workers.

The legislation is led by Murray, Kaine, Hirono, Kim, and Schumer. Alongside Heinrich and Luján, the bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). In the House, the legislation is led by U.S. Representatives Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), and Bobby Scott (D-Va.).

The text of the bill is here.