Dems propose billons in child care funding to avoid COVID-era cliff – NBC Boston
By Matt Prichard
Federal funding for child care is approaching a critical deadline — Sept. 30 will mark the expiration of American Rescue Plan funding that has assisted day care facilities, workers and parents that use their services.
Originally passed in 2021, the pandemic-era legislation had $24 billion dollars set aside for child care, $314 million of which was distributed in Massachusetts. Data from the Department of Health and Human Services shows 2,440 child care centers and 4,090 child care family homes in the Bay State utilized those funds to pay for personnel costs, keeping programs staffed, rent and mortgage payments.
"That expires at the end of September," said Rep. Katherine Clark, the House minority whip, in an interview. "That means, for families, tuition could be back on the rise, child care that is already hard to find could be harder to find and it would take away critical support for providers."
To meet that need, Clark, D-Mass., is partnering with Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., to introduce the Childcare Stabilization Act. The proposed legislation outlines the need for more child care services in underserved communities, better pay for industry workers and sustained funding from the federal government to enable parents to remain in the workforce.
"This bill will do $16 billion dollars a year for the next five years to ensure we don't lose ground," Clark said.