As your constituent, I am urging you to prioritize both WIC and child care in the upcoming continuing resolution -- and keep the government running.
In a few days, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds that helped to stabilize the child care industry will expire, which could leave 3.2 million children without child care. This will have a disproportionate impact on families in rural communities, families with low-incomes, families headed by single parents, and BIPOC families.
In addition, the WIC program needs more funding to ensure states, faced with funding uncertainty and increased demand, don’t start to turn eligible new parents and young children away or place them on waiting lists. Congress must pass a clean CR ASAP and include additional funding for WIC and child care in their CR package.
President Biden has already requested additional funding for WIC to address funding shortfalls for the full fiscal year. You must fulfill his request and provide an additional $16 billion per year in emergency child care funding.
First sent on September 28, 2023 by Jess Craven
