Reps. Cisneros and Bacon Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Child Care Providers Respond to Pandemic

WASHINGTON, DC (July 27, 2020) – Today, Representatives Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. (D-CA-39) and Don Bacon (R-NE-02) introduced the Helping Child Care Providers Respond to the Coronavirus Public Health Emergency Act (H.R. 7720). This bipartisan legislation would ensure child care providers can use federal funding authorized under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to pay for costs associated with sanitization and other costs necessary to protect children and child care workers from COVID-19. 

“Child care providers across the United States are in desperate need of relief. They’re struggling to stay afloat and many are having to dip into their own pockets to pay for cleaning supplies and PPE. It’s unacceptable that 40 percent of child care centers might shut down permanently without federal aid,” said Rep. Cisneros. “Our essential workers rely on this critical service as they fight this health crisis and protect our kids. Today, I’m proud to introduce a bipartisan bill with Rep. Bacon to help child care providers respond to this pandemic and keep child care workers and children safe.” 

“As families across the nation return to work and wait to hear what the school year will look like, they need to have access to reliable and safe childcare. This bill will provide much needed support to our childcare providers who have seen a loss in revenue due to people not working and have increased costs associated with sanitization and safety issues related to COVID 19,” said Rep. Bacon.

According to a survey conducted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, 91 percent of child care centers say they are incurring additional costs for cleaning supplies. The survey also finds 40 percent of child care centers in the United States—half of those who are owned by people of color—are certain they will close permanently without additional public assistance.