McClellan Joins Whip Clark, Congressional Democrats to Introduce Legislation to Stave Off Impending Child Care Cliff
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) joined Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-05), Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Reps. Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Bobby Scott (VA-03), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), and more than 70 House Democrats and 30 Senate Democrats to introduce landmark legislation to invest in the child care industry and stave off the impending child care cliff.
On September 30th, American Rescue Plan Child Care Stabilization grants are set to expire. According to a report by The Century Foundation, over 3.2 million children could lose their child care spots and over 70,000 child care programs will likely close without congressional action.
“Our nation faces a child care crisis caused by skyrocketing costs and a systemic lack of investment in the child care sector and early childhood education. That crisis will only worsen if Congress does not take action to address the looming child care cliff on September 30th,” said Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan. “As a mother to two young children and a long-term advocate for early childhood education, I am proud to stand alongside Whip Clark and my House Democrat colleagues as an original cosponsor of the Child Care Stabilization Act. It is imperative we take immediate action to support the child care workforce and ensure parents and families have access to the support they need.”
The Child Care Stabilization Act extends Child Care Stabilization grants at $16 billion per year through Fiscal Year 2028.
In Congress, McClellan is a member of the Bipartisan Congressional Child Care and Pre-K Caucus and a cosponsor of the Child care for Working Families Act, the Building Housing with Care Act, the After Hour Child Care Act, and the Child Care Infrastructure Act. While in the Virginia State Senate, McClellan championed passage of the Child Care Stabilization and Quality Care Act to provide greater financial stability and support to early childhood educators and child care providers. She also cosponsored legislation to establish a statewide early childhood education and child care system in Virginia and strengthen background checks for child care providers.
In the House, 78 Representatives are original cosponsors of the legislation, including: Representatives Katherine Clark, Rosa DeLauro, Bobby Scott, Suzanne Bonamici, Jamaal Bowman, Jimmy Gomez, Sara Jacobs, Mikie Sherrill, Alma Adams, Becca Balint, Nanette Diaz Barragán, Shontel Brown, Julia Brownley, Nikki Budzinski, Cori Bush, Yadira Caraveo, Salud Carbajal, Troy Carter, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Yvette Clarke, Gerald Connolly, Angie Craig, Jasmine Crockett, Henry Cuellar, Danny Davis, Donald Davis, Veronica Escobar, Lois Frankel, Josh Gottheimer, Raúl Grijalva, Jahana Hayes, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Sheila Jackson Lee, Pramila Jayapal, Andy Kim, Annie Kuster, Greg Landsman, Barbara Lee, Zoe Lofgren, Stephen Lynch, Seth Magaziner, Kathy Manning, Lucy McBath, Jennifer McClellan, Betty McCollum, Morgan McGarvey, Rob Menendez, Gwen Moore, Jared Moskowitz, Kevin Mullin, Jerrold Nadler, Richard Neal, Donald Norcross, Scott Peters, Brittany Pettersen, Chellie Pingree, Mark Pocan, Katie Porter, Ayanna Pressley, Jamie Raskin, Deborah Ross, Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, Andrea Salinas, John Sarbanes, Mary Gay Scanlon, Jan Schakowsky, Adam Schiff, Terri Sewell, Mark Takano, Rashida Tlaib, Jill Tokuda, Paul Tonko, Lori Trahan, David Trone, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Jennifer Wexton, Susan Wild, and Nikema Williams.
In the Senate, 35 Senators are original cosponsors of the legislation, including: Senators Murray, Sanders, Schumer, Baldwin, Blumenthal, Booker, Brown, Cardin, Casey, Cortez Masto, Duckworth, Durbin, Fetterman, Gillibrand, Heinrich, Hirono, Kaine, King, Klobuchar, Luján, Markey, Menendez, Merkley, Murphy, Padilla, Reed, Shaheen, Smith, Stabenow, Van Hollen, Warnock, Warren, Welch, Whitehouse, and Wyden.
Read the full bill text here.
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