Congresswoman Angie Craig Leads Effort to Pass $50 Billion Child Care Stabilization Fund, $682 Million for Minnesota

Today, the House passed the Child Care is Essential Act, which Rep. Angie Craig cosponsored. The bill would create a $50 billion Child Care Stabilization Fund and invest in child care so that providers across Minnesota have the resources they need to safely reopen. Without adequate investments in the child care industry, families across the country will be unable to return to work.

Without adequate support from the federal government, Minnesota could lose 124,261 licensed child care slots, approximately 55% of the child care supply. The $682,319,707 Minnesota would receive from the Child Care is Essential Act would help child care providers stay open, keep employees on payroll and safely operate under new guidelines.

"As a mom, I know how critical childcare is to working parents. We cannot talk about reopening our economy without having a conversation about how families will care for their children," said Rep. Craig. "As we begin to get folks back to work, I'm proud to join my House colleagues in being part of the solution. With this $50 billion investment, our nation can take a step toward safely reopening and rebuilding our economy. It's now up to Senate Republicans to act boldly and join us in protecting working families and finding real solutions."

Even prior to the spread of COVID-19, Minnesota could not provide care for every child that needed it. With more than one child per child care slot, working families lacked access to safe, quality child care. The spread of COVID-19 has only worsened this problem to the brink of catastrophe. Since the pandemic, it is now estimated that there are now more than four children per child care slot. Without robust federal investments, the child care industry cannot provide the care needed to help Americans return to work.

The Child Care is Essential Act includes:

• Stabilization grants for personnel costs, sanitation and cleaning, training and other goods and services needed to maintain or resume operation of the child care program.
• Support for child care workers. This bill requires employers to keep child care workers on payroll at the same compensation level as pre-COVID as a condition of receiving stabilization grant funds.
• Support for working families by requiring providers to relieve families of copayments or tuition.
• Promotion of health and safety through compliance with public health guidance. Under this legislation, open providers would be required to meet health and safety guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local authorities.