Gillibrand calls for child care center funding

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is calling on Congress to pass federal funding for child care centers.

Gillibrand, D-N.Y., held a video news conference on Wednesday to draw attention to the expiration of additional federal funding for child care providers that was enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021, the American Rescue Plan act provided about $24 billion in states. However, funding for the program expires at the end of the month.

Gillibrand said that the pending decrease in federal funding would lead to an estimated 3.2 million children nationwide and over 250,000 in New York state losing access to child care. She says that it would force over 5,700 child care centers to close and cost parents $846 million in earnings.

Gillibrand has co-sponsored a bill to provide $16 billion in funding to child care providers each year for the next five years.

“A shortage of child care providers in our state means that too many working parents have to make the impossible choice between going to work and taking care of their kids,” Gillibrand said in a news release. “A sudden lapse in federal funding that forces even more providers to close would be catastrophic for New York families. Today, I’m announcing legislation to continue giving child care providers the support they desperately need, and I’m determined to get it passed.”