FFYF Statement on Exclusion of Child Care Funding from Inflation Reduction Act

WASHINGTON – FFYF Executive Director Sarah Rittling issued the following statement upon Senate passage of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022: 

 “With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, America is still no closer to solving the decades-long child care crisis that prevents millions of working families from achieving economic security — much less economic success. Women, in particular, will suffer the consequences of Congress’s failure to invest in lowering the cost and increasing the supply of quality early learning and care opportunities. Time and again families are reassured that funding for child care is a top priority; yet at the end of the day, child care funding was left on the cutting room floor. We thank the Congressional Democrats who kept child care at the top of the priority list throughout this process – including the President who made it a signature piece of his agenda – and we look forward to maintaining the level of urgency required to ensure Congress secures the investments and reforms we need to make a meaningful difference.    

“Just because this reconciliation process may be coming to an end, doesn’t mean the child care crisis will disappear, nor has the window closed to begin fixing what’s broken in America’s child care system. It is now incumbent upon Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill to do what they’ve done for decades when there’s a crisis: Put aside politics and come together to craft smart bipartisan child care policy that makes a long-term investment in America’s early learning sector to help families, children, and our economy.”