WASHINGTON, D.C – Last night, the U.S. House passed with unanimous support the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014, a bipartisan agreement between the House and Senate to modernize and reauthorize the Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program.
U.S. Rep. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (PA-5), a member of the House Education & the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement:
“Passage of this legislation is another testament of how we can forge bipartisan solutions on important policy matters by working together. The Child Care Development Block Grant program is a federal and state partnership, which provides a lifeline for working families throughout the commonwealth.
“Reforms included in the legislation will offer greater access to high-quality care in safe environments. Both committees in the House and Senate worked diligently to get this package to the floor, recognizing the common good and safety of our children. We are eager to get this bill to the President’s desk for his signature.”
The CCDBG program provides funds to states to help low-income families pay for child care while a parent works or is in an educational or job training program. In the United States, approximately 1.5 million children under the age of 13 participate every month in some type of child care supported through CCDBG. CCDBG provides financial assistance to 117,000 low-income children in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The Child Care and Development Block Grant Act will:
- Enhance parental choice by providing information about available care options from all providers, including faith-based and community-based providers, and allowing parents to choose the child care provider that best suits their family’s needs.
- Strengthen safety in child care settings by requiring all providers to comply with state health, safety, and fire standards and undergo annual inspections.
- Promote high quality child care by reserving funds at the state level to improve the quality of care provided to children, enhancing states’ ability to train providers and develop safer and more effective child care services.
Click here to learn more about the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014.
