Senator Patty Murray's office issued the following:
Despite Republicans attempts
to halt negotiations and push through an inadequate, partisan package,
Senator Murray secures crucial funding for child care
Senator Murray: “Across
Washington state and the country, workers in our grocery stores, our
hospitals, and our pharmacies who are keeping our communities safe
desperately need child care”
(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Patty
Murray (D-WA), the top Democrat on the Senate education and labor
committee, secured $3.5 billion in funding for child care in the Senate
coronavirus relief package, after urging Republicans to continue
negotiations when they pushed for an inadequate, partisan package.
The updated package includes $3.5 billion in funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grants
(CCDBG) to provide child care assistance to families, and continued
wages for child care providers and staff. Child care providers operate
on very small margins and are currently facing difficult decisions about
closure. This funding will allow child care programs to maintain
critical operations, including meeting emergency staffing needs and
ensuring first responders, health care workers, sanitation workers, and
others deemed essential by public officials can access child care while
they respond to the pandemic.
“Across Washington state and the country,
workers in our grocery stores, our hospitals, and our pharmacies who are
keeping our communities safe desperately need child care. I’m glad
that this package will provide much needed resources and relief, but it
is just one part of a larger solution. I’ll keep fighting to support our
workers, families, children and child care providers as we continue our
coronavirus response,” said Senator Murray. “Passing this bill
was step one. Now we need to hold this Administration accountable to
implementing this bill with the urgency, consistency and equity it
requires—and continue to talk with our local and state officials on the
ground to make sure they have the resources they need as we continue to
combat this crisis.”
Specifically, the funding will go to:
- Emergency child care services and assistance to health care sector employees, emergency responders, sanitation workers, and other workers deemed essential during the response to coronavirus;
- Continued payments for child care providers and wages for child care staff, even in the case of program closures or children’s absences;
- Cleaning and sanitation activities to prevent and respond to COVID-19, and other activities necessary to maintain or resume the operation of programs.
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