Vice Chair Leger Fernández and Democratic Women’s Caucus Urge White House to Include Childcare Funds in Upcoming Supplemental Request
Washington, DC,
October 25, 2023
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández, Vice Chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC), joined other DWC members to urge the White House to address child care funding. Critical federal child care resources expired on September 30th, 2023, and thousands of families are at risk of losing access to childcare.
U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández, Vice Chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC), joined other DWC members to urge the White House to address child care funding. Critical federal child care resources expired on September 30th, 2023, and thousands of families are at risk of losing access to childcare. “We cannot stand by and let 368 childcare programs in New Mexico close. Parents and families deserve to have safe, quality and affordable childcare programs so that they can get to work and help grow New Mexico’s economy,” said Rep. Leger Fernández, Vice Chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus. “We need to recognize that the childcare industry is close to collapse. Let’s invest in families. Let's invest in children. Let’s invest in our future,” she concluded. 
After the expiration of federal child care aid in September, more than three million children are projected to lose access to child care nationwide. In New Mexico, 17,338 children are expected to lose their childcare as a result of the expiration of Child Care Stabilization Grants provided under the American Rescue Plan Act. Background: On July 31st, Congresswoman Leger Fernández signed a letter urging President Biden to work with Congress to provide $16 billion to prevent the looming child care funding cliff. When President’s Biden August supplemental funding request did not include mention of child care funding, the Democratic Women’s Caucus requested a meeting with the White House to discuss next steps to avoid the child care funding cliff. Congresswoman Leger Fernández also led a letter with the Democratic Women’s Caucus to Republican Leadership on September 22nd to work with Democrats to address the child care crisis. Rep. Leger Fernández also cosponsored H.R. 5433, the Child Care Stabilization Act, to make sure that families continue to have access to affordable, high-quality child care. Representative Katherine Clark (D-MA) introduced this vital piece of legislation on September 13, 2023. If enacted, H.R. 5433 would build on the child care investments in the American Rescue Plan with an additional $16 billion in grants per year to help keep our child care centers open and pay early childhood educators a living wage. H.R. 5433 currently awaits consideration by the House Committee on Appropriations. ### |