Public Statement on Support for Child Care Funding in Pandemic Relief Bill

The business leaders of ReadyNation call on Congress to take swift, bipartisan action this week to pass pandemic relief legislation that includes dedicated child care funding needed to stabilize the child care sector. This economic relief is critical to supporting child care providers and the families that rely on their services in order to work.

Congress must act before the end of the year to pass dedicated funding for child care that will support all child care providers through direct grants for both center-based and home-based providers.

The child care sector faces crippling increases in safety and operating costs while confronting revenue shortages due to low and unstable enrollments. Absent dedicated financial relief, many providers have already had to make the difficult decision to close, and many more will wrestle with that decision in the weeks and months to come.

Without child care, parents cannot work. Parents are having to make the difficult decision to drop out of the labor force, which will have long-term financial repercussions and stifle upward mobility. Falling labor workforce participation also has adverse effects on businesses who lose talented and trained workers.

Our nation needs child care to be available to support the further reopening of our economy following any wide-spread vaccine distribution next year. Without child care, parents cannot return to work and businesses fail to thrive and grow.

ReadyNation is a national network of current and former business executives focused on strengthening workforce development and the economy through the promotion of smart investments in America’s children and youth. As ReadyNation CEO Task Force on Early Childhood Co-Chairs, and on behalf of more than 3,000 ReadyNation members around the country, we urge passage of a bipartisan pandemic relief bill that includes direct funding for child care.

Economic relief for child care providers simply cannot wait.

Co-Chairs, ReadyNation CEO Task Force on Early Childhood:

• Jack Brennan, Chairman Emeritus, former CEO, and Senior Advisor, Vanguard
• John Pepper, Chairman & CEO (Ret.), Procter & Gamble
• James Zimmerman, Chairman & CEO (Ret.), Macy’s

*Note: Above signatories lend their names in an individual capacity, not as a company representation. Company/organization names are included for information purposes only.