Rep. McDonald Rivet Leads Effort to Expand Access to Affordable Child Care for Working Families

WASHINGTON- Representatives Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08), Ryan Mackenzie (PA-07), Susie Lee (NV-03), and Ashley Hinson (IA-02) introduced the bipartisan Child Care Modernization Act. This bill would reauthorize and update the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), which is the main federal program to help working families access quality child care.

"Parents are doing everything right and still struggling to find and afford child care," said Congresswoman McDonald Rivet. "This bill helps by cutting red tape, supporting child care providers, and giving families more choices. It won't solve the whole problem, but it's a step in the right direction. We need to keep pushing for the investments and reforms that working families deserve."

The CCDBG provides federal funding to states for child care for low-income working families. The Child Care Modernization Act would reauthorize the CCDBG for the first time since 2014 and make updates, including:

• Cutting unnecessary red tape for providers, which especially burdens small, rural, and home-based providers.
• Creating a new, additional grant program for the construction and renovation of child care facilities.
• Providing more technical assistance to home-based and rural providers.

The Child Care Modernization Act is endorsed by Michigan's Children, First Five Years Fund, National Head Start Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Afterschool Alliance, Third Way, Bipartisan Policy Center Action, Chamber of Mothers, Moms First, YMCA of the USA, Child Care Aware of America, Early Care and Education Consortium, Early Childhood Investment Corporation Foundation, KinderCare Learning Companies, Learning Care Group, Low Income Investment Fund, National Association for the Education of Young Children, National Association of Counties, National Association of Women Business Owners, National Child Care Association, National Conference of State Legislatures, and Save the Children.

"Michigan's Children proudly supports the Child Care Modernization Act and applauds Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet for introducing this important legislation on behalf of Michigan families," said Matt Gillard, President and CEO of Michigan's Children. "Access to reliable, affordable child care creates the strong foundation children need to thrive and gives parents the support they need to work and provide for their families. This bill would help strengthen and expand child care options for working families while giving states new tools to respond to the needs of their communities."

"Child Care Aware® of America supports the Child Care Modernization Act and thanks Representatives McDonald Rivet (D-MI), Mackenzie (R-PA), Hinson (R-IA), and Lee (D-NV) for their leadership," said Susan Gale Perry, Chief Executive Officer at Child Care Aware® of America. "Right now, families across the country are struggling to find child care they can afford and count on. The Child Care and Development Block Grant is the primary federal tool we have to help working families afford child care, and the Child Care Modernization Act would make smart, needed updates to it. Our research shows child care supply growth has stalled and too many parents are left without options. This bill recognizes the urgency of that problem, and paired with strong federal investment, it can make a real difference for families."

Congresswoman McDonald Rivet has spent her career fighting to expand access to child care and early childhood education, including as Executive Director of Michigan Head Start and Chief of Staff of the Michigan Department of Education. In Congress, she is a member of the Congressional Pre-K and Child Care Caucus and has introduced and co-sponsored the following child care bills:

• The Early Education Savings Program Act, which would expand 529 savings programs to cover child care expenses.
• The Child Care Access & Affordability Act, which would investigate the factors contributing to the lack of affordable and accessible child care in the United States.
• The Child Care for Working Families Act, which would expand access to affordable, quality early learning programs, expand access to pre-K, and support full-day, full-year Head Start programs and increase wages for Head Start workers.