At Evanston Event, Congressman Krishnamoorthi Announces the Kids Before Cuts Act to End Trump’s Child Care Funding Freeze

EVANSTON, IL - Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) joined leaders from the Infant Welfare Society of Evanston, along with local teachers and parents, to highlight the impact of the Trump administration's blanket freeze of federal child care and family support funding and to announce the Kids Before Cuts Act, legislation to end the freeze and prevent any administration from unilaterally withholding congressionally approved funding. The event featured remarks from Stephen Vick, Executive Director of the Infant Welfare Society of Evanston; Pamela Staples, Senior Director of the organization; and local parents and educators whose families and classrooms depend on these programs.

Earlier this week, the Trump administration froze $10 billion in funding for programs that support low-income families, including the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, the Child Care and Development Block Grant, and the Social Services Block Grant. In Illinois alone, the freeze threatens access to child care assistance for approximately 100,000 families and more than 150,000 children.

"This freeze is already hurting kids and families here in Illinois," Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. "When child care disappears, parents can't work and families fall behind. I know how much programs like these matter because my own family relied on them when my dad lost his job. Cutting off this funding without evidence isn't oversight. It's punishing families who are doing their best. That's why I'm introducing the Kids Before Cuts Act, to make sure no president can pull the rug out from under children and working families."

Neither the White House nor the Department of Health and Human Services has provided evidence of widespread fraud in Illinois to justify the funding freeze. Illinois maintains established oversight, auditing, and compliance systems to ensure responsible use of federal funds.

The Kids Before Cuts Act would prohibit the withholding of federal funds for TANF, the Child Care and Development Block Grant, and the Social Services Block Grant without explicit authorization from Congress, reaffirming congressional authority over federal spending and protecting children and families from unilateral executive action.