Call Your Senators TODAY to Support Increased Funding for Child Care!!!

Child Care Spending Needs to Be Increased to Ensure the Safety of Our Children

Today could be the day the Senate takes up a year-long funding bill (referred to as the omnibus funding bill). Funding for all federal programs is at stake. The House of Representatives passed a year-long funding measure with a $400 million increase in child care funding for next year. The Senate bill includes $2.8 billion for child care – an increase of about $700 million! Let your Senators know that getting the economy back on track hinges on parents being able to afford child care. The Senate vote could be today!

What happens next? Senators need to adopt the omnibus bill. The House needs to either pass the omnibus bill or negotiate the differences between the two bills in a conference committee. The federal government is currently operating under a continuing resolution (CR) until Saturday. Call your Senators TODAY -- especially if you are from the states of AK, CO, FL, IN, ME, MN, MO, MS, OH, and WV -- to tell him/her to support the omnibus appropriations bill with $2.8 billion for child care. Every call counts! We are counting on you to weigh in – every Senator needs to know that the omnibus bill is important and child care funding is critical to working parents.



Take Action! TODAY!



1.The toll-free number to call is 1-877-227-3801. This will connect you to the U.S. Senate Operator.



2.The first person to answer will be an operator who will ask how you want to be connected. Tell the operator the name of your Senator. If you’re not sure, [click here] to find out.



3.Once you are connected to the office of your Senator, a staff person will answer the phone. Please say:



·My name is (name) and I’m calling from (city, state).



·“I’m calling to urge your support for the omnibus appropriations bill, which includes $2.8 billion for child care.



·Working parents need child care. Make child care a priority to help people get and keep a job!”



4. After your call please forward this notice on to all of your friends and/or coworkers to also have them make a call. We must continue to let Congress know that it is critical to invest in early childhood funding. AFTER YOUR CALL, follow-up with an email to your Senator by clicking here.