Federal Update: More Child Care Funding, But SNAP Targeted in Farm Bill

Good news for the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG). Late last week, the U.S. House and Senate passed the omnibus spending bill, which keeps the government running through September, and on Friday, President Trump signed it. The spending bill includes $2.37 billion for CCDBG, which helps states fund child care subsidies, like Care4Kids. CCDBG funding was increased by 80%. This would mean Connecticut should expect approximately $15 million coming from the federal government for child care. Besides CCDBG, the bill also increases:

• A $610 million increase for Head Start ($115 million of that for Early Head Start that will be used for Early Head Start expansion or Early Head Start/child care partnerships)
  
• A $35 million increase for CCAMPIS that funds child care for mothers in college
  
• A $20 million increase for 21st Century Community Learning Centers which supports after school programs
  
• A $11.4 million increase for Part C of IDEA
  
• A $12.8 million increase for Part B Sec 619 of IDEA
  
• Flat funding for Preschool Development Grants at $250 million

CT Mirror has MORE.

But with the good news, comes some concerning news. Congress is on a two-week recess until April 9. When members return, they are expected to take up the Farm Bill, which includes the SNAP program, and is reauthorized every five years. Many advocates are concerned about potentially harmful cuts and changes (changes such as the "USDA Food Packages," stricter eligibility requirements, stricter work requirements). According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX) intends to proceed with the Farm Bill without negotiating a bipartisan agreement. So during the two week recess, this is the time to contact your Members of Congress. While there is no Connecticut representation on the House Agriculture Committee, they need to hear that there’s strong opposition to SNAP cuts and harmful changes in the Farm Bill. Members of the House will have to analyze Chairman Conaway’s version of the Farm Bill and decide if they will support it. Over in the Senate, Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) continues to work on a bipartisan proposal in the Senate for action this spring. It is expected the House version will be marked up in mid-April. 

Keep Up Your Advocacy!

We are about halfway through the short legislative session. Thanks to everyone who has advocated for young children and to those who came to our March Advocacy Day. Going forward, we expect the legislature's budget proposal to be released April 5. 

To keep up with the bills the Alliance is tracking, you can visit the bills page of our website.

This past week, several bills of interest passed out of committees:

• The two Paid Family and Medical Leave bills - S.B. 1 and H.B. 5387 - passed out of the Labor and Public Employees Committee. The Connecticut Campaign for Paid Family Leave thanks everyone who has helped push the legislation thus far. If you would like to continue doing so, click HERE for more information.
• The Banking Committee passed a bill along party lines that would create a task force to look at ways to finance the removal of lead from thousands of Connecticut homes. Connecticut Health I-Team (C-HIT) has MORE (written before the vote, but gives context to the overall bill).

Call Your Members of Congress Regarding CCDBG Funding!

Back in February, Congress passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) that included a bipartisan budget deal to keep the government funded through March 23, 2018. The bill also allowed appropriators to incorporate new, higher, spending caps into a FY2018 Omnibus spending bill, that includes an unprecedented $5.8 billion in funding over two years for the Child Care and Development Block Grant program (CCDBG). While Congress created a framework to double CCDBG funding, it has not actually allocated that money and time is running out to March 23. If you have not called your members yourself, please do so now. Please call your U.S. Senators (Senators Blumenthal and Murphy) and your Congressional representatives, (ie, Rep. Larson, Rep. Courtney, Rep. Delauro, Rep. Himes, Rep. Esty). To find your Rep, click HERE. To contact both Senators, click HERE.

Here’s a script:

As a supporter of child care and early learning, I urge you to ensure that the Labor Health and Human Services and Education allocation is sufficient to sustain the CCDBGincrease included in the budget deal as well as the highest possible amount for other early learning programs. We hope that Congress is able to complete the FY 2018 process by March 23^rd so that states can use the $5.8 billion over two years  to help more mothers work, more children have a strong early learning experience and more providers receive the support they need.