Van Hollen, Burr, McBath Applaud Senate Passage of Bipartisan Child Care Protection Improvement Act

Today, the Senate unanimously passed the Child Care Protection Improvement Act, legislation introduced by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Richard Burr (R-NC) and Congresswoman Lucy McBath (D-GA). This bipartisan legislation will create a task force to assist states in the process of implementing federal work requirements for child care workers and will now be delivered to the President’s desk for signature. 

Van Hollen, Burr, and McBath applauded Congress’ bipartisan work.

“As our nation continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, child care centers and workers have had to adapt and balance increased demands and challenges,” said Senator Van Hollen. “Providing a safe environment for these caregivers and America’s children is crucial. Right now, too many states experience delays or roadblocks when implementing the critical criminal background checks required under the law to keep our children and workers safe. The bipartisan action we’re taking today will help close this gap and ensure our children are in good hands. I urge the President to sign this bill into law immediately, and I will continue pushing for child care that is safe and affordable for all American families.” 

“Our nation’s child care workers serve an essential role on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic and have faced unprecedented challenges over recent months,” said Senator Burr. “As communities continue to slowly reopen and parents return to the workplace, they need child care that is not only reliable, but safe. This commonsense legislation prioritizes children’s safety by helping states meet employment requirements to ensure a high-quality child care workforce. I am pleased to see this bipartisan legislation head to the President’s desk.”

“Parents and families across our nation deserve the comfort of knowing their kids are receiving the best possible care. We must do everything we can to ensure the safety of our children,” said Congresswoman McBath. “I am incredibly proud that this bill is becoming law, and I want to applaud my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, in both chambers, for working together to keep our children safe, set them up for educational success, and ensure our qualified childcare providers have access to the opportunities they’ve worked so hard to achieve.”

Background:

This legislation will better equip states with ways to address these challenges by creating a task force to develop recommendations, best practices, and technical assistance to Federal and State agencies as they continue to implement these requirements. 

The Child Care Protection Improvement Act unanimously passed the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee on December 12, 2019. 

The House of Representatives unanimously passed this legislation on September 16, 2020.

This legislation has been endorsed by the Bipartisan Policy Center, the Early Care and Education Consortium, the First Five Years Fund, and KinderCare.