Van Hollen, Casey, Colleagues Press Trump Administration on Needs of Children and Early Care Providers During Coronavirus Pandemic

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), along with a number of their colleagues, in sending a letter to the Trump Administration pressing the coronavirus task force on the steps it is taking to protect children and assist early care and education providers to operate safely and minimize economic disruptions during the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, outbreak.

The Senators write, “It is critical that all early care and education providers are equipped to prevent and respond to the spread of COVID-19. Approximately 60 percent of young children in the United States spend time in non-parental child care each week, provided by nearly 2 million early childhood educators. Child care is essential for our economy and for the working families who need to know their children are safe and well cared for so they can go to work every day and provide for their families. Early care and education providers need fact-based guidance from public health experts in order to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 among the children, families and staff within their programs. These providers are also well positioned to connect the families they serve to fact-based information and resources to assist them in planning, preparing and responding to the pandemic.”

Senators Van Hollen and Casey were joined by Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jack Reed (D-RI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tom Carper (D-DE), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tina Smith (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Tim Kaine (D-VA).

A copy of the letter can be found here.