Jan. 26—Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand is hoping to pass federal legislation that would dedicate $100 million in federal funding to help build childcare facilities across the U.S.
The ‘Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act,’ would establish a federal grant program that states could apply to and receive funding for projects dedicated to workforce development, including tuition subsidies, textbook or educational equipment purchases, and facilities construction programs.
It would be focused on childcare deserts — places where the shortage of childcare slots is about one slot per three children.
In New York, the childcare shortage is significant — the state average is one slot per three children under 5, and state officials are working on solutions to put state money behind a building program.
In the north country, 72% of census tracts are considered childcare deserts, according to data collected by the state Division of Child Care Services. At the same time, about 46% of families are within 200% of the federal poverty line — advocates and lawmakers consider childcare to be an essential service for parents to reenter the workforce and earn more money, and so they generally target childcare assistance towards more impoverished areas.
In a virtual news conference Thursday, Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said she wants her program to work in concert with state level programs like what Gov. Kathleen C. Hochul has proposed — a $110 million state-funded program to build childcare spaces.
“This would give (Hochul) some funds to meet her goals for childcare,” Gillibrand said.
She said she is hopeful the bill will advance quickly in the totally Republican-controlled Washington — the bill has the support of Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Ak., and she said she hopes to widen its support this year. It was introduced originally by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Mn.