200610 childcare congress

Published

June 10, 2020

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TO THE MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS:

For millions of Americans, returning to work is not just contingent on the lifting of stay-at-home orders and their employer reopening, but on securing care for their children. The existing childcare arrangements for many working parents have been particularly hard hit by the pandemic and the resulting economic fallout. To ensure that more Americans can quickly return to work and to support our nation’s overall economic recovery, Congress should provide timely, targeted, and temporary emergency assistance to licensed childcare centers and homes. Similarly, states should continue to implement temporary regulatory actions to help licensed centers and homes quickly and safely adjust to meet operational challenges.

To protect public health, many camps and other facilities that care for large groups of children have cancelled their summer programs. Childcare facilities in many states are operating under reduced capacity and social distancing orders. In addition, the childcare industry is comprised of many small and very small businesses – many run by women and women of color – who are on the brink of collapse and may never reopen. While critical support through the CARES Act was provided to small businesses early on in this crisis, according to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) only one-quarter of the childcare market received a Paycheck Protection Loan.

For those that have remained open and that will reopen, decreased capacity and new pandemic-related costs mean operating losses. That will eventually lead to more closures and even less available childcare.

As part of the next COVID-19 response package, we urge Congress to provide temporary emergency assistance targeted to licensed childcare providers to help cover increased expenses and forgone revenue directly tied to maintaining public health. Combined with state efforts to help restore lost capacity, your efforts will help ensure that children have a safe place to go as their parents return to work.

Sincerely,

Alaska Chamber

Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/AIA

California Chamber of Commerce

Connecticut Business & Industry Association

Delaware State Chamber of Commerce

DC Chamber of Commerce

Florida Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii

Idaho Association of Commerce & Industry

Illinois Chamber of Commerce

Indiana Chamber of Commerce

Iowa Association of Business and Industry

Kansas Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

Louisiana Association of Business and Industry

Maine State Chamber of Commerce

Maryland Chamber of Commerce

Associated Industries of Massachusetts

Minnesota Chamber of Commerce

Mississippi Economic Council

Missouri Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Montana Chamber of Commerce

Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce

New Jersey Chamber of Commerce

New Mexico Association of Commerce & Industry

The Business Council of New York State

North Carolina Chamber

Ohio Chamber of Commerce

State Chamber of Oklahoma

Oregon Business and Industry

Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry

Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce

South Carolina Chamber of Commerce

South Dakota Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Vermont Chamber of Commerce

Virginia Chamber of Commerce

Association of Washington Business

West Virginia Chamber of Commerce

Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce

200610 childcare congress