LAS VEGAS, NV – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Congresswoman Susie Lee (D-NV-3) visited the Durango Hills YMCA Early Childhood Education Program to highlight the need to pass their Small Business Child Care Investment Act. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation would help increase the availability of affordable, high-quality child care to working families by allowing non-profit child care providers that qualify as small businesses to participate in Small Business Administration (SBA) loan programs.
“Parents in Nevada rely on access to quality, affordable child care services. Unfortunately, many families are experiencing sky-high costs for child care and a lack of availability in Nevada,” said Senator Rosen. “Our bipartisan legislation would help give Nevada’s working families the support they need by expanding access to affordable child care centers. At a time when Nevada has been named a child care desert, I’m going to keep fighting to provide relief for families across our state.”
“In Nevada, three out of four children under five do not have access to a licensed child care provider, and our working families and businesses struggle as a result,” said Congresswoman Susie Lee. “I’m proud to stand with Senator Jacky Rosen and our Republican colleagues in the House and Senate in introducing this critical legislation to help child care providers expand their businesses to meet demand. We absolutely can come together across party lines to put the needs of American families first and here is the proof.”
A recent report labeled the entire state of Nevada as a “child care desert,” and found that nearly 75 percent of children below the age of five don’t have access to a licensed child care provider. The report deemed the cost of child care a “huge concern” in Nevada and found it often to be more expensive than college tuition. It also attributed the lack of affordable and accessible child care to the worker shortage that Nevada businesses report experiencing.
Senator Rosen has prioritized expanding the availability of affordable child care in Nevada. Earlier this year, Senator Rosen toured the Early Childhood Education Center at Nevada State College in Henderson to highlight funding she secured to make child care in Southern Nevada more affordable.
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