WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), a member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and Committee Chair Joni Ernst (R-IA) introduced the Small Business Child Care Investment Act. This bipartisan legislation would increase the availability of affordable, high-quality child care for working families by allowing non-profit child care providers, that qualify as small businesses, to participate in Small Business Administration loan programs.
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.
“The lack of affordable child care options in our communities hurts hardworking families at a time when they are already being squeezed by rising costs,” dijo el Senador Rosen. “Our bipartisan bill will help increase the number of child care providers in Nevada and across the country by bolstering non-profits with access to much-needed federal resources, giving families greater access to care. I will continue working to lower costs of the everyday essentials that Nevadans rely on.”
“Finding affordable and high-quality childcare is one of the most pressing issues facing small businesses looking to hire and retain capable staff,” said Senator Ernst. “As chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I’m proud to help alleviate the pressure on hardworking families, especially in rural areas. This commonsense legislation will clear the Washington red tape, expand options, and drive down costs in Iowa and across the country.”
“The Small Business Child Care Investment Act is a game-changer for families and communities across the United States. By empowering nonprofit child care providers to access critical small business loan programs, this legislation ensures they have the resources to expand, improve and sustain the high-quality child care that working families depend on. At Save the Children, we know that accessible and affordable child care is essential not only for children’s healthy development but also for economic stability. We applaud this bipartisan effort and urge swift action to make these vital investments a reality for families nationwide,” said Christy Gleason, Vice-President for Policy, Advocacy, and Campaigns at Save the Children.
“For too many parents balancing work and family responsibilities, finding reliable child care remains a significant challenge,” said Sarah Rittling, Executive Director of the First Five Years Fund. “We are thankful to Senators Rosen and Ernst for their bipartisan work on this innovative bill to support small, non-profit child care providers and expand access so more children and families can find and afford the care they need.”
“Access to quality child care providers is critical for hardworking families and a strong, stable economy. Yet across the country, providers are struggling to deliver care on razor thin margins and with limited resources. Increasing access to capital by allowing these nonprofit child care businesses to utilize Small Business Administration loans will support providers looking to enter the child care space, expand services, and increase quality. These resources can be especially crucial in rural communities where access to child care fails to meet the needs of many working families. We applaud Sens. Rosen (D-NV) and Ernst (R-IA) for their leadership and making child care more accessible with the introduction of the Small Business Childcare Investment Act,” said Michele Stockwell, President of the Bipartisan Policy Center Action.
“United Way of Southern Nevada is a long-standing partner of Nevada Ready! State Pre-K, a program enabling hundreds of children from qualifying families to attend preschool at no cost. We have seen firsthand the positive impact that affordable high-quality care and education options have provided not only for our children, but entire families,” said Julie Houchins, Senior Director of Early Education at the United Way of Southern Nevada. “The Small Business Child Care Investment Act allows nonprofit childcare and early education providers to grow their capacity so they can meet the needs of working families in Nevada. We are very grateful for this bipartisan effort that will help local children, parents, and businesses alike.”
el bipartidista Small Business Child Care Investment Act would:
- Ensure that qualified non-profit providers have equal access to key SBA loan options that allow providers to invest in and expand their operations, which creates local jobs and gives working families more options for affordable and quality child care;
- Ensure non-profit providers can access the larger and more flexible loan programs like 7(a) and 504 that can be used for real estate, construction, remodeling, and other expenses critical to maintaining and expanding high-quality child care operations.
Senator Rosen continues working to lower child care costs for Nevada’s hardworking families. Last year, she joined a bipartisan bill to provide child care services for police officers and support law enforcement families. During a confirmation hearing in the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Rosen secured a commitment from General David Allvin, Air Force Chief of Staff, to cut red tape in a program designed to make child care available for military families like Airmen at Nellis and Creech Air Force Bases who work overnight shifts. Additionally, Senator Rosen joined in helping to introduce the Child Care for Working Families Act, legislation that would help lower child care costs for an average American family to no more than $10-a-day.
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