Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-22) today applauded the bipartisan work of Congress to reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act (CCDBG), which will improve child care quality and help parents find and sustain employment. On Monday night, the Senate agreed to the House-passed version of the legislation and it will now be sent to President Obama for his signature.

“Continuing this program ensures that parents across the country can go to work with peace of mind that their children are left in safe nurturing environments," said Frankel

The legislation requires states to spend a greater portion of their CCDBG funding on quality improvement activities, such as implementing a quality rating system and increasing training for child care staff.  Background checks will also be required for all child care providers receiving grants, as well as be subject to a least one annual inspection.

Earlier this year, Frankel introduced The Working Families Child Care Act to address long waiting lists and make child care accessible to more working families. It would increase the mandatory funding that serves families with infants and toddlers by $2 billion and provide $500 million annually to the CCDBG for states to improve the quality of child care.

Frankel’s legislation has 72 co-sponsors and is supported by–American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Children’s Defense Fund, Easter Seals, Early Childhood and Education Consortium, Fair Share, First Focus Campaign for Children, National Association for the Education of Young Children, National Association for Family Child Care, National Black Child Development Institute, National Women’s Law Center, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and Zero to Three.

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