President's Proposed Budget Adds to Child Care, Eliminates Critical After-School Program

Washington, D.C. (March 11, 2019) – Save the Children and Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) today said the president’s fiscal year 2020 domestic budget request would hurt kids. While it includes a one-time increase for child care, it would roll back safety protections for children and also eliminate funding for critical after-school programs.

The budget, proposed by the Trump administration today, would increase the budget for the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) by $1 billion for one year, in order to incentivize states to roll back some regulations of child care programs in their state.

“While the increase sounds good, it does not keep pace with what is needed to increase access to child care – and it also includes incentives for states to roll back regulations intended to protect children,” said Mark Shriver, Senior Vice President of U.S. Programs and Advocacy at Save the Children and CEO of SCAN. “Families and children deserve a true investment in their future without having to sacrifice the recent bipartisan improvements that have been made to CCDBG programs.”

For the third straight year, the president has also proposed eliminating the entire $1.2 billion budget for 21st Century Community Learning Centers, funding that provides vital before-school, after-school and summer learning programs.

“It is hypocritical for the administration to claim to add a one-time $1 billion increase in child care, yet take even more money from proven programs like 21st Century Community Learning Centers, which provide enrichment as well as child care for children across America,” Shriver said. “These programs help to reduce the achievement gap and ensure children have a safe place to go before and after the school day as well as during the summer, while parents are at work and contributing to our nation’s economy.”

Congress has rejected the Administration’s proposal to eliminate the 21^st Century Community Learning Centers the last two years by restoring the funding in its budget, and Shriver urged Congress to reject the Administration’s cuts again this year.

“As we have in the past, we will continue to work with our advocates across the country to make it loud and clear that any proposed cuts to programs benefitting children will not be tolerated,” said Shriver. “We look forward to working with Republican and Democratic allies in Congress to increase funding for kids during the fiscal 2020 budget process.”

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding more than 100 years ago, we’ve changed the lives of more than 1 billion children. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.