Finkenauer Leads Hearing on Improving Access to Child Care

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01) lead a hearing on the importance of improving access to affordable and quality child care. Finkenauer invited Cedar Falls’ Dan Levi, the co-chair of the Black Hawk County Child Care Coalition, to testify at the hearing in the Small Business Rural Development, Agriculture, Trade, and Entrepreneurship (RATE) subcommittee.

Finkenauer also joined several members of the Small Business Committee in introducing the bipartisan Small Business Child Care Investment Act. The bill would allow non-profit child care providers to have access to the same Small Business Administration (SBA) financing options available to for-profit providers. Current law does not allow non-profit providers to access the same types of SBA loans.

“Access to quality and affordable child care is a critical need all over my district and our state,” Congresswoman Finkenauer said. “We must keep working to improve every tool available to increase access. Too many Iowa parents are forced to make the choice to hold back their careers – and their family’s economic opportunity – simply because there is no space left at the child care centers in their community. While some families may be lucky enough to have extended family to help provide care, it’s not right to put folks in a position where that’s the only option.”

“Representative Finkenauer’s interest in child care is incredibly important at this time when we have such low unemployment,” said Dan Levi, Co-Chair, Black Hawk County Child Care Coalition. “Child care is a critical issue for families, and seeing Congress support families in such a positive way is great and shows our government is working for us. And it also is a significant component of economic drivers in our State of Iowa, and our small towns in rural Iowa in particular.”

Finkenauer is focused on improving access to quality child care for Iowans, and data shows Iowans are struggling to find reliable care:

• Iowa has a shortage of about 350,000 child care slots.
• 23% of Iowa’s residents – and 35% of rural Iowans – live in a child care desert.
• Iowa families often lack affordable child care options, with child care costing a family of four more than the cost of basic housing.

Background on the Small Business Child Care Investment Act

U.S. Reps. Susie Lee (D-Nev.-03) and Pete Stauber (R-Minn.-08) introduced the Small Business Child Care Investment Act. In addition to Finkenauer, original co-sponsors include U.S. Reps. Jim Hagedorn (R-Minn.-01), Katie Porter (D-Calif.-45), Troy Balderson (R-Ohio-12), Cindy Axne (D-Iowa-03), John Moolenaar (R-Mich.-04), Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.-17), Pete King (R-N.Y.-02), Susan Wild (D-Pa.-07), and Van Taylor (R-Texas-03). 

The following groups have announced their support of the bipartisan Small Business Child Care Investment Act: National Head Start Association (NHSA), Bipartisan Policy Center Action, Child Care Aware of America, First Five Years Fund (FFYF), Save the Children, Save the Children Action Network (SCAN), Zero to Three, First Focus Campaign for Children, National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Children’s Advocacy Alliance Nevada (CAANV), Guinn Center for Policy Priorities Nevada.

A fact sheet on the Small Business Child Care Investment Act can be found here.

A letter of endorsement of the bill from Bipartisan Policy Center Action can be found here.