With Passage of Childcare Safety Legislation, House Approves Second Bipartisan Finkenauer Bill this Week

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01) passed her second bill in three days on Wednesday, when the House approved the bipartisan Ensuring Children and Child Care Workers Are Safe Act. 

The bill passed by a vote of 387-33, including 160 votes from Republicans. 

The Ensuring Children and Child Care Workers Are Safe Act will help childcare providers through the COVID-19 pandemic by requiring the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to provide educational materials and technical assistance to states.

"We all want childcare providers to have the best information and resources available to keep kids safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer said. “This bipartisan, common-sense bill makes those resources more accessible so that our kids and frontline workers alike get the support they need."

"I’m thankful today that my House colleagues saw that value in this legislation and joined me today in passing it,” Finkenauer said. “I urge the Senate to recognize that need as well — and the immediate solution our legislation could provide. The Senate should move quickly to consider and pass this bill."

Finkenauer spoke in support of the bill on the House floor on Wednesday prior to its passage, acknowledging the effort of Republicans and Democrats to address the childcare crisis.

"There is an understanding here that if parents don’t have access to quality and affordable childcare, then they will start passing up on economic opportunities,” FInkenauer said in her floor remarks. “Sometimes that’s turning down a promotion, or in other cases that means leaving the workforce altogether."

Her full remarks can be found here.

Finkenauer was joined by Congressman Brett Guthrie (R-KY) in introducing the Ensuring Children and Child Care Workers Are Safe Act.

Under this bill, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would provide states with educational material and technical assistance related to:

• COVID-19 prevention in childcare facilities.
• Professional development for childcare providers on health and safety.
• How to acquire and use personal protective equipment.
• How to modify operations to prevent COVID-19 transmission, including optimal staff-to-child ratios.

In addition to technical assistance, the legislation would also allow HHS to make grants to states so they can then provide outreach, guidance, and technical support to childcare providers. The bill would also require HHS to recommend how to ensure the safe provision and adequate supply of childcare during COVID-19.

Second Bill Passed This Week:

This is the second Finkenauer bill passed by the House this week. On Monday, the House passed with broad bipartisan support Finkenauer’s bipartisan State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) Improvement Act to extend and expand foreign trade assistance to small businesses.

Support for the Ensuring Children and Child Care Workers Are Safe Act:

The Ensuring Children and Child Care Workers Are Safe Act is endorsed by Black Hawk Child Care Coalition, Child and Family Policy Center, Exceptional Persons, Inc. (Child Care Resource and Referral of NE Iowa host agency), First Five Years Fund, First Focus Campaign for Children, Iowa Citizen Action Network, and Save the Children Action Network.

"As states continue to reopen and parents make plans to return to work, it is clear child care providers must safely open their doors and care for our nation’s children while also meeting the new challenges stemming from pandemic. While a child care stabilization fund is critical to fully support the child care industry, innovative, commonsense solutions like the Ensuring Children and Child Care Workers Are Safe Act are important steps in ensuring providers have the educational material, resources, and technical assistance for COVID-19 prevention. We are grateful to Congressional leaders like Congresswoman Finkenauer for introducing legislation that gives states the tools they need to make the right policy decisions during the pandemic and ensures providers and educators have the resources they need to safely care for our nation’s children."

— Sarah Rittling. Executive Director, First Five Years Fund

"Child care is part of our country’s critical infrastructure, as necessary to the functioning of our economy as roads and bridges. We’re pleased that in passing this bill, the House recognizes the need to protect the health and well-being of the workers who provide this fundamental service as well as the safety of the families they serve."

— Bruce Lesley, President, First Focus Campaign for Children

"Once again Representative Finkenauer has shown her commitment to Iowans and Americans by her response to the struggles facing families and child care workers during this unprecedented time. Reaching across the aisle to pass this legislation with Brett Guthrie of Kentucky is proof that partisan politics have no place during this pandemic. The Ensuring Children and Child Care Workers Are Safe Act guarantees that childcare providers have the resources they desperately need to continue operating in a safe manner as the essential workforce behind the workforce in our nation."

— Sue Dinsdale, Executive Director, Iowa Citizen Action Network

"Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) applauds the passage of the Ensuring Children and Child Care Workers are Safe Act, which is a critically important step for children, parents, and providers. This bill will give child care providers the technical guidance they need to reopen and stay open. Not only will this help child care programs reopen safely to benefit the economy and millions of parents, but it will also allow children to rejoin their peers and benefit from early learning environments so crucial to their development. SCAN commends Congresswoman Finkenauer for her vision in introducing this bill and her dedication to ensuring its passage. This legislation is a great step towards our nation’s recovery in building a better and brighter future for children and parents in Iowa and across the country."

— E.J. Wallace, Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) Iowa State Manager