Funding for Early Childhood: Call Your Senators Today!

** The draft Senate omnibus bill includes an additional $680 million for CCDBG and $840 million for Head Start. It also funds the Early Learning Challenge Fund at $300 million.**

The Senate is at a crossroads. Right now, Senators are figuring out which strategy to use to pass the appropriations bill - which is responsible for funding our government, including early childhood programs.

The Senate can either continue funding the government at current levels by adopting the House-passed CR (continuing resolution) or they can pass a new funding bill - called an omnibus appropriations bill. While the House-passed CR does include modest increases for child care and Head Start, the omnibus appropriations bill is our best shot at securing significantly more funding for early childhood programs.

This week is our last chance to make sure the Senate does the right thing and stands up for funding for early childhood programs in an omnibus appropriations bill.

We need your help right now in encouraging Senators to push for passing an omnibus bill and to support significant funding for early childhood.

Please make two quick calls to your Senators TODAY!  Calling is easy to do.

1.      Call 1-202-224-3121

2.      Tell the operator who answers the phone the name of your Senator. (Not sure? Look it up
         on the National Women's Law Center website.)

3.      Once you are connected, tell the staff person who answers:

• Your name, that you are a constituent from (city, state), and your role.
• Support an omnibus appropriations bill with significant funding for child care, Head Start, and the Early Learning Challenge Fund.
• We are counting on you here in (state). Thank you.

Thank you for taking a stand. Please help spread the word about this effort by alerting your networks!