John,

Access to reliable child care is critical in the United States and enables millions of parents and guardians―especially mothers―to enter or remain in the workforce. But the Trump administration is threatening to freeze funding for certain states¹ and impose burdensome reporting requirements that our allies describe as “taking a sledgehammer to our already fragile child care system.”²

Trump’s attacks on child care access and workers started nearly one year ago, when his second term began.

On his very first day in office, Trump ended the protected areas policy, thereby greenlighting the presence of ICE agents in child care settings. One week later, the administration temporarily froze federal funding of Head Start and locked providers out of the websites they use to access grants. And Trump’s proposed FY26 budget leveled funding for early education and child care programs (effectively a cut) and proposed eliminating other early childhood education programs altogether.³

We cannot allow these attacks on our children to continue. Send a direct message to Congress demanding they stop the administration from freezing child care funding nationwide.

Attacking early childhood education programs and now threatening to freeze child care funding that subsidizes care for millions of children is a direct attack on families, working parents and caregivers, and stagnates our economy.

It also means states like Wisconsin could see delays on as much as $183.3 million in block grant funding that pays for child care. That could mean 20,000 families who receive child care vouchers would lose that assistance, forcing a parent or guardian to cut back on work hours.⁴ While Wisconsin and other states can tap state or other funds to keep child care operating for a short period, a freeze could lead to some child care centers closing within a month.

Adding unnecessary, burdensome reporting requirements will have serious consequences for millions of families across the country. So far, child care administrators have not been provided specific guidance on what they will be required to do, but providers―and millions of families―are fearful about this threat to this fragile system. Congress must stop this cruel attack against working families.

Join us in calling on Congress to stop the Trump administration from freezing child care funding now.

Thank you for all you do,

Deborah Weinstein
Executive Director, CHN Action

¹ Trump administration to freeze billions in childcare funding in five states
² Trump Administration Rule Raises Child Care Costs Amid Escalating Attacks on Early Educators and Families - National Women's Law Center
³ How the Trump Administration has Undermined Child Care and Early Education Programs in 2025
⁴ Wisconsin child care providers await federal funding freeze that could cause closures