Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark (MA-5) led a letter to President Joe Biden urging his Administration to include child care providers in their plan to increase access to COVID-19 testing and N95 and KN-95 masks across the country.

The letter was co-led by Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1), Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-8), Abigail Spanberger (VA-7), and Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and signed by an additional 48 Members of Congress.

"It is clear that child care is essential infrastructure that is fundamental to families, the economy, and our recovery from this pandemic," wrote the lawmakers. "However, reports suggest that child care disruptions are once again on the rise as the Omicron variant spreads and providers are forced to limit their capacity or close due to illness or staffing issues."

"To help keep child care providers operating and young children safe, we must ensure that providers have access to COVID-19 tests and the recommended N95 and KN-95 masks," they continued. "Now is the time for a comprehensive strategy to ensure that all child care providers have the resources and guidance they need to safely remain open and provide care. Our economic recovery depends on a reliable and functioning child care system that supports providers, helps children thrive, and enables parents, and especially moms, to return to work."

Last year, Clark helped secure $40 billion in child care relief funding in the American Rescue Plan to keep child care and Head Start programs open and therefore helping child care providers stay afloat, getting parents to get back to work, and ensuring that businesses can still thrive during the pandemic.

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