A Statement from First Five Years Fund (FFYF) Executive Director Kris Perry:
In Sen. Barbara Mikulski’s nearly 30 years in the U.S. Senate, she has been a tireless champion for children and their families not just in Maryland, but across the nation. Her support for quality child care and increased investments in early childhood education has proven instrumental to moving that important agenda forward. In November, Sen. Mikulski ushered in the bipartisan Child Care Development Block Grant Act (CCDBG), which was last reauthorized in 1996, with Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC), Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN). Just over a year ago, Sen. Mikulski’s work was pivotal in securing an appropriations deal with Rep. Hal Rogers that ensured over $1 billion investment in early childhood education. Her tireless commitment and passion will be missed on Capitol Hill – and we can only hope that whoever succeeds her representing Maryland in the Senate will share her passion and dedication to early childhood education. We look forward to working with Sen. Mikulski throughout the remainder of her term, and will continue to rely on her as a champion for America’s children. Thank you, Sen. Mikulski – your voice will be missed.
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About the First Five Years Fund
The First Five Years Fund helps America achieve better results in education, health and economic productivity through investments in quality early childhood education programs for disadvantaged children. FFYF provides knowledge, data, and advocacy – persuading federal policymakers to make investments in the first five years of a child’s life that create greater returns for all.