[20200722]IN11466_新冠病毒-19：H.R.儿童保育补助金7027和H.R.7327.pdf

CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress INSIGHTINSIGHTi i COVID-19: Child Care Grants in H.R. 7027 and H.R. 7327 July 22, 2020 The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has raised questions related to the fragility of the child care market and the child care needs of working families. Monthly data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggest that the number of child care workers dropped by roughly one-third between March and April 2020, with the number of workers still down by about 22% in June. According to one survey fielded from March 31 to April 4, a majority of parents reported their child care provider had closed or was limiting hours or spaces due to COVID-19. Nearly half of respondents were somewhat or very concerned their provider would not re-open. Other estimates suggest that demand for child care among essential workers may exceed supply. Congress and the President have already enacted several child care-related provisions as part of the federal COVID-19 response. In addition, Congress has continued to debate the need for further legislation to provide more or different federal support, introducing a number of bills that touch on these issues.