WASHINGTON, DC — ZERO TO THREE, the nation’s leading early childhood development nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that all infants and toddlers receive a strong start in life, has voiced strong encouragement following the release of President Biden’s proposed fiscal year 2025 budget. The organization highlighted that the federal spending blueprint includes essential and long-overdue investments aimed at establishing a firm foundation for young children and their families across the United States.
The announcement comes as early childhood advocates continue to press federal lawmakers to prioritize the unique needs of America’s youngest population, noting that early interventions yield lifelong benefits for health, learning, and emotional well-being. According to organizational leadership, the proposals laid out by the administration represent a meaningful step forward in addressing systemic challenges that have historically left families under-supported during the critical formative years of a child’s life.
Miriam Calderón, Chief Policy Officer at ZERO TO THREE, emphasized the broad-ranging positive impacts that the proposed federal funding could have if successfully enacted by Congress.
"If implemented, President Biden’s budget released today will make our nation a better and fairer nation to have and raise a baby," said Calderón. "ZERO TO THREE has urged Congress and the Administration to prioritize the needs of babies and their families in five key areas: maternal health, infant and early childhood mental health, child care, housing, and economic security."
Calderón noted that the new fiscal blueprint directly builds upon the vision outlined in the recent State of the Union address, where the President mapped out a path toward a future where families are empowered with choices and support regarding their children’s development and well-being. The proposed budget expands on these commitments by addressing multiple facets of early childhood growth, from healthcare access to family stability.
The federal budget proposals arrive at a critical juncture for American families, many of whom continue to face economic pressures, high costs of quality child care, and gaps in maternal and mental healthcare infrastructure. By targeting these specific vulnerabilities, the administration’s funding requests aim to ease the financial and emotional strains often associated with raising infants and toddlers in today’s economic climate.
Advocates point out that the first three years of life represent a period of extraordinary brain development, during which foundational architecture for lifelong cognitive, social, and emotional health is established. Consequently, policies that support parental leave, affordable child care, stable housing, and robust maternal health services are viewed by child development experts not merely as family supports, but as critical economic and public health investments.
With the release of the executive budget proposal complete, the focus now shifts decisively to Capitol Hill, where federal lawmakers will begin the complex and often contentious process of drafting and negotiating appropriations bills for the upcoming fiscal year. ZERO TO THREE and its network of early childhood advocates are preparing to engage heavily with congressional committees to ensure these proposed investments are preserved and funded.
"Now, Congress must work with the Administration to deliver for families and babies," Calderón continued, underscoring the urgency of bipartisan cooperation in advancing early childhood priorities. "We look forward to working with Congressional appropriators and our baby champions on the Hill to make these bold proposals a reality."
