WASHINGTON, DC — ZERO TO THREE, the nation’s leading early childhood development nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that all infants and toddlers are given a strong start in life, has expressed strong encouragement regarding President Biden’s proposed fiscal year 2025 federal budget. The organization notes that the newly released spending blueprint includes essential, much-needed investments aimed at building a solid foundation for young children and their families across the United States.
The advocacy group, which works tirelessly at the intersection of policy, research, and practice to champion the needs of infants and toddlers, pointed out that the federal proposal aligns closely with the core priorities required to foster healthy early childhood development. According to leadership at ZERO TO THREE, the funding initiatives outlined in the budget address several critical vulnerabilities that currently affect millions of young households nationwide.
A Vision for a Fairer Nation for Raising Families
Miriam Calderón, the Chief Policy Officer at ZERO TO THREE, emphasized the profound impact the proposed budget could have on American families if successfully enacted into law 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 administration’s proposals build directly upon the strategic vision laid out during the recent State of the Union address, where the President outlined a pathway toward a future where working families feel fully empowered and possess meaningful choices regarding the health, education, and overall future of their infants and toddlers. The fiscal year 2025 budget translates those broad aspirations into concrete policy proposals designed to target every major facet of early childhood development, ranging from prenatal care to family economic stability.
Targeting Critical Pillars of Early Childhood Development
The policy framework championed by ZERO TO THREE underscores that the earliest months and years of a human life represent a period of rapid, critical brain development that lays the groundwork for all future learning, behavior, and health. Consequently, the organization has consistently advocated for federal budgeting strategies that view infants and toddlers not merely as an afterthought within broader education or labor discussions, but as a distinct and vital demographic requiring specialized, robust public investments.
The President’s budget puts forward targeted investments designed to uplift babies while simultaneously reinforcing the economic and social fabric that supports their parents and caregivers. By focusing resources on maternal health, the budget seeks to combat the alarming rates of maternal mortality and morbidity that disproportionately impact women of color and low-income families across the country. Ensuring that mothers survive and thrive during pregnancy and the postpartum period is widely recognized by child development experts as a foundational prerequisite for healthy infant development.
In addition to maternal well-being, the proposed funding addresses the soaring demand for accessible, high-quality child care. For years, advocates have warned of a nationwide child care crisis that forces parents—particularly mothers—to make impossible choices between workforce participation and the care of their infants. High costs and limited availability of infant care slots have created severe bottlenecks for families, stifling economic mobility and increasing family stress during a time when stable, nurturing environments are paramount for babies.
Furthermore, the budget incorporates measures designed to bolster infant and early childhood mental health, recognizing that babies experience stress, trauma, and emotional attachment in ways that profoundly shape their neurological development. Integrating mental health supports into early childhood systems helps identify and mitigate developmental delays, trauma, and behavioral challenges before they compound later in life. Combined with initiatives aimed at expanding affordable housing and enhancing overall economic security for low-income households, the budget represents a comprehensive approach to mitigating the toxic stress of poverty that far too many infants in America are forced to endure.
Calling on Congress to Deliver for Families
With the release of the executive budget proposal, the legislative battleground shifts to Capitol Hill, where members of Congress will debate, modify, and ultimately vote on appropriations bills for the upcoming fiscal year. ZERO TO THREE is urging lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to recognize the long-term economic and social benefits of prioritizing infants and toddlers in the federal spending process.
"Now, Congress must work with the Administration to deliver for families and babies," Calderón stated, emphasizing the urgency of turning executive proposals into enacted legislative reality. "We look forward to working with Congressional appropriators and our baby champions on the Hill to make these bold proposals a reality."
As the legislative process moves forward, ZERO TO THREE plans to continue mobilizing its nationwide network of early childhood professionals, parents, and advocates. The organization intends to engage directly with policymakers to ensure that the vital programs supporting babies—ranging from early intervention services and child care subsidies to maternal health programs and nutrition assistance—not only remain fully funded but are expanded to meet the growing needs of the nation’s youngest citizens.
For more information regarding the specific state-by-state data on the well-being of infants and toddlers, or to track ongoing policy developments related to the federal budget, interested parties can visit ZERO TO THREE and its companion initiative, the State of Babies Yearbook, online.
