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 and healthy start in life, has expressed strong encouragement following the release of President Biden’s proposed fiscal year 2025 federal budget. The organization highlighted that the administration’s spending plan incorporates essential and much-needed funding for programs designed to build a reliable foundation for young children and their families across the United States.
According to leadership at the advocacy organization, the newly proposed federal budget addresses several critical areas that directly impact the well-being and future potential of the country’s youngest population. By prioritizing funding for early childhood development initiatives, the administration’s blueprint signals a concerted effort to support families during the most formative years of a child’s life.
Miriam Calderón, Chief Policy Officer at ZERO TO THREE, emphasized the broad-ranging positive impacts that the budget could have on American families if fully implemented by lawmakers in Washington.
"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 latest proposals build directly upon the vision laid out during the President’s State of the Union address, where a clear path was charted toward a future that empowers families and provides them with meaningful choices regarding their children’s upbringing and development. The fiscal year 2025 budget translates those broad policy goals into concrete funding mechanisms and targeted investments that address the multifaceted needs of infants, toddlers, and the adults who care for them.
The proposed budget outlines a series of key federal investments aimed at bolstering family support systems, safeguarding maternal health, expanding access to affordable, high-quality child care, addressing housing stability, and reinforcing economic security for low- and middle-income households. Child development experts have long maintained that investments made during the first three years of life yield profound, lifelong benefits, influencing everything from educational attainment and emotional resilience to long-term health outcomes and economic productivity.
As the federal budget process moves forward, advocacy groups and early childhood coalitions are shifting their focus to Capitol Hill, where lawmakers will debate, modify, and ultimately vote on the spending legislation. The path from a presidential proposal to enacted law requires extensive negotiation and bipartisan cooperation among congressional appropriators and committees of jurisdiction.
Calling attention to the vital role that federal lawmakers must now play, Calderón underscored the urgency of translating these executive priorities into legislative victories.
"Now, Congress must work with the Administration to deliver for families and babies," Calderón continued. "We look forward to working with Congressional appropriators and our baby champions on the Hill to make these bold proposals a reality."
The ongoing discussions surrounding the fiscal year 2025 budget come at a critical time for the early childhood sector, which continues to navigate complex post-pandemic challenges, workforce shortages in child care settings, and rising concerns regarding maternal mortality rates and infant mental health support. Advocates hope that the heightened attention on early childhood development within the federal budget will inspire sustained legislative commitment and shield foundational programs from potential funding cuts as the appropriations process unfolds in the coming months.
