WASHINGTON, DC — ZERO TO THREE, the nation’s leading early childhood development nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that all infants and toddlers have a strong and healthy start in life, has expressed strong encouragement regarding President Biden’s proposed fiscal year 2025 budget. The organization notes that the federal spending blueprint includes essential, much-needed funding for programs designed to build a solid foundation for young children and their families across the United States.
The announcement comes as early childhood advocates and policy experts review the details of the administration’s financial priorities for the upcoming fiscal year. According to organization leaders, the proposed investments directly target some of the most critical structural needs facing young families today, reflecting an understanding that early childhood development is a cornerstone of broader societal well-being and economic stability.
Miriam Calderón, Chief Policy Officer at ZERO TO THREE, emphasized the profound impact these federal proposals could have on the daily lives of parents and infants if successfully enacted into law.
“If implemented, President Biden’s budget released today will make our nation a better and fairer nation to have and raise a baby,” Calderón said. “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 pointed out that the administration’s focus on these areas builds directly upon commitments articulated during national addresses. Just weeks prior, during the State of the Union address, President Biden outlined a vision for the future aimed at empowering families and expanding their choices regarding their children’s care and future development. The newly released fiscal year 2025 budget translates that overarching vision into concrete funding proposals that address multiple facets of early childhood growth and family stability.
The proposed budget outlines targeted investments meant to support infants and strengthen the foundational structures that surround families during their most formative years. These federal commitments are viewed by child development advocates as a vital step forward in addressing longstanding systemic challenges that impact maternal and child health outcomes nationwide.
As the budget proposal moves from the executive branch to Capitol Hill, the focus shifts immediately to the legislative branch, where lawmakers will debate, modify, and ultimately vote on federal appropriations. ZERO TO THREE has made it clear that advocacy efforts will intensify in the coming weeks and months to ensure that the vital provisions for babies and toddlers remain intact throughout the legislative process.
“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.”
