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 plan includes essential and much-needed funding for programs designed to build a solid foundation for young children and their families across the United States.
The proposed budget, released in Washington, outlines a series of federal investments aimed at bolstering early childhood development, supporting working families, and strengthening the infrastructure of care that surrounds America’s youngest population. Leadership at ZERO TO THREE has pointed to the proposal as a transformative step forward for national policy priorities that directly impact infants, toddlers, and their parents.
“If implemented, President Biden’s budget released today will make our nation a better and fairer place to have and raise a baby,” said Miriam Calderón, Chief Policy Officer at ZERO TO THREE.
Calderón emphasized that the organization has consistently urged Congress and the Administration to prioritize the distinct needs of babies and their families across five vital areas: maternal health, infant and early childhood mental health, child care, housing, and economic security. These five pillars form the core framework of the organization’s ongoing advocacy and research efforts, including its flagship state-by-state analysis of infant well-being.
“In last week’s State of the Union address, the President laid out a path toward a future where families are empowered and have choices about their baby’s future,” Calderón continued. “This proposed budget expands on this vision with proposals that address all facets of young children’s development.”
The President’s budget puts forward targeted federal investments designed to support babies and strengthen families during the most critical developmental window of the human lifespan. Brain architecture develops more rapidly in the first three years of life than at any other subsequent stage, making policy decisions during this period uniquely consequential for long-term health, educational achievement, and social and emotional well-being.
Advocates and child development experts have long argued that federal fiscal policy must reflect the profound economic and social returns generated by investing in early childhood infrastructure. By incorporating robust support mechanisms for maternal care, early mental health interventions, and affordable child care options, the administration’s fiscal year 2025 blueprint seeks to address systemic challenges that have historically strained American families.
The release of the budget marks the beginning of the annual federal appropriations process, shifting the immediate focus of advocacy efforts from the executive branch to Capitol Hill. While the White House sets the initial spending priorities and policy agenda, the United States Congress holds the ultimate constitutional authority over federal spending levels and program authorization.
Consequently, the path from a presidential budget proposal to enacted legislation requires extensive negotiation and collaboration between lawmakers from both parties, congressional committees, and the administration. ZERO TO THREE has made clear that its national network of advocates, early childhood professionals, and policy experts will be actively engaged throughout this legislative cycle to ensure that the vital provisions for infants and toddlers remain protected and fully funded.
“Now, Congress must work with the Administration to deliver for families and babies,” Calderón said, underscoring the urgency of bipartisan cooperation in the legislative branch. “We look forward to working with Congressional appropriators and our baby champions on the Hill to make these bold proposals a reality.”
As the fiscal year 2025 budget discussions move forward in Washington, child development organizations across the country will continue to monitor committee hearings, legislative markups, and budget resolutions. The ultimate outcome of these negotiations will determine the level of federal support available for programs that touch millions of American households, shaping the landscape of early childhood education, health care, and family economic security for years to come.
