WASHINGTON, DC — ZERO TO THREE, the nation’s leading early childhood development nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that all infants and toddlers receive a strong and healthy start in life, has expressed strong encouragement regarding President Biden’s proposed fiscal year 2025 budget. The organization highlighted that the federal spending blueprint includes essential, much-needed funding for public programs that build a foundational framework for the health, well-being, and stability of young children and their families across the United States.
According to leadership at ZERO TO THREE, the federal budget proposal aligns closely with the core needs of infants and toddlers, reflecting a comprehensive approach to early childhood policy that has long been advocated by developmental experts, pediatricians, and family advocates.
"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, emphasizing the broad societal impact of the administration’s fiscal priorities.
For months, ZERO TO THREE has actively urged both Congress and the administration to place the unique needs of infants, toddlers, and their caregivers at the forefront of national policymaking. The organization has consistently emphasized five critical focus areas that form the bedrock of a healthy early childhood: maternal health, infant and early childhood mental health, accessible and high-quality child care, stable housing, and broad economic security for families.
Calderón noted that the administration’s budget proposal builds directly upon themes introduced during the President’s recent State of the Union address. In that address, the President laid out a forward-looking vision aimed at empowering families and providing them with meaningful choices regarding the health, care, and future of their young children. The newly detailed fiscal year 2025 budget operationalizes this vision through concrete funding proposals designed to address virtually every facet of infant and toddler development.
The administration’s budget outlines targeted federal investments aimed at bolstering family support systems, improving healthcare access during and after pregnancy, and alleviating the economic pressures that disproportionately affect families with young children. These provisions are viewed by early childhood advocates as vital steps toward reducing childhood poverty and ensuring that developmental disparities are addressed during the earliest, most critical stages of human growth.
With the release of the budget proposal, the focus now shifts to Capitol Hill, where federal lawmakers will begin the complex and often contentious process of negotiating appropriations bills for the upcoming fiscal year. ZERO TO THREE has made it clear that while the administration’s blueprint represents a significant and encouraging milestone, the ultimate success of these initiatives depends entirely on legislative action.
"Now, Congress must work with the Administration to deliver for families and babies," Calderón stated, calling on lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to recognize the long-term economic and social benefits of investing in early childhood. "We look forward to working with Congressional appropriators and our baby champions on the Hill to make these bold proposals a reality."
As the appropriations process moves forward in the coming weeks and months, child advocacy groups, policy experts, and community leaders are expected to engage heavily with members of Congress to advocate for the preservation and funding of these key early childhood programs. For ZERO TO THREE and its supporters, the fiscal year 2025 budget represents a crucial opportunity to secure a more supportive, equitable, and stable future for the nation’s youngest citizens.
