WASHINGTON, DC — ZERO TO THREE, the nation’s leading early childhood development nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that all infants and toddlers have a strong start in life, has voiced strong encouragement following the release of President Biden’s proposed fiscal year 2025 budget. The organization highlighted that the federal spending blueprint includes essential and much-needed funding for a wide array of programs designed to build a solid foundation for young children and their families across the United States.
The announcement comes at a critical time for early childhood policy discussions in the nation’s capital. As lawmakers weigh competing priorities for federal spending, advocates for infants and toddlers are mobilizing to ensure that the youngest members of society remain at the forefront of the legislative agenda. ZERO TO THREE, alongside other child advocacy groups, has spent months outlining the urgent needs of babies and their caregivers, emphasizing that early investments yield lifelong benefits for society, the economy, and individual well-being.
"If implemented, President Biden’s budget released today will make our nation a better and fairer nation to have and raise a baby," said Miriam Calderón, Chief Policy Officer at ZERO TO THREE. "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 new budget directly builds upon the vision the President articulated during his recent State of the Union address. In that address, the President laid out a comprehensive path toward a future where families are empowered and have meaningful choices regarding their children’s future and early development. The newly proposed federal budget translates that broad vision into concrete policy proposals and funding streams designed to touch every facet of young children’s development during their most critical formative years.
The proposed budget reflects a growing recognition among policymakers that the earliest months and years of life represent a window of rapid brain development that lays the groundwork for all future learning, behavior, and health. By targeting federal resources toward the systems that support families during this pivotal period, the Administration aims to address systemic inequities and reduce the stressors that can negatively impact infant and toddler development.
Among the core priorities championed by child development advocates are initiatives aimed at improving maternal health outcomes, expanding access to affordable, high-quality child care, supporting the mental health needs of infants and their caregivers, and bolstering economic security and stable housing for families with young children. These interconnected areas form the bedrock of the framework that ZERO TO THREE and its partners use to evaluate federal budget proposals and legislative packages.
The release of the fiscal year 2025 budget initiates the annual appropriations process on Capitol Hill, where members of Congress will debate, amend, and ultimately vote on federal spending bills. While the President’s budget serves as an important statement of executive priorities, the final shape of the spending legislation will depend heavily on bipartisan negotiations and the leadership of key congressional committees and lawmakers who champion early childhood issues.
"Now, Congress must work with the Administration to deliver for families and babies," Calderón continued, underscoring the vital role that federal lawmakers will play in the coming months. "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, advocates plan to engage deeply with policymakers to ensure that the proposed funding levels are preserved and that the programs capable of making a tangible difference in the lives of infants and toddlers receive robust bipartisan support. The focus now shifts from the unveiling of the executive budget proposal to the intricate legislative work required to translate these policy goals into enacted laws and funded programs that can support the nation’s youngest citizens.
