Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representatives Young Kim (CA-40), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03), Virginia Foxx (NC-05), and Adam Gray (CA-13) introduced the Cutting Red Tape on Child Care Providers Act.
This bipartisan bill would prevent states from imposing barriers on the preparation of fresh fruits and vegetables in childcare facilities.
Childcare providers in many states face food preparation restrictions that prohibit employees from peeling a banana for a child while opening a bag of chips is allowed. These regulations undermine the ability for childcare providers to support kids’ basic nutrition, local farmers, and national health.
“Regulations should never stand in the way of kids accessing the nutritious meals they need to grow and thrive. The Cutting Red Tape on Child Care Providers Act will empower childcare providers to better provide for children without fear of unnecessary penalties,” said Rep. Kim. “This is a commonsense, bipartisan bill that will benefit children, families, and hardworking childcare providers who play a crucial role in our communities.”
“Byzantine regulations are negatively impacting the quality of nutrition our kids receive – and the status quo makes it easier to open a bag of chips than to peel and slice a banana. It’s time to acknowledge that a childcare provider’s capacity to navigate a bureaucracy is not the arbiter of the quality of care they provide to our kids. This bipartisan legislation is a step toward giving them the regulatory clarity, agency, and respect they merit,” said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. “I hear from my constituents all the time about how their childcare costs rival their mortgage or rent, and while I support subsidies for childcare programs, it’s also important we pursue the regulatory reform that brings down the cost of compliance for these small businesses – that way more of the dollars go directly to childcare providers themselves, not their insurance provider or compliance directors. Streamlining rules on childcare nutrition directly advances local agriculture, national health, and a level playing field for small, rural, and women-owned businesses.”
“Children thrive when they have access to nutritious meals, but it is not always available at every daycare. This bill cuts through the bureaucracy and gives parents the flexibility to bring foods from home that meet the nutrition needs of their child,” said Rep. Foxx. “This bill builds upon the Committee’s ongoing work recognizing that parents know best when it comes to their children. I thank Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez for her leadership on this issue and am pleased to join her in introducing the Cutting Red Tape on Child Care Providers Act, which puts children at the forefront.”
As the representative for the San Joaquin Valley, the largest agricultural region in the country, I know how important fresh fruits and vegetables are to our kids’ growth,” said Rep. Gray. “Childcare centers should encourage our kids to eat healthy foods, but red tape has scared providers out of doing so. I’m glad to join my colleagues to introduce this commonsense bipartisan bill to support childcare providers, empower families to meet the dietary needs of their students, and encourage healthy eating for kids.”
Full text of the bill is available here.
