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Democrats in Congress are pushing for a new round of money to keep the nation’s child care industry afloat, saying thousands of programs are at risk of closing when federal pandemic relief runs out this month.

Legislation introduced in both chambers on Wednesday would provide $16 billion a year over the next five years, awarded as grants to help child care programs cover everyday costs. It’s meant to replace $24 billion in relief that was passed in 2021 in the American Rescue Plan and is set to expire Sept. 30.

Joy Lee departed college with a journalism degree and an eye on broadcast reporting. Instead, she found her way to Capitol Hill — and Democratic leaders have been grateful ever since. 

A group of Democratic lawmakers, including Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray, D-Wash., are planning on introducing legislation this week that would provide $16 billion in funding for child care, sources familiar with the effort say.

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and House Minority Whip Katherine M. Clark, D-Mass., are also leading the longshot stand-alone effort to secure the funding, which House appropriations ranking member Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., is also pushing.

With Maui desperately in need of federal aid as residents struggle to recover from the Aug. 8 wildfires, the government shutting down and the Federal Emergency Management Agency running out of money “is absolutely not an option,” Hawaii’s U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda said.

“Disasters are continuing to strike across our country.” Tokuda said Wednesday. “It is so critical that the billions and billions of dollars that we need to fund FEMA is put there when we go back in September.”