Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat from Connecticut and the chair of the House Appropriations Committee, has long been hailed as an afterschool champion, publicly voicing the benefits of enrichment programming and fighting for more federal funding.
Over her decades-long career in the House of Representatives, since 1991, DeLauro has pushed for social policies supporting affordable, debt-free higher education and child tax credits to help working class families.
During the pandemic, she led efforts to push an expansion of the child tax credit to include more payments to families through the House — doing so with purple hair to boot.
But the expansion of the legislation she has been crafting for 18 years stalled in the Senate due to a lack of support from Republicans and one Democrat, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
In 2020, she was appointed chair of the Appropriations Committee, and under her leadership, the 2022 budget included a $30 million increase to the 21st Century Community Learning Centers initiative, the sole federal funding source dedicated to out-of-school-time programming.
Congresswoman DeLauro spoke to Youth Today about her advocacy for afterschool programming, as well as her efforts to increase funding. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
The interview
How did you become an advocate for afterschool?
I’ve always been a very strong supporter of afterschool programs. They provide academic, social and emotional support for students. For kids with the highest needs, it’s really important they get these vital enrichment experiences. It’s also very helpful to working parents to know that their kids are in a secure learning environment, and not being warehoused somewhere.
As chair of the House Appropriations Committee on Labor, Health, Human Services, Education, I have long fought to protect and expand afterschool programs. Let me tell you, anecdotally, I taught modern dance and calligraphy in the afterschool program in New Haven, Connecticut. It was a very rich and rewarding experience for me personally.
Congress just passed a $30 million increase to the 21st Century Community Learning Centers for this year and the president has included a $20 million increase for the next fiscal year. Yet, advocates say it is still not enough. The Afterschool Alliance said they are going to be pushing for a $500 million increase. How realistic is that?
$500 million?
Yeah.
Look, advocates should continue to do what they do and advocate for more money. But everybody else wants more money too. I would like more money as well.
Me too. I want more money.
So much of it depends on where we come out during the appropriations process — what the top-line numbers will be for defense and non-defense, and what the allocations are for the subcommittees. There are a lot of steps between now and July when we get to vote on the appropriations bills.
Is there anything else that can be done at the federal level besides what’s already been done to expand access and improve the quality of afterschool?
What we are going to do is continue to fight. I will continue to argue and debate and fight for as much money as we possibly can. In my capacity of leading the Appropriations Committee, I’m going to champion afterschool programs because of their benefits for students and families. I will do all I can to look at how we can increase the funding.
What is the status of the child tax credit? Is it dead?
No, the child tax credit is not dead. We will continue to pursue it. It is probably the most successful social policy initiative that we have passed in decades. It lifts more than 40% of kids out of poverty and reduces hunger in this country. I will continue to push as hard as I can.
Was it just Manchin … or did other Senators have reservations?
Senator Manchin has concerns, which we are trying to address. But I also have to say we have our colleagues on the other side of the aisle as well. So far none of them have supported it. You need 10 Republican votes in the Senate. So where are they?
Which pieces of legislation are you most proud of?
I’ve done a whole lot of things on child nutrition. I’m particularly proud of the Paycheck Fairness Act. Men and women in the same job deserve the same pay. I’ve worked for 18 years on the child tax credits and am very proud of that.
Anything else we should keep an eye out as it relates to young people?
Ways in which we can make sure young people can afford to go on to higher education, whether it be vocational education, liberal arts schools or community schools. We need to pay special attention to how we can relieve young people of student debt.
The details
Title: Congresswoman from Connecticut’s Third Congressional District
Other roles: Chair of House Appropriations Committee, Democratic Steering and Policy Committee; Chair of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee
Residence: New Haven
Hobbies: “I love cooking and trying new things.”
Book next in the queue: The Firebrand and the First Lady: Portrait of a Friendship: Pauli Murray, Eleanor Roosevelt, and the Struggle for Social Justice by Patricia Bell-Scott
Prior employment: Executive director of EMILY’s List
Education: Bachelor of Arts from Marymount College; Master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Columbia University
