In response to President Joe Biden's first State of the Union address, First Five Years Fund (FFYF) Executive Director Sarah Rittling released a statement.

FFYF Statement on Child Care in State of the Union
In response to President Joe Biden's first State of the Union address, the First Five Years Fund (FFYF) released a statement. First Five Years Fund (FFYF)

Here's First Five Years Fund (FFYF) Executive Director Sarah Rittling's statement:

"The president's message tonight was clear: Congress should prioritize child care and early learning and send a bill lowering families' costs to his desk for signature. President Biden understands that the high cost and limited supply of child care and pre-K has held working families back for too long. We have an opportunity to provide relief to parents and build an early learning system that meets the needs of families, providers, and our economy. So as we think about addressing today's challenges and building a stronger economic future for this country, there's no question that early care and education must be central to the conversation.

READ NEXT: Donald Trump Called Russian President Vladimir Putin "Pretty Savvy" Over Move On Ukraine; Pres. Joe Biden Imposes New Sanctions

"It's time we address America's early learning crisis head on to ensure children have the opportunity to start kindergarten ready to learn, and parents know that they can contribute to our economic recovery without the added worry of whether they can find quality, affordable care for their children.

"The good news is that we have never been closer to passing strong, federal legislation to fortify America's child care and early learning sector. We look forward to continuing to work with Congress and heed the President's call this evening to enact these desperately-needed reforms and investments."

About First Five Years Fund

The First Five Years Fund is the leading bipartisan federal advocacy organization working to ensure all children from birth through age five have equal access to affordable, comprehensive, high-quality care and education to support their healthy development and help them achieve their full potential in school and life.

FFYF seeks to expand federal support for all early learning and care opportunities that are high-quality and focused first on serving those children most-at-risk.