Stimulus allocates $2 billion for child care

WASHINGTON (AP) – States will share $2.3 billion in federal stimulus money to pay
for child care programs and help less fortunate people get needed vaccinations, Vice President Joe Biden announced Thursday. Biden said $2 billion will be available to the
Child Care and Development Fund to help states pay for child care for more parents who are working, looking for work, getting job training or furthering their education.
“Across the country parents are worried about finding a job or just keeping the job
they have,” Biden told reporters at the start of a regular meeting with Cabinet secretaries and their designees on how stimulus money is being spent.
“They shouldn’t have to worry about finding affordable, quality day care. A lot of parents who have jobs, that’s their major concern,” he said. Another $300 million in money and grants is being made available to help less fortunate people get vaccinations. Most of the money will be used to buy vaccines, which will be distributed to states through the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-tion. Money will also be spent to educate the public on the importance of getting their shots.
“Vaccines stop illness before they happen, eliminate long hospital stays, cut health care costs, improve public health and flat out save lives,” Biden said. “So simply they make life a lot better for everyone in this country.” President Barack Obama signed the $787 billion stimulus bill into law in February, saying the package of increased federal spending and tax cuts will create jobs and help pull the economy out of its worst slump since the Great Depression. Obama also tapped Biden to oversee stimulus spending. The vice president meets regularly with Cabinet secretaries and their designees for updates on what their departments are doing. He also holds regular conference calls with governors and mayors to discuss the stimulus. Separately, Obama announced that the government will spend $285 million from the stimulus package to buy about 17,600 new, fuel-efficient vehicles, including 2,500 hybrid sedans, from U.S. automakers for the government fleet by June 1. Last month, Obama directed the administration to speed up the purchase to help boost demand for General Motors, Chrysler and Ford cards during the economic downturn and the accompanying slump in U.S. auto sales.