Springfield—Senator Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago) on Tuesday applauded the groups that put pressure on Governor Rauner to remove the drastic cuts applied to the ones who needed the most help: children.

“This program is a crucial component of welfare reform because it allows working parents to return to work while their kids are in enrolled in child care,” said Senator Cunningham.

Over the summer, Governor Rauner announced a change in the eligibility requirements for the child care assistance program which cut thousands of recipients out of the program.  The new change in eligibility would allow many of those families who rely on child care services to rejoin the program.

“Child care centers in Chicago and the southwest suburbs now will be able to keep their doors open,” said Cunningham, “Parents across the state of Illinois who need this program now will be able to go to work without worrying about where their children will be.”

Senator Cunningham voted for SB 570, which would have restored the cuts to the child care assistance program fully.