In May, early learning providers with SEIU came to DC to ask their representatives to support President Obama's budget requests for early childhood education.

They wanted the families they serve to have better access to affordable, quality child care and they made their case to Congress.

In spite of serious funding constraints, the Head Start and child care funding plans made it out of the House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee only a hundred million dollars shy of the president's billion dollar requests for each program.

The bill still has to pass the full Appropriations Committee, then the House and Senate, but this is a good start. Congress has been quite wary of increasing funding for social programs this year, so any moves to provide extra help to working families need to be encouraged.

Over the coming months, it will be even more important for members, parents and community allies to embolden Congress to hold on to the gains won in this first committee vote.