What does the President do? 

As the chief executive of the United States, the President has the power to implement and enforce laws written by Congress, veto Congressional legislation, and issue executive orders. The President appoints the heads of federal agencies and other key federal positions, including the heads of the U.S. Department of Education and the Administration for Children and Families under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which houses the Office of Child Care (most appointments require U.S. Senate confirmation). 

What could the President do to expand access to early learning and support the healthy development of Georgia’s youngest children? 

• • • Set forth a recommended legislative agenda that expands access to early learning and promotes child health and well-being via their annual budget request to Congress and State of the Union Address. 
    • Sign legislation that prioritizes young children and their families; veto legislation that negatively impacts access to early childhood services or child and family well-being. 
    • Provide vision and guidance on early learning, health, and family supports to federal, state, and local agencies. 
    • Use their executive authority to improve policies of federal programs to support program access and child and family well-being. 

Click to See the Candidates for President.

What does a Member of Congress do? 

The House of Representatives is one of Congress’ two chambers and is composed of 435 Members that proportionally represent the population of the 50 states. Georgia currently has 14 Representatives in the U.S. House, each representing a distinct geographic district. Serving two-year terms, all seats for U.S. House are up for re-election in 2024. 

The Senate is Congress’ other chamber, comprised of two Senators from each of the 50 states, for a total of 100 Members. Each Senator is elected to a six-year term and represents the entire state. Neither of Georgia’s two U.S. Senators are up for election in 2024. 

As members of the legislative branch, Senators and Representatives introduce bills and resolutions, vote on pending legislation, offer amendments, and serve on committees.  

What could a Member of Congress do to expand access to early learning and support the healthy development of Georgia’s youngest children? 

As policymakers, our U.S. Representatives and Senators can do the following: 

• • • • Write, introduce, and support legislation to expand and improve supports for young  children, families, and the people who care for them  
      • Vote against bills that could negatively impact family or child well-being.  
      • Ensure adequate funding for existing programs and services that serve young children and families, including: Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), Head Start, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
      • Earmark community project funds to support high-quality early learning and healthy development of young children and their families.

  This is the first major election since the U.S. House districts were redrawn in 2023. Please double-check your district using My Voter Page before heading to the polls. 

  Click to See the Candidates for GA’s Congressional Delegation.

What does a State Senator or State Representative do?

The legislative branch of the state government is the Georgia General Assembly, which makes the general policies and laws of the state. Like Congress, the General Assembly consists of two chambers, a Senate and a House of Representatives.  

Every year beginning in January, the General Assembly meets for its legislative session, which lasts for 40 days, to discuss bills and vote for proposed laws. The General Assembly must determine the state’s operating budget, which is the only bill they are constitutionally required to pass. Outside of the legislative session, members of the General Assembly meet in committees, where they discuss proposed legislation in greater detail.  

There are currently 56 state senators in the Georgia Senate. The Lieutenant Governor, who is directly elected by Georgia voters, serves as President of the Senate.

There are currently 180 state representatives in the Georgia House of Representatives. The Speaker of the House serves as the chamber’s leader and is responsible for assigning representatives to committees.  

Serving two-year terms, all members of the General Assembly are up for re-election in 2024. 

What could a State Senator or State Representative do to expand access to early learning and support the healthy development of Georgia’s youngest children? 

As policymakers, our State Senators and Representatives can do the following: 

• Write, introduce, and support bills that support young children, their families, and the people who care for them.  
• Advocate for the importance of a strong foundation in language and literacy skills for young children. 
• Support the early childhood workforce (e.g., through stipends, tax credits, and scholarship programs). 
• Advocate for sufficient funding for programs that support t children aged birth to five and their families (e.g., child care subsidy, Pre-K, home visiting, early intervention, etc.) through appropriations bills.
• Expand access to paid family leave to ensure families have time to welcome new children or care for themselves or a loved one with an illness.   
• Vote against bills that could negatively impact family or child well-being. 

This is the first major election since state legislative districts were redrawn in 2023. Please double–check your State Senate and House districts using My Voter Page before heading to the polls.  

Click to See the Candidates for the Georgia General Assembly.

Local elected officials, such as mayors, city council members, county commissioners, and school board members, play an important role in building thriving communities that support young children and families.  

The timelines for local races vary, so check your sample ballot on My Voter Page to see if any local races in your community are up for election in 2024.  

What could local elected officials to expand access to early learning and support the healthy development of Georgia’s youngest children? 

• Use the “bully pulpit” to raise awareness and build support for early childhood issues.
• Allocate funds to support early childhood programs and initiatives (e.g., read more about City of Atlanta’s recent investment here).  
• Model best practices as an employer and implement family-friendly policies such as flexible time, child care supports, paid leave, etc. Examples include:   
  • Partner to offer on-site, high-quality and/or subsidized child care for employees. 
  • Provide flexibility for parents and caregivers to attend children’s well visits.
  • Provide gap scholarships for essential service employees and families.    
• Support a comprehensive, well-funded early childhood system that connects health, education, and child welfare. 
• Communicate and collaborate with constituents and community partners to understand and address the needs of children and families. 
• Understand, monitor, and respond to the indicators of child and family well-being in local communities.