Over five years, the block grant would provide states with $36.3 billion.

"The block grant should not be cut too much at the beginning," he said.

Another would create a block grant from several dozen child care programs.

Under the block grant, states would lose Federal dollars if they spent more of their own.

The block grants serve more than 1 million participants each month.

The number of states allowed to take such block grants would be limited, but could increase to more than 20.

The plan required the additional $4.2 billion in block grants.

Also, the block grants would not necessarily increase in hard times.

The total payment, or block grant, would be $15.4 billion a year for the next five years.

Block grants were provided to the states, with $100 million in funding.