PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine’s attorney general has joined a group including more than 20 of his counterparts to call for the federal government to provide financial help for childcare providers in the next round of stimulus money.

Attorney General Aaron Frey said Tuesday that he and other attorneys general believe the nation’s childcare system needs help for families to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. They sent a letter to the leadership of the U.S. Senate that said the next stimulus bill must address childcare.

The pandemic has closed or reduced service at childcare centers around the country, leaving them without revenue to pay for payrolls, rent, insurance and other costs, Frey said. The attorneys general said the childcare system also needs broader reforms, as it’s too expensive for many families.

Frey made the statement as Maine officials and residents continues to fight the toll of the pandemic. Maine officials have reported more than 3,500 cases of the virus in the state since the start of the pandemic. They’ve also reported 114 deaths.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. But for others, especially older adults and people with health problems, it can cause severe symptoms like pneumonia.