Center for American Progress

The days of Congress devaluing child care need to end
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The days of Congress devaluing child care need to end

Author Laura Dallas McSorley argues that the pandemic laid bare the decadeslong child care crisis in the United States, and Congress must prioritize affordable, high-quality child care in order to build a stronger and more equitable economy.

As the beltway focuses on minute-by-minute negotiations, proposals and counter-proposals on President Biden’s jobs plans, it is important not to lose sight of the long-term challenges that American families have faced.

Nearly 50 years ago, then-Sen. Walter Mondale co-sponsored a piece of legislation to create universal, federally subsidized child care. Legislators recognized the explosive period of growth in young children, the need for parents and families to have affordable child care choices to participate in the workforce, and that a strategic investment for children and families would impact the economy. The bill passed Congress with broad bipartisan support, but President Nixon vetoed the bill, leaving the child care crisis we have today.

The above excerpt was originally published in The Hill. Click here to view the full article.

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Authors

Laura Dallas McSorley

Senior Director