President Trump and his daughter, Ivanka, have been making empty child care promises since the 2016 campaign trail, and now we have a Trump tax scam that leaves child care—what working families really need—out altogether.
Senator Patty Murray and Representative Bobby Scott have a much different idea of what it means to address America's child care crisis. On September 14, they introduced comprehensive child care and early learning legislation known as the Child Care for Working Families Act, which among several critical provisions would:
- Ensure that low-income families do not pay more than seven percent of their income on child care.
- Support access to high-quality preschool programs for young children in need.
- Improve compensation and training for teachers and caregivers.
Senator Murray believes in putting first things first when it comes to child care:
At a time when far too many working families are struggling, finding quality child care that doesn’t break the bank shouldn’t be another thing keeping parents up at night. As a former preschool teacher, I know what quality early learning and care can do for a child’s development, so I’m proud to introduce the Child Care for Working Families Act to address our child care crisis and support access to high-quality preschool so that all children are ready for kindergarten and beyond. This is not only the right [thing to do] for working families, but it’s a smart investment in our children, our future, and our economy.
Representative Scott agrees:
Decades of research shows that properly nurturing children in the early years of life is instrumental in supporting enhanced brain development, cognitive functioning, and emotional and physical health. Today, the cost of child care has skyrocketed and too many parents now have to choose between paying for child care or a good-paying job. This bill fixes this national crisis and lays out the path of what early learning in America should look like.
A critical part of People For the American Way’s fight for equal rights and constitutional liberties is to stand up for gender equality. All Americans have something to lose when women’s rights come under attack, just as we all have something to gain when rights are won and when women and families not only survive but also thrive. High-quality child care that is available, affordable, and flexible helps women and families thrive and ensures their—and our country’s—economic security. Accordingly, PFAW stands with Senator Murray, Representative Scott, and their congressional cosponsors and organizational allies in support of the Child Care for Working Families Act.
Click to learn more about child care and the Murray-Scott legislation.