In President Biden’s first joint address to Congress last month, he unveiled a vision of an American economy that works for working families.
This is a big deal.
From providing for universal preschool education for three- and four-year-olds to mandating 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave, the administration’s American Families Plan is a critical step to restarting our economy in the wake of the pandemic.
John: Do you support President Biden’s plan? Tell me below.
Workers have to be able to take time off to care for themselves or their loved ones without fearing for their jobs. Parents have to have access to reliable, quality child care. Kids need the best possible education to set them up for success in a competitive job market.
We’ve seen just who has been most affected by the pandemic. Low-income families, the folks already on the margins, bore the brunt -- even though many of those workers served in essential professions. And so many parents, especially moms, had to leave the workforce this last year because they couldn’t both work and care for their children.
The American Families Plan’s funding to make child care more accessible will help lift a barrier to employment for so many folks with young kids.
By providing two years of free community college in addition to two free years of preschool, our students will begin with the best possible start -- and a more level playing field -- and have access to the education they need in a 21st-century job market.
12 weeks of paid family and medical leave will allow workers to care for themselves and their loved ones, without worrying about whether they’ll lose their jobs.
Passing the American Families Plan as soon as possible just makes sense -- but I want to know your opinion too.
Do you support enacting these benefits (and so many more!) for working families?
