Dear John,

For decades we have treated child care as a private responsibility for families to navigate on their own. That model has left parents unable to find and afford care, early educators earning poverty-level wages, and mothers pushed out of the labor force with lifelong effects on their economic security. COVID has only exacerbated these inequities and families are getting left behind—particularly Black and Latina women and mothers.

But the pandemic also shone a light on a fundamental truth: Child care isn’t a luxury good or a private responsibility. It is a public good—essential infrastructure that allows our economy to run, our communities and families to thrive, and our children to reach their full potential. And it’s time for Congress to treat it as such—by fully investing in the Build Back Better agenda.

I won’t lie. We’re hearing that EVERYTHING in the Build Back Better agenda—including child care and early learning—is on the table for cuts. Our lawmakers are making decisions THIS WEEK that will determine whether or not we get the $450 billion dollars needed for child care and early learning to:

• reduce costs for families,
• pay early educators more, and
• provide free pre-K to all 3- and 4-year-olds.  

These game-changing policies are essential to ensuring that women—and especially women of color—are centered in our economic recovery. Click to be connected with your members of Congress.

If we truly want to play fair and support families and our economy, we need to guarantee access to affordable and high-quality child care, build and compensate the workforce, and give families the best options for child care. The child care system is broken, but with Build Back Better agenda we have the opportunity to transform the industry. Now is the time for lasting change—can we count on you to make the call?

Lets go!

Sincerely,

Melissa Boteach
she/her/hers
Vice President, Income Security and Child Care/Early Learning
National Women’s Law Center