HCAN Speaks! is among more than 300 organizations nationally that signed onto a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi “in strong support of the child care and pre-kindergarten provisions in the Build Back Better plan.”
The letter continues:
“The pandemic brought to light how essential child care and early learning are to our country, while also revealing profound flaws. The bottom line is that America’s existing child care market is unsustainable. Most parents can’t afford the price of care, while too many Americans live in areas without access to quality care options at all. Further, providers can only charge what families in their area can afford, which often translates to near-poverty wages for early educators. Addressing these present and ongoing challenges requires a comprehensive approach to securing ample child care supply and capacity, while ensuring there are quality options available for families when and where they need them. …
“Fifty years after President Nixon's veto of comprehensive child care reform, we are at the cusp of a turning point for a just and equitable child care and early learning system. This is the moment where we take the closest step yet to realizing the first ever early care and education guarantee. It's time to set families up for success and set up early care and education to be a valued and highly desired, long-term career path – our economic prosperity depends on it. We look forward to working with you to enact and implement these policies across the United States.”