Murray: GOP Child Care Proposal “Like Trying to Put Out a Fire With an Empty Bucket”
Senator Murray: “I’m very glad to see that my Republican colleagues have recognized that we need to do something about the child care crisis in this country—but their proposal doesn’t even invest a single dime in actually solving the problem.”
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement on the inadequate Republican proposal to address the current child care crisis. The Back to Work Child Care Grants Act—which was announced today by Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)—does not include any financial commitment to address the current crisis. Senator Murray encouraged Republicans to not only acknowledge the true scope of the child care crisis but to provide the resources needed to address it and pass her Child Care Is Essential Act, which will provide $50 billion in funding to save the child care sector.
“I’m very glad to see that my Republican colleagues have recognized that we need to do something about the child care crisis in this country—but their proposal doesn’t even invest a single dime in actually solving the problem. Frankly, it’s like they’re trying to put out a fire with an empty bucket,” said Senator Murray.
“Democrats have a serious plan that would provide significant and much needed resources to stabilize the child care sector and ensure all working families—especially families of color and other families who’ve typically struggled with access to child care—are able to find and afford it. We see this as a critical part of our response to the pandemic—and I hope Republicans will demonstrate this same seriousness by working with us to provide the funding needed to support providers, parents and children.”
Senator Murray introduced a bill to address the current child care crisis—the Child Care Is Essential Act. Senator Murray’s $50 billion bill would help providers reopen safely by covering operating costs and heightened costs to implementing safety protocols, ensure educators continue to get paid, provide tuition relief to work families, and prioritize providers that serve underserved populations.
Senator Murray’s bill has been endorsed by more than 80 national organizations, including: Child Care Aware of America, National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), First Five Years Fund, American Academy of Pediatrics, Save the Children Action Network (SCAN), Children’s Defense Fund, First Focus Campaign for Children, ZERO to Three, National Women’s Law Center, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Center for American Politics (CAP), National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), National Domestic Workers Alliance, Child Welfare League of America (CWLA), National Association for Family Child Care, National Military Family Association, National Organization for Women (NOW), National Partnership for Women & Families, YWCA USA.
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