Child care is an essential part of our economic infrastructure and an investment in our future. Yet parents and caregivers face an untenable set of demands. Women are being forced out of the workforce, families are struggling to pay for child care, and the pandemic has pushed providers to the brink of permanent closure. It’s time to provide working families with the solutions they need, and adequately compensate child care workers for the complex and demanding jobs they perform.

After speaking with parents and child care providers in Oregon about the need for more affordable child care, Congresswoman Bonamici advocated directly to President Biden for the American Rescue Plan to invest in child care. She helped secure $39 billion for child care, including $404 million for Oregon. This historic investment will go a long way to help families, educators, and providers. But child care is only one part of the caregiving work that has gone unrecognized for too long. As we move toward economic recovery, Congresswoman Bonamici will continue to call for investments in caregiving, because caregiving is part of the infrastructure that underpins our economy.

Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici and national expert Dr. Myra Jones-Taylor of ZERO TO THREE recently discussed the challenges facing parents and caregivers of young children during the pandemic and how federal policy can make a difference. Dr. Jones-Taylor is an expert in the field of early childhood education and a passionate and effective advocate for babies, toddlers, and their families. This conversation is a great resource for parents and advocates.