Whip Clark: “The Care Crisis Is a Core Priority for House Democrats”

WASHINGTON D.C. - Today, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-5) joined Congressional Dads Caucus Chair Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Greg Casar (TX-35), New Democrat Coalition Chair Brad Schneider (IL-10), Rep. Rob Menendez (NJ-8), and Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) to discuss Democrats' continued focus on the care economy. The press conference was held during Rep. Gomez's National Summit on the Caregiving Crisis. Below is a transcript of Whip Clark's remarks:

"The financial inability of most people to get by is the economic crisis of our time.

"Most people cannot afford the first rung of that American Dream. Sixty percent - six-zero - of families, in the richest nation on earth, are struggling to afford the basics: groceries, gas, school supplies, clothes. All of it has contributed to that crisis.

"But there is a particular cruelty, an especially heavy burden, to the care crisis.

"I remember when my children were young. One day, my husband and I realized that my entire paycheck went to child care. But I was fortunate. I had a spouse with a good job. I had resources and support so I could get by.

"But for others, the care crisis means choosing between paying rent or groceries. And for hundreds of thousands of women last year, it meant leaving the workforce entirely.

"And what do we see from Donald Trump and the Republicans? What are they doing about this? We see them withholding child care funding. We see them sending ICE to terrorize caregivers. We see them dismantling Medicaid - a program that pays for two-thirds of home care costs in America. And we see them taking the harshest obstacle to families' financial security, an obstacle to small businesses, a drain on our economy as a whole, and making it worse.

"Democrats recognize that the American people expect more from their elected officials. They expect a plan to bring down costs. To build a system where families can have a little breathing room and get ahead. Where it is feasible and mathematically possible to work hard, make rent, save some money, and sustain a family.

"And we are going to bring straightforward solutions to the table.

"Let's bring down the cost of child care to $15 a day by passing the Child Care for Working Families Act. Let's help three million student parents by supporting on-campus care. Let's get family caregivers the support they need by fully funding Medicaid. And make early childhood education an attractive career by investing in the students who are pursuing those degrees and making sure they're paid a fair wage so they can support their own families while they're caring for ours.

"None of this is groundbreaking or revolutionary. But it would be transformative.

"The care crisis is a core priority for House Democrats - both this year and in the Majority."

To view presser photos, click HERE.

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