WASHINGTON, D.C. – As we plan to celebrate moms around the country this Mother’s Day, Joint Economic Committee Democrats today released a report on the need for affordable, high-quality child care in the United States. Access to quality child care has become an increasingly important part of a family’s economic success as women have entered the workforce and become breadwinners. For every dollar spent, child care and early education programs can generate between $5.98 and $10.15 of benefits to society.

The report, “The State of Child Care in America,” highlights that a family must spend over 15 percent of their income on child care for an infant. For single mothers the affordability crisis is even worse: some can spend more than half of their income on infant care.

President Trump’s child care proposals fall short of providing a real solution to the child care affordability crisis. A comprehensive child care plan must guarantee affordability for low- and middle-income families, include high-quality preparation for kindergarten and beyond, and meet the needs of working families in the 21st century.

“As a parent of two children, I know firsthand that families in New Mexico and across the U.S. need access to affordable, high-quality child care,” said Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Joint Economic Committee. “Child care is critically important to millions of families, regardless of income level, and they deserve to know their children are in a safe environment while they go to work or earn a degree. I urge President Trump to propose a serious plan that addresses the many issues in this report and to work with Congress on investing in our children from birth to kindergarten, empower more women to work and place quality, child care within reach for more families.” 

Click here to read the full report.