Political Quotes

“Madam President, I am so pleased to be joining with my colleagues today to talk about something that is so fundamentally important for our families. So many times, I have heard from folks saying: We are paying more for childcare than our mortgage payment and trying to keep our house together. It is very frightening for many families trying to juggle those costs. So we have an urgent need for our families, for our economy, for our future. Every morning, millions of families in Michigan and across the country go through the very same ritual. Sleepy children are roused out of bed, clothes are chosen, breakfasts are eaten, faces are washed, teeth are brushed, snacks are packed, and then it is a scramble out the door. Car seats are buckled and off to the local childcare center. Only then can mom or dad's workday begin. For millions of families, this essential daily routine is at risk of falling apart. The American childcare system, already under severe strain before the pandemic, now is in danger of collapse. During the pandemic, I am so proud that we as Democrats cheered critical emergency funding that helped keep 10 million children in childcare. That funding expired, as colleagues have indicated, on September 30. Without it, more than 700,000 childcare programs could close--700,000--and 3.2 million families could be left scrambling.…”