Political Quotes

“I thank Chairwoman Speier for yielding. I appreciate it. I rise today to talk about the childcare crisis facing our Nation, and by extension, our national economy. I rise today to share the stories from working mothers in my district, to outline the disastrous impact maintaining the status quo will have for families and communities and businesses, and to instill a sense of urgency for addressing this childcare crisis, because prior to COVID, women represented over half the working people in this Nation. Over half. So let's be clear, when working moms are losing ground, that is the American middle class losing ground. And the current reality of the American childcare system is endless waitlists for spots that may never open up. The current reality is unreasonable costs that eat away at 20, 30, 40 percent of a working parent's paycheck. In fact, I have a constituent who has two children in childcare and pays over the amount of their paycheck in childcare. And in over half of the States in this Nation, center-based infant care costs more than in-State college tuition. That is what is facing families today. And the current reality is to make it work, often for families-- including my own family--the only way you make it work is with the help of grandparents or friends. So God help you, if you don't have that safety net in place. The current reality is that too many moms are being forced to leave their jobs because they simply can't make it work.…”