Democratic Women’s Caucus Members Stand with Care Workers at National Summit

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) Chair Lois Frankel and DWC members spoke at the inaugural Care Workers Can’t Wait Summit, hosted by the National Domestic Workers Alliance, SEIU, AFL-CIO, AFT, AFSCME, Community Change, MomsRising, Care in Action, and the Care Can’t Wait coalition.

The lawmakers addressed an historic convening of workers from throughout the care economy—childcare, aging and disability care, and all direct care—and reiterated their continuing push for Congressional action to support care workers and address the care crisis.

"I'm a member of the sandwich generation—I care for my aging mother while also looking after my grandchildren on the weekends—so the care economy is something I think about often," said DWC Chair Frankel. “Whether it’s child care, paid leave, aging and disability care, or care workers, we know that if one pillar of our country’s care infrastructure fails, our entire economy suffers. Yet, Republican budget cuts are threatening this critical sector. We can't let that happen. The Democratic Women’s Caucus will continue to fight back to ensure the care economy gets the funding it deserves, so that care workers can be paid fair wages and working families can afford the high-quality care their loved ones need."

“Care infrastructure is infrastructure,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “You cannot have a strong, successful country and economy if people do not have adequate care for their children and elders. Home and community-based services allow Americans to receive the quality long-term care they need, in the comfort of their own communities. Yet far too many people are forced to enter nursing homes or placed on long waitlists because of chronic underinvestment in care workers. We must start paying a livable wage to caregivers, who are predominately women of color, and we must value unpaid family caregivers by offering compensation in acknowledgment of their contribution to society. I will not rest until our hardworking care workers have the resources they need and deserve.”

“I’ve been a longstanding advocate for domestic workers’ and care workers’ rights – pushing for equal protection and safety in the workplace for all workers,” said Congresswoman Jayapal. “During COVID, even though our care workers were called essential, too many were treated as expendable. Too many of our sisters and brothers in care work died, and still today, too many struggle without good union jobs or rights on the job. I’m proud to fight to lift up our care workers, to honor them, and to demand that our country treat them right. Care workers can’t wait.”

“I come from a family of care workers, so I am keenly aware of the value they provide to families, our broader communities, and our national economy; however, I am also familiar with the serious challenges they face, including wage disparities, a lack of benefits, and minimal labor protections,” said Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan. “Care workers are a crucial component of the national economy, as they open doors for millions of Americans to return to the workforce. It is unacceptable that they are forced to struggle to support themselves and their families. That’s why I was proud to speak at the Care Workers Summit alongside so many of my women colleagues in Congress. It is past time that we invest in the care economy and ensure all workers have equal protections under the law.”

“The care worker shortage creates a ripple effect across our entire economy, and as President Joe Biden highlighted while signing yesterday's historic executive order, low wages and a lack of benefits drive the care worker shortage. I'm fighting to make sure that caregiving jobs are good jobs, because care work make every other work possible,” said Congresswoman Nikema Williams.

"Care workers are the backbone of our communities," said Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton. "It's time we deliver the pay and benefits that they deserve—because care can't wait.  I'm grateful to all the care workers who joined the Care Workers Can't Wait Summit today. I'm proud to be in this fight with you in Congress."

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