Press Releases

CONTACT: Michelle Moreno-Silva

Today, Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) Co-Chairs Congresswomen Lois Frankel (FL-21), Brenda Lawrence (MI-14), and Jackie Speier (CA-14)  and Vice Chairs Congresswomen Veronica Escobar (TX-16) and Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) released the following statement after President Biden delivered his address to a Joint Session of Congress:

President Biden addressed a nation stricken by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has claimed more than 500,000 American lives, upended the economy, and disrupted life as we knew it. The pandemic has been especially devastating for women, with two million fewer women in the labor force now than before the pandemic and with women, particularly women of color, overwhelmingly serving as our frontline workers and caregivers. He spoke directly to the highest aspirations of the American people by outlining the investments we must make to build back better for a strong economy so all families can thrive.

“Tonight, President Biden showed his commitment to building a strong and inclusive future for our nation by investing in women, children, and families - and this commitment could not come soon enough,” the Members said. “As so many women are struggling to stay afloat amid massive job losses and increased caregiving responsibilities, we look forward to working with President Biden’s administration to enact critical care infrastructure investments to create millions of jobs and ensure all families have access to safe and affordable child care and the investments they need to thrive.”

To successfully move forward, we must build back better with women, and this includes needed investments in child care and other care industry investments. Today, child care consumes 35 percent of household incomes for low-wage families and the educators who are responsible for our children’s growth must often rely on public benefits to meet their basic needs. This situation is even worse for families and workers of color. By investing in child care, we will create 750,000 good-paying jobs and build a stronger economy so that all families can thrive and child care workers receive the living wage and benefits they deserve.

House Democrats have worked closely with President Biden and Vice President Harris during their first 100 days to begin stabilizing our economy, bring back jobs, and deliver much needed relief to caregivers across the country. There is still much work to be done to ensure that women and families succeed, and that starts by investing in care infrastructure.

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