Child Care: A Central Issue In The 2024 Election Cycle

For all the twists and turns of the 2024 election cycle, there’s one development that has been years in the making: Child care is now at the top of the agenda. From the debate stage to the campaign trail, our national political conversation is aligning with millions of kitchen table discussions throughout the country. Voters expect their leaders to prioritize care work. And it’s no wonder why.

There is no labor more vital to our wellbeing—or to our economy—than that of a caregiver. Whether offered by a parent, a sibling, a teacher, a home-care provider, or an early educator, care work makes America run. Yet our care system is staggeringly underfunded, threatening economic stability and exacerbating inequality.

Without major federal action, the care system will continue to buckle, driving caregivers to other careers and leaving families with fewer options. That’s why House Democrats and SEIU members have been mobilizing across the nation for care. For years, we’ve been fighting to shine a light on this crisis—and now, we’re offering the American people a path forward.

Transformative Investments in Care

We are calling for transformative investments in care—a reimagining of the way our economy and government serve working families. Together, we envision a care system that guarantees affordability for every family, availability in every neighborhood, and fair wages with the opportunity to join a union for every caregiver.

As the American people confront a heated election cycle, we are making clear how much is at stake. This isn’t merely about two different approaches to fixing child care; it’s about moving forward or falling back. Voters agree that our care system can’t persist as it is.

The Impact of Funding Cuts

Just last month, the House Republican majority allowed $15 billion in federal child care funding to expire. Their Project 2025 manifesto explicitly calls for the total elimination of Head Start—a cruel move that would kick 800,000 kids out of their classrooms and send their families into financial turmoil.

Sen. JD Vance’s suggestion? Ask grandma to watch the kids—as if family members aren’t already contributing everything they can. This indifference to the needs of families showcases a troubling trend where the care economy is ignored by those in power.

Building a Stronger Future

But we don’t have to go back. Child care doesn’t have to lead families into debt. Parenthood doesn’t have to be a financial puzzle. Care work should not come with high turnover, low wages, disrespect, and a lack of a true voice on the job.

Child care is part of our economic infrastructure—just as much as our roads and bridges. Without it, parents can’t work, kids can’t learn, and businesses can’t grow. With a robust care system, we can build a stronger, more prosperous, and just country that is truly worthy of our children.

Katherine Clark is the Democratic Whip in the U.S. House of Representatives, proudly representing Massachusetts’ 5th Congressional District and is the 2nd highest-ranking Democrat in House leadership.

SEIU President April Verrett is a fighter for working people and a visionary leader at the forefront of building a modern-day labor movement that is anti-racist at its core.

The views expressed in this article are the writers' own.