The rise in the number of dual-income households and single-parent families has made access to affordable child care an urgent priority across the country – one acknowledged by both political parties.
Expanding bipartisan support for meaningful policy change could reshape the child care landscape in America. Expanding access to affordable, high-quality child care isn’t just a matter of economic pragmatism – it’s a moral imperative that affects millions of families across the country.
Nearly two-thirds of children under six have both parents in the workforce, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This makes child care a necessity, not just a convenience. Both candidates in the recent vice presidential debate recognized this when they discussed the need to expand child care access and ensure families have the support they need to balance work and family life. Polls show bipartisan support for these initiatives is growing.
The Bipartisan Congressional Pre-K and Child Care Caucus is working to advance comprehensive solutions that address these issues and identified several changes to existing tax laws that could help create a more equitable and effective child care system. This past summer Senator Katie Britt, a Republican from Alabama, joined hands with Senator Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, to introduce legislation that addresses many of the caucus’ recommendations that will work to make child care accessible to more American families.
As the pandemic revealed, when child care becomes inaccessible, parents – especially mothers – are often forced to leave the workforce, creating significant economic ripple effects. During this time, no sector rose to meet the needs of working families in real time more so than the child care sector. While schools across the nation closed, many child care centers remained open, providing vital support for frontline workers and other working parents who needed safe, reliable care for their children.
However, the child care sector has often been underfunded and undervalued and struggled to meet demand even before the pandemic. More than half of Americans lived in “child care deserts,” areas where child care options are either scarce or nonexistent, according to a 2020 study by the Center for American Progress.
And the economic argument for expanding child care is becoming increasingly compelling.
Employers are beginning to recognize that offering child care benefits is a smart business decision, not just a perk for employees. Companies that provide child care or child care subsidies report higher employee retention, increased productivity, and improved recruitment efforts. This growing trend in the private sector is helping to shift the Republican perspective on the issue.
While conservatives have long questioned the cost-effectiveness and quality of some government-led early childhood initiatives, there is broad agreement on the value of supporting families and creating environments where children can thrive. Solutions such as tax credits for families and businesses that provide child care or flexible spending accounts that allow parents to set aside pretax dollars for child care expenses appeal to both sides of the aisle.
During the vice presidential debate in October, Republican JD Vance, a U.S. senator from Ohio, surprised many by echoing support for expanding child care options.
“We want to promote choice in how we deliver family care and how we promote child care,” Vance said.
His Democratic opponent, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, also emphasized the need to make child care more accessible and affordable.
“We have to make it easier for folks to be able to get into that business and then to make sure that folks are able to pay for that,” Walz said during the debate.
This emerging consensus about the problem provides some hope that the significant gaps in child care policy may soon be addressed.
Policymakers have a chance to relieve some of the economic and emotional burdens that weigh heavily on parents, regardless of which party wins in November. More importantly, they can lay the foundation for a future in which all children can succeed, regardless of their family’s income or circumstances.
With continued collaboration between Democrats and Republicans, enhancing access to child care could very well be the next big bipartisan bet.
Nina Rees is Senior Fellow at the George W. Bush Institute. She’s the former CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools as well as former U.S. Assistant Deputy Secretary of Education.
