Care Can’t Wait Statement on 2022 Election Results

WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 21, 2022)—In response to the 2022 mid-term election results the Care Can’t Wait Coalition issued the following statement:

“The results of the 2022 mid-term election make clear that voters are seeking leaders committed to preserving democracy and bodily autonomy, and enacting policies that promote economic stability and support for families. Universal access to child care, home and community-based services for older adults and people with disabilities, good pay for care workers, and the creation of a comprehensive national paid leave program must be top priorities for the new Congress.

“Across the country, voters—especially women, women of color, and Black women—weighed in directly on these issues and championed candidates who ran on platforms centering care. New Mexico became the first state in the nation to create a permanent fund for child care when an overwhelming 70 percent of New Mexicans agreed to amend the state constitution to fund early learning. Senator Maggie Hassan ran on her support to expand access to home and community-based services for people with disabilities and older adults. Congressional candidates in key states like Chrissy Houlahan ran on paid family leave. Leading up to the election, voter interest in paid leave drove a 600 percent increase in media coverage on the issue. Governor Tony Evers of Wisconsin ran on an agenda to lower costs for working families, including expanding the Child and Dependent Care Credit.

“These victories cap off a year of significant momentum in Congress around care investments, from President Biden’s proposal to invest in care infrastructure to consistent support from voters across the political spectrum for public investments in long-term care, paid leave and child care.

“The CCW Coalition congratulates the members of the 118th Congress, and commits to working with elected officials to ensure that investments in the care economy are the first to be addressed in January. Until the needed investments in child care, paid leave and home and community-based services are achieved, care workers, and family caregivers around the country will continue to jointly urge legislators to address the true cost burden on families: not having a care infrastructure in this country.”

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Care Can’t Wait is a coalition of organizations, stakeholders and advocates committed to building a comprehensive, 21st century care infrastructure — that means robust investments to expand access to childcare, paid family and medical leave (PFML), and home- and community-based services (HCBS), and ensure good jobs for the care workforce. The coalition is led by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), BeAHero, Caring Across Generations; Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP); Closing the Women’s Wealth Gap; Community Change & Economic Security Project Community Change; Family Values @ Work; MomsRising; National Domestic Workers Alliance; National Partnership for Women & Families; National Women’s Law Center; Paid Leave for All; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); Supermajority; The Arc; TIMES UP; and ZERO TO THREE.