FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 9, 2023
Contact: Daniela Perez, dperez@domesticworkers.org
WASHINGTON – Today, the Biden-Harris Administration released the Fiscal Year (FY) 24 budget plan. The budget reaffirms the administration’s commitment to transforming the country’s care infrastructure. The plan features significant investments in the care economy to address the ongoing care crisis that has strained families, caregivers, and care workers. The investments outlined in the budget include $150 Billion in home and community-based services (HCBS) and prioritized funding for 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave, affordable child care, and the expansion of the Child Tax Credit.
Below is a statement by Ai-jen Poo, President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and Executive Director of Caring Across Generations:
“Families nationwide are feeling the pressures of an underfunded and strained care infrastructure. Thankfully, the Biden-Harris Administration is proposing action: today’s FY 2024 budget proposal release reflects how critical care is to the future of our country and the health of our economy. With this proposed budget, our country can witness a future where we are all cared for through paid family and medical leave, affordable and accessible child care, and improved home and community-based services (HCBS) that will value home care workers and prioritize families. Further, the $150 billion investment in HCBS will address the direct care workforce shortage by easing care worker turnover and delivering consistent services critical to aging adults, veterans, and disabled people. This proposal will additionally raise wages for over 2 million home care workers, the majority of whom are women of color who continue to put their livelihoods, health, and safety on the line to make ends meet.
“All told, this budget proposal will help secure our country’s care economy and deliver overdue progress to women, working families, aging adults, people with disabilities, and especially, care workers. Almost 90 percent of the home care workforce are women; the majority are Black women, other women of color, and immigrants. As we acknowledge women’s history this month, we must recognize that strengthening the home care workforce is an equity issue. Yet, they’re among the lowest paid in the economy and are three times likelier to experience poverty than other workers, perpetuating the nationwide caregiver turnover crisis and chronic worker shortages. We’ve said this many times and will continue to say it – we all need care at some point in our lives. This budget proposal enables us to care for our loved ones while properly recognizing the vital services the care work force brings to our families across the country.”
“Investing in our care economy is both an investment in a strong economy and in our families. We are grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration for sending that clear message. In the weeks ahead, we will continue to work with our congressional champions to prioritize these investments in our care economy. We’re done waiting for the investments in care that we need and deserve.”
