President Biden on Tuesday held a rally with care employees, the place he highlighted his administration’s efforts to develop entry to youngster care and teased an upcoming effort to extend staffing requirements in nursing houses.
“You’re the heroes to so many people. You actually are. And also you symbolize so many individuals who do it and do it out of affection and concern, not due to the pay, as a result of they’re not getting the pay they want,” Biden mentioned on the occasion at Union Station in Washington, D.C.
“As your president I’m right here with a easy message. I provide you with my phrase, I’ve your again,” he added.
The president spoke at an occasion hosted by Care Cannot Wait Motion, a coalition of teams targeted on increasing entry to youngster care, paid household and medical go away and home-based companies. Representatives from the AFL-CIO, Service Workers Worldwide Union, AARP and Nationwide Home Staff Alliance attended, as did Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) and Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.).
Biden spoke in regards to the American Rescue Plan, which handed with solely Democratic votes in 2021 and which he mentioned helped hold 225,000 youngster care facilities open because the nation grappled with the coronavirus pandemic. The laws additionally expanded the kid care tax credit score and helped drastically scale back youngster poverty, Biden mentioned.
Biden final 12 months signed an govt order to spice up compensation for care employees, help household caregivers and develop inexpensive care choices via 50 directives to federal companies.
The president famous care employees are predominantly girls, girls of coloration and immigrants “who’re overworked, ignored and underpaid. It’s not sufficient simply to reward them for all they’re doing, we’ve to pay them.”
Biden on Tuesday additionally mentioned his administration plans to launch a brand new rule within the coming weeks to extend staffing requirements in nursing houses and get residence care employees a much bigger share of Medicaid funds.
He sought to distinction his efforts with a funds proposal from Home Republicans that may reduce caregiving applications, leaving greater than 200,000 youngsters with out entry to youngster care, in accordance with the White Home.
Tuesday’s rally coincided with April being Care Staff Recognition Month. Biden issued a proclamation in late March denoting the month and calling care employees “our nation’s hidden heroes.”
In a responding assertion, Republican Nationwide Committee co-Chair Lara Trump accused Biden of waging “a conflict on girls and households,” pointing to produce chain points with child formulation and rising prices.
“Republican financial insurance policies will as soon as once more help girls, dad and mom, and alternative for all — which is why households throughout the nation are rooting for a President Trump landslide victory on November 5,” Trump mentioned.
