Americans spend 25% of their income on childcare. Biden wants to change that | Moira Donegan
As one sociologist put it: ‘Other countries have social safety nets. The US has women.’ That needs to change
At first glance, it seemed a bit odd that the Biden administration separated its economic agenda into two different bills. The first of these huge pieces of legislation was the American Jobs Plan, a $2tn infrastructure bill that would fix roads and bridges but also invest in clean drinking water and high-speed internet access. The second of the bills, unveiled on Wednesday, is the American Families Plan, a $1.8tn investment in education, paid leave and childcare. The bills are both framed as long-term, forward-thinking investments addressing a decades-long negligence in federal spending, and they’re both being pitched as tickets to greater American prosperity. “Jobs, jobs, jobs,” Joe Biden repeated in his address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night, touting the legislation.
Related: Why are Republicans so threatened by universal daycare? | Arwa Mahdawi
