Put aside partisanship and support child care

I’ve been in the early childhood education field for decades. Quality early care and education matters. As our policymakers continue to work on getting Iowa and the rest of the country back up-and-running, we must remind them that early learning and care is vital to our long-term recovery. President Joe Biden understands this, and that’s why his Build Back Better Plan includes a once in a generation investment in our nation’s child care and early education system. But we need Congress to get on board.

Childcare and early education is crucial for kids and the economy. Did you know that 6.4 million children — 59 percent of children under age 5 — are in a care arrangement with a nonparent provider? How will these millions of parents get back to work without a safe place to send their kids? On top of this, the early learning and care industry contributes approximately $100 billion to our economy and employs over 1.5 million people. We can’t afford to lose this income and job opportunity!

This is a bipartisan issue, and one that must be prioritized if we want to get back to normal anytime soon.

Join me and Save the Children Action Network in urging Rep. Ashley Hinson to prioritize investments in early education and care through supporting the Build Back Better Plan. It’s time our nation’s policymakers put aside party differences and do what’s best for kids, families, and our future.

Cathy Meyer

Cedar Rapids