Young says he wants to “enrich” the childcare profession, but voted “NO” on investments on updated provider facilities and higher wages for workers
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, today criticized U.S. Senator Todd Young for providing Hoosiers lip service on the issue of childcare. Last weekend, Young claimed he wanted to “enrich” the childcare service industry, because it’s a “significant household expense” for Hoosier families. If that’s the case, why did the Senator vote “NO” on the American Rescue Plan and the $540 million it provided childcare service providers? This investment is being used to raise worker wages, update facilities, and eliminate some of the existing provider desert across Indiana.
Answer: Todd Young put the Republicans’ extreme partisanship ahead of a brighter future for struggling Hoosier families. Instead of saying “YES” to the Rescue Plan and its $540 million investment in childcare, Young voted “NO”. The Senator also plans to vote “NO” on President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better agenda and its additional investments in childcare, calling it a “reckless tax-and-spend proposal”. (NOTE: Young’s criticism on “spending” comes after he added $7.8 trillion to the national debt under the Trump Administration)
This is Todd Young’s move: saying one thing but doing the (partisan) other. Indiana Democrats are tired of the state Republicans’ extreme partisanship and instead are focused on delivering a better future for Hoosier families. This includes saying “YES” to the American Rescue Plan and its investments in childcare, broadband, and Indiana’s public schools. It also means Democrats will support President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda. When it’s time to create a better future for Hoosier families, Democrats – not Todd Young – will deliver for them.
Key Points:
Bloomington Herald-Times: “When asked about rising child care costs and the impact of the pandemic on women, Young acknowledged problems. ‘This is a significant household expense, and it disproportionately affects women,’ Young said. ‘The main driver is workforce costs, driven by a shortage of qualified providers.’
He suggested shortages are partially due to misconceptions about the field of child care, with many people considering those workers ‘babysitters’ rather than members of ‘a genuine profession.’ Tackling that misconception while providing further opportunities for certification is how Young would attempt to ease the shortage of well-trained child care workers.
‘Child care should probably be some form of enriching, you know, early childhood education. And if we treat it as such, and then certify it, this is the important part, certify it,’ he said. ‘Give somebody a certificate when they go through a training program. You’ll start to have a larger market of child care providers.’”
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