Investments in Child Care in Build Back Better a Giant Leap Forward for North Dakota’s Working Families

For Immediate Release: Oct. 29, 2021

FARGO, ND – Yesterday the Biden Administration released the Build Back Better framework to grow the U.S. economy and to spur recovery for both American families and businesses. The historic $1.75 trillion plan includes investments in affordable child care, health care, housing, and workforce development. 

Statement from Amy Jacobson, Executive Director of Prairie Action ND:

“We applaud the prioritization of child care access and affordability in the Build Back Better package. The investments proposed are truly momentous and it is now time for our federal delegation to remove any partisan lens and to support the Build Back Better bill that will benefit North Dakota’s working families.

“The economic and public health crises impacting our communities have shattered our already fragmented child care system. North Dakota’s families desperately need both additional state level provisions and the Build Back Better plan to create a stable and secure child care system in our state.

“We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to truly fix the child care system in North Dakota, and it will require our state legislature to address workforce development, including child care worker wage, outreach to families who qualify for child care assistance programs, and expedited background check processes for child care workers.”

The North Dakota state legislature will convene the week of November 8th for a special session to allocate nearly $1 billion dollars in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. Earlier this year, North Dakota KIDS COUNT published a report with a series of recommendations for the Governor and state legislature to consider to build a ‘better child care system’. Of the $1 billion dollar funding package, Prairie Action ND recommended a 13% investment into child care by the state legislature that reflects the percentage of a North Dakota family’s budget that goes toward child care.

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Prairie Action ND leads high impact media and communications strategies that drive progressive change and lift up diverse voices in our state. Prairie Action ND supports organizational partners in communications & messaging development, political analysis on state and local issues, strategic and digital advocacy campaigns, and media amplification for the progressive movement.