Sen. Warren spoke about the challenges she faced in finding child care during a speech to the National Women’s Law Center in 2017: “We cycled through one child care arrangement after another and every transition sent me into a near panic ― every time it represented a failure.” As part of her presidential campaign, the senator will propose a solution on Tuesday Feb 19, 2019 to make affordable, high-quality child care available from birth to kindergarten through a new federal program.
This new plan would be free for families with incomes below 200% of the poverty level, about $51,500 for a family of four. Beyond that income level, the family would bear increasing share of the cost. However, the cost per a family would be capped at 7% of family income, irrespective of the number of children. This plan is expected to cost $700 Billion over ten years after deducting anticipated benefits of investing in children from an early age.
"Warren advisers tell CNN that ... she considers child care a 'fundamental right.'"
The program is proposed to be funded through revenues from Sen. Warren's other recent significant proposal - a new wealth tax.
Update: Changed title from “Sen. Elizabeth Warren Proposes Federal Child Care Program” to “Sen. Elizabeth Warren Proposes Federally-paid Child Care Program”