The Child Care is Essential Act would create a $50 billion Child Care Stabilization Fund to help child care centers remain open and operating through the pandemic, as well as attempt to repair the nation’s broken child care system for the 21.5 million workers with a child under the age of six.

Providing child care funding would enable moms return to the workforce and help to alleviate unemployment inequalities that disproportionately affect women, especially Black and Latina women.