Across the country, people still face high costs, a lack of services and workforce shortages
WASHINGTON D.C. – One year ago this week, President Biden signed into law unprecedented investments in clean energy infrastructure and measures to make medications more affordable but excluded funding for home and community-based services (HCBS), child care and other care priorities proposed in the larger and more comprehensive Build Back Better economic recovery package. The Senate’s final negotiations stripped out investments that would have transformed the way that people accessed child care, paid leave, and home and community-based services for disabled people and older adults.
In response to the one-year anniversary of the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act Nicole Jorwic, chief of advocacy and campaigns at Caring Across Generations, issued the following statement:
“We need an economy that works for all people—and through the Inflation Reduction Act President Biden and the Democrats in Congress have achieved transformative strides in creating a more equitable future by investing in a green economy that will create good-paying jobs and lowering the cost of prescription medications.
“Yet, the Inflation Reduction Act left out direly needed investments in Medicaid home and community-based services for older adults and disabled people, wage increases for the workforce that provides caregiving, four weeks of paid family and medical leave, and subsidies for families in need of child care. President Biden’s original agenda highlighted the importance of investing holistically in the care that families need and the jobs that support it. We simply cannot wait any longer to act on that vision.
“While the Biden administration put forward the largest set of executive actions to assist families and individuals with care needs in April, Congress continues to ignore the most urgent needs of tens of millions of families.
“A comprehensive care infrastructure is not only critical to our economic resilience but is also key to building a sustainable future where everyone can thrive. Investing in all aspects of the care economy is what families across the country need and deserve — and what Congress must deliver.”
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Caring Across Generations is a national organization of family caregivers, care workers, disabled people, and aging adults working to transform the way we care in this country so that care is accessible, affordable and equitable — and our systems of care enable everyone to live and age with dignity.
To achieve our vision, we transform cultural norms and narratives about aging, disability and care; win federal and state-level policies; and build power amongst the people touched by care. For more information, visit caringacross.org.