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BOSTON (WBZNewsRadio) - Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley invited Christina Morris, a Union Carpenter and Mother of four, as her virtual guest to the Presidential State of the Union Address. The pair is now calling on Congress and the president to act urgently on what is being called a childcare crisis in the United States.
Congresswoman Pressley chose the Hyde Park woman to honor the people of the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District, uplift their stories, and continue making the case for strong investments in childcare, extending and expanding the Child Tax Credit, and other critical investments to support workers and families during the pandemic and beyond.
“We must keep fighting to deliver President Biden’s full Build Back Better agenda—including affordable childcare and extending the Child Tax Credit," Congresswoman Pressley said. "Families like Christina’s should be able to recover from this crisis and thrive. There will be no equitable recovery without robust and meaningful investments in our union workers and families like Christina’s."
“For my family and I, life during the pandemic has been unpredictable and challenging. The Child Tax Credit made a difference for us. As a working mom, and a union carpenter, access to the childcare my family needs would make a huge difference,” Morris said. “I know my story is one of many – not only for families in Massachusetts but across the country – and I’m grateful Congresswoman Pressley has invited me to share that story as her honored guest to the State of the Union Address.”
For many parents, the cost of childcare could make up almost 20% of your salary and that's if you're entering parenthood with a partner. Single parents will spend even more to ensure their children are well-looked after while they're at work.
Massachusetts currently has the second most expensive childcare costs in the United States, according to data collected by Child Care Aware of America, a non-profit organization focused on improving the affordability of childcare in the U.S. Childcare fees for families for two children cost more than the average mortgage payment in 35 states and the District of Columbia.
WBZ's Brooke McCarthy (@BrookeWBZ) reports
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