Congresswomen Simon, Dingell, and Pettersen lead Democratic Women’s Caucus’ New Caregiving Task Force to Protect and Strengthen America’s Care Economy

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-07), and Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) lead the Democratic Women’s Caucus’ (DWC) new Caregiving Task Force that will work to protect and strengthen America’s care economy by advancing policies that build a child and long-term care system that works for all and supports caregivers, those they care for, and their families. 

The task force will also work to combat Republican attacks on the care economy. This year, Republicans implemented the largest cut to Medicaid in history through the Big Cruel Ugly Bill and refused to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits, threatening both the people that need care and those who provide it. When caregivers, who are overwhelmingly women, cannot afford health care, their own health is put in jeopardy, making it more difficult for them to do their job. 

Ensuring equitable access to care and strengthening the care economy are top priorities for Congresswoman Simon in the House of Representatives. When Congresswoman Simon’s late husband was diagnosed with and ultimately passed from a rare form of leukemia (T-cell prolymphocytic) she was confronted with the lack of support many caregivers and families experience as she was forced to navigate the medical system as a widow raising two young daughters. As the first congenitally blind woman to serve in Congress and a champion for disability justice, Congresswoman Simon is also committed to ensuring that family caregivers, people with disabilities, and professional caregivers have the protections, resources, and support that they deserve and have too long been denied.

DWC Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM-03) explained the importance of DWC’s new Caregiving Task Force:

“The Democratic Women’s Caucus is fighting for your care—your child care, your disability care, your elder care, and your health care. We are fighting to make sure this care is available and that it is affordable. But, we must also remember the caregivers who are essential to this mission. They bring tenderness, understanding, and patience to the task of helping our youngest children and our wise elders. The launch of our Caregiving Task Force reaffirms our commitment to keeping care affordable and accessible to every family. The Task Force Co-Chairs, Rep. Pettersen, Rep. Simon, and Rep. Dingell, are champions in the caregiving space,” said Democratic Women’s Caucus Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM-03).

Caregiving Task Force Co-Chairs Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-07), and Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) expressed their commitment to continuing the fight for caregiving through DWC’s new task force:

"Care work is the quiet engine of this country, and our politics have never risen to meet the people who hold us through childhood, disability, illness, and aging," said Caregiving Task Force Co-Chair Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12). “As a cancer widow, a mother, and a caregiver, I am honored to join the Democratic Women's Caucus to lead the charge to fight for the workers who keep this economy alive and to secure the protection, pay, and dignity that every caregiver and every family has been denied for far too long." 

“As a mom, I know firsthand how difficult it can feel to balance work, family, and the high cost of child care. Too many parents, especially mothers, are being forced to make impossible choices between their careers and caring for their kids. That’s why I’m proud to help launch the Caregiving Task Force for the Democratic Women’s Caucus. We need real solutions that make care affordable, support the workers and family members who provide it, and ensure every child gets the early education they deserve to thrive. I’m glad to be helping lead this fight because investing in our caregivers uplifts our entire economy and supports the next generation," said Caregiving Task Force Co-Chair Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-07).

“Caregiving is the absolute backbone of our economy. No one can do their jobs if their loved ones aren’t cared for – whether they are children, a parent, a spouse, or someone else who needs specialized care. We have a caregiving crisis in this country, where millions are waiting on lists to get the care they need or they can’t afford it, meanwhile, those who work as caregivers are not being paid fairly for their critical role. We need to overhaul our caregiving system in this country, for recipients, care workers, and their families. I’m proud to launch the DWC Caregiving Task Force to bring attention to these issues, and work with my colleagues to find real solutions to ensure everyone gets the care they need,” said Caregiving Task Force Co-Chair Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06).

###