During the Vice Presidential Debate, Governor Tim Walz shared actionable plans to expand access to affordable child care, aging and disability care, paid leave, and better wages for care workers.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 1, 2024
CONTACT: Daniela Perez, [email protected]
During the Vice Presidential Debate, Governor Tim Walz shared actionable plans to expand access to affordable child care, aging and disability care, paid leave, and better wages for care workers.
NEW YORK – Tonight’s Vice Presidential debate between Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Senator JD Vance contrasted visions for America’s future. While Governor Walz demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of the care crisis and presented actionable solutions to uplift care workers, families, and the broader economy, Senator Vance acknowledged the care crisis but failed to offer any real plans to address it. Instead, he resorted to dangerous rhetoric about immigrants and vague talking points, exposing a lack of genuine commitment to solving this urgent issue. This stark difference underscores why the Harris-Walz ticket is prepared to tackle the care crisis as a Day One priority, while Trump and Vance merely attempt to adopt the language without any substance behind their claims.
Last month, the Harris-Walz campaign announced its key priorities, emphasizing the urgent need to strengthen jobs for care workers and invest in high-quality, affordable child, aging, and long-term care.
There is no comparison. The Trump-Vance ticket lacks any plans to solve the care crisis and support policies that will weaken Medicaid and Medicare and dismantle essential childcare programs like Head Start. Care in Action remains confident that Vice President Harris and Governor Tim Walz are the candidates to deliver the care infrastructure working families desperately need – and we will continue pushing to ensure these issues are at the forefront of future national discussions.
Hillary Holley, Executive Director of Care in Action, released the following statement:
“Tonight, Governor Tim Walz showcased why he is the compassionate and forward-thinking leader that working families need in this critical moment. His proven track record as Governor of Minnesota, where he fought to raise wages for home care workers, expanded paid family leave, and prioritized investments in high-quality, affordable child care, starkly contrasts Senator JD Vance’s lack of tangible solutions. Walz has proven that he doesn’t just talk about supporting families—he acts, and that’s precisely why he’s the right partner for Vice President Kamala Harris in building a future centered around care. Governor Walz emphasized what we know most: ‘You can’t expect the most important people to our children and our parents to be paid the least.’
In contrast, Senator JD Vance revealed the truth we’ve been sharing all along: the care crisis is real. However, he and his running mate lack solutions on how to fix it. Tonight, Senator Vance demonstrated a dangerous lack of understanding of the needs of working families across the country. In addition to using dehumanizing language to describe immigrants, he failed to provide any actionable plans for addressing the care economy, despite highlighting that it was a common issue raised by young families. His past dismissal of universal child care as a ‘massive subsidy’ and his alignment with Project 2025, which aims to dismantle programs like Head Start, cut Medicaid, and weaken Medicare, demonstrate that he would take our country backward.
While Vance offers vague and ideological rhetoric, Walz and Harris understand that the care agenda is essential to the very fabric of our economy and have made it a Day One priority for when they enter office. Trump and Vance’s lack of plans to address the care crisis confirms that the Trump-Vance ticket is out of touch with the realities facing everyday Americans. His stance on Medicare aligns with Trump’s broader agenda, which has often leaned toward reducing access and benefits, especially for vulnerable populations who rely on these services to age with dignity.
Further, JD Vance’s failure to support the expansion of the Child Tax Credit shows his lack of concern for families who are struggling to make ends meet. While he skipped a crucial Senate vote that would have expanded this lifeline for millions of families, Walz has consistently advocated for policies that put money back in the pockets of those who need it most. This difference is not just about policy; it’s about values – and it’s clear which candidate values families and care workers.
Governor Walz’s dedication to care infrastructure was evident, and his advocacy for expanding access to affordable child care, aging and disability care, paid leave, and better wages for care workers stood in stark contrast to Senator Vance’s lack of concrete plans.”
The U.S. faces a growing care crisis, with an aging population and insufficient care infrastructure. Care workers, predominantly women of color, are undervalued and underpaid, with median annual earnings for direct care workers at just $25,000. Despite the high demand for care workers, they struggle with low wages and poor working conditions. Almost 90 percent of the home care workforce are women, the majority of whom are Black women, other women of color, and immigrants.
Polling shows that voters overwhelmingly support policies that are part of the Care Can’t Wait Agenda. For example, 84% of voters support expanding affordable home care options, allowing seniors and people with disabilities to receive needed care in their homes. The Harris-Walz ticket understands this universal need and is committed to addressing it effectively.
This November, women of color and a growing care electorate will turn out in record numbers to cast their ballots for Vice President Harris and Governor Walz for President and Vice President; they have our backs, and we will have theirs.
Together, we will build a future where every family has the support they need, and care workers are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.
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Care in Action is the policy and advocacy home for women who care, working on behalf of more than two million domestic workers and care workers across America. Among the fastest-growing sectors in our economy, domestic workers are also among the most vulnerable and undervalued. As a mostly women and majority women of color workforce, this growing constituency consistently and overwhelmingly supports progressive values in American political life. Learn more at www.careinaction.us.