After Dobbs, the pro-life community should pivot to child care
Kimberly Ross
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The Dobbs decision in June 2022 changed the discourse surrounding reproduction in the United States. For as long as Roe and Casey existed, conservatives knew abortion was not healthcare. It still isn’t, despite claims from abortion proponents. Creating a culture of life in the U.S. means changing the way unwanted or unexpected pregnancies are perceived. But it doesn’t end there. Pregnancy is just the start.
Shortly after Dobbs, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced the Providing for Life Act in the 117th Congress. To his credit, Rubio has been a vocal advocate for women and families and the need for broad support both during and after pregnancy. In a June 24, 2022, piece for the Washington Examiner, Rubio said the following, “Often overlooked in media coverage is pro-lifers’ commitment to helping and protecting mothers and their babies, both before and after birth. Now, we need to take it a step further and see that it plays out in Washington, D.C. It’s the only way to make a truly pro-life America a reality.” His assessment is spot-on, and his continued leadership in this area is welcomed. Among his priorities: “enlarging the child tax credit, strengthening child support enforcement, creating a national clearinghouse for maternal resources, making adoption more affordable, providing for parental leave, and more.”
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Affording child care in the early stages of life is a real concern for many.
According to a yearly report released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, or AECF, in mid-June, “Costs have risen 220% since … 1990, significantly outpacing inflation.” This translates to the following: “The average annual cost of care for one child in America was $10,600 in 2021 — one-tenth of a couple’s average income or more than a third (35%) of a single parent’s income.” As expected, the costs vary from state to state. Parents in Washington, D.C., deal with some of the highest child care costs in the nation. But a real burden exists across the country, no matter the income level. According to the AECF report, “An analysis of 2017 data indicated center-based care for two children absorbed 26% of a white working mother’s median household income, but that figure was 42% for Latino, 51% for American Indian or Alaska Native and 56% for Black working mothers.”
The Child Care and Development Block Grant was introduced and authorized in 1990 to help in this critical area. These federal funds provide child care assistance to low-income families. Since its inception, the grant has received broad bipartisan support. Funding increases have occurred multiple times, and under both President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. But not all children qualify for the help. And of those who are eligible, not all receive help. Both urban and rural families work hard to bring in income while trying to find and pay for care that meets their children’s physical, emotional, and mental needs.
The AECF’s report lists access to care as one of many roadblocks for families. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly reduced the number of child care workers in the country. That number has improved, but it is not yet back at pre-pandemic levels. Even before the pandemic began, there weren’t enough workers to go around. Shifting family dynamics and gender roles have played a part. Some two-parent households operate on one income. For those families that are two-income households, child care is often a necessity. As a mother of two, I know this well. I left employment outside the home to become a stay-at-home mother in 2018. Long wait lists were a problem. High costs were an issue as well. All the factors combined to mean staying home was the best option overall. It has brought with it some challenges, but it is not something we regret. I am well aware not everyone, particularly single parents but often couples have the ability to do the same.
When it comes to addressing the myriad problems associated with child care, the AECF report predominantly focuses on governmental answers. Some ideas include using what’s left of American Rescue Plan Act dollars meant to prop up the nationwide infrastructure during the COVID-19 pandemic. Republicans argue those funds should have been spent already and, if not, should be returned. After all, the pandemic, as we all knew it, is over. The Child Care and Development Block Grant, which already has a history of bipartisan approval, should get that support again. And as the AECF report correctly concludes, “Agencies at every level should streamline and simplify the process of qualifying for and receiving subsidies.” Improving governmental processes is necessary but easier said than done. But if the funds are there for a reason and approved by both Democrats and Republicans, children and families in need should receive the assistance. Other ideas: making home-based day care businesses easier to start nationwide by evaluating current regulations and eliminating them where appropriate. Efficiency is needed. On a local but exceedingly important scale, small and large companies that employ parents of young children can also reevaluate both the culture in their corporations and the benefits available. Retaining and aiding good employees is essential. Strengthening home life certainly improves work life and production.
Dobbs has given the pro-life community an opportunity to address the supposed “need” for abortion. It has also allowed pro-life politicians and voters to address the real concerns of parents, whether they support abortion or not. It is imperative that the pro-life community comes from a place of understanding while not compromising. Many young girls and women grow fearful at the thought of not only physically raising a child but financially providing for them. Pregnancy means parenthood, and that is indeed a costly endeavor. But while dialogue continues, this fact remains: High costs for child care are never an excuse to end human life in the womb.
Child care costs are significant and overwhelming. On that point, there is no contention. The real question is how to address the rising costs and strain on families. We can positively affect the future by soberly reviewing these concerns. After all, children are our most valuable asset.
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Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a spring 2023 visiting fellow at Independent Women’s Forum.