Whereas there is a growing need on the part of families and individuals for care and support, from childcare to services for older adults and people with chronic illnesses or disabilities; Whereas childcare workers provide the essential service of taking care of a child’s basic needs while fostering a child’s early emotional, social, and intellectual development; Whereas direct care workers enable older adults, people with disabilities, and children with complex medical needs to remain in their homes and communities and live healthy, independent, and dignified lives by providing support with critical daily tasks such as eating, dressing, personal hygiene, and community activities such as working, going to school, and engaging with neighbors and friends; Whereas investment in care workers is vital to labor force participation and a strong economy; Whereas care workers give family caregivers the assurance their children, parents, and loved ones are in the hands of professionals and that their homes are being looked after; Whereas care work is a profession that particularly benefits women, who account for the majority of this workforce, and which enables other women to participate in the labor force; Whereas access to childcare and home and community-based care helps families boost their economic stability by working for pay, taking fewer days off, and pursuing opportunities to advance their education and careers; Whereas when families are forced out of the labor market due to caregiving responsibilities, they will experience diminished income, access to benefits, and retirement savings over their lifetimes; Whereas children who receive high-quality childcare are healthier, more likely to graduate from college, and have higher incomes; Whereas older adults who have home care and services available to them have better health and a higher quality of life; Whereas substandard wages and poor working conditions continue to fuel shortages and high turnover in the care industry