‘We Demand More Coalition’ Celebrates the Biden-Harris Administration $39B Commitment to COVID-19 Child Care Crisis

WASHINGTON, D.C. —  The Biden-Harris Administration recently announced that they will be releasing $39 billion of American Rescue Plan funds to states, territories and tribes to address the child care crisis caused by COVID-19. The funds will help the early childhood educators and child care providers who have been on the frontlines of the pandemic keep or reopen their businesses. The We Demand More Coalition, a group of organizations fighting for women workers and caretakers on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis, released the following statement: 

“We applaud the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to delivering relief to the child care industry and parents, especially mothers. This $39 billion investment will deliver immediate assistance to those who need it most. The work of the We Demand More Coalition and the millions of supporters in the gender justice movement achieved this win for women, particularly Black, Indigenous and other women of color. This is a welcome first step and we look forward to working with the administration and Congress to move beyond providing immediate relief to the child care industry and invest in a permanent, equitable national child care infrastructure that builds back better for all women.” said Angela Cobián, Director of the We Demand More coalition. 

Since March 2020, the We Demand More Coalition has called on Congress and the White House to provide direct COVID-19 relief for women, children, and families. This included launching a $300,000 digital ad campaign across 19 news sites, condemning Mitch McConnell and the Republican Senate Majority for continually failing to provide women and frontline families with critical COVID-19 relief support. We Demand More played a critical role in the passing of the American Rescue Plan Act by driving thousands of supporter calls to members of Congress. Following the recent passage of the ARPA, the coalition sent a letter to the Biden-Harris Administration and Congressional leadership calling for the next COVID-19 recovery package to prioritize support for women and women of color, who have been the backbone of our economy,  including an equitable national vaccination program, continued support for the child care industry, national paid family and medical leave, increased abortion access, and a national $15 minimum wage. 

About We Demand More

Formed in 2020, We Demand More is a coalition of organizations using our collective power to fight for the courageous women workers and caretakers, especially women of color, who are on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis and who are particularly impacted. Their lives, livelihoods, and families depend on lawmakers and business leaders doing more — and we need everyone to demand more. We’ve formed the We Demand More coalition to fight for four demands from Congress and corporate leaders:

1. Prioritize our health and safety ahead of corporations.
2. Get life-sustaining relief to us NOW. 
3. Make state governments strong; they are our lifeline. 
4. Stop the attacks on our reproductive health care, including abortion access.

More information on the We Demand More coalition can be found on its website at www.WeDemandMore.org and its letter to Congress can be found here. Below is a full list of the We Demand More coalition’s members:

Endorsement is an indication of solidarity within our movement and a recognition of the urgency of these policies. Endorsement does not necessarily mean that orgs have expertise in or are actively working towards each priority or policy listed. 

Abortion Access Force

Advocates for Youth

All Women’s Progress

All* Above All Action Fund

African American Ministers In Action

American Association of University Women Action Fund

Birth In Color RVA

Black Women’s Roundtable

California National Organization for Women

Catholics for Choice

Center for American Progress Fund

Chicago Foundation for Women

Clearinghouse on Women’s Issues

Coalition of Labor Union Women

Daily Kos

DemCast USA

End Rape on Campus

Equal Pay Today

Equal Rights Advocates

Feminist Majority

Feminist Women’s Health Center

Free Speech For People

Global Justice Center

The Greenlining Institute

Hollaback!

Hopewell Fund

League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)

Mass NOW

Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable

MomsRising Together

NARAL Pro-Choice America

NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland

National Birth Equity Collaborative

National Black Justice Coalition

National Organization for Women

National Organization for Women – Connecticut chapter

National Women’s Health Network

National Women’s Law Center

New American Leaders Action Fund

New Century Trust

New Voices for Reproductive Justice

Paid Leave for All Action

PathWays PA

Period Equity

Planned Parenthood Action Fund

Public Citizen

Resilience

ServeUSA

Sisters Lead Sisters Vote

SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective

Supermajority

Ultraviolet

United State of Women

URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity

#VOTEPROCHOICE

Voto Latino

Women Employed

Women’s Fund of Rhode Island

Women’s March