“We applaud the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the American Rescue Plan, which provides much-needed relief for the millions of workers and families whose lives have been devastated by this pandemic. Long-standing systemic inequities have meant that the pandemic has disproportionately impacted women and women of color – whether it’s job loss, increased caregiving responsibilities or loss of health care coverage. This historic bill provides a vital lifeline to respond to the overwhelming and complex challenges that women and families are facing — whether they are struggling to put food on the table or keep a roof over their head, and the women frontline workers who put their health and their families’ health at risk when they go to work every day.

“To help working parents who are balancing work and caregiving, this relief package would provide child care assistance and child tax credits to get child care providers up and running again, and also make child care more affordable. It also provides money to get schools open safely and quickly and will incentivize employers to provide paid sick days or paid leave when employees need to care for a loved one. It will provide the restaurant worker who lost her job critical unemployment assistance and financial relief, as well as improve her ability to access health coverage in the private market or via Medicaid expansion. Importantly, 32 million workers, which are disproportionately women of color, will benefit from an increased minimum wage.

“The American Rescue Plan is an urgently needed response to the widespread social and economic suffering. Importantly, it lays the groundwork for our longer term recovery needs that must include addressing the long-standing gaps in our social safety net that burden women and people of color. The Senate must pass this bill swiftly to provide Americans the financial security that is desperately needed.”