Sen. Casey and Rep. Dingell: Pass The Better Care Better Jobs Act
By Senator Bob Casey and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell
It is long past time for America to make big, bold investments in home and community-based care and the workers who provide these services. Seniors and people with disabilities deserve to receive comprehensive care and support in the comfort and safety of their own homes, and care workers deserve fair wages and benefits for the essential work they do.
Currently, 820,000 Americans who need home and community-based services are sitting on wait lists, unable to receive the services they need to live in their own homes. In addition, low wages for care workers result in high rates of job turnover. As a result, many Americans rely on family members to provide support. Many others must receive care in a nursing home or other congregate setting, despite their preference to remain at home. We need to do better. We can’t claim to be the greatest country in the world if we don’t have the best home and community-based care in the world. We need a stronger long-term care system to support seniors, people with disabilities, care workers and their families, a system that ensures people can receive the support they need in the setting they prefer.
We need to be the country we claim to be, one that provides American families with vital support and one that guarantees family-sustaining jobs for the workers who provide these critical services. That is why we introduced the Better Care Better Jobs Act (S. 2210 and H.R. 4131). The bill makes it possible for people to receive the services they rely on while also supporting stronger benefits and higher wages for the direct care workforce.
New information from Data for Progress polling shows that voters agree. An overwhelming majority of voters across the political spectrum believe we need to pass the Better Care Better Jobs Act now.
The Better Care Better Jobs Act would enable seniors and people with disabilities to obtain quality care and support in the comfort of their own homes and live full, independent lives. Not only that, it would advance equity and economic growth. The bill would create jobs and boost our economy by increasing wages for care workers — who are predominantly women and people of color — and supporting families who rely on these essential workers for their own economic security.
The Better Care Better Jobs Act makes a significant investment in the care of people with disabilities and older adults and in the heroic workforce who provides that care. American families overwhelmingly agree: the time for this investment is now.
Senator Bob Casey (@SenBobCasey) is a U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania. Senator Casey serves on four committees including the Senate Finance Committee, Senate HELP Committee and Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. He is also the Chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, where his agenda is focused on policies that support seniors and individuals with disabilities.
Representative Debbie Dingell (@RepDebDingell) represents Michigan’s 12th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. The district includes most of Washtenaw County and significant parts of Wayne County.