Voters Support Expanding Access to Affordable Childcare Through the CHIPS and Science Act
By Sabrina Jacobs
As costs rise in the United States, parents are becoming increasingly worried that they may not be able to afford another soaring expense: childcare. Access to affordable childcare is incredibly important for working parents, who otherwise may not have many options to ensure their kids are safe while they’re at work. When children are unable to access affordable childcare, they often enter kindergarten without the skills needed to learn at their fullest potential. The high cost of childcare is also making it even more difficult for parents to afford other necessities like housing, groceries, and healthcare.
In 2022, the average cost of childcare was $10,174 per year, and during the pandemic, the cost of nannies rose by 20 percent. Countries like Sweden limit the maximum cost of childcare based on a family’s gross income, with the rate dropping for each child the family has and the fourth child being free of charge.
To help ease the costs, the Biden Administration is expanding access to childcare through the CHIPS and Science Act. Any semiconductor company that requests $150 million or more in federal funding from the CHIPS Act must guarantee affordable, high-quality childcare for their employees. This could include creating childcare facilities near the company or subsidizing the cost of childcare for their employees.
Data for Progress finds 68 percent of voters support requiring high-quality childcare through the CHIPS Act. This includes 86 percent of Democrats, 62 percent of Independents, and 55 percent of Republicans.
Voters agree that the childcare requirement is important because it will allow working families, particularly mothers, to join the labor force, and will help ease their financial burdens. Fifty-nine percent of voters believe the requirement is necessary, including 83 percent of Democrats, 54 percent of Independents, and 40 percent of Republicans. Less than a third of voters — 31 percent — agree with the GOP talking point that this requirement is unnecessary because it’s an example of excessive government intervention that could limit companies’ success and profits.
Affordable childcare is incredibly important to support American families and ensure that parents can work without the stress of finding someone to care for their child. The CHIPS childcare requirement is a crucial step toward easing this burden for parents. Without childcare, it’s especially difficult for parents to work and support their families. Expanding access to affordable childcare is good for children, good for parents, good for the economy, and it’s something that voters overwhelmingly support.
Sabrina Jacobs (@bri_jacobs) is a staff writer at Data for Progress.