Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Dads Caucus Chair Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) convened the first-ever National Summit on the Caregiving Crisis, bringing together Members of Congress, labor leaders, advocates, and policy experts to confront a key driver of rising costs for American families: the high cost of care.

The summit marked a growing effort within the Democratic Caucus, led by Rep. Gomez and a coalition of House leaders, to elevate caregiving as a central cost-of-living issue, and to advance policies that lower costs, support caregivers, and strengthen the care economy.

Throughout the day, Members of Congress, policy experts, and advocates outlined a forward-looking agenda to rebuild care infrastructure, expand access to affordable childcare, establish national paid family and medical leave, strengthen the caregiving workforce, and expand home and community-based services for seniors and people with disabilities.

Senator Andy Kim (NJ), a founding member of the Congressional Dads Caucus during his time in the House, delivered the keynote address, highlighting the growing pressures facing families in the “sandwich generation” who are balancing care for children and aging parents at the same time.

At a midday press conference, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA), Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Greg Casar (TX), and New Democrat Coalition Chair Brad Schneider (IL) joined Rep. Gomez and other members of the Dads Caucus to underscore a shared commitment across the Democratic caucus to lower the cost of care and deliver relief for working families.

“I convened the first-ever Dads Caucus National Summit on the Caregiving Crisis to bring leaders, advocates, and families together to chart a path forward," said Dads Caucus Chair Gomez. "Childcare is unaffordable, care workers are underpaid, families caring for aging parents are stretched to the brink, and most Americans still don’t have basic paid family leave. We need real solutions to bring down costs and make care affordable for the millions of Americans who depend on it.”

“I am extremely lucky that my baby has a safe, loving place to go every day. Many Americans are not so lucky. Raising a child in America is too hard and too expensive. Democrats must put forward bold, simple solutions for childcare that every single family can afford,” said Progressive Caucus Chair Greg Casar.

The summit builds on Rep. Gomez’s broader effort to elevate affordability issues in Congress. Last year, he hosted the National Summit on the Housing Affordability Crisis to address rising housing costs, another major driver of household costs. Together, housing and caregiving represent two of the largest financial burdens facing households nationwide.

Rep. Gomez founded the Congressional Dads Caucus to challenge outdated assumptions about caregiving and to elevate policies that support working families. What began as a small group has grown to more than 50 Members of Congress, including Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Members from across the Democratic caucus reflecting growing momentum to treat caregiving as a national economic priority.

The National Caregiving Summit is part of an ongoing effort led by Rep. Gomez and his colleagues to build a modern affordability agenda focused on lowering costs for working families, and to position caregiving at the center of that work moving forward.