Starting a family should not be placed behind a massive economic barrier. The hospital costs alone can set new parents back tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Add on the high cost of child care for 2 working parents (or the loss of income if one parent stays home to care for the children) combined with rising grocery bills, home prices, and college tuition, it becomes a real struggle to stay afloat.

The extended child tax credit of 2020 should have never been allowed to expire in 2022. That tax credit alone was able to lift 50% of children out of poverty. Paid maternity leave should be written into law and we can provide tax credits to companies to offset the maintained salaries. Our Congress must act now so millions of people across America are not priced out of having a family.