At Hearing, Warren Celebrates Casey’s Record of Fighting for Families, Calls on Congress to Build on that Legacy and Reject Trillions in Tax Giveaways to Billionaires
For the same amount it would cost to renew the 2017 Trump tax cuts, Congress can invest in family care infrastructure like paid leave, child care, early childhood education
“Next year's tax fight will be an opportunity to show the American people whose side they are on – the side of billionaires, who are clamoring for more handouts, or on the side of hard-working Americans.”
Washington, D.C. – At a hearing of the Senate Committee On Aging, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) called for 2025 legislation to include investments like an expanded Child Tax Credit, affordable home care for sick relatives, paid leave, and affordable child care, so working families have an opportunity to get ahead. Meanwhile, the 2017 Trump tax cuts, which have been largely sucked up by billionaires and large corporations, are up for renewal in 2025.
Ms. Ai-Jen Poo, President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, testified that for the same $4.5 trillion it would cost to renew the 2017 Trump tax cuts, our country could “ensure every child has access to high-quality early childhood education, every worker in the U.S. has paid leave, (and) raise wages for hard-working American families.”
Senator Warren called out Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans for their plan to pay for more tax cuts for billionaires by slashing investments that actually grow our economy and support these good jobs.
Senator Warren also highlighted Senator Bob Casey’s (D-Pa.) leadership as Chair of the Aging Committee, his determination, and his work on behalf of American families.
Transcript: Hearing to Examine Empowering People with Disabilities to Live, Work, Learn, and Thrive
Senate Committee On Aging
December 12, 2024
Senator Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Casey has been a tireless champion for American families. As Chair of the Aging Committee, he has been right at the center of fights for rights for Americans with disabilities, lowering the cost of child care and elder care, and raising wages for workers.
Meghann Luczkowski, a caregiver and disability advocate from Philadelphia, said it best:
Senator Bob Casey opened his eyes to our families and saw the needs of our children. He opened his ears and listened to our lived experience. He opened his heart and genuinely cared about improving our children’s situations. And as Senator of Pennsylvania, time and time again, he opened his mouth to fight for our kids’ access to care and to their community. It will always be scary sending our disabled children out into the world, but with Senator Casey representing us, we could rest assured knowing they had a champion in Washington.
I ask that this statement regarding the Chairman’s work be entered, in its entirety, into the record.
Chair Casey: Without objection.
Senator Warren: Thank you.
American families need Congress to continue building on Senator Casey’s legacy. But instead, the big-ticket agenda item for Republicans next year is a $4.5 trillion extension of the Trump tax cuts for billionaires and billionaire corporations.
What could $4.5 trillion buy us instead?
We could restore the expanded Child Tax Credit and the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit that Senator Casey helped pass in the American Rescue Plan to put more money into the pockets of working families. We could make home care for seniors and people with disabilities more affordable, as Senator Casey has championed. We could pass paid leave for every worker, so they don’t have to choose between a paycheck or caring for a loved one that needs help. And we could guarantee affordable child care for every family in America.
Now, I listened to Senator Braun and Mr. Orrell talk about how to build a strong economy, so I want to pose that same question, I just want to do it slightly differently.
Ms. Poo, you are President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. That means that you represent 2.5 million domestic workers. If we are going to spend $4.5 trillion, I just want to know, which is the better investment in our economy overall? This is not about for individuals, it’s just what’s going to make the economy work better. Is it lowering costs for families and raising wages for care workers, on one hand, or another tax giveaway, largely sucked up by millionaires, billionaires, and giant corporations? Which is going to promote our economy?
Ms. Ai-Jen Poo, President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance: Senator Warren, thank you so much for that question. I should hope that if we are going to spend $4.5 trillion, that we are going to spend it on the needs of everyday American families.
The cost of care in this country is astronomical. Child care for two children costs more than rent in every state in America. The lack of paid leave costs Americans $22 billion annually, and the cost of aging and disability care at home costs between $62,000 and $280,000 per year. Instead of more handouts to billionaires and corporations, we can afford to ensure every child has access to high-quality early childhood education, every worker in the U.S. has paid leave, as you said. We can raise wages for hard-working American families. That seems like the better return on investment.
Senator Warren: Yeah, so I very much appreciate your underscoring this point. And the reminder that when we raise wages for caregivers, that means there are more caregivers available. More people will go in, more people will stay in, more people will make this a part of their careers.
And what does that mean? There are more people who have other jobs that will be able to go to those jobs. I think of this as a double investment. The investment that is the right investment for those who need the care and the families who are struggling to get it, but also the investment. If we want more workers in our economy, one of the ways we get more workers in our economy is to have care for those who need care at home.
President Trump and Republicans in Congress have been clear that their plans to pay for the next tax giveaway to billionaires and billionaire corporations is to slash investments that actually grow our economy and support these good jobs. They plan to cut programs like Social Security. They are planning higher taxes on everyday items that families buy, like groceries and gas.
Next year's tax fight will be an opportunity to show the American people whose side they are on – the side of billionaires, who are clamoring for more handouts, or on the side of hard-working Americans. Chairman Casey, I know which side you are on. I just want to say, thank you for your leadership, for your determination, and for everything that you have done for American families. It is an honor to fight alongside you.
Chair Casey: Senator Warren, thank you so much for your comments and also for the great advocacy that you undertake everyday on behalf of the people of that other Commonwealth of Massachusetts and of the American people, and especially American families. I'm so grateful for your work. I will miss working with you.
Senator Warren: Thank you.
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