Good morning, and thank you for the chance to testify here today. 

I’m Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director of MomsRising, an organization of 1.2 million active members, with moms and their families representing every state in the nation. 

This adds up to be 1 in every 300 people in America, including members like Liddel in Nevada who shared that if the ACA tax credits are cut off, then that cuts off a lifeline for her family – which is causing her great stress: Her daughter is battling breast cancer while covered by the ACA.

Liddel isn’t alone. Brook from New York shared: “I’m scared. My husband and I both don’t get insurance through our jobs. So if our ACA premiums go up, we simply won’t be able to pay them.”  Their healthcare will be gone.

We’re in the middle of a national emergency – and we hear about it every day: As you know, Republicans in Congress followed President Trump’s demand by taking healthcare away from more than 17 million people through their Medicaid cuts in the Big Ugly Bill – the biggest cut to Medicaid in our history. 

NOW Republican leaders are threatening to keep our government shuttered unless they can increase (yes, increase) healthcare costs for 24 million more. 

It’s disastrous and doesn’t have to be this way. 

Our nation absolutely can afford healthcare, but Trump and Republicans in Congress are cutting our healthcare in order to pay for tax breaks for billionaires – and also to pay for terrifying hardworking immigrants; people who are essential to our care workforce (⅓ of the care workforce are immigrants), essential to our families, to our economy, our communities, and our futures.

Shameful.  

Our country needs a safe and orderly immigration process that balances compassion and security, not cuts to healthcare and not cruelty.  

Healthcare costs are expected to skyrocket by an average of 75%—and by 90% in some rural areas! — IF Republican leaders don’t come back from vacation and finally sit down with hard-working Democrats who are defending our healthcare.

On top of that, childcare – which parents need to be able to go to work and which children need to be able to thrive – is also being defunded by Republican leaders.

In less than 2 weeks, due to the shutdown, 134 HeadStart programs serving more than 58,000 children will face potential closure due to lack of federal funds, which pushes kids out of educational opportunities and pushes parents out of work.

Child care is one of the fastest growing costs in our country – and Republican leaders are making it worse.

But make no mistake, skyrocketing child care costs hurts everyone: On average, the U.S. economy loses $122 billion dollars each year due to lost wages and revenues because workers can’t get the child care they need. 

All of these rising costs are happening at the same time as vegetables are up 40%, coffee is up 33%, eggs are still expensive, healthcare is expected to surge, and the list goes on.  

#Trumpflation is happening.  

And it really doesn’t have to be this way. Solutions are possible. 42 million people are about to lose SNAP and have empty dinner tables. Trump’s Department of Agriculture could (and should) use contingency funds. 

In fact there are solutions to all of these very real problems that open avenues for people to build good lives, contribute to their communities, raise their children, and that strengthen the economy as a whole.  

Research shows that passing care infrastructure policies like Democrats have long supported and Republicans have long blocked – including health care, maternal health care, child care and elder care, paid family and medical leave for when a new baby arrives or a serious health crisis strikes, and fair pay for care workers — lowers family costs and also boosts our economy, families, and businesses alike. 

These are win, win, win, win solutions, which have the broad support of voters.

So on behalf of myself and all the over million members of MomsRising, I want to thank the House Democratic Steering & Policy Committee and the Democratic Women’s Caucus for bringing us together – and for all you do every day. 

WE KNOW that when we stick together, WE can build a better nation where: 

• Every mom and family can access health care, 

• Child care, food, housing, and and elder care are affordable, 

• Paid family and medical leave is available when a new baby arrives or a serious health crisis strikes,

• Every pregnant woman can access high quality, caring, and affordable maternity care,

• The economy is strong,

• And where the ONLY person wearing a crown is Lady Liberty.

Later, you’ll hear from two MomsRising members who represent millions of hardworking moms trying to build good lives while facing high costs, a broken care infrastructure, and a health care system that Republican leaders in Congress are actively gutting. 

On behalf of them – of America’s moms and families – I thank you for standing strong for our health, our children’s health, our families’ financial security, our country, and our futures. 

Thank you!