Biden Issues Executive Order Aiming to Expand Affordable Child and Elder Care

President Biden signed an executive order directing federal agencies to find ways to make child care and long-term care cheaper and more accessible without new spending.
The order includes over 50 directives to agencies to improve care systems by lowering costs for families, raising pay for care workers, and improving access to in-home care for groups like veterans.
Biden proposed over $600 billion in new spending for care programs but has struggled to pass major legislation in a divided Congress.
The cost of child care has climbed 26% and elder care costs have spiked 40% in a decade straining family budgets and disproportionately impacting women and people of color.
The order is a step toward Biden's goal of universal preschool and affordable care for all but falls short of fully achieving it without congressional action.