Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) said Sunday that childcare costs in Washington state and across the country are unaffordable and called for universal access.
Jayapal posted the statement on X at 3:00 PM on Oct. 25, 2026. It read in full:
“In Washington State and across the country, the cost of childcare is completely unaffordable.
A lack of affordable options isn’t just bad for families, it’s bad for our economy. It’s time to lower costs and ensure universal access to childcare.”
The Report Behind the Post
The post linked an Oct. 20 Seattle Times report on a study by ReadyNation, a nonprofit that studies childhood, education and the workforce. The April study estimated Washington’s economy loses $6.3 billion a year because parents cannot find affordable, accessible, high-quality childcare.
The study, based on a March survey of 600 parents of children ages 5 and younger, put parents’ lost earnings at $5 billion a year and business losses at $1.3 billion. It found parents lose an average of $9,740 annually statewide and $14,300 in King County. King County accounts for 60% of the state’s lost parental earnings.
Cost and Access in Washington
The report said families pay an average of $21,000 a year for licensed childcare, according to the state Department of Children, Youth and Families, among the highest in the country. It said childcare can cost nearly twice as much as in-state college tuition. Some families wait months, or more than a year, for a spot.
The study found Washington childcare providers earn about $18 an hour on average, compared with a statewide average wage of $37.28 in 2024. A similar study two years ago found parents lost an average of $2,458 a year, meaning the latest estimate is about four times higher.
The report profiled Elizabeth Terrill of Metaline, who left her job after finding no childcare near her home. She said she would like to see national paid parental leave expanded. ReadyNation’s Kristin Wiggins said the effects extend to the broader economy and to taxpayers.
Jayapal’s Record on Universal Childcare
Jayapal has pushed universal childcare for years. In September 2021, as chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, she said the Build Back Better Act’s Education and Labor portion secured universal childcare with costs capped at no more than 7% of income for every family. She said it would help parents, especially women, return to work.
In April 2021, her office said she had urged President Joe Biden to make childcare a universal benefit while supporting the childcare workforce and facilities. She highlighted a West Seattle provider as her guest for Biden’s address to Congress, noting the American Rescue Plan included $39 billion for childcare grants.
In February 2024, Jayapal praised a federal rule capping childcare costs at 7% of household income for families in the Child Care and Development Block Grant program, calling it a milestone toward universal childcare. She said she wanted to ensure no family pays more than 7% of income.
Related Legislation and State Action
The Child Care for Working Families Act, a Senate and House bill, would cap what working families pay at 7% of income and make care free for families below 85% of state median income. Jayapal’s sponsorship of that specific bill was not confirmed in the sources reviewed.
At the state level, the Washington Legislature passed Substitute House Bill 2689 in the 2026 session, concerning the Working Connections Child Care program. The Seattle Times report did not detail federal legislation under consideration.