MADISON, WI — On May 13th, parents and providers are marking A Day Without Child Care with calls for action to ensure all families have access to affordable child care. Here in Wisconsin, Republican politicians in Madison have repeatedly obstructed and sabotaged efforts to expand affordable child care.

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Communications Director Joe Oslund released the following statement: 

“Across our state, child care facilities are struggling to stay afloat while costs to parents continue to rise. Republican politicians have obstructed efforts to fix our state’s child care crisis at every turn, refusing to fund Child Care Counts and rejecting good, common-sense policies like paid family leave. Wisconsin Republicans have made it clear time and again—for them, every day is a day without child care.”

Here’s a reminder of how Wisconsin Republicans have failed Wisconsin’s child care industry and how Democrats are trying to save it: 

• According to a 2023 report, the loss of the Child Care Counts subsidy program was projected to result in the closure of more than 2,100 child care programs across the state and cost parents more than $232 million in lost wages as a result of being forced to reduce hours or leave the workforce entirely. 
   
• Republican politicians in Madison removed permanent funding for Child Care Counts from the latest state budget in a late-night, party line vote. Republicans later rejected Gov. Evers special session call to fund Child Care Counts. 
   
• Gov. Evers took action in the face of Republican obstruction to extend funding for Child Care Counts through 2025.