Slides:
Recap:
During the last two years, Congress notched several major legislative achievements benefiting American families, children, and workers. Among them: the temporary expansion of the Child Tax Credit, additional paid family and medical leave, and record investments in education and child care in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, the next two years will almost certainly be less fruitful. The midterm elections produced a divided government, with Democrats retaining the Senate and Republicans soon to control the House. Come January 2023 and the swearing in of the new Congress, any hope for substantive policy wins will depend on bipartisan collaboration and compromise.
With the window for policy wins narrowing, policymakers, funders, and organizers will need to recalibrate their political and organizing strategies. In the short term, that means identifying opportunities for incremental progress. Family policy issues, such as the Child Tax Credit and child care, may be one area for bipartisan collaboration. Other opportunities include the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and reauthorization of the Farm Bill.
Even with legislative prospects dimmed on Capitol Hill, state-level election results provide reason for optimism. Voters in red and blue states approved ballot measures on progressive economic issues, including early childhood education funding, Medicaid expansion, collective bargaining, and raising the minimum wage.
The success of these measures validates the work of grassroots organizers, advocacy groups, and funders who’ve worked to connect with and mobilize voters — particularly in Black and Latino communities. It’s critical that funders continue to invest in the long-term work to build and sustain the infrastructure necessary to advance economic opportunity.
At both the federal and local levels, the next two years are an opportunity to continue to organize, build partnerships, shape narratives, and support the implementation of recent policy wins. Advocates and funders will play a critical role in implementing and monitoring the remaining Covid relief funding and the Inflation Reduction Act. Over the long-term, these policies also present opportunities to further develop grassroots infrastructure and build political power.