Letter to the Hon. Janet Yellen, Secretary of the Treasury - Auchincloss Leads Members of Massachusetts Delegation in Letter to Secretary Yellen

Letter

Dear Secretary Yellen,

Thank you for your leadership of the Department of Treasury as we work together to create an economy that works for everyone. In this spirit, we encourage you to consider the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund (Section 604 of the American Rescue Plan) as an opportunity to provide maximum flexibility to states so that they may direct them towards a diverse set of essential priorities. In particular, we urge the Department to allow maximum flexibility for the Fund to support sectors like child care and workforce training.

Massachusetts could leverage the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund to build on its strong record of investing in early education and workforce training. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, center care for an infant cost on average $21,000 a year in Massachusetts--making it economically unfeasible for some parents to work. Now, with 83 percent of providers reopened and operating with diminished capacities, our state is exploring new models for public investments in child care.1 A flexible Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund would be an opportunity for Massachusetts to reinvest in this urgent priority and work toward pre-pandemic employment.

Our state would also benefit from maximum spending flexibility in this Fund to expand successful workforce training programs. For example, the Massachusetts Workforce Training Fund has helped employees train and learn -- even during the pandemic. In June of 2020, the Commonwealth's community colleges received grants to virtually teach 21st century skills including programming, web development, and computer training. A flexible Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund would further enhance employers' capacity to provide benefits that directly help parents, especially women, to participate in the labor force.

The disproportionate effects of COVID-19 have made it even more essential that we create an equitable and inclusive system that gives parents and children the opportunities they deserve to learn and grow.

By ensuring that communities can leverage the Capital Projects Fund to include investment options like child care and workforce infrastructure, we will create opportunities whose dividends will pay out for generations to come. We appreciate your consideration of this urgent priority.