News and Insights

Families First Is America First: Investments in Children and Families Strengthen Our Nation

July 7, 2025

At a time when Americans are seeking stability and strength, one principle continues to unite us: Strong families make for a strong country. Effective public policy should support, rather than hinder, the ability of families to prosper.

Families across America work tirelessly to provide for their children. They are doing everything they can to stay afloat, balancing work, childcare, rising costs and the challenges of everyday life. They show up, step up, and sacrifice to give their children every opportunity to succeed. But they can’t do it alone. And they shouldn’t have to.

The very concept of investing in American families should never be a subject of debate. The data shows that these public investments are the smart money options and not about  cultivating dependency or expanding bureaucracy. 

Let’s focus on the cost of not doing so by looking at the ROI. According to the First Five Years Fund, good early childhood care and education is a brilliant investment in our future. Children who attend high-quality early learning programs exhibit a 6% increase in high school graduation rates and a 5.5% increase in attendance at four-year colleges. As adults, they are also more likely to be employed full-time, own a home, and have a savings account.

Providing families access to affordable high-quality childcare is good for the economy as well. Studies have shown that investing in childcare spurs economic productivity: $1 in spending generates $8.60 in economic activity. When childcare is too expensive–it outpaces rent in some areas–people leave the workforce to stay home. This is the hidden cost of not investing in high-quality early childcare. In a 2020 report, the Economic Policy Institute pointed out that a cap on the cost of early childhood education at 10% of family income could translate into a GDP increase of 1.2%, or $210.2 billion. 

An All-American Show of Strength

The question our government must answer is not whether we should support American families; it is how we will match their strength with the policies they deserve to succeed. That is why sustained federal investments in early childhood development, child care, and family economic security are more than good public policy. They are essential to the future of our country. When we support families, we invest in the next generation and build a stronger America for all. 

Affordable childcare and access to basic healthcare are not luxuries; they are everyday necessities. These are the tools that enable Americans to work, raise responsible citizens and contribute to a thriving economy. This is not about Left or Right. It’s about making choices that respect the effort of hardworking families. It’s about building a future rooted in resilience, opportunity and shared responsibility. 

American families want policies that help them return to work, raise healthy children and weather life’s inevitable challenges with dignity. These are the building blocks of a productive society, a stable economy and a more self-reliant citizenry.

Our government’s highest calling is to honor the hard work and values of American families. It should reward work without punishing care. And it should ensure that our national strength starts in the homes of American families.

Because Families First is more than good politics. It’s what puts America first.