Wu and Senator Call for Federal Action on Child Care at Boston Head Start Visit

BOSTON — July 19, 2026 — Mayor Wu and a U.S. senator appeared jointly at a Boston Head Start center Saturday to call for federal investment in child care, framing it as essential infrastructure. The senator, whose name was not clearly audible in the broadcast, praised Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka for state-level investment but argued Washington must act to ensure affordable, high-quality child care and better wages for child care workers. Wu described families "bending over backwards" to afford housing and child care, saying, "We cannot wait to move at the speed of government — we have to move with the urgency of our families." The press availability also touched on U.S. policy in Ukraine, with the senator describing a three-part strategy of alliance-building, billions in military and humanitarian aid, and historic economic sanctions against Russia, and on Boston's outdoor dining pilot, now in its third and final year, with citywide dining set to begin April 1 and a North End application deadline of approximately April 10.