From APP executive director Terry Schilling’s op-ed in Human Events:

Despite the very real economic gains most Americans have begun to make under the helpful policies of President Trump, working families remain in a state of crisis both financially and socially.

For decades, wages have stayed largely stagnant, while the cost of living has increased dramatically, especially for parents, forcing both parents into the workforce by necessity in order to put food on the table and a roof over their head.

Additionally, the ever-growing costs of childcare plus the increasing cultural stigmatization of parenthood have led to a predictable result: fewer Americans are getting married and having children than ever before.

For conservatives, and indeed for all Americans, this trend ought to be viewed as the proverbial canary in the coal mine signaling impending doom.

Healthy families are the foundation of our society, and so many of our present social ills can be traced to the breakdown of the family which has accelerated in recent years. Unfortunately, many government policies have all too often had the effect of encouraging this breakdown, despite the best of intentions among those politicians who promote them.

It’s long past time for conservatives to take a leadership role in tackling this crisis. Fortunately, they have begun to do just that in one important area: paid family leave.

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Read the full op-ed here.