Washington state Rep. Tana Senn said that when the White House calls, you drop everything and go.

After the Mercer Islander was invited to participate in the prestigious White House States Convening on Child Care, she changed the plans on her docket and was soon jetting across the country for the conference that occurred on July 19.

Senn, who serves in the 41st Legislative District that covers Mercer Island, received referrals to attend the conference from House Speaker Laurie Jinkins and Sen. Karen Keiser since she’s a dedicated child-care proponent who has led the charge in advancing policies in that realm. Other child-care champions from Washington state who were given the nod of approval to attend the conference alongside Senn were Rep. Lisa Callan of the 5th House District and Sen. Claire Wilson of the 30th Legislative District.

It was an honor and a thrill for Senn to be invited to the Washington, DC, gathering, which featured 80 legislators, along with some governors and lieutenant governors, brought into the fold from across the nation to engage in discussions with senior White House officials on child-care access, affordability and workforce.

First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and members of the administration’s gender policy committee addressed the assemblage, and several governors discussed child-care initiatives they are working on in their states.

“I think one of the things that was just very exciting is while people briefly mentioned the ‘why’ we were there and the importance of child care, especially in the pandemic and for businesses, the beauty was everybody was already on board,” Senn said. “I have been spending so much time convincing, whether it’s the Legislature or the business community or others, about the importance of child care. But it’s starting to set in, and now we can talk about the ‘how.’”

Two subjects that conference attendees delved into were having a common funding stream for preschool that is transpiring within child care, and making child care affordable and accessible for middle class families.

Senn, who is the chair of the Human Services, Youth and Early Learning Committee, developed and sponsored the Fair Start for Kids Act that was passed in 2021; this year, she passed House Bill 1199 to prevent homeowners associations from banning child care and thus ensuring more local child-care options for families.

As a bonus, Senn, Callan and Wilson followed up the conference by meeting with Sen. Patty Murray in her office to discuss federal child-care investments and policies. Senn is excited that Murray, who heads the U.S. Senate Budget Committee, is advocating for child-care funding and has introduced a federal-level bill that is modeled after the Fair Start for Kids Act, which makes child care and early learning more affordable for Washington families, according to the Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families website.

“It is definitely energizing, I have to say,” Senn said of continuing her work after her DC experience.

The topic of child care first came onto Senn’s radar when she was working part time and trying to find child care for her young ones.

“I struggled to find child care (to fit her schedule). So when the child-care-kind-of conversations came up when I was in the Legislature, it just completely pinged me, like a no-brainer,” said Senn, whose initial step into championing for women’s economic security included the passage of her Washington state Equal Pay Opportunity Act in 2018. She next moved into the child-care sphere to continue advocating for women in the workplace.

Senn’s constituents and others she interacts with in the field are moved by and have shown an appreciation for her diligent efforts that impact them in everyday life.

“They’re like, ‘This is such a real issue.’ And people relate. People know they’re experiencing this,” said Senn, who is amazed by their positive reactions.

Sen. Patty Murray, far right, meets with, from right to left, Washington state Rep. Lisa Callan (5th House District), Sen. Claire Wilson (30th Legislative District) and Rep. Tana Senn of Mercer Island (41st Legislative District) in Murray’s private office on July 19. Courtesy photo