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Democratic lawmakers will be working at the state and federal level to promote policies for affordable childcare and paid sick leave.

"Women play an expanded role in Michigan's workforce, in businesses large and small and in our homes," said U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Dearborn at a press conference in Lansing on Wednesday.

At the state level, Democrats have introduced legislation for paid sick leave and a bill from Sen. Curtis Hertel, D-Lansing, introduced today would allow parents to receive a tax credit for up to 80 percent of daycare costs.

"Working families depend on quality childcare in order to do their jobs, especially single mothers and fathers," Hertel said.

He said the average cost of childcare in Michigan was over $9,700 -- roughly a fifth of the average family's income.

Lansing resident Pamela Moore said she was a single mother for more than a decade and watched her friends struggle with affording quality childcare.

"Sacrifices are made every day by parents, especially those on a limited income and those in single-parent homes," Moore said.

Rep. Marcia Hovey-Wright, D-Muskegon, said in 1960 just 11 percent of households were female-headed. Now, it's closer to 40 percent. But women in Michigan still earn 74 cents on the male dollar, she said.

"Unfortunately in many ways women are still living in a Mad-Men-kind-of-world," Hovey-Wright said.

As Dingell put it, there is 20th-century policy governing the 21st century. State and federal Democrats are working to address issues that today's families face, and say their efforts comprise an economic agenda for families.

"It's Women's History Month and traditionally people think of them as women's issues but ... they're not just women's issues, they are family issues, they impact everybody," Dingell said.