Wyden, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Cap Child Care Costs for Families
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said today he has joined colleagues to introduce new legislation that would expand access to affordable child care to every American family, offer high-quality early education to every child, and create good jobs for our early educators.
"There are countless parents who want to work to provide for their families but simply can't because there is no affordable child care option for them,” said Wyden, Chair of the Senate Finance Committee who, during the Covid-19 pandemic, successfully fought for the Child Tax Credit, a $250 monthly payment—$300 for children under six—to give families financial relief. “The financial and emotional strain of finding affordable, quality child care isn't something anyone should face. Working parents – especially working moms – need more support and I'm all in to lower the cost of quality child care in every community to secure a better future for generations to come.”
In Oregon, at least 60% of residents live in a child care desert where fewer than one-third of children have access to a slot at a licensed facility. The Child Care for Every Community Act would establish a network of federally-supported, locally-administered child care options that use a sliding scale to ensure that fees are affordable based on families income. Higher-income families would pay no more than seven percent of their income, and lower income families making less than 75% of their state median income would be fully subsidized. Half of families nationwide would pay no more than $10 a day for child care. Ensuring quality, affordable child care close to home allows parents to more fully participate in the workforce and every child to receive early learning opportunities within their community.
The bill was introduced by Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and along with Wyden, the legislation is co-sponsored by Senators Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Alex Padilla, D-Calif., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., Tina Smith, D-Minn., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. A companion bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives.
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