The rising cost of childcare taking a toll on families
across the country,
including here in the DMV.
Today, two senators introducing bipartisan bills help working parents.
Here's one of them home Abash.
She's here in studio with more.
Hey, guys, a lot of parents can relay.
Now, over the last three decades,
believe it or not, childcare costs have increased 220%.
Wages have simply not kept up.
And today, Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia and Republican
Senator Katie Britt of Alabama introduced legislation to make childcare
more accessible and affordable.
Senator Britt saying as a mother of two.
He has seen first hand the challenges of raising children
in America.
And we had to spend an astronomical amount of money
to send our daughter and our son to childcare.
I felt like we were actually writing checks for their
college tuition and not for their childcare.
Today, these costs are even higher.
The two pieces of legislation are called the Childcare Availability
and Affordability Act and the Childcare Workforce Act,
and they will basically update the tax code to work
in favor of working parents.
Particularly those in the lower and middle classes who don't
qualify for federal funding.
It is being widely applauded by child care advocacy groups
for taking a step in the right direction.
Is this enough for where we are right now as
a country when it comes to childcare,
affordability, accessibility? Absolutely not enough.
It is a small piece,
but it is an important piece.
Ultimately, we saw a problem 10 years ago.
And the pandemic just. Made it worse and now the
economy and the inflation that we're experiencing.
Has just, you know, made it catastrophic,
quite frankly, catastrophic. The bills would increase the size of
the Child Independent Care Tax credit,
make it refundable for the first time ever.
They also allow families to deduct 50%
more on expenses up to $7500.
And they're planning to incentivize businesses who help pay for
or provide childcare for employees,
as well as a pilot program.
That would pay child care workers more.
Post pandemic, child care centers have space to take in
more kids,
but oftentimes they do not have the staff to do
so.
Senator Britt mentioned that in Alabama,
a family with one child pays about $10,000 a year
in childcare.
Here in DC, Maryland, and Virginia,
that cost much, much higher.
One recent report puts the number at nearly $25,000 a
year for one toddler in daycare in DC.
And the fact that these are bipartisan bills,
they have backing from both.
Republicans and Democrats, it means there is a real chance
these could pass guys.