Washington, D.C. — The 21st Century Child Care Investment Act rightly recognizes access to quality, affordable child care as an important economic issue, said CAP’s Carmel Martin today in a statement. The legislation, introduced this week by Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA), would allow working families to access high quality child care through monthly tax credit programs, according to Clark’s office.
Martin’s full statement is below:
Nearly two-thirds of children have both parents in the workforce, but affordable, quality child care remains a luxury—far out of reach—for many working families. While child care is an economic necessity, costs for care can exceed $10,000 annually, squeezing the family pocketbook. Rep. Katherine Clark’s bill to institute a high-quality child care tax credit recognizes access to child care as one of the most important economic issues facing families today.
Last year, CAP released a proposal that would provide a High-Quality Child Care Tax Credit to help low-income and middle-class families afford child care. The proposal would expand child care access to roughly 6 million children younger than age 5 in the United States, increasing the current service level more than fourfold while supporting financial security for working families. Read more about the proposal here.
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For more information or to speak with an expert, contact Allison Preiss at apreiss@americanprogress.org or 202.478.6331.