Full-time daycare for my infant costs more than my rent. I’m not alone: analysis from the Economic Policy Institute found that in 33 states, childcare is more expensive than in-state college tuition.
That high cost, coupled with areas with “child care deserts” mean that, according to new data fromfrom the National Survey of Children’s Health, nearly 2 million parents had to quit a job, not take a job, or greatly change their job because of problems with childcare in 2016. (See a table of the estimated number of parents who had to quit by each state below.)
Which is why Senate Democrats introduced the “Child Care for Working Families Act” today. The bill—details of which still remain fuzzy—will make federal funding mandatory for lower- and middle-class families to ensure child care doesn’t eat up a disproportionate share of their budget.
Childcare has been one of Ivanka Trump’s signature issues, one that she has yet to get much traction on. The Democrats, likely, won’t either. This bill (like yesterday’s “Medicare For All” bill) is part of the Democrats’ “Better Deal” platform, a kind of preview for the type of legislation the party would hope to pass if they regain control in 2018 or 2020.
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