More than half of parents in the U.S. are going into debt to pay for child care. After years of pressure from moms, business leaders, and advocates, Congress is finally taking action. The Senate Finance Committee recently released a new tax bill that includes long-overdue updates to child care supports.
The bill expands the only tax credit for child care and offers new incentives for businesses to support working parents. Specifically, the Senate’s version of the bill will:
- Modestly expand the only tax credit for child care, helping hardworking parents keep more of their income to cover the cost of child care
- Give caregivers across the country more financial support for dependent care expenses
- Incentivize businesses to provide child care benefits to their employees
Now we need the Senate to pass it and the House to match it. We’re calling on our Representatives to finally prioritize child care support for families.
Complete this form to email your Representatives in Congress and tell them to make affordable child care a priority. Once you complete the form, we’ll send a pre-written (which you can also customize!) email to your lawmakers on your behalf.
What Do Families Still Need?
A lot. Families need more support than what the current bill offers. Specifically, we’d like to see:
- A refundable child and dependent care tax credit that helps all families, not just those with higher incomes.
- Direct investments to increase the supply of affordable, quality child care
- Support for early educators who are keeping the system afloat but living on poverty wages.
While the Senate’s version of the bill takes a step forward, it also risks pulling families two steps back — shifting resources away from essential programs like Medicaid, SNAP, and child care itself.
Families need real investment in care, not trade-offs that leave them struggling to afford both child care and the basics. So let’s claim these wins for families, and continue advocating for everything that we need to thrive.
Add your name to demand Congress make affordable child care a priority for families.
