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Moms First calls on President Trump to give families a tax cut for child care

National campaign highlights high costs of child care in flashy new billboards & petition

Non-profit also releases national survey showing overwhelming bipartisan support for tax cuts for child care

NEW YORK, NY (January 27, 2025) – Moms First, a national nonprofit organization fighting for America’s moms and families, today announced a national campaign calling on President Trump and the new Congress to give families a tax cut for child care. The campaign builds on the non-profit’s work to make child care affordability an economic priority in the 2024 Presidential election and asks the new Administration to fulfill campaign promises to address the rising costs of child care as part of its upcoming tax policy bill.

Families across the United States, who are already struggling to afford necessities like groceries and gas, are now coming up against child care that costs more than rent. In fact, the cost of child care has risen at nearly twice the rate of inflation and is more expensive than rent in all 50 states. As of last year, 55% of parents in the U.S. go into debt due to child care.

To highlight the overwhelming cost of child care at a time when the cost of living is high, and build loud public support for President Trump and Congress to prioritize a tax cut for child care, Moms First is running a national campaign across physical and digital platforms. The campaign includes provocative billboards in six cities with some of the nation’s highest child care costs – New York, NY, San Diego, CA, Chicago, IL, Houston, TX, Phoenix, AZ, and Philadelphia PA – comparing the cost of child care to the cost of local foods, gas, and rent. The campaign will also activate a range of parent influencers and partner brands and call for tens of thousands of families to sign a letter to Trump asking for a tax cut for child care at www.momsfirst.us/childcare.

Sample billboard image from Moms First

“This election made clear that American families are fed up with the high cost of living, and their biggest costs are child care,” said Reshma Saujani, the Founder and CEO of Moms First. “Moms and families want their leaders to address the cost of child care, and President Trump and the new Congress have the chance to give families a tax cut for child care as part of their upcoming tax policy bill. We hope the new Administration will make good on their campaign promises and help working families who are just trying to make ends meet.”

The campaign follows newly released data from a national survey that shows overwhelming bipartisan support for Congressional action to address child care costs. The survey was conducted by Moms First and third-party polling firm Echelon Insights from December 15-22, 2024 of 1,526 registered voters and oversamples of voters who are parents of kids under age 18. The findings validate strong voter interest in Congressional action on child care, including:

  • 84% of voters think Congress should do something to make child care more affordable – including 78% of Republicans, 82% of Independents, and 91% of Democrats
  • But only 42% of voters believe most Republicans in Congress care about making child care more affordable – including 65% of Republicans, 32% of Independents, 24% of Democrats
  • 79% of voters support increasing tax credits parents can receive for child care –  including 75% of Republicans, 78% of Independents, and 85% of Democrats

The tax cut for child care – officially known as The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) –  is the only tax credit that specifically helps working parents offset the cost of child care. Yet it hasn’t been updated since 2001 and, as a result, most families receive less than $600 per year at a time when child care costs on average $11,600 per year.[1] With major provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 expiring in 2025, Congress has an opportunity to increase the tax cut for child care and better support working families in the face of rising costs.

“As Vice President Vance said during the campaign, ‘we need to spend more money’ on child care. These tax cuts for child care are the first of many investments needed to address the child care crisis, and we look forward to advocating for more significant and sustained federal investments outside the tax code later this year,” said Saujani.

About Moms First

Moms First is fighting for America’s moms. Our mission BG is to win paid leave and child care as economic imperatives that allow families to thrive. Our vision is a country that values motherhood and supports moms and families. Learn more at momsfirst.us.

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[1] https://www.ffyf.org/talking-points-the-child-and-dependent-care-tax-credit/

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