CONGRESSMAN JOE MORELLE TAKES ACTION TO ADDRESS CHILDCARE CRISIS, SUPPORT WORKING FAMILIES

Outlines legislation to lower the cost of childcare and ensure it is accessible for all parents

October 22, 2024 (Rochester, N.Y.)—Today, Congressman Joe Morelle was joined by the YWCA of Rochester and Monroe County and the Children’s Agenda to announce legislation he supports to ensure quality, affordable childcare is accessible for all working families.

“I hear every day from parents in our community who are struggling to find safe, reliable, accessible, and affordable childcare. This is a crisis, and we need decisive action to ease the burden on working families,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “That’s why I’m leading the charge to enact legislation that will reduce the exorbitant cost of childcare, get more children into high-quality programs, and ease the burden on families. I look forward to continuing my work alongside organizations like The Children’s Agenda and the YWCA to support families in our community.”

“Our commitment to advocating for quality, affordable childcare is unwavering,” said Dr. Myra Henry, President and CEO of YWCA of Rochester and Monroe County. “Access to reliable childcare is crucial for the stability and success for many of the families we serve. The ability to secure quality childcare and early education opportunities for mothers of young children in our programs is often a real struggle. By supporting efforts to make childcare and early education accessible and affordable, we aim to build a stronger, more inclusive community where parents can be proud of the nurturing support they are providing for their children to thrive.”

“Every day, families in our community are forced to make impossible choices between their jobs and their children’s care. Quality, affordable childcare should be a right, not a privilege,” said Stevie Vargas, Director of Campaigns & Organizing with The Children's Agenda. “The legislation Congressman Morelle supports is a critical step toward ensuring all working families have access to the childcare they need to thrive. At The Children’s Agenda, we are committed to advocating for policies that prioritize children’s well-being and give parents the support they deserve. Together, we can create a future where no family is left struggling to find safe and reliable care.”

Last July, Congressman Morelle warned of an impending “childcare cliff” and outlined immediate actions he supported to restore federal support for parents and childcare centers. Unfortunately, over the last 15 months, Republicans in Congress have ignored the needs of working families and refused to allocate the resources required for these programs, and the impacts of their negligence are being felt across the country.

Last month, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reported American families living below the poverty line spent more than one-quarter of their annual income on childcare, and the cost is only continuing to rise. In New York State, another report from the Century Foundation found the cost of childcare has increased by almost 50 percent since 2019, with the average price for an infant at a childcare center now hovering around $19,500 per year or $1,625 per month.

Congressman Morelle has fought to address this crisis and bring down the cost of childcare by supporting the following legislation:

• The Child Care for Every Community Act—legislation to establish universal childcare and early learning programs like Headstart for all four- and five-year-olds regardless of income.

• The Child Care for Working Families Act—legislation to help ensure universal access to high-quality childcare by mandating federal investment to establish and support a network of locally-run Child Care and Early Learning Centers and Family Child Care Homes and ensuring no one pays more than 7% of their income on childcare;

• The After Hours Child Care Act—legislation to establish a pilot program and explore increasing the capacity of childcare providers to provide services to families in which a parent is working nontraditional work hours (e.g., before 9:00 a.m., after 5:00 p.m., or on a Saturday or Sunday);

• The Child Care Investment Act—legislation to increase the employer-provided child care tax credit, the amount excludable from gross income for dependent care flexible spending accounts, and makes the household and dependent care tax credit refundable.

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