FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Brendan Daly, [email protected],(202) 794-1580

Washington, D.C. (March 12, 2019) – Save the Children Action Network CEO Mark Shriver today applauded a bipartisan introduction of legislation in the House and Senate of the Promoting Affordable Care for Everyone (PACE) Act, which would update the federal tax code to make child care more affordable and accessible for working families.

“Helping American families pay for child care is one of the best investments our country can make,” Shriver said. “The PACE Act supports children and parents by ensuring access to quality early childhood care and education while parents are participating in the workforce. The PACE Act would provide families with the opportunity to invest in their child’s future, particularly for children living in poverty who lack an equal opportunity to succeed.”

The legislation would update the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) to make it fully refundable for low-income families, increase the value of the credit, and would require annual inflation adjustments that will provide families with greater spending power over time when seeking care for their children.

“This common-sense legislation is a step in the right direction for working families across the country,” Shriver said. “There’s nothing more important to our nation’s future than our children, and we must do all we can to give them a strong start in life.”

The legislation was introduced today in the Senate by Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Richard Burr (R-NC), and in the House by Representatives Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) and Jason Smith (R-MO).

For many families, the cost of child care can make it difficult to maintain employment and make ends meet. In nearly half of the country, the annual cost of full-time child care for a 4-year old is greater than the average cost of in-state tuition at a 4-year college or university. Those pressures are felt most by low-wage workers who spend on average more than 30 percent of their income on child care. The PACE Act would help more families afford child care.

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Save the Children Action Network is the political voice for kids. We believe that every child deserves the best start in life. That’s why we’re building bipartisan will and voter support to make sure every child in the U.S. has access to high-quality early learning and that no mother or child around the globe dies from a preventable disease or illness. By investing in kids and holding leaders accountable, we are helping kids from birth to age five survive and thrive. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.