Senators Katie Britt (R-AL) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) have unveiled a sweeping bipartisan child care proposal designed to tackle one of the most pressing issues facing American families: the high cost and limited availability of quality child care.
Dubbed the Britt-Kaine Bipartisan Child Care Plan, the initiative includes two major components — the Child Care Availability and Affordability Act and the Child Care Workforce Act — to increase access, reduce costs, and strengthen the child care workforce nationwide.
Across the country, families are struggling to afford care for young children, while child care centers are facing worker shortages and high turnover due to low wages. In some states, the annual cost of infant care now exceeds college tuition. Simultaneously, many qualified caregivers are leaving the field due to stagnant pay and burnout.
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In Alabama, nearly 60% of residents live in “child care deserts,” while in Virginia, the average annual cost of infant care exceeds $15,000, with more than 80% of families paying far above the recommended 7% of household income.
“This plan recognizes that quality child care is a cornerstone of economic growth, family stability, and children’s futures,” said Sen. Britt. “By working across the aisle, we’re making real strides in solving this national challenge.”
Sen. Kaine added, “Families shouldn’t have to choose between working and affording child care. This proposal offers practical, bipartisan solutions to help families thrive.”
The Child Care Workforce Act
- Establishes a competitive grant program for states, localities, and tribal organizations to boost child care worker wages and reduce turnover.
- Builds on successful models in Virginia, Nebraska, Maine, and Washington, D.C., where wage supplements have shown dramatic improvements in worker retention and child care availability.
- Funds would go to both home-based and center-based providers, with oversight to evaluate impacts on care quality and workforce sustainability.
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The Child Care Availability and Affordability Act
- Expands the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) by increasing the max credit to $2,500 per child or $4,000 for two or more children, making it refundable so low-income families can finally benefit.
- Enhances the Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP) by raising the deductible limit to $7,500 and allowing families to combine DCAP and CDCTC benefits.
- Substantially boosts the Employer-Provided Child Care Tax Credit (45F) by increasing the cap to $500,000 (or $600,000 for small businesses), and encouraging business coalitions to jointly provide child care solutions for employees.
According to a 2023 study, Virginia alone loses over $3.1 billion annually in earnings and productivity due to child care shortages. Britt and Kaine argue their plan will unlock economic potential, especially among women and single parents who are often forced to reduce hours or leave the workforce due to unaffordable child care.
“Whether you’re a single mom in Birmingham or a working family in Roanoke, the challenges are similar,” said Sen. Kaine. “This plan helps close the gap between families’ needs and what our system is currently able to provide.”
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The Britt-Kaine plan is already drawing praise from child welfare advocates, business leaders, and bipartisan policymakers, who say the proposal’s mix of tax reform and direct workforce investment is long overdue.
With strong interest from both sides of the aisle and growing public support, lawmakers say the time for action is now.
“America can’t afford to ignore this crisis any longer,” said Sen. Britt. “Let’s work together to support working families and the people who care for their children.”
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