King Introduces Bill to Help Make Child Care More Accessible for Working Families

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) are introducing legislation to make childcare more affordable and accessible for working families. The Right Start Child Care and Education Act would strengthen the childcare workforce by creating a new federal tax credit for childcare professionals with college degrees. This would help childcare providers recruit and retain qualified educators while expanding access to high-quality, affordable care.

"For too many working parents in Maine, finding affordable childcare is the difference between being able to stay in the workforce or not - and it begins with a shortage of providers," said Senator King. "The Right Start Child Care and Education Act recognizes that recruiting and retaining childcare providers is one of the smartest investments we can make in Maine families and the Maine economy, so it offers college graduates an additional financial incentive to enter the workforce."

"New Hampshire's shortage of affordable childcare options has placed an enormous burden on families and providers alike. Unfortunately, it's a persistent and worsening trend we're seeing across the country," said Senator Shaheen. "The Right Start Child Care and Education Act would make important reforms to our tax code to promote and increase access to high-quality childcare by supporting early education professionals, ensuring affordable childcare options are available for families everywhere."

"For far too many families, the struggle to find high-quality, affordable childcare serves as a barrier to children's early development and to parents entering the workforce. This legislation will help recruit and retain more childcare professionals, to help families in all parts of the country afford and access the childcare they need," said Senator Klobuchar.

Specifically, the Right Start Child Care and Education Act would create a new tax credit for childcare professionals with relevant educational degrees. The legislation would provide tax credits of $1,500 to $4,000 depending on the level of degree.

Senator King has long worked to expand access to childcare. Last year, King secured the Child Care for Working Families Act that would put a cap on childcare costs for working families, address childcare deserts by providing grants to open new facilities, support higher wages for childcare workers, provide comprehensive funding for Head Start to provide full-day, full-year programming, and expand access to pre-K programs. He secured millions to improve childcare services in the 2022 and 2023 omnibus appropriations bills, and worked to authorize the planning and development of a new child development center at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. He is also the cosponsor of the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act, which would permanently expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit that helps households offset their childcare costs. Most recently, he joined bipartisan legislation to lower childcare costs and address the nationwide shortage of affordable childcare: the Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act, which would provide competitive grants for states to train childcare workers and build or renovate childcare facilities.

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