Robin Carnahan: “one of the great challenges we face as a society is to find ways to ease the burdens of our modern, hectic world on…”

“one of the great challenges we face as a society is to find ways to ease the burdens of our modern, hectic world on working families. When I talk to Missouri parents who work outside the home, one of their top concerns, if not their top concern, is finding high-quality, affordable child care. Every generation of my own family has struggled with this issue. My mother struggled with it. I struggled with it. My children struggle with it now. It would be this grandmother's fondest wish that when my grandchildren become parents themselves, finding affordable, quality child care won't be a problem. More and more, employers are finding that providing access to daycare is important in attracting and retaining a quality workforce. Parents who know their children are happy, safe, and enriched in their day care setting are more productive, less distracted, and more satisfied employees. In an effort to support employers' efforts to offer this valuable service to their employees, I have co-sponsored S. 99, a bill that provides tax credits to employers who provide child care assistance to their employees. Accessing affordable child care is an issue for federal employees, too. As the largest employer in the country, the Federal Government shall lead by example in supporting working families. For this reason, today I am introducing the ``Child Care Affordability for Federal Employees Act.”