[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 11 (Thursday, February 12, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E178-E179]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               DAYCARE FAIRNESS FOR STAY-AT-HOME PARENTS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 11, 1998

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent 
Resolution 202, the Equitable Child Care Resolution. There's been a lot 
of talk about child care over the last few months, and I think that's 
good. It's good that we're talking about this subject. But my question 
is, is it fair and right to give tax credits only to those parents who 
use paid day care for their children? What about those who have made 
the decision to either be home with their kids, or who have their 
relatives caring for their children?
  There are a lot of different child care proposals on the table right 
now, and there will probably be more to come. The administration has 
laid out its child care proposal. But there is something that all of 
these proposals have in common: They are all trying to help families, 
but only those families who use commercial day care. But what I would 
like to see is fairness for the families who don't fall under that 
category.
  The fact is, at-home care of children is not just a thing of the past 
in some ``Leave It To Beaver'' world. The majority of families with 
preschool-aged kids are either caring for the children themselves or 
are having relatives take care of the kids. Some of these parents are 
working part-time, or working in ``tag-team'' shifts so they can both 
have time with their kids and avoid having to pay for someone else to 
care for them. Some of them have grandma or grandpa taking care of 
their children, or an aunt or uncle.

[[Page E179]]

  According to the most recent information that we have from the Census 
Bureau, only about a third of children under the age of 5 are in some 
form of paid day care while the mother works outside the home. Is it 
really fair to only give tax relief to that one-third of American 
families? What can we do to help the other two-thirds of families? 
Let's not forget about them.
  The American family is under great financial pressure today. And a 
lot of that pressure is due to the burden of taxes. Who is being hit 
the hardest? Families with children. These last 50 years have meant a 
huge increase in the tax burden being placed on these Americans. In 
1948, for example, a mom and dad with four kids only paid a mere 3 
percent of their family income to the federal government in direct 
taxes. But last year, that figure had jumped dramatically. In fact, 
that same family had to pay almost a quarter of its income to Uncle 
Sam! (When you include state, local and indirect taxes, that 1997 
figure leaps to about 38 percent.) This is ridiculous. And something 
has to be done about it. Why are we penalizing people for getting 
married and having children? And why, as we talk about child care 
proposals, are we penalizing those who are sacrificing even more by 
staying at home or having relatives take care of their kids?
  And that's why I stand here to give my support to the Equitable Child 
Care Resolution, H. Con. Res. 202. I urge my Colleagues to take this 
step to ensure that all families will be treated fairly as we continues 
these discussions about day care.

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