[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 59 (Wednesday, April 22, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E931-E932]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      THE INTRODUCTION OF THE CHILD CARE AFORDABILITY ACT OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 22, 2009

  Mrs. MALONEY. Madam Speaker, the rising cost of child care is 
squeezing working families in these difficult economic times, and the 
amount of assistance the federal government currently provides to ease 
the burden of these expenses is inadequate. To address this issue, 
today I am introducing the Child Care Affordability Act.
  A substantial gap exists between what high-quality early care and 
education programs cost and what most families can afford to pay. The 
average cost of full-time care for one child in a child care center is 
about $13,000 per year in urban areas--nearly one quarter of the 
typical family's income. The amount of assistance that the typical 
family can receive from the current federal credit for child care 
expenses is limited to $600 for one child and $1,200 for two children. 
The Child Care Affordability Act helps families to fill that gap so 
that more of America's children will experience high-quality child care 
and early education settings.
  The Child Care Affordability Act of 2009 acts on two fronts. First, 
it creates a new tax deduction for child and dependent care expenses. 
Much of a so-called ``martini lunch'' is currently a tax-deductible 
business expense, while child care is not. But for the typical family, 
child care is a very necessary expense for being able to work. Second, 
the bill expands the current credit for child and dependent care 
expenses so that it provides a more meaningful level of assistance to 
families. Families would be able to choose either the deduction or the 
credit, making the choice that gives them the biggest tax break. A 
family with median income of $56,788 and two children could receive as 
much as $5,200 in tax assistance.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in this initiative to ease the burden 
on working families while making an essential investment in the future 
prosperity of our country.

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