[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 111 (Tuesday, July 24, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5305-S5306]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KOHL:
  S. 3427. A bill to permanently extend the employer-provided child 
care credit under section 45F of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; to 
the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, we know taxes are scheduled to increase for 
all Americans next year, and we know an across-the-board tax increase 
on all Americans would be very bad for our economy. What we disagree on 
is which tax cuts should be continued.
  Unfortunately, this has become a highly partisan debate. Someone 
watching this debate would assume we cannot agree on anything when it 
comes to taxes, but they would be wrong. We do agree on far more than 
we disagree. We agree that middle-class tax rates should not go up. We 
agree that the alternative minimum tax should not affect middle-class 
taxpayers. We agree on a variety of tax breaks that help families raise 
children and invest in their education. Our disagreements elsewhere 
should not stop

[[Page S5306]]

us from acting where we do agree. We should cut through the partisan 
gridlock and pass the policies we all support.
  One policy we can all support is a tax credit for companies that 
provide childcare to their workforce. This is a powerful and proven 
incentive for business--especially small business--to arrange onsite 
childcare for their employees.
  I originally introduced this tax credit after we passed welfare 
reform in 1996. The purpose of welfare reform was to move recipients 
off benefits and into jobs--a path of financial freedom that is too 
often blocked by the lack of quality and affordable childcare. After 
years of work, we finally passed the employer-provided childcare tax 
credit in 2001. Since then, it has offered businesses a tax credit for 
building and maintaining a childcare center. Businesses can also 
receive a smaller tax credit for helping their employees find childcare 
elsewhere in the community.
  Childcare is a good investment for employee and employer alike. 
Businesses get employees who miss less work to deal with family issues 
and stay at their jobs longer. Parents know their children are safe, 
sound, and close by while their mom or dad is at work. They do not have 
to choose between putting food on the table and caring for their 
children.
  Now is not the time to add another stress to overstressed working 
families struggling to survive in a down economy. That is why today I 
am introducing a bill to continue the tax credit for employer-provided 
childcare. We all agree the employer-provided childcare tax credit 
should not expire. It is included in both tax bills we are considering 
this week and we should extend it now.
  But support for childcare isn't the only thing the Republican and 
Democratic tax bills agree on. In fact, these two bills offer the same 
exact tax cut extension for the first $250,000 earned by every American 
family. If a family makes $1 more than that, they still get the same 
tax cut extension on their first $250,000. Even millionaires get the 
same tax cut extension as everyone else. Everybody, including the 
wealthiest Americans, benefits from the tax cuts we all can and do 
support.
  Bipartisan policies, such as a tax credit for employer-provided 
childcare or middle-class tax cuts, should not be held hostage because 
of a partisan debate about other tax cuts. When we all can agree on 
something, we should vote for it.
                                 ______