[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 47 (Monday, March 19, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H1682]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
BENEFITS OF ONSITE CHILDCARE
(Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI asked and was given permission to address the
House for 1 minute.)
Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI. Mr. Speaker, study after study has shown that
employers and employees find that onsite childcare provides the
greatest value of any employer-provided childcare option. Despite this,
only 11 percent of all private sector workers in the U.S. receive
childcare assistance through their employers. Of that 11 percent, only
7 percent have access to childcare at or near their place of work.
As childcare costs dramatically increase each year relative to family
income, the time has come for new approaches that provide affordability
and flexibility for working families and increased productivity for
businesses. Onsite childcare accomplishes this and has been repeatedly
shown to reduce absenteeism and increase staff retention.
That is why I am introducing the Child Care At Responsible Employers
Act this week: to incentivize employer investment in onsite childcare
by providing a small preference in government contracting to those who
do so.
With childcare costs rising, we can't afford not to act, and onsite
childcare helps both businesses and families.
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