    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book I)]
    [January 28, 1998]
    [Page 132]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on the Senate Republican Child Care Proposal
    January 28, 1998

        Earlier this month, I unveiled an ambitious initiative to make child
    care better, safer, and more affordable. Last night, in my State of the
    Union Address, I asked Congress to reach across party lines to work on
    this important issue. I am very pleased that today Senators
    Chafee, Hatch,
    Snowe, Roberts,
    Specter, and Collins proposed a child care package that, like mine,
    significantly increases child care subsidies for poor children, provides
    additional tax relief to help low- and middle-income families pay for
    child care, creates a tax credit for businesses that provide child care
    to their employees, and improves State enforcement of health and safety
    standards. I look forward to working with Members of Congress in both
    parties to enact comprehensive child care legislation to meet the needs
    of children and families.
        I believe that by continuing to work together on a bipartisan basis
    and by taking the best proposals from both sides of the aisle, we will
    achieve legislation that helps Americans fulfill their responsibilities
    as workers and, even more importantly, as parents. With this important
    contribution from Senator Chafee and his
    Senate colleagues, we move significantly closer to enacting child care
    legislation that is right for America's children.