Vice President Kamala Harris announced a new child care plan Tuesday that proposes that working families would not pay more than 7% of their income for child care.
This was the first time the Democratic nominee has spoken about the new initiative in her campaign. The 7% cap, however, was first proposed in President Joe Biden‘s Build Back Better package in 2021.
“It is sadly the state of affairs in our country that working people often have to decide to either be able to work or to be able to have child care,” Harris said during an event with the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) in Philadelphia. “It doesn’t actually level out in terms of the expense versus the income.”
The rising cost of child care is a core issue for some American families already grappling with inflation and the cost of living.
US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris speaks during a stop at the Community College of Philadelphia during a voter registration training session, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 17, 2024.
AFP/Getty Images
She said it is currently “too expensive” for the “sandwich generation,” who have to pay for child care while also taking care of their parents.
Former President Donald Trump was pressed on his plans to address child care costs during an appearance before the Economic Club of New York earlier this month, during which the Republican nominee promoted his fiscal policy as a solution to the rising prices of everyday necessities. When asked by Girls Who Code founder Reshma Saujani if he would “commit to prioritizing legislation to make child care affordable” if reelected to office, Trump told the panel of business leaders that his plans to increase taxes on imports could “take care” of rising costs like child care.
“Child care is child care, it’s something you have to have in this country,” Trump said, who also touted efforts by his daughter, Ivanka, to address child care costs during his first presidency.
“It’s a very important issue,” Trump continued. “But I think when you talk about the kind of numbers that I’m talking about … child care is child care—you know, you have to have it in this country, you have to have it.”
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This is a developing news story and will be updated with more information.
