Getting Child Care Out of Infancy

After six months of wrangling, Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives have been able to agree on legislation aimed at providing affordable child-care services for low- and moderate-income parents. The package, estimated to cost $27 billion over five years, is by no means perfect. And, if passed, it would have to be reconciled with the already approved Senate version. But the House bill, which is scheduled for a vote today, deserves support because its enactment would finally move the country toward putting action behind all the platitudes about quality child care.

The leadership proposal is similar in its basic elements to an alternative offered by Reps. Charles W. Stenholm (D-Tex.) and E. Clay Shaw (R-Fla.) Both would provide tax credits and other federal subsidies to help families afford child care. Both also include a controversial provision that allows federal subsidy, through vouchers, for day care provided by religious institutions. Because one-third of all day-care centers are run by religious institutions, according to the Children’s Defense Fund, those institutions were included to maintain a functioning child-care network. Any church-state issues that arise from this provision will likely be settled in the courts.

The Stenholm-Shaw bill is supported by the White House, but the House bill is superior because it requires states to set quality-of-care guidelines and because it provides millions of dollars for before- and after-school “latchkey” programs. Admittedly, the bill is not the last word on child care. But at least the House is moving again on an issue important to so many working families.