Congresswoman Katie Porter (CA-45) hosted a roundtable discussion yesterday with representatives from local childcare providers and parent teacher associations to hear directly about the hardships they’re facing during the coronavirus pandemic.

“As a single working mom, I know how critical childcare is not just for families, but for our entire economy,” said Congresswoman Porter. “Working parents are the backbone of our economy, and so many of us depend on childcare. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 crisis has placed an incredible burden on providers, many of which have to operate at lower capacities and higher costs to keep our communities safe. It’s crucial we support our childcare centers, and that starts with listening to their needs so we can focus on finding solutions.”

Participating in the roundtable were Irvine Child Care Project, California Work & Family Coalition, Parent Voices, First Five Orange County, Irvine Unified Council PTA, Capistrano Unified Council PTSA, Rainbow Rising, ABC-Mom Learning Center, Sushma’s Home Day Care, Michy’s Reggio Family Childcare, BreastfeedLA, and ENC Nature Preschool.

Congresswoman Porter has been a staunch advocate for improving access to affordable childcare throughout her time in Congress, and she has redoubled her efforts during the pandemic. Last July, she introduced legislation that would make it easier for Americans serving as caregivers to get relief if their children or other dependents are unable to go to school or a childcare facility because of the pandemic. One of her first bills in Congress was the Family Savings for Kids and Seniors Act, which would allow families to set aside more pre-tax income for dependent care. To support working families, she also introduced the bipartisan FAIR Leave Act, which would remove a marriage penalty from federal family leave policy.

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