WASHINGTON — Ahead of the full committee hearing on paid leave and child care, Republican Ways and Means Leader Kevin Brady (R-TX) sent a letter to Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) recognizing the challenges families are facing in the labor force and outlining his intent to work across the aisle to support working families.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Families were the biggest winners in the post-tax reform economy – and Biden’s tax hikes risk those gains.

• Before the pandemic, wages rose at a faster rate than ever before while unemployment rate for working mothers hit a 66 year low at 3.5%.
• The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that American workers and families will bear most of the burden of Biden’s tax hikes in lower wages and lost jobs.

Child care and paid family leave are bipartisan issues.

• Republicans want to expand access to paid leave and child care, and work across the aisle to help working families. To that end, Republicans support:
  • Making the Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit permanent, which reimburses businesses up to 25% of the cost of providing paid leave to their employees.
  • Making it easier for small businesses to offer formal paid leave benefits by increasing access to private insurance options or making it easier to pool together to defray costs.
  • Focusing on expanding access for low-income families, where paid leave can contribute to better health for new mothers and their babies.

Republicans have a demonstrated record of delivering results for America’s working families.

• From doubling the child tax credit to securing the Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit, Republicans have and will continue to fight on behalf of America’s working families.

Read the full letter here.