Duval Times

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) has expressed concerns regarding the Biden-Harris administration's approach to childcare, emphasizing the need for respect towards parents' caregiving choices. In a statement published on August 1, 2024, in American Conservative, Rubio criticized the administration's "Build Back Better" agenda for its focus on subsidies for professional center-based childcare without supporting other arrangements preferred by many families.

Rubio highlighted a report from the economic policy think tank American Compass, which indicates that most Americans do not favor reliance on childcare centers. He noted that low-income and working-class Americans are particularly less inclined towards center-based care despite being those most in need of government assistance.

To address this issue, Rubio introduced the Respect Parents’ Childcare Choices Act. The proposed legislation aims to allocate funding through childcare vouchers that parents can use to pay relative caregivers or support at-home parental care if married parents work a combined total of 40 hours per week.

Rubio urged bipartisan support for his bill, stating, "If they really believe childcare is 'one of the most urgent things that parents and families need,' they should be open to increasing childcare funding in a manner consistent with Americans’ wants and needs."