{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://mcdonaldrivet.house.gov/media/press-releases/icymi-reps-mcdonald-rivet-kiggans-harder-host-bipartisan-build-america-caucus", "ICYMI: Reps. McDonald Rivet, Kiggans, Harder Host Bipartisan Build America Caucus Child Care Roundtable", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "MI", "Kristen McDonald Rivet", "M001237", "mcdonaldrivet.house.gov", "mcdonaldrivet", "https://mcdonaldrivet.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014 Yesterday, the Build America Caucus, led by Representatives Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08), Jen Kiggans (VA-02), and Chair Josh Harder (CA-09), hosted a bipartisan roundtable discussion on child care with leading policy experts and advocates. The conversation focused on the lack of affordable child care, its damage to the economy, and what Congress can do to drive down costs for families and unlock America\u2019s full economic potential.\n\nBeyond the impact on children, child care affordability continues to be a crisis for the nation\u2019s workforce. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimates states lose over $1 billion per year in economic activity due to a lack of affordable and accessible child care. Absences and employee turnover, which often stem from a lack of child care, cost employers between $400 million and $3 billion a year.\n\n\u201cChild care in America is ridiculously expensive. Working parents spend as much as 30% of their income on it, if they can get access at all. The system is broken,\u201d said Congresswoman McDonald Rivet. \u201cWe brought Republicans and Democrats together to work on solutions to one simple goal: making it easier and cheaper to provide quality care, so every family can raise their kids without breaking the bank. I am excited by our progress and look forward to getting solutions across the finish line.\u201d\n\n\u201cChild care costs are out of control. As a dad to two young daughters, I know how hard it is to find safe, quality child care that is actually affordable,\u201d said Build America Caucus Chair Josh Harder. \u201cFixing this crisis should be a no-brainer, we need to aggressively increase the number of child care centers, and the Build America Caucus is committed to cutting the red tape to make that a reality.\u201d\n\nPanelists at the roundtable included Curran McSwigan, Deputy Director of Third Way\u2019s Economic Program; Sarah Rittling, Executive Director of the First Five Years Fund; Tara Dawson McGuinness, Founder and Executive Director of New Practice Lab; and Latisha Howze, Executive Director of Higher Horizons in Falls Church, Virginia.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://mcdonaldrivet.house.gov/media/press-releases/icymi-reps-mcdonald-rivet-kiggans-harder-host-bipartisan-build-america-caucus"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.451499992981553, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}