Tim Scott on Families & Children

Protect HeadStart and let parents choose childcare

SCOTT: One of the things I did as a member of the Congress was to make sure that we protected the Head Start programs around the country, giving people the opportunity to pick and choose the place that they send their children. The challenges that we see today under the Biden administration is that the cost for daycare has gone over $15,000 per child.

Q: How do we fix that problem?

SCOTT: We actually cut taxes and give more Americans their money back. When I helped write the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, we actually lowered a single mother's taxes by 70%, for dual-income households by 60%. Then we doubled the child tax credit and made it refundable. By doing that, more parents had more resources to make the decisions how to take care of their family.

Sponsored recognition of National Foster Care Month.

RESOLUTION recognizing National Foster Care Month as an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges of children in the foster care system, and encouraging Congress to implement policy to improve the lives of children in the foster care system.

• Whereas there are approximately 400,000 children living in foster care;
• Whereas foster care is intended to be a temporary placement, but children remain in the foster care system for an average of 2 years;
• Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
• encourages Congress to implement policy to minimize the number of children entering the foster care system, to improve the lives of children in the foster care system, and to maximize the number of children exiting foster care to the protection of safe, loving, and permanent families;
• acknowledges the unique needs of children in the foster-care system;
• recognizes foster youth throughout the US for their ongoing tenacity, courage, and resilience while facing life challenges;
• acknowledges the exceptional alumni of the foster-care system who serve as advocates and role models for youth who remain in care;
• honors the commitment and dedication of the individuals who work tirelessly to provide assistance and services to children in the foster-care system; and
• reaffirms the need to continue working to improve the outcomes of all children in the foster-care system through parts B and E of title IV of the Social Security Act and other programs designed to
  • support vulnerable families;
  • invest in prevention and reunification services;
  • promote guardianship, adoption, and other permanent placement opportunities in cases where reunification is not in the best interests of the child;
  • adequately serve those children brought into the foster-care system; and
  • facilitate the successful transition into adulthood for children that `age-out` of the foster-care system.