WASHINGTON, D.C. –– U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., co-introduced the Child Care for Working Families Act on Thursday, a comprehensive early learning and child care bill to ensure affordable, high-quality child care for working families across the country.

“Affordable, high-quality child care is no longer a luxury — it’s a necessity,” Casey said. “Unfortunately, many working families have been priced out of these services that we know help children excel. This legislation works to level the playing field so that all children can begin on the right foot, regardless of income.”

The Child Care for Working Families Act would create a federal-state partnership to ensure families making less than 150 percent of their state’s median income do not pay more than seven percent of their income on child care. The bill also supports access to high-quality preschool programs for low- and moderate-income 3- and 4-year olds. The measure also would support the nation’s child care workforce by significantly improving wages and training for teachers and caregivers, Casey said.