As a father of a toddler who represents the working families of Los Angeles in Congress, I know firsthand how challenging it has been for families to thrive. Costs are going up, and parents are working twice as hard just to keep up. Worse, child care costs continue to skyrocket and it’s harder than ever to find access to high-quality child care. It is unacceptable that the average parent spends over 20% of their income on child care.
That’s why I founded the first-ever Congressional Dads Caucus, a group of Member of Congress – moms and dads – dedicated to using our platform as parents and elected officials to uplift the voices of working families and champion policies that help kids succeed.

With costs continuing to rise on everything from housing to groceries, I’m fighting to significantly increase the Child Tax Credit and make sure it’s paid monthly. Families can’t wait until April for their tax credit—they need help now to meet their basic needs like child care, healthcare, and housing expenses.

The United States is one of the only developed countries without a national paid leave program, and just 27% of Americans in the private sector have access to paid leave. I am committed to ensuring a permanent, equitable, and comprehensive national paid family and medical leave program that serves all families. A national paid leave program would be critical in keeping families financially secure as they care for a loved one or handle a medical emergency.
In addition to the Congressional Dads Caucus, I am a proud backer of several bills to make affordable child care a reality, including the:
- Child Care Infrastructure Act, creating grants to help grow more child care facilities, bringing down costs and ensuring access for families have access to the child care they need.
- Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act of 2024, helping working families cover child care costs up to $4,000 for one child and $8,000 for two or more children.
- Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act to assist child care providers who prepare food for kids in their care.

Child care is not a luxury—it is a necessity. Affordable access to quality child care supports a child’s healthy development, ensures parents can go to work or school, and helps businesses and our economy thrive. I will continue fighting to ensure families no longer have to decide between taking care of their children and other important aspects of their lives.