[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book I)] [February 5, 1998] [Page 180] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]Statement on Proposed Child Care Legislation February 5, 1998 Earlier this week, I submitted my budget proposal to Congress. I am proud that this budget--the first balanced budget in a generation-- includes an ambitious initiative to make child care better, safer, and more affordable. Yesterday we moved closer to achieving meaningful child care legislation because of an important step taken by Senator Chris Dodd and many of his Democratic colleagues in the Senate. Senator Dodd has introduced a comprehensive child care package that, like mine, significantly increases child care subsidies for poor children, provides greater tax relief to help low- and middle-income families pay for child care, creates a tax credit for businesses that provide child care for their employees, increases after- school opportunities for children, promotes early learning, and improves child care quality. In putting forward this proposal, Senator Dodd and his cosponsors have built on their longstanding commitment to improving child care for our Nation's children. I was also pleased that last week a group of Republicans introduced a promising child care proposal. I look forward to working with the Congress on a bipartisan basis to enact child care legislation this year that will help Americans fulfill their responsibilities as workers, and even more importantly, as parents.