Thread by @KatieBethell

THREAD: A voluntary tax credit will not help alleviate the caregiving crisis.

We face a caregiving crisis that existed long before #COVID19, now worsened by challenges like lack of childcare and remote school. Paid family leave is proven to be a more effective solution. 1/6

President @JoeBiden gets this -- it’s why @potus included comprehensive emergency paid leave in his #AmericanRescuePackage. 👏👏👏 Instead, Congressional Democrats on @Waysandmeans are moving forward with a watered-down voluntary tax credit. 👎👎👎 2/6

Restoring and expanding true emergency paid sick and family leave is central to the #COVID19 rescue response, saving lives & livelihoods of frontline workers.

And there are good arguments that the employer mandate for emergency leave can work in #Reconciliation. 3/6

#paidleave has budgetary (& thus reconcilable) impacts:
• Savings in federally funded health care costs from reduced # of cases.
• Increased fed tax 💰 by helping to keep workers, especially women, in the workforce.
• Reduced spending on federal assistance programs. 4/6

ALSO, the payment mechanism for transferring federal funding to employers could be adjusted to address any concerns raised under the Byrd Rule -- for example, moving to a fully refundable tax credit on federal business income taxes. 5/6

Where there is a will, there is a way. Working ppl need @WaysMeansCmte to find the way.

Until we get permanent #paidleaveforall these voluntary, short-term fixes won’t provide relief.

We can't just go back to normal. We need a #newnormal that includes #paidleave. 6/6