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A28 u.s. news
Diasabra 12 Juni 2021

Harris touts child care funding and payments to families

(AP) - Vice President Ka- forecast that the payments
mala Harris highlighted could halve child poverty.
the Biden administra-
tion’s efforts to expand Estimates from the IRS sug-
child care and relieve the gest that 39 million house-
financial pressures of par- holds accounting for nearly
enthood during a visit to 9 in 10 U.S. children are al-
a child care center on Fri- ready set to receive the pay-
day. ments. Families that have yet
to file their taxes and did not
Harris is discussing new sign up for the direct pay-
guidance on $15 billion in ments in the relief package
grants to support child care can still register.
programs, forthcoming pay-
ments to families from the Key goals of the administra-
child tax credit and a separate tion’s outreach are to build
credit to help parents pay for support for extending the
care. payments, which would lapse
after one year, and raising
The outreach is part of the awareness that people can
continued implementation qualify for them.
of President Joe Biden’s $1.9
trillion relief package to help The IRS on Friday will re-
the U.S. economy heal from lease guidance on an en-
the coronavirus pandemic. hanced tax credit for child
Administration officials said and dependent care. Families
they expect that several mil- tration is making a case for “When employees do not have yet to return after the with incomes up to $125,000
lion families will benefit government aid to foster have to worry that they are pandemic closed many cen- could get a tax credit as much
from the assistance, while economic gains and improve unable to meet the needs ters and schools, according as $4,000 for one child and
underscoring that the money people’s lives, while many of their loved ones, they’re to the administration. The $8,000 for two or more chil-
should enable more parents Republican lawmakers say more productive, more at- aid is to be used for payments dren for the 2021 tax year.
to work and boost economic that the relief package is un- tentive and better able to to child care providers and The credit will also be fully
growth. leashing inflation that could maintain skills needed to compensation for caregivers, refundable, meaning that
hurt the economy and Amer- succeed in the labor market,” both of which are designed to lower income families with
icans’ well-being. Rouse said. improve access and quality of no tax burden could qualify
“We know that the pandemic services. for it.
did not invent these challeng- The administration is also
es, but it certainly acceler- seeking to gain support to Many parents have needed Harris also announced an IRS officials will separately
ated these challenges,” Har- spend trillions of dollars to forgo work because of the outreach effort on June 21 to issue guidance for a paid leave
ris said Friday at CentroNía more on infrastructure, edu- pandemic, and the adminis- ensure that families receive tax credit, which would offset
in Washington. “Childcare cation, and extending parts tration is banking on $15 bil- the child tax credit. The re- the cost to employers that of-
centers were closed. Par- of its relief package that pro- lion for child care and devel- lief package increased the size fer paid sick and family leave
ents have been out of work. vide aid to families. In a vir- opment block grants to make of the credit, and the IRS is because of events stemming
Families’ budgets have been tual meeting with small busi- it easier for people to return scheduled to begin issuing from the coronavirus. The
stretched.” nesses on Thursday, Cecilia to jobs. That sum is on top of payments on July 15. credit would go to employers
Rouse, the chair of the White the $24 billion already going with fewer than 500 workers.
Harris spoke about a key ad- House Council of Economic to states, territories and tribes An eligible family would The employers could receive
ministration priority while Advisers, said that help for to stabilize the child care sec- receive $300 a month for a as much as $17,110 for up to
Biden attends the Group of workers would also benefit tor. child under the age of 6 and 10 days of paid sick leave and
Seven summit in the U.K. companies. $250 for those between the as many as 12 weeks of paid
The Democratic adminis- One in eight child care jobs ages of 6 and 17. Experts family leave.

Teen who recorded Floyd's arrest, death wins Pulitzer nod

(AP) — The teenager who Darnella Frazier was cited Frazier’s publicist did not Chauvin was convicted in Frazier also testified at
pulled out her cellphone “for courageously recording immediately respond to an April of second-degree un- Chauvin’s trial, telling jurors
and recorded the police the murder of George Floyd, Associated Press message intentional murder, third-de- that she looks at her father
restraint and death of a video that spurred pro- seeking comment. gree murder and manslaugh- and other Black men in her
George Floyd, helping to tests against police brutality, ter. He will be sentenced life and thinks about “how
launch a global movement around the world, highlight- Frazier was 17 when she re- June 25. that could have been one of
to protest racial injustice, ing the crucial role of citizens corded the arrest of Floyd, a them.”
was on Friday awarded a in journalists’ quest for truth 46-year-old Black man, on Frazier was also honored last
special citation by the Pu- and justice,” the Pulitzer May 25, 2020. Her video, year by PEN America, a lit- “It’s been nights I stayed up,
litzer Prizes. Prizes said. which she posted to Face- erary and human rights or- apologizing and apologizing
book hours after it happened, ganization. She was awarded to George Floyd for not do-
sparked a reckoning on race the PEN/Benenson Courage ing more, and not physically
in America and demands for Award. interacting and not saving his
an end to police brutality. life,” she testified, adding of
PEN America CEO Suzanne Chauvin: “But it’s like, it’s
The video was seen world- Nossel said at the time: not what I should’ve done,
wide and was prominent in “With nothing more than it’s what he should’ve done.”
the trial of Derek Chauvin, a cellphone and sheer guts, The three other officers in-
the former Minneapolis po- Darnella changed the course volved in Floyd’s arrest are
lice officer who knelt on of history in this country, scheduled to face trial next
Floyd’s neck, pinning him to sparking a bold movement year on aiding and abetting
the pavement for 9 minutes, demanding an end to system- counts. All four officers are
29 seconds, as he said repeat- ic anti-Black racism and vio- also charged with violating
edly that he couldn’t breathe. lence at the hands of police.” Floyd’s civil rights.