The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, through its Institute for Public Affairs, welcomed today’s announcement by President Clinton of a $21.7 billion proposal to support child care in the United States. The proposed expansion of child care tax credits, block grants to states, expansion of Head Start programs, and subsidies for businesses that create day care centers are all important initiatives toward greater support of the efforts by working parents to find and pay for appropriate child care for their children.

Nathan Diament, director of the Institute for Public Affairs, stated that “support for families is a critical issue for the Jewish community and for American society at large.” Diament further stated that the Orthodox Union’s Institute “is continuing to study the president’s proposal as well as those offered by congressional leaders in order to find the best mix of tax credits and government grants that support our families and values. The key issues for us,” continued, “are to ensure that families in which one parent stays home to care for kids receive the same level of government support as those who choose to have both parents go to work, and that faith based child care providers are equally eligible for government grants directed toward child care.”

The Institute for Public Affairs will continue to work on this issue critical to all American families.

NATHAN J. DIAMENT Director, Institute for Public Affairs, Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America