American Press

U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, said he is on a mission to create a policy that gives parents the flexibility to pursue a career and raise a family.

“This policy must be fiscally sustainable and not bury taxpayers in even more red ink,” he said. “We will find a bipartisan solution that empowers families and business owners to succeed.”

It appears he now has a plan.

Cassidy and Democratic co-sponsor U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona plan to file a proposal this week that leans on the federal Child Tax Credit — which was doubled under the 2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts — to allow parents to get a $5,000 advance on the credit when a child is born or adopted. The next 10 years after that, those parents would be eligible for a $1,500 Child Tax Credit, instead of the $2,000 credit otherwise allowed.

“For many dual income families, the first year following the birth or adoption is the most expensive, and subsequent years less so,” Cassidy said. “Just as the kind of context for our bill, the Tax Cut and Jobs Act bill … increased the child tax credit from $1,000 to $2,000. So under our proposal … the family who has the newborn child gets $5,000, and they pull forward that benefit from subsequent years, so instead of $2,000 in year two of life, we get $1,500, and on down until it’s paid back. We like it. It does not raise taxes. Payroll tax is inherently regressive. And so we avoid that. And it’s no mandates upon the employer or the employee. And it does not increase the federal deficit.”

While Cassidy admits the plan isn’t “perfect,” it is the only proposal in either chambers to have bipartisan support.

While constructing the plan, Cassidy met with Ivanka Trump, senior advisor to President Donald Trump, several times to discuss a path forward on enacting the legislation.

“I applaud @SenBillCassidy and @SenatorSinema for charting a bipartisan path forward on Paid Family Leave legislation,” Ivanka Trump tweeted. “Thank you both for your leadership. Working across the aisle we can deliver for American families! #PFL #PaidFamilyLeave”

The credit under Cassidy’s proposal could be used to supplement pay for parents who take time off work after the birth or adoption to offset infant care costs or for other necessities.

Low-income families that don’t qualify for the max Child Tax Credit and would be burdened by the $500 annual installment would be able to receive the equivalent of three months of their existing pay and receive an adjusted credit for 15 years.

Although the costs and complexities of legislation have made it difficult for politicians to agree on a policy, now is the time for compromise. We’re looking forward to seeing how Cassidy’s plan is received.

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy