WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – The Trump administration continued its conversations on paid leave and affordable child care at the White House Thursday.
Ivanka Trump, who has been a leader of these efforts for families, hosted a summit with President Trump, parents and state leaders.
“It was amazing to hear other people’s stories, that I wasn’t alone,” said parent Brittany Hasemenn.
When Brittany Hasemenn was a young single mother and couldn’t find quality child care for her three kids, she decided to start her own daycare.
Years later, Hasemenn found herself standing next to President Trump to push for better paid family leave and child care.
“American families are coming first,” President Trump told the summit. “It’s time to pass paid family leave.”
“I hope that something comes of this. I mean, these children deserve it,” said Hasemenn.
Lawmakers from around the country also attended the White House summit Thursday to address soaring child care costs and limited paid family leave.
Missouri Governor Michael Parson and Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant agree more needs to be done.
“How do we bring all of this together to really improve the workforce and give people the opportunity to be successful?” said Parson.
“Be able to spend quality time with their child, put them into a quality daycare that can provide an educational opportunity and make sure that she has a well-paying job to go back to,” said Bryant.
This comes after the White House struck a deal with House Democrats this week to provide 12 weeks of paid parental leave for federal workers.
If the plan passes as expected, more than two million federal workers would gain access to paid family leave.
“It’s a great first step for the entire country,” said Joe Grogan.
And for the rest of America, Joe Grogan– the director of the White House Domestic Policy Council– says the administration supports a bipartisan bill that would give growing families an advance on their child tax credits.
“We will make sure this credit is passed for American families.”
Other members of Congress want the administration to look at their ideas, too, but they were not invited to Thursday’s summit.