Bipartisan leaders in Congress took an important step in March towards making child care more accessible for working families across America. Representatives Stephanie Murphy (D-FL-7) and Jason Smith (R-MO-8), along with Senators Richard Burr (R-NC), Angus King (I-ME), Susan Collins (R-ME), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) re-introduced the Promoting Affordable Childcare for Everyone (PACE) Act in the House and Senate, respectively. The PACE Act would update a provision of the tax code, the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC), to make it refundable and increase its value to better reflect drastic increases in the cost of child care since the credit was last updated nearly two decades ago.
The care center is licensed with the state and can support up to 12 children ages 0 to 5 each day. Right now, the hotel employs two full-time preschool teachers and plans to look for two other part-time caregivers.
Employees get a “hefty” discount to use the service, said Sara Trautmann, human resources director for Billings Hotel and Convention Center.
Trautmann took the lead on the project and started talking to Billings Hotel and Convention Center owner, Jeff Muri. Being a mother drove her to push the initiative forward, Trautmann said. It’s the only hotel in Billings to provide an on-site service.