Until_CJS a_AT0 year_NN1 ago_AV0 ,_PUN parents_NN2 '_POS struggles_NN2 to_TO0 find_VVI quality_NN1 ,_PUN affordable_AJ0 child_NN1 care_NN1 were_VBD largely_AV0 considered_VVN a_AT0 personal_AJ0 problem_NN1 ._SENT Just_AV0 another_DT0 thing_NN1 to_TO0 juggle_VVI when_CJS working_AJ0 while_CJS raising_VVG kids_NN2 ._SENT The_AT0 pandemic_AJ0 upended_VVD that_CJT conventional_AJ0 wisdom_NN1 ,_PUN as_PRP work_NN1 and_CJC family_NN1 obligations_NN2 collided_VVN ._SENT With_PRP child-care_NN1 centers_NN2 shuttered_AJ0 ,_PUN providers_NN2 scarce_AJ0 ,_PUN and_CJC schools_NN2 and_CJC workplaces_NN2 operating_VVG remotely_AV0 ,_PUN the_AT0 system_NN1 's_POS shortcomings_NN2 became_VVD everyone_PNI 's_POS problem_NN1 and_CJC ,_PUN increasingly_AV0 ,_PUN a_AT0 public-policy_AJ0 issue_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 Child_NN1 Care_NN1 for_PRP Working_AJ0 Families_NN2 Act_NN1 ,_PUN reintroduced_VVN by_PRP U.S._NP0 Sen._NP0 Patty_NP0 Murray_NP0 ,_PUN D-Wash_NP0 ._SENT ,_PUN last_ORD week_NN1 ,_PUN aims_VVZ to_TO0 change_VVI all_DT0 that_DT0 ._SENT The_AT0 bill_NN1 would_VM0 make_VVI quality_NN1 child_NN1 care_NN1 and_CJC preschool_AJ0 more_AV0 available_AJ0 ,_PUN and_CJC more_AV0 affordable_AJ0 for_PRP lower-income_AJ0 working_AJ0 parents_NN2 ._SENT It_PNP 's_VBZ a_AT0 systemwide_AJ0 solution_NN1 whose_DTQ time_NN1 has_VHZ come_VVN ._SENT The_AT0 act_NN1 would_VM0 create_VVI a_AT0 federal-state_AJ0 partnership_NN1 to_TO0 ensure_VVI that_CJT no_AT0 working_AJ0 family_NN1 earning_VVG less_AV0 than_CJS 150_CRD %_NN0 of_PRF the_AT0 state_NN1 median_NN1 income_NN1 would_VM0 pay_VVI more_AV0 than_CJS 7_CRD %_NN0 of_PRF its_DPS income_NN1 on_PRP child_NN1 care_NN1 ,_PUN with_PRP lower-wage_AJ0 earners_NN2 paying_VVG less_AV0 or_CJC nothing_PNI at_PRP all_DT0 ._SENT The_AT0 bill_NN1 would_VM0 expand_VVI access_NN1 to_PRP preschool_AJ0 programs_NN2 for_PRP 3-_NN1 and_CJC 4-year-olds_NN2 and_CJC take_VVB several_DT0 steps_NN2 to_TO0 increase_VVI the_AT0 supply_NN1 of_PRF quality_NN1 care_NN1 ._SENT This_DT0 is_VBZ exactly_AV0 the_AT0 type_NN1 of_PRF comprehensive_AJ0 support_NN1 needed_VVD to_TO0 help_VVI parents_NN2 escape_VVI the_AT0 Catch-22_NN1 of_PRF not_XX0 being_VBG able_AJ0 to_TO0 afford_VVI the_AT0 child_NN1 care_NN1 that_CJT would_VM0 enable_VVI them_PNP to_TO0 financially_AV0 support_VVI their_DPS families_NN2 ._SENT Murray_NP0 's_POS proposal_NN1 would_VM0 broaden_VVI and_CJC support_VVI state_NN1 lawmakers_NN2 '_POS decision_NN1 this_DT0 session_NN1 to_TO0 expand_VVI eligibility_NN1 for_PRP the_AT0 state_NN1 Working_VVG Connections_NN2 Child_NN1 Care_NN1 and_CJC Early_AJ0 Childhood_NN1 Education_NN1 and_CJC Assistance_NN1 programs_NN2 ._SENT Although_CJS official_AJ0 cost_NN1 estimates_NN2 are_VBB pending_AJ0 ,_PUN outside_AJ0 experts_NN2 have_VHB estimated_VVN fully_AV0 implementing_VVG Murray_NP0 's_POS bill_NN1 could_VM0 cost_VVI as_CJS much_AV0 as_CJS $_NN0 600_CRD billion_CRD over_PRP the_AT0 next_ORD 10_CRD years_NN2 ._SENT A_AT0 phased_AJ0 approach_NN1 or_CJC scaled-back_NN1 program_NN1 would_VM0 be_VBI a_AT0 more_AV0 affordable_AJ0 first_ORD step_NN1 ._SENT But_CJC the_AT0 cost_NN1 of_PRF inaction_NN1 is_VBZ also_AV0 steep_AJ0 :_PUN In_PRP 29_CRD states_NN2 ,_PUN including_PRP Washington_NP0 ,_PUN the_AT0 annual_AJ0 cost_NN1 of_PRF full-time_AJ0 ,_PUN center-based_AJ0 child_NN1 care_NN1 exceeds_VVZ the_AT0 average_AJ0 in-state_AJ0 tuition_NN1 at_PRP public_AJ0 colleges_NN2 and_CJC universities_NN2 ,_PUN according_VVG to_PRP a_AT0 2018_CRD analysis_NN1 from_PRP nonprofit_AJ0 child-care_NN1 advocates_VVZ Child_NN1 Care_NN1 Aware_AJ0 ._SENT The_AT0 prohibitive_AJ0 cost_NN1 and_CJC limited_AJ0 availability_NN1 of_PRF child_NN1 care_NN1 is_VBZ a_AT0 drag_NN1 on_PRP the_AT0 state_NN1 economy_NN1 :_PUN Even_AV0 before_CJS the_AT0 pandemic_AJ0 wreaked_VVN havoc_NN1 with_PRP work_NN1 and_CJC child-care_NN1 arrangements_NN2 ,_PUN the_AT0 lack_NN1 of_PRF quality_NN1 ,_PUN affordable_AJ0 care_NN1 cost_NN1 the_AT0 state_NN1 about_PRP $_NN0 2.08_CRD billion_CRD per_PRP year_NN1 in_PRP employee_NN1 turnover_NN1 and_CJC missed_VVD work_NN1 ,_PUN according_VVG to_PRP a_AT0 2019_CRD report_NN1 from_PRP the_AT0 Washington_NP0 State_NN1 Child_NN1 Care_NN1 Collaborative_AJ0 Task_NN1 Force_NN1 ._SENT Nearly_AV0 one_CRD in_PRP five_CRD Washington_NP0 parents_NN2 surveyed_VVD as_PRP part_NN1 of_PRF that_DT0 report_NN1 said_VVD they_PNP 'd_VHD turned_VVN down_AVP a_AT0 job_NN1 offer_NN1 or_CJC promotion_NN1 because_CJS they_PNP could_VM0 n't_XX0 find_VVI care_NN1 ._SENT 
