Media
Latest News
Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) and Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) introduced a bill that would repeal a tax break for business meals implemented by the Trump administration. The bill would redirect the money—which amounts to more than $5 billion over two years, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation—to the Child Care and Development Fund. The fund awards grants to state programs to help low-income families find childcare for work-related reasons.
Havlik has also been supported by U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (they nominated her for admission to the Air Force Academy), and state Sen. Betsy Johnson. Havlik works at the Scappoose Industrial Airpark for Transwestern Aviation, which is managed by Johnson's husband, John Helm.
The child care crisis is being felt around the country, leading legislators to take action. On March 16, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici reintroduced the Child Care Is Infrastructure Act, which would establish loan and grant programs for child care facilities and early-childhood educators.
"The full 'three martini lunch deduction' is not the most effective use of taxpayer dollars, and it's time we repurpose these funds," said Representative Peter Meijer, a Republican from Michigan who co-sponsored the bill with Representative Suzanne Bonamici, a Democrat from Oregon, in a statement. The full business meal deduction will result in $5 billion in foregone tax revenue in 2022 and 2023, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation.
However, they are more expensive than a diesel bus. But Bonamici says in the long run, districts could end up saving more money. "Even though the initial investment is more. It's a good investment. They're not buying the fuel that they have to buy for the diesel buses and they won't have the same maintenance costs," she said. "It helps the health of our children, our community, and our planet."
U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici says she is not convinced that payment of extra unemployment benefits has led to shortages of workers in service and caregiving businesses. The Democrat from Beaverton responded to a comment from someone who complained about a shortage of caregivers at assisted-living centers during a telephone town hall on May 15. She acknowledged there are positions going unfilled in a range of occupations, including child care and elder care, as the economy recovers from lockdowns during the coronavirus pandemic.
They described Johnson's work as "a great mixture of contemporary and traditional techniques," according to a press release by the office of U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, a Beaverton Democrat. Johnson received an honorable mention for the competition in 2019. "I appreciate that Clara's piece thoughtfully examines anti-immigrant bias and the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes, and is beautifully executed," said Bonamici in a statement. "She is incredibly talented, and I'm glad she has shared her excellent work by participating in the Congressional Art Competition."