Some early childhood elements in Biden’s infrastructure bill get trimmed

After months of contentious talks between progressives and moderates, Democrats are getting closer to an agreement on what policies to include in President Joe Biden’s sweeping social safety net package. Some of his ambitious early childhood education agenda will likely be pared down to fit a reduced budget of $2 trillion over 10 years, rather than the original $3.5 trillion budget plan, as PBS reports.

Negotiations over the package are fluid, but PBS notes that the plan will likely include universal preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds, a paid family leave benefit (likely trimmed from 12 weeks to four weeks), and another extension of the child tax credit that was expanded earlier this year. The Biden administration had been aspiring to make the credit, which has been pivotal in lifting children out of poverty, permanent.

PBS also reports that child care subsidies for poor and middle-income Americans are likely to make the cut. Biden’s plan calls for parents earning up to 150% of the state’s median income (about $115,000 nationally) to pay no more than 7% of their income on child care, with the poorest families getting free child care.