"The ABC bill is by far the best solution to the current child care needs and deserves the support of us all. . .The problem is not the amount of money, which we surely could afford, but the way it is distributed and how it is used. The ABC bill, using its efficient method of child-population per-capita income distributions of funds, could easily solve these child care problems." OR

"Some corporations have had day-care facilities for their workers. . .What happens is families who could afford child care outside of the workplace, enroll their children in the less expensive, employer-provided day-care programs. Because of these families, who filled the facilities to capacity with their children, the poor families, for whom these programs were originally intended, cannot get in and are no better off than before the programs were started. . .The new ABC bill will finally force the rich to start paying what they can afford rather than trying to find a way to spend less than others for child care." MI

"So far we have shown that most people would support child care. We have elected our legislators to carry our voices to the government, now it is up to them to turn our ideas into a working plan. Most people support federal subsidies, but not federal control." PA

"Politicians have certainly taken their time when it comes to making decisions about child care. Even the few acts that have become laws have not escaped heavy scrutiny. The issue of child care is vital to our nation's future. It will determine what kind of doctrine the United States will follow. Perhaps, our politicians will never come to an agreement, and this problem will never be solved, but I definitely feel better knowing that when and if a solution is reached, it will certainly be after much thought and premeditation." TX

Other students thought many of the proposed laws would do more harm than good

"If the ABC bill is adopted, then that would favor the parents that send their children to a daycare over the parents that keep their children at home. . .The only way to distribute equally the benefits to all parents is to give tax breaks to parents rather than to day-care providers, parents should be able to decide how their children are cared for." AL

"The (ABC) bill simply encourages mothers to work, and also drives costs up and selection down. . . (it) assumes that the traditional family is now a mere memory." OH

"Eighteen million children are in need of adequate child care. The government has alloted 2.5 billion dollars for the ABC Bill in its first year. This amount would be only merely enough for one million children; this shows that the government has greatly under-budgeted this bill. . .the children who could not be funded would most likely be at home alone." AL

"One example of a House bill that I do not agree with will cost well-off families, according to Congress' Joint Tax Committee, $285 million each year. This would mainly affect families making $70,000 or more per year. What I do not agree with is that a family making $70,000 per year in; Oklahoma is going to be much more financially able than someone making $70,000 per year in New York or California. I feel that the law makers are not considering that the standard of living varies from place to place. Also, this bill may discourage employers from having day care programs, because they would have to track extensively every employee's total family income to determine when they are no longer eligible for child care assistance." OK

"The ABC Act would also put many restrictions on the type of service and who would provide it. This would increase the cost to the point where many families could no longer afford the service." FL

". . .those who have no children and those who do not put their children in day care. . .will be penalized because they will not get a tax credit. Tax credits will only be offered to those who put their children in day care. This will be like a reward. Those who keep thir children at home, probably the ones who are doing the best for their children, will be penalized by paying more taxes. The ones who keep their children at home will probably be the poorest. The poorest will also be hurt by increased expenses as a result of taxes for day care. When the government comes in, day care centers will have to raise their fees. They will charge all customers more, rich and poor. They will provide a program that people may not want, but will have to pay for in taxes or other expenses. The government already has agigantic deficit and does not need another program that will cost more money." AL