Senator Kamala Harris has introduced a new bill that could mean more time at school for elementary students across the country. While it may not sound like every kid's idea of fun, it could be a serious relief for parents currently forced to stretch their resources in order to find care for children who are usually out of school by about 3 p.m.
The Family Friendly Schools Act would create a pilot program that provides schools the resources needed to stay open until 6 p.m., covering the entire standard workday throughout the school year and provide additional care on many days that schools are otherwise closed. In addition, it would invest over $1 billion in supporting summer learning programs.
Harris says the proposed legislation would not increase the number of hours that teachers or staff have to work unless these individuals choose to work extra hours.
For Harris, the legislation is personal: "My mother raised my sister and me while working demanding, long hours… So I know firsthand that, for many working parents, juggling between school schedules and work schedules is a common cause of stress and financial hardship."
The bill is particularly aimed at offering safe care options for low-income families who cannot afford to pay for afterschool childcare. The program would award five-year grants of up to $5 million to districts that have a large number of students in the low-income bracket.
"My bill provides an innovative solution that will help reduce the burden of child care on working families," Harris wrote in a statement.
She has also made education a pillar of her presidential campaign, proposing a plan to spend $315 billion to increase teacher salaries over the next ten years.
Co-sponsors of the legislation include Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).
Gillibrand sent Cheddar a statement Thursday reading in part, "This would provide some much-needed relief for many families and the peace of mind that their children will be somewhere safe.”
“This voluntary program would help local school districts study and explore ways to help schools keep their facilities open throughout the work day,” Brown told Cheddar “for academic, athletic, or enrichment activities without forcing teachers to work longer hours or work for less pay.”
The issue of education has rarely seen the debate stage, but candidates like Harris, as well as Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Michael Bennet, and former HUD Secretary Julian Castro have touted their plans on the campaign trail.
Many U.S. consumers say they’ve noticed higher than usual prices for holiday gifts in recent months, according to a a December poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. A contributing factor is the unusually high import taxes the Trump administration put on foreign goods. While the worst-case consumer impact that many economists foresaw from the administration’s trade policies hasn’t materialized, some popular gift items have been affected more than others. Most toys and electronics sold in the U.S. come from China. So do most holiday decorations. Jewelry prices have risen due to the cost of gold.
Serbia’s prosecutor for organized crime has charged a government minister and three others with abuse of position and falsifying of documents related to a luxury real estate project linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. The charges came on Monday. The investigation centers on a controversy over a a bombed-out military complex in central Belgrade that was a protected cultural heritage zone but that is facing redevelopment as a luxury compound by a company linked to Kushner. The $500 million proposal to build a high-rise hotel, offices and shops at the site has met fierce opposition from experts at home and abroad. Selakovic and others allegedly illegally lifted the protection status for the site by falsifying documentation.
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to block states from regulating artificial intelligence. He argues that heavy regulations could stifle the industry, especially given competition from China. Trump says the U.S. needs a unified approach to AI regulation to avoid complications from state-by-state rules. The order directs the administration to draw up a list of problematic regulations for the Attorney General to challenge. States with laws could lose access to broadband funding, according to the text of the order. Some states have already passed AI laws focusing on transparency and limiting data collection.
The New York Times and President Donald Trump are fighting again. The news outlet said Wednesday it won't be deterred by Trump's “false and inflammatory language” from writing about the 79-year-old president's health. The Times has done a handful of stories on that topic recently, including an opinion column that said Trump is “starting to give President Joe Biden vibes.” In a Truth Social post, Trump said it might be treasonous for outlets like the Times to do “FAKE” reports about his health and "we should do something about it.” The Republican president already has a pending lawsuit against the newspaper for its past reports on his finances.
President Donald Trump says he will allow Nvidia to sell its H200 computer chip used in the development of artificial intelligence to “approved customers” in China. Trump said Monday on his social media site that he had informed China’s leader Xi Jinping and “President Xi responded positively!” There had been concerns about allowing advanced computer chips into China as it could help them to compete against the U.S. in building out AI capabilities. But there has also been a desire to develop the AI ecosystem with American companies such as chipmaker Nvidia.
House Republicans in key battleground districts are working to contain the political fallout expected when thousands of their constituents face higher bills for health insurance coverage obtained through the Affordable Care Act. For a critical sliver of the GOP majority, the impending expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits after Dec. 31 could be a major political liability as they potentially face midterm headwinds in a 2026 election critical to President Donald Trump’s agenda. For Democrats, the party’s strategy for capturing the House majority revolves around pinning higher bills for groceries, health insurance and utilities on Republicans.
