Democratic Representative Stephanie Murphy made the announcement this week that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is scheduled to appropriate $6.6 million to Orange County, Florida in order to assist in Head Start centers.
She is currently representative of Florida’s 7th congressional district, and Murphy faces opposition from Republican Mike Miller who would like to unseat her in next week’s midterm election.
Commenting on the measure, Murphy said on Tuesday that “As a mother, I know how critical the early part of a child’s life is to his or her long-term development and success, which is why I’m so proud to announce this funding for Central Florida families. Studies show that strong investments in early childhood education ensure greater opportunities for children, reduce crime and incarceration rates, and strengthen the quality of life for all. I’ll continue to protect Head Start so that all children, regardless of their socio-economic status, have an opportunity to achieve their dreams.”
In addition, her office noted that “The Orange County government operates multiple Head Start centers in the Orlando metropolitan area. They are typically based in schools, community centers, or child care centers. At these sites, families can access a wide range of services, including early learning, health care services, and parent-child counseling.”
In Congress, she worked alongside U.S. Representative Kevin Yoder, and they introduced the “Promoting Affordable Childcare for Everyone Act.” Said proposal aimed to update the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts and the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit. With their work, the CDCTC would be refundable. The top rate would be moved up to 35 percent or 50 percent based on the income level of the family. In addition, it also raised the amount that a family could put into Dependent Care Flexible Spending accounts. The change was from $5,000 to $7,500.
In the upcoming midterm elections, Murphy is looking to secure a reelection win and contribute to the "blue wave" that Democrats are looking forward to ensure in the sunshine state.
