PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Rhode Island leaders are pushing for federal investments into child care programs.

Gov. Dan McKee and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse were at the Meeting Street School in Providence Monday to advocate for more funding.

Whitehouse is co-sponsoring three bills, including one proposal that would create a universal, locally-administered child care program to serve the entire country. It would also cap costs at $10 a day for most parents.

Whitehouse said creating affordable and reliable child care can help the country’s workforce.

“Across the country and in Rhode Island, employers are struggling to find workers, and workers are struggling to be able to work because of child care demands,” he said. “If we can solve the child care demand, we can open up the workforce which opens up American business.”

The other bills would give the state workforce training grants and improve child care centers in the state and bring back pandemic-era child tax credits permanently.