A response to Lisa Carrieri-Veneziano’s, of Flushing, Sept. 20-26 letter “Big business must pay their fair share in taxes”:
Thank you for writing. I have heard from single parents across America about the challenges they face, and I am glad you reached out to me to share your perspective.
Single parents do a heroic job raising their children, tirelessly balancing work and family. They often spend long hours on the job and make tremendous sacrifices to provide the time and care their children need. Today’s economic climate further intensities the difficulties these families feel every day.
I know the struggles and opportunities single parents experience because I was raised by a single mother. She provided unending support and guidance, and I know that, like her, single parents across our country are working to help their children achieve their dreams.
My administration is working hard to lend a hand to single parents. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has invested in child support enforcement and provides more than $4 billion to increase enrollment in Head Start, Early Head Start and other childcare programs.
The recovery act also created the Making Work Pay Tax Credit and the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which help parents make ends meet and pay for higher education. Looking forward, I am working on investing in high-quality, early childhood education and advancing flexible work policies to help parents care for their children.
Assistance with financing education can be found at studentaid.ed.gov and opportunity.gov.
Communities and government can also work together to encourage responsible parenting. For example, I have begun a national conversation on fatherhood to explore how we can encourage fathers to fulfill their responsibilities and serve as positive role models.
All of us must work together — moms, dads, community organizations and all levels of government — to strengthen our nation’s families. I invite you to join this discussion by raising these issues in your community.
For additional information about assistance for families with children, please visit hhs.gov/children and fatherhood.gov.
Thank you again for writing.
Barack Obama
President
United States of America
Washington, D.C.
