Rep. Michelle Steel (R-Calif.) introduced a bill June 14 that could help businesses invest in childcare programs in an effort to entice parents to return to work. If passed, the legislation will provide startup funding for businesses to either open a childcare program, expand a current one, or form a partnership with outside providers. The move to increase childcare spaces came after about 2.9 million parents left the workforce between January 2020 and January 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The return to work has been difficult for many parents due to a lack of in-class schooling, a shortage of available child care spaces, and the rising costs of childcare. Funding for the bill would come from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that went into effect in March. The act provides $24 billion to form a stabilization fund for states, which are required by law to notify the government by December if they cannot obligate at least 50 percent of …