A state GOP lawmaker in Idaho apologized this week for making "misguided" and "sexist" remarks about mothers while coming out against a federal grant going to fund child care and early learning programs.
State Rep. Charlie Shepherd (R) said he opposed the funds because, he argued, it jeopardized "the family unit" and encouraged mothers to "come out of the home."
“I don’t think anybody does a better job than mothers in the home, and any bill that makes it easier or more convenient for mothers to come out of the home and let others raise their child, I don’t think that’s a good direction for us to be going. … We are really hurting the family unit in the process,” Shepherd said in the Idaho House on Tuesday.
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The bill, which was struck down in a 36-34 vote, would have allowed child care and early education programs to be funded by a federal grant, according to the Idaho State Journal.
The Hill
It didn't pass. So I'm surprised he apologized.
Gov. Brad Little (R) supported the bill and said he will “try again” to address the concerns of those opposed to the bill. He hopes to bring the bill back to a vote but isn’t clear when that will happen.
“We’ll continue to work at it, and we’ll continue to work at the Legislature, trying to address their concern,” Little said. “There’s always a concern when it’s a federal grant, with strings, some designated, some not designated. But it is in everybody’s best interest, particularly these kids that have challenges, and families that have tougher challenges. We have both a constitutional and a moral obligation to try to help these kids.”
There's your rare compassionate Republican.
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