GOP senators pleased with Ivanka Trump meeting on family leave, child tax credits

Republicans senators lauded a Tuesday meeting on Capitol Hill with Ivanka Trump that included conversations about paid family leave.

Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), who have emerged as leading GOP voices on the issue of paid family leave, spearheaded the meeting with Trump, a senior White House adviser and first daughter.

“It’s so important to have Ivanka Trump use her platform to shine a light on the challenges working families face,” Fischer said in a statement. “I look forward to continuing to work with her on a way forward with policy solutions that can make a difference.”

While the meeting included conversations about paid family leave — one of Trump’s top issues — it was focused on expanding the Child Tax Credit as part of Republican efforts on tax reform. 

{mosads}“It was a very positive meeting about the Child Tax Credit,” one Senate GOP aid told The Hill. “Ivanka was well briefed, engaged, and supportive.”

Other lawmakers who took part in the meeting included Sens. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa). Reps. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) and Lamar Smith (R-Texas) were also in attendance. 

Rubio thanked Ivanka Trump for the meeting, noting the emphasis on tax reform in their conversation.

“.@IvankaTrump, thank you for a great meeting to share ideas about how we best can do #taxreform to benefit American working families,” Rubio said in a tweet.

.@IvankaTrump, thank you for a great meeting to share ideas about how we best can do #taxreform to benefit American working families. https://t.co/SdxbUxEDXo

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) June 20, 2017

Scott also tweeted about the meeting.

Good to sit down with @marcorubio @IvankaTrump @SenatorFischer to discuss pro-family tax reform policies this afternoon.

— Tim Scott (@SenatorTimScott) June 20, 2017

The issue of paid family leave is one Ivanka Trump has been focused on within her father’s White House, despite the fact that it stands in contrast to the views of many conservative lawmakers. 

She was reportedly behind a push for the president to mention the policy issue in his February joint address to Congress, when Trump ultimately said he wants to “help ensure new parents have paid family leave.”

While the Trump Administration has pushed for six weeks of paid family leave as part of unemployment benefits in its recent budget proposal, a bill put forth earlier this year by Fischer and Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) would include a tax credit to motivate businesses to provide families with as many as 12 weeks of paid family leave each year.

Ivanka Trump after speaking with the senators said on Twitter that the meeting was “productive.”

“Just left a productive meeting on the Hill to discuss issues affecting American working families, including childcare & paid family leave!” she said.

Just left a productive meeting on the Hill to discuss issues affecting American working families, including childcare & paid family leave!

— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) June 20, 2017