Helping Families Afford to Work Act

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.1500 through Congress

H.R.1500 keeps its number as it moves between the House and Senate.

HouseMar 12, 2009IntroducedOfficial record

Major milestones in the imported record. See all actions.

No Senate action is available in our imported record yet.

Separate related Senate measures (1)

These are different measures identified as related by Congress.gov. Their text and outcomes may differ; they are not the Senate stage of H.R.1500.

Related Senate bill: S.210 Right Start Child Care and Education Act of 2009

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Mar 12, 2009

Helping Families Afford to Work Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code relating to the dependent care tax credit to: (1) increase from $15,000 to $20,000 the income threshold at which the rate of such credit is reduced; (2) increase the rate of such credit from 35 to 50%; (3) increase the maximum dollar amount of such credit; and (4) make such credit refundable.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

People & committees

Who introduced it

Rep. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI-9] · D–MI

Committees

Ways and Means Committee

2 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Mar 12, 2009
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Mar 12, 2009
Introduced in House
Mar 12, 2009
Introduced in House

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in House · Mar 12, 2009 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

Source last updated: Aug 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.1500 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.1500, 111th Congress: Helping Families Afford to Work Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/1500

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2009-03-12.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/hr1500/BILLS-111hr1500ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-14T16:15:28Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze H.R.1500 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.1500 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.1500, 111th Congress: Helping Families Afford to Work Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/1500

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2009-03-12.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/hr1500/BILLS-111hr1500ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-14T16:15:28Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.1500 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.1500 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.1500, 111th Congress: Helping Families Afford to Work Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/1500

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2009-03-12.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/hr1500/BILLS-111hr1500ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-14T16:15:28Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.1500 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.1500 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.1500, 111th Congress: Helping Families Afford to Work Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/1500

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2009-03-12.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/hr1500/BILLS-111hr1500ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-14T16:15:28Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.1500 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.