Ivanka Trump hosts meeting with lawmakers at White House on child care tax proposal, paid leave
It's unusual for the child of a president to host a policy meeting.
— -- Ivanka Trump hosted Republican members of Congress at the White House last week to discuss some of her personal legislative priorities -- a childcare tax proposal and paid maternity leave, according to a White House official and a Senate GOP aide.
News of the White House meeting was first reported by Bloomberg News.
It is unusual for the child of a president -- with no formal role in her father's administration -- to host a policy meeting with lawmakers inside the West Wing.
The White House official noted that Ivanka has been long been passionate about the issue and that it remains a priority.
A spokesperson for Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, said the senator attended the Wednesday evening meeting in the Roosevelt Room, where the group of GOP lawmakers discussed Trump's proposed childcare tax benefit and paid leave. Fischer introduced a paid leave bill earlier this month.
Ivanka has back-channeled with members of Congress on the issues she trumpeted during her father's campaign. This fall, she met with female Republican lawmakers at the RNC for a discussion on the same topic.
Members of the Trump transition team discussed the childcare tax proposal with staff on the tax-writing House Ways and Mean Committee in a phone call last month.
Ways and Means Committee chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, said his committee staff has had "productive" discussions with the Trump team about the proposal.
“We've had some preliminary and very productive discussions with the Trump transition team and their desire to make child care more affordable for families," he said to reporters recently. "So we’re exploring a number of options. They’ve brought some ideas forward, and it’s early in those discussions, but we’re having them."
Asked by ABC News' Cecilia Vega about Ivanka Trump's role in the administration following her participation in several White House meetings, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the first daughter's role is "to provide input" on issues about which she has deep personal concern -- particularly as it relates to women.
"I think her role is to provide input on a variety of areas that she has deep compassion and concerns about especially women in the work force and empowering women," Spicer said. "She has as a lot of expertise and wants to offer that especially in the area of trying to help women, she understands that firsthand an I think because of the success she's had her goal is to try to figure out any understanding she has as a business woman, to help and empower women with the opportunity and success she's had."
On Thursday, Ivanka participated in several meetings at the White House with President Trump and top White House officials, as they met with business leaders. A day earlier, she met with minority business owners in the Baltimore area.
The president's eldest daughter also participated in a roundtable with female business leaders when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited the White House earlier this month.
In an exclusive interview with ABC News last month, Ivanka Trump dismissed speculation that she would take on some of the first lady's responsibilities in the White House.
“There is one first lady, and she’ll do remarkable things,” she told ABC News’ “20/20."
Trump has also walked away from her personal businesses, while in Washington.
ABC News' Cecilia Vega contributed to this report.
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