Daycare is expensive because daycare is expensive.

Sure. So is medical care. The ACA requires any company of 50 employees, or more, to offer medical coverage. The government could pass a similar requirement for daycare. Either on-site, or a reimbursement situation for private daycare. We're not talking about reducing costs, we're talking about employment benefit (or at least I am).

Seems pretty easy, really. The bigger concern is what the other poster mentioned: discrimination. Not hiring a person with children because of the required benefit. However, that can be at least partially addressed by prohibiting the asking of the question during the hiring process. You already can't ask -I believe- about medical conditions, political affiliations, sexual orientation, and a lot more. Just add that you can't ask about children, or plans for children.

We're shifting the burden of daycare, not reducing the cost.