Millions of family caregivers are providing unpaid care to loved ones with aging illnesses in New York and across the United States. 

The bipartisan Credit for Caring Act could help ease the financial burden, providing up to $5,000 in tax credits every year, but the bill has stalled in Congress. 

CBS News New York takes a deeper dive into who would benefit from the bill and why one New York City congressman is pushing hard for its passage. 

The heavy cost of caregiving

Dalma Riquelme spent years caring for her mother, who lost her battle with dementia last year.

Toward the end, it drained her spirit and savings. 

"She wasn't just my mom. She was my best friend," the 64-year-old Bronx native said. "She had begged me to keep her home when we first was told of her diagnosis." 

That came at a heavy cost since not all critical care equipment and essentials were covered by insurance. 

Riquelme had to shell out the cash. She estimated the cost was over $2,000 every month. 

"Getting the hospital bed to make sure that she was comfortable ... The Access-A-Ride was not always available, I had to find other options," she said. "By the middle of the month, she already ran out of her diapers, her lotion. She already ran out, so we would have to pay that out of pocket." 

Riquelme is working part time these days just to make ends meet. 

$600 billion in unpaid labor

The Credit for Caring Act was reintroduced in Congress this year. It would give family caregivers like Riquelme a $5,000 tax credit per year for things like adult day care, respite and transportation.

However, nothing suggests it is close to passing the U.S. House or the Senate.

"It is frustrating for me because this is something that I feel that anyone, whether you're blue or red states, would benefit from," Riquelme said.     

Bronx Congressman Ritchie Torres is one of dozens of lawmakers from both parties who supports the bill. 

"Washington, D.C., is deeply dysfunctional and not everyone in Congress sees the need to support caregiving," the Democrat said. "If you're living on a fixed income and you're struggling to survive, a diffusion of $5,000 would make an enormous difference." 

According to AARP, there are about 63 million caregivers across the country providing support to a parent, spouse or loved one, shouldering about $600 billion worth of unpaid labor every year. 

"Caregiving is work that deserves to be compensated and it's the lowest income families who often serve as caregivers," Torres said.

"It's time for them to be taken care of"

In New York state, more than 4 million people provide care to loved ones.

State Senator Cordell Cleare, who says she too was once a caregiver to her parents, now chairs the Committee on Aging in Albany.

"We're addressing social isolation, we're addressing food insecurity, we're looking at employment opportunities for seniors, we're looking at housing for seniors," Cleare said. 

Her office also organizes job fairs for seniors. 

"They took care of us. They took care of New New York, and now it's time for them to be taken care of," said Cleare, whose office also organizes job fairs for seniors. 

Riquelme echoes that sentiment and she is now advocating for other caregivers. 

"I want this bill, this act to finally get the support needed because there are still caregivers out there that are struggling." 

To learn more about the Credit for Caring Act, click here.