[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 131 Introduced in House (IH)]





105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 131

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Federal 
commitment to early childhood development programs should be supported 
by sufficient funding to meet the needs of infants and toddlers in the 
         areas of health, nutrition, education, and child care.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 24, 1997

Mr. Kennedy of Massachusetts submitted the following resolution; which 
      was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Federal 
commitment to early childhood development programs should be supported 
by sufficient funding to meet the needs of infants and toddlers in the 
         areas of health, nutrition, education, and child care.

Whereas in 1995, there were 11,800,000 children younger than age three in the 
        United States and about one in four of these children lived in poor 
        families (with annual incomes less than $12,158 for a family of three);
Whereas groundbreaking scientific research shows that children's experiences 
        during their first three years of life determine how the intricate 
        circuitry of their brains are ``wired'' and lay the foundation for their 
        future development;
Whereas failure to provide young children what they need during this period has 
        long-term consequences and costs for the larger society;
Whereas children need certain supports such as a close and supportive 
        relationship with their parents and other nurturing adults, good health 
        care and adequate nutrition, good child care, and strong families with 
        sufficient incomes to provide children with the essentials necessary for 
        sound development during these critical years if they are to thrive and 
        grow to be contributing adults;
Whereas in 1995, about one out of every seven children under the age of three 
        had no health insurance and were therefore more likely to experience 
        poorer health and to go without cost-effective preventive care, and were 
        less likely to see a doctor;
Whereas about one out of five pregnant women in America did not get early 
        prenatal care in 1994;
Whereas children born to mothers who do not get prenatal care are more likely to 
        be born with dangerously low birthweight and need costly newborn care;
Whereas in 1994-1995, more than half of the States had as many as one out of 
        every four children between 19 months and three years of age who were 
        not fully immunized against childhood diseases;
Whereas children who are not immunized are more likely to contact preventable 
        diseases which can cause long-term harm;
Whereas malnutrition during a child's early years has far more devastating 
        consequences than at later points in such child's life, and can 
        seriously inhibit children's growth and development;
Whereas low-income children are at particular risk to be severely underweight 
        and clinically malnourished;
Whereas three out of five mothers with children younger than three were in the 
        labor force in 1995, with many, therefore, relying on child care centers 
        or family child care homes to care for their children while they work;
Whereas studies show children in poor quality care are more likely to have 
        delayed cognitive and language development and prereading skills, are 
        more likely to spend substantial amounts of unoccupied time not engaged 
        in social interactions, are more likely to be insecurely attached to 
        their caregivers, and are more likely to display aggression; and
Whereas child care for infants and toddlers is in short supply, with three out 
        of four parents of young children in a national poll stating there is an 
        insufficient supply of child care for infants in their communities: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This resolution may be cited as the ``Zero to Three Resolution for 
Early Childhood Development''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

    It is the sense of the House of Representatives that--
            (1) sufficient funding should be provided to meet the needs 
        of infants and toddlers through--
                    (A) the Healthy Start program established under 
                section 301 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
                241);
                    (B) the special supplemental nutrition program for 
                women, infants, and children (WIC) established under 
                section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 
                U.S.C. 1786);
                    (C) Head Start programs and those programs under 
                the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) that 
                provide services for families with infants and 
                toddlers;
                    (D) programs for infants and toddlers with 
                disabilities under part H of the Individuals with 
                Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1471 et seq.); 
                and
                    (E) programs under the Child Care and Development 
                Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.); and
            (2) legislation should be enacted during the 105th Congress 
        to expand health insurance to provide coverage for all of 
        America's uninsured children.
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