[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 79 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 79

  Designating May 1, 2001, as ``National Child Care Worthy Wage Day''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 1, 2001

  Mr. Corzine (for himself, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Dodd, Mrs. Carnahan, Mr. 
    Cleland, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Kerry, and Mr. Feingold) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                            on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Designating May 1, 2001, as ``National Child Care Worthy Wage Day''.

Whereas approximately 13,000,000 children are in out-of-home care during part or 
        all of the day so that their parents may work;
Whereas the average salary of early childhood educators is $15,000 per year, and 
        only \1/3\ have health insurance and even fewer have a pension plan;
Whereas the quality of child care and other early childhood education programs 
        is directly linked to the quality of early childhood educators, and low 
        wages make it difficult to attract qualified individuals to the 
        profession;
Whereas the turnover rate of early childhood educators is approximately 30 
        percent per year because of low wages and lack of benefits, making it 
        difficult to retain high quality educators, and research has 
        demonstrated that young children require caring relationships to have a 
        consistent presence in their lives for their positive development;
Whereas the compensation of early childhood educators must be commensurate with 
        the importance of the job of helping the young children of the United 
        States develop their social, emotional, physical, and intellectual 
        skills to be ready for school;
Whereas the cost of adequate compensation cannot be funded by further burdening 
        parents with higher child care fees but requires public as well as 
        private resources so that quality care and education is accessible for 
        all families; and
Whereas the Center for the Child Care Workforce and other early childhood 
        education organizations recognize May 1st as National Child Care Worthy 
        Wage Day: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates May 1, 2001, as ``National Child Care Worthy 
        Wage Day''; and
            (2) requests that the President issue a proclamation 
        calling on the people of the United States to observe 
        ``National Child Care Worthy Wage Day'' by honoring early 
        childhood educators and programs in their communities and by 
        working together to resolve the early childhood educator 
        compensation crisis.
                                 <all>