[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 57 (Wednesday, May 11, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 11, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                      OUR CHILDREN ARE IN TROUBLE

                                 ______


                          HON. LEE H. HAMILTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 11, 1994

  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I would like to insert my Washington 
Report for Wednesday, May 11, 1994 into the Congressional Record:

                      Our Children Are In Trouble

       Our children are in trouble. We have many reasons to be 
     concerned about the quality of their lives. Every day we hear 
     yet another story of horrible violence perpetrated on or by 
     children; poor educational performance; neglect; or unmet 
     health needs. Yet a recent study indicates that the greatest 
     crisis is among those that we usually hear least about--
     children under three. They are the most vulnerable members of 
     society, unable to speak for or defend themselves in any way.


                     The Most Crucial Years of Life

       The importance of good care during the prenatal months and 
     in early childhood is hard to overstate. Recent research 
     indicates that brain development in the first year of life is 
     much more rapid and vulnerable to environmental influences 
     than previously suspected. For example, poor nutrition in the 
     early months can interfere with brain development seriously 
     enough to cause learning disabilities and behavioral 
     problems. Whether parents interact with children in a 
     positive and stimulating way profoundly affects their ability 
     to learn, communicate, and relate to others. Moreover, these 
     effects are long-lasting and not always reversible. A child's 
     ability to succeed in high school is substantially related to 
     what happens by age three.


                          The ``Quiet Crisis''

       Despite the importance of these early years, we fail young 
     children far too often. Families with children under age 
     three constitute the single largest group living in poverty 
     in the U.S.: 25% of these families are poor. Most of these 
     families are headed by one parent, usually the mother. Often, 
     they live in unsafe neighborhoods with poor access to good 
     child care, health care, or other services.
       More divorces, single-parent families, and less support 
     from the extended family and community have made parents feel 
     more isolated in raising their young children. Over half of 
     mothers return to the workforce within a year of the baby's 
     birth. Many infants and toddlers spend 35 or more hours per 
     week in substandard child care, with little developmental 
     stimulation. Only half of infants and toddlers are regularly 
     read to by their parents.
       One-third of the victims of child abuse are babies; over 
     half of those who die from abuse or neglect are less than a 
     year old. Nearly a quarter of all pregnant women in America 
     receive little or no prenatal care. The percentage of babies 
     who die before age one is higher in the U.S. than it is in 19 
     other nations, and we rank 30th in the world in the number of 
     low-birthweight babies. The leading cause of death among 
     children aged one to four is unintentional injury. Babies are 
     the fastest growing category of children entering foster 
     care. About 45% of two-year-olds are not fully immunized 
     against preventable childhood diseases.


                            how can we help?

       Children deserve a decent start in life. There are a few 
     key ways in which we can reduce the risks they face.
       First, we must promote responsible parenthood. Children 
     born to single parents are much more likely to grow up in 
     poverty. The risks facing children born to unmarried teens 
     are even more daunting: nearly three-quarters of these 
     families will be on welfare within four years. Yet the U.S. 
     has one of the worst adolescent pregnancy rates in the 
     industrialized world, and over half of all pregnancies in the 
     U.S. are unintended. Parenting is probably the most important 
     responsibility that human beings undertake, and it is also 
     intensely personal. But we as a society should encourage 
     people to be prepared physically, emotionally, and 
     financially for this responsibility. We must educate 
     teenagers about the risks of adolescent pregnancy and 
     encourage them to make responsible choices. Teens who do 
     become pregnant must be provided with the assistance they 
     need in order to become good parents. Unmarried fathers must 
     be held accountable for their children's welfare. All parents 
     must be made to understand the critical importance of their 
     children's early years.
       Second, access to quality child care must be improved. 
     Incentives should be provided to employers to give parental 
     leave. The dependent care tax credit should be made 
     refundable so that low- and moderate-income families can 
     continue to strive for economic self-sufficiency. Child care 
     providers should receive training in early childhood 
     development. Efforts should be made to decrease turnover 
     among child care providers so that children receive more 
     continuity in their care. Congress should pass legislation to 
     improve the quality of Head Start programs, which provide 
     important educational services to many low-income children. 
     We should look at ways to expand Head Start so that it may 
     provide high-quality care to all eligible children.
       Third, we must ensure that children are healthy and safe. 
     Children should be able to grow up in safe homes and 
     neighborhoods. Last year the Congress enacted a law to ensure 
     that vaccinations are more affordable and accessible. parents 
     should continue to be more aware of the importance of 
     immunizations. The Women, Infants, and Children supplemental 
     nutrition program (WIC) significantly improves the health of 
     pregnant women and children, and should be expanded to serve 
     all eligible families. Home visits by nurses and social 
     workers to first-time or at-risk mothers can improve 
     parenting skills and the safety of the home environment.


                               conclusion

       Many of the difficulties families face result from larger 
     problems of society which urgently need attention. Violence 
     affects all of us, but children are particularly vulnerable. 
     Economic demands require parents to work long hours and spend 
     less time with their children. A lack of good jobs in some 
     areas, particularly in inner cities, gives youngsters little 
     hope for the future and makes them less likely to avoid 
     premature sexual activity.
       Government can do a lot to address these problems, but all 
     of us have an obligation to protect and nurture our most 
     vulnerable citizens: our children. We have to support parents 
     who are struggling, working through our churches, schools, 
     civic groups, and community organizations to give them the 
     help they need. We must send a clear message to parents who 
     neglect their children that their failure will not be 
     tolerated. And perhaps most fundamentally, we have to raise 
     our own children to be responsible adults who will in turn 
     raise their children well.

                          ____________________