[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 24, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7389-S7390]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



[[Page S7389]]

          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mrs. KASSEBAUM (for herself, Mr. Coats, Mr. Jeffords, Mr. 
        Kennedy, Mr. Dodd, and Mr. Inouye):
  S. 850. A bill to amend the Child Care and Development Block Grant 
Act of 1990 to consolidate Federal child care programs, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.


   the child care and development block grant amendments act of 1995

  Mrs. KASSEBAUM. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Child 
Care and Development Block Grant Amendments Act of 1995 on behalf of 
myself, Senator Coats, Senator Kennedy, Senator Dodd, Senator Inouye, 
and Senator Jeffords. This legislation reauthorizes the child care and 
development block grant of 1990 and makes several important changes to 
the law.
  The funding and leadership that the Federal Government has provided 
for child care has played a critical role in assisting low-income 
working families to maintain stable employment and helping welfare 
recipients gain independence. As States try to move welfare recipients 
into employment, the availability of affordable, quality child care 
will be of even greater importance. If Congress and the States are 
committed to having welfare reform succeed, then there needs to be a 
partnership between Federal and State governments to allocate funding 
for quality child care.
  The child care and development block grant was enacted in 1990 with 
bipartisan support. Congress recognized that there was a lack of 
adequate child care for many low-income families. This continues to be 
a nationwide problem.
  According to a 1991 report by the Bureau of the Census, 31 million 
children under the age of 15 had mothers employed outside the home--
almost 2 million of these children were infants under 1 year of age. 
This trend is continuing, with more and more mothers entering the work 
force each year. It has become increasingly difficult for low-income 
working parents to find affordable child care. Despite the significant 
contributions the child care and development block grant and other 
Federal child care programs have made in assisting families with their 
child care needs, there are waiting lists for child care subsidies in 
almost every State. If Congress does not continue to commit Federal 
funding for child care, these waiting lists will continue to grow, and 
efforts to reform the welfare system will fail.
  The legislation which my colleagues and I are introducing provides 
States funding to provide quality child care for low-income families 
through a unified child care system. The Child Care and Development 
Block Grant Amendments Act of 1995 consolidates Federal discretionary 
programs that provide child care services. The primary goal of this 
bill is to ensure that there is a seamless system of child care where 
it counts the most--at the point where the parent, child, and provider 
meet.
  This legislation maintains most of the critical provisions of the 
child care and development block grant--a program that has been working 
successfully in the States since its enactment. The bill emphasizes 
access to quality child care, parental choice, and consumer education. 
The bill continues to minimal health and safety standards established 
in 1990. The 1995 amendments to the act provide States with the 
flexibility to improve the quality and supply of child care, to design 
eligibility requirements through a sliding fee scale, and to provide 
broader access to referral and resource services for parents and 
providers. Provisions in the legislation ensure that Federal funds that 
States use for child care will be funneled through the existing State 
system designed to implement the child care and development block 
grant. The legislation also includes several important provisions 
designed to improve the availability of quality child care for native 
American families.
  The Child Care and Development Block Grant Amendments Act of 1995 
consolidates two discretionary programs, the State Department Care 
Planning and Development Grants and the Child Development Associate 
Credential Scholarship Program. The program is authorized for $1 
billion in 1996, and such sums as necessary through the year 2000. This 
authorization level is based on current funding levels for all three 
programs, with a slight increase for inflation.
  I invite my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join with 
Senator Coats, Senator Jeffords, Senator Kennedy, Senator Dodd, Senator 
Inouye, and me in cosponsoring the Child Care and Development Block 
Grant Amendments Act of 1995. I hope there is as much bipartisan 
support for this reauthorization as there was for the original 
legislation.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that additional material be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:
   The Child Care and Development Block Grant Amendments Act of 1995


                                summary

       1. Authorization: The Child Care and Development Block 
     Grant (CCDBG) is amended to include two discretionary 
     programs, the State Dependent Care Planning and Development 
     Grants and the Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) 
     Scholarships, into a discretionary block grant with no state 
     match required. This is consistent with the current CCDBG 
     structure. The authorization for fiscal year 1996 is 
     $1,000,000,000 and such sums as necessary through the year 
     2000.
       II. State Requirements:
       A. The health and safety standards that were included in 
     the CCDBG when it was enacted in 1990, are maintained. These 
     standards are broadly defined, and states are given 
     discretion in enforcing them. The standards are: (1) the 
     prevention and control of infectious diseases; (2) building 
     and physical premises safety; and (3) minimum health and 
     safety training appropriate to the provider setting. 
     Providers receiving funds from the block grant (via contract 
     or parent voucher) must meet any existing state and local 
     licensing and regulatory requirements.
       B. The quality set-aside, which is part of the 1990 act, is 
     maintained. However, it is more broadly defined and gives 
     states discretion in how they choose to spend the money. The 
     only required quality activity is that states must provide 
     consumer education to encourage maximum parental choice and 
     improve availability of child care through a comprehensive 
     referral and resource system. The set-aside is 15 percent of 
     the state allotment.
       C. States are required to submit a plan, similar to what 
     they currently are providing under the CCDBG, which 
     designates a lead agency and outlines procedures that are in 
     place for assuring parental choice of providers, parental 
     complaints, consumer education, and compliance with state and 
     local licensing and health and safety requirements.
       D. States shall submit a report to the Secretary of HHS 
     every 2 years specifying how they used the money, the number 
     of children who were assisted, activities that were 
     implemented to encourage a public-private partnership, and 
     the extent and manner in which they implemented a resource 
     and referral network.
       E. States are required to establish a sliding fee scale 
     that ensures a representative distribution of participation 
     among the working poor and welfare recipients.
       F. States may not expend more than 5 percent on 
     administrative costs.
       G. If states expend monies for child care from other 
     federal funding sources, then this funding shall be allocated 
     through the CCDBG. This will reduce federal regulations and
      requirements by establishing one consolidated child care 
     program. This will also provide beneficiaries with more 
     stability in child care since eligibility requirements 
     will be streamlined.
       III. Enforcement Mechanisms: If a state is determined (via 
     the HHS appeals and hearing process) to have improperly 
     expended the block grant funds, the Secretary is given the 
     option of: (1) imposing additional requirements to ensure 
     state compliance or correct areas of noncompliance with the 
     act; (2) require states to repay funds improperly expended; 
     (3) deduct from the administrative portion of the state 
     allotment an amount less than or equal to the improperly 
     expended funds; (4) or a combination of these options.
       IV. Indian Tribes: The following provisions have been added 
     for Indian tribes: (1) allowing tribes to use funds for 
     facilities construction if the Secretary of HHS determines 
     that this is a barrier to providing child care (this applies 
     only to Indian tribes); (2) allowing any tribal allotments 
     that are not expended to be redistributed to other tribes, 
     which is similar to what happens with unused state 
     allotments; and (3) exempting tribes from state licensing 
     requirements and allowing the Secretary, in consultation with 
     the tribes, to develop minimum standards for child care 
     providers that takes into account tribes' needs and available 
     resources. The set-aside for Indian tribes of up to 3 
     percent, which is part of the 1990 law, has been maintained.


                      programs to be consolidated

       Child Care and Development Block Grant--discretionary grant 
     program to help low-income parents pay for child care, to 
     expand [[Page S7390]] early childhood development programs to 
     improve the availability and quality of care. No state match 
     is required. (Enacted in 1990 as part of OBRA '90)
       FY 94 Actual, $893 million.
       FY 95 Enacted, $935 million.
       State Dependent Care Planning and Development Grants--
     discretionary grant program for child care resource and 
     referral and for before- and after-school child care 
     services. Provides a 75 percent federal matching rate to 
     states.
       FY 94 Actual, $13 million.
       FY 95 Enacted, $13 million.
       Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) Scholarships--
     discretionary grant program to states to provide scholarships 
     to qualified child care workers to cover the cost of the CDA 
     application, assessment, and credentialing. This credential 
     is awarded by the Council for Early Childhood Professional 
     Recognition. No state match is required.
       FY 94 Actual, $1 million.
       FY 95 Enacted, $1 million.
 Mr. COATS. Mr. President, today, I am pleased to join Senator 
Kassebaum in introducing the Child Care and Development Block Grant 
Amendments Act of 1995. Since its passage in 1990, this program has, 
and continues to enjoy strong bipartisan, community and grassroots 
support. With the assistance provided under this act thousands of 
families have, for the first time, been able to work without fearing 
the placement of their children in less than quality child care 
environments.
  Currently, 55 percent of all working families enroll their children 
in some form of child care. The dramatic increase in labor force 
participation of mothers continues to heighten our awareness of the 
need for child services. And with the imminent passage of welfare 
reform, the need will undoubtedly be even greater.
  The goals of a Federal child care program are many. First, to ensure 
a safe, healthy and stimulating environment for the children. Second, 
to afford parents the maximum amount of choice in the selection of a 
provider. Third, to assist with the availability of child care slots. 
Fourth, to ensure that limited Federal dollars are targeted to those 
most in need. And fifth, to distribute funds to States in a way that 
makes sense, eliminates redtape, and ensures maximum use of resources.
  I believe we have met each of these goals in this legislation.
  First, we continue the minimum health and safety standards negotiated 
in 1990. These standards are not prescriptive but they do insist that 
child care providers provide a safe and healthy environment for 
children in their care. Second, parents are able to select from a wide 
range of child care providers through the use of direct grants, 
contracts, and parent certificates. These include sectarian providers 
and family day care homes which currently are the largest group of 
providers of child care services. Third, the authorization level 
reflect a continued Federal priority for quality child care services. 
Expansion of available child care slots is important, but is equally 
important to maintain quality in our expansion efforts. The Kassebaum-
Coats bill strikes this important balance in authorizing a 15-percent 
set-aside for quality improvement. Fourth, the bill targets dollars to 
the working poor by requiring States to establish a sliding fee scale 
for families up to 100 percent of the State medium income. And finally, 
we have included language to ensure that Federal resources used for 
child care are consolidated into one, uniform system.
  This last point is significant. In recent years, growing concern has 
been expressed about the number of Federal child care programs. The 
General Accounting Office reports there are currently 93 different 
child care programs administered by 11 Federal agencies and 20 offices, 
at a total cost to the taxpayer of at least $11.5 billion, and that 
does not include various tax programs targeted at families with 
children.
  The Kassebaum-Coats bill ensures that those dollars will be used in a 
way that meets the goals of our Federal child care policy and not in 
ways that contravene it.
  In addressing child care within the context of the welfare reform 
debate we must be careful not to force parents to choose between work, 
and quality day care. Many families, especially low-income working 
families, need help with their child care needs. Solutions and welfare 
reform must be pursued with compassionate realism, recognizing our 
budgetary limitations, but motivated by a concern for children and 
their best interests. The Kassebaum-Coats bill, coupled with the block 
grant and cash assistance program will significantly help those 
entering the work force with their child care needs--and does so in a 
way that is fiscally responsible.
  I would again like to thank Senator Kassebaum for her leadership in 
this area, and hope that this legislation receives swift approval in 
the Senate.


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