[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 116 (Friday, September 5, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8870-S8872]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DODD (for himself, Ms. Snowe, and Mr. Kennedy):
  S. 1151. A bill to amend subpart 8 of part A of title IV of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 to support the participation of low-income 
parents in postsecondary education through the provision of campus-
based child care; to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.


           THE CHILD CARE ACCESS MEANS PARENTS IN SCHOOL ACT

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I am pleased to rise today to introduce 
legislation to provide new support to needy college students struggling 
to balance their efforts in college with their role as parents. The 
CAMPUS--Child Care Access Means Parents in School Act will support the 
participation of low-income parents in college by supporting campus-
based child care. I am pleased to be joined in this effort by Senator 
Snowe and Senator Kennedy.
  The stereotypical college student is no longer an 18-year-old high 
school graduate. Increasingly, nontraditional students--older, with 
children and various job and life experiences--are filling the ranks of 
college classes. These students recognize the importance of college to 
future success.
  But these students face new barriers unheard of in earlier times. 
Many are parents and must provide for their children while in school. 
Campus-based child care is a vital necessity for parents attending 
college. It is conveniently located, available during the right hours, 
and of high quality and lower cost. Unfortunately, it is unavailable at 
many schools. Even where programs exist, they are often difficult to 
access, particularly for low-income parents who struggle with the 
costs.
  In the wake of welfare reform, new pressures are also coming to bear 
on low-income student parents. With the work requirements of the 
welfare reform bill, it will become increasingly difficult for students 
who are low-income parents to obtain Federal child care funds. States 
are likely to shift these funds to support welfare recipients returning 
to work, rather than to support low-income parents pursuing higher 
education. This outcome is particularly perverse given the impact of 
obtaining a college education on family earnings over time. Studies are 
clear: public assistance recipients who attend college are 
significantly more likely to leave welfare permanently.

[[Page S8871]]

  This bill will offer new hope to these students. It will provide 
support to campus-based child care programs serving low-income parents. 
Colleges can apply for these 3-year grants to assist the institution in 
supporting or establishing a campus-based child care program serving 
the needs of their low-income students. Funds will be targeted to 
institutions serving low-income students and programs focused on 
meeting these needs.
  Mr. President, this is a modest measure that will make a major 
difference to students. I am hopeful that it can be considered and 
enacted as part of the Higher Education Act which we will consider 
later this year. I look forward to working with my colleagues to move 
this important measure forward.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1151

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. CAMPUS-BASED CHILD CARE.

       Subpart 8 of part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act 
     of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070f) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:

     ``SEC. 420C. CAMPUS-BASED CHILD CARE.

       ``(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the `Child 
     Care Access Means Parents in School Act'.
       ``(b) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       ``(1) earning potential increases significantly when 
     individuals attend college for any period of time;
       ``(2) public assistance recipients who complete college are 
     more likely to leave public assistance permanently;
       ``(3) students who are parents and receive campus-based 
     child care are more likely to remain in school, and to 
     graduate more rapidly and at a higher rate than students who 
     are parents and do not receive campus-based child care;
       ``(4) students who are parents rate access to campus-based 
     child care programs as an important factor affecting their 
     college enrollment;
       ``(5) children placed in high quality child care programs 
     exhibit significant positive results from the experience, 
     including--
       ``(A) higher earnings as adults;
       ``(B) higher rates of secondary school graduation;
       ``(C) lower rates of retention in grade level;
       ``(D) lower rates of teenage pregnancy; and
       ``(E) reduced need for special education or social 
     services;
       ``(6) the public saves $7 for every $1 invested in quality 
     child care; and
       ``(7) campus-based child care programs may have an 
     increasingly difficult time accessing Federal child care 
     funds under the structure of the Personal Responsibility and 
     Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-
     193; 110 Stat. 2105).
       ``(c) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to support 
     the participation of low-income parents in postsecondary 
     education through the provision of campus-based child care 
     services.
       ``(d) Program Authorized.--
       ``(1) Authority.--The Secretary may award grants to 
     institutions of higher education to assist the institutions 
     in providing campus-based child care services to low-income 
     students.
       ``(2) Amount of grants.--
       ``(A) In general.--The amount of a grant awarded to an 
     institution of higher education under this section for a 
     fiscal year shall not exceed 1 percent of the total amount of 
     all Federal Pell Grant funds awarded to students enrolled at 
     the institution of higher education for the preceding fiscal 
     year.
       ``(B) Minimum.--A grant under this section shall be awarded 
     in an amount that is not less than $10,000.
       ``(3) Duration; renewal; and payments.--
       ``(A) Duration.--The Secretary shall award a grant under 
     this section for a period of 3 years.
       ``(B) Renewal.--A grant under this section may be renewed 
     for a period of 3 years.
       ``(C) Payments.--Subject to subsection (f)(2), the 
     Secretary shall make annual grant payments under this 
     section.
       ``(4) Eligible institutions.--An institution of higher 
     education shall be eligible to receive a grant under this 
     section for a fiscal year if the total amount of all Federal 
     Pell Grant funds awarded to students enrolled at the 
     institution of higher education for the preceding fiscal year 
     equals or exceeds $1,000,000.
       ``(5) Use of funds.--Grant funds under this section shall 
     be used by an institution of higher education to support or 
     establish a campus-based child care program serving the needs 
     of low-income students enrolled at the institution of higher 
     education.
       ``(6) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
     construed to prohibit an institution of higher education that 
     receives grant funds under this section from serving the 
     child care needs of the community served by the institution.
       ``(7) Definition of low-income student.--For the purpose of 
     this section, the term ``low-income student'' means a student 
     who is eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant for the 
     fiscal year for which the determination is made.
       ``(e) Applications.--An institution of higher education 
     desiring a grant under this section shall submit an 
     application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, 
     and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may 
     require. Each application shall--
       ``(1) demonstrate that the institution is an eligible 
     institution described in subsection (d)(4);
       ``(2) specify the amount of funds requested;
       ``(3) demonstrate the need of low-income students at the 
     institution for campus-based child care services by including 
     in the application student demographics and other relevant 
     data;
       ``(4) contain a description of the activities to be 
     assisted, including whether the grant funds will support an 
     existing child care program or a new child care program;
       ``(5) identify the resources the institution will draw upon 
     to support the child care program and the participation of 
     low-income students in the program, such as accessing social 
     services funding, using student activity fees to help pay the 
     costs of child care, using resources obtained by meeting the 
     needs of parents who are not low-income students, and 
     accessing foundation, corporate or other institutional 
     support, and demonstrate that the use of the resources will 
     not result in increases in student tuition;
       ``(6) contain an assurance that the institution will meet 
     the child care needs of low-income students through the 
     provision of services, or through a contract for the 
     provision of services;
       ``(7) in the case of an institution seeking assistance for 
     a new child care program--
       ``(A) provide a timeline, covering the period from receipt 
     of the grant through the provision of the child care 
     services, delineating the specific steps the institution will 
     take to achieve the goal of providing low-income students 
     with child care services;
       ``(B) specify any measures the institution will take to 
     assist low-income students with child care during the period 
     before the institution provides child care services; and
       ``(C) include a plan for identifying resources needed for 
     the child care services, including space in which to provide 
     child care services, and technical assistance if necessary;
       ``(8) contain an assurance that any child care facility 
     assisted under this section will meet the applicable State or 
     local government licensing, certification, approval, or 
     registration requirements; and
       ``(9) contain a plan for any child care facility assisted 
     under this section to become accredited within 3 years of the 
     date the institution first receives assistance under this 
     section.
       ``(f) Reporting Requirements; Continuing Eligibility.--
       ``(1) Reporting requirements.--
       ``(A) Reports.--Each institution of higher education 
     receiving a grant under this section shall report to the 
     Secretary 18 months and 36 months after receiving the first 
     grant payment under this section.
       ``(B) Contents.--The report shall include--
       ``(i) data on the population served under this section;
       ``(ii) information on campus and community resources and 
     funding used to help low-income students access child care 
     services;
       ``(iii) information on progress made toward accreditation 
     of any child care facility; and
       ``(iv) information on the impact of the grant on the 
     quality, availability, and affordability of campus-based 
     child care services.
       ``(2) Continuing eligibility.--The Secretary shall make the 
     third annual grant payment under this section to an 
     institution of higher education only if the Secretary 
     determines, on the basis of the 18-month report submitted 
     under paragraph (1), that the institution is making a good 
     faith effort to ensure that low-income students at the 
     institution have access to affordable, quality child care 
     services.
       ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated $60,000,000 for fiscal year 
     1998 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 4 
     succeeding fiscal years to carry out this section.''.

  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I am extremely pleased to join my colleague 
from Connecticut, Senator Dodd, to introduce the Child Care Access 
Means Parents in School Act [CAMPUS Act]. Senator Dodd and I have 
worked together to ensure access to quality child care, and this bill 
represents the next step in our shared commitment to this important 
issue. I am also pleased Senator Kennedy  has joined us as a cosponsor 
of this legislation, which provides grants to colleges in order to 
provide child care for low-income students.
  Mr. President, this is the time of year when countless American 
students return to college. At this time, we should remind ourselves 
that many Americans face obstacles that prevent them from participating 
in higher education. The absence of affordable and accessible child 
care is, unfortunately, one such obstacle.
  For many parents with young children, the availability of oncampus

[[Page S8872]]

child care services is central to their ability to attend college. 
Campus-based child care is conveniently located, available at the hours 
that fit students' schedules and often available at a lower cost than 
community-based child care centers. Student parents rate access to 
campus-based child care as an important factor affecting their college 
enrollment. Unfortunately, such services are often in very short 
supply, particularly for low-income parents who may find the cost of 
existing services prohibitive.
  Moreover, in order to meet the high demand for child care created by 
the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 
1996, States may divert funds away from programs currently providing 
campus-based child care services for low-income students and use the 
funds to provide child care to welfare recipients, because educational 
activities do not count as work under the act. This may leave students 
with less access to child care services. If we want to fulfill the 
goals of the welfare reform act and ensure that families are able to 
remain financially self-sufficient, we need to ensure that low-income 
parents have access to higher education and affordable and convenient 
child care. This is crucial given that people who receive public 
assistance and then complete college are far more likely to leave 
welfare permanently than those who do not.
  There is no question that a person's earning potential increases 
dramatically with a college degree. According to the Census Bureau, in 
1990 the average income for high school graduates was almost $18,000. 
Those who had 1 to 3 years of college education, however, earned an 
average of $24,000. And those who graduated from college received an 
average salary of $31,000.
  Higher education is crucial to getting a job in today's global job 
market. More than half of the new jobs that have been and will be 
created between 1995 and 2000 will require education beyond high 
school. While nearly 40 percent of American jobs are currently in low-
skill occupations, only 27 percent will fall in that category by the 
year 2000. Over the same period, high-skill occupations will grow from 
24 to 41 percent of the work force. Getting the skills necessary to 
meet these market demands simply requires higher and higher levels of 
educational achievement.
  For many low-income students who are parents, the availability of 
campus-based child care is key to their ability to receive a higher 
education and thus achieve the American dream. Student parents are more 
likely to remain in school, and to graduate sooner and at a higher rate 
if they have campus-based child care. Child care services are 
particularly critical for older students who choose to go back to 
school to get their degree or to improve their skills through advanced 
education. This is especially important in today's economy where people 
need to continuously train and retrain in order to meet the demands of 
high-technology jobs.
  Children placed in campus-based child care also reap numerous 
benefits, given its very high quality. In fact, children in high-
quality child care exhibit higher earnings as adults, higher rates of 
secondary school graduation, lower rates of teen pregnancy, and a 
reduced need for special education or costly social services. We also 
know that quality child care is cost efficient--the public saves $7 for 
every $1 invested in child care.
  The bill we are introducing today will help bring the American dream 
within the reach of numerous American parents who need child care in 
order to attend college. The CAMPUS Act will amend title IV of the 
Higher Education Act to help provide campus-based child care to low-
income parents seeking a college degree. Under the bill, the Secretary 
of Education will award 3-year grants to institutions of higher 
education to support or help establish a campus-based child care 
program serving the needs of low-income student parents. The Secretary 
will award $60 million in grants--equal to 1 percent of total Pell 
grant funding--based on an application submitted by the institution, 
and the grant amount will be linked to the institution's Pell grant 
funding level.
  Under the bill, Pell grant recipients will be eligible for child 
care, to ensure that services target low-income students. In 1995-96, 
there were approximately 3.6 million Pell grant recipients, and almost 
17,000 Maine residents received Pell grants. Students typically qualify 
for Pell grants if their income is under $30,000 per year. This bill 
will make a true difference in the lives of many low-income students 
who need child care to attend school.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation which will 
truly make a difference in the lives of numerous American parents who 
wish to attend college.

                          ____________________