[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 155 (Friday, November 7, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S12039]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               CHILD CARE

 Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, on October 23, 1997, President 
Clinton convened the first ever White House Conference on Child Care. 
This important summit examined one of the most critical issues facing 
American families today, the need for safe, affordable, quality child 
care. I rise today to commend the President for working to focus public 
attention on this very important matter, and to urge the Senate to move 
quickly to address the critical issues facing us with regard to our 
children's future.
  Mr. President, it has long been my view that our children are our 
greatest national resource and must number among our country's highest 
priorities. Nationwide, nearly 10 million preschool children spend a 
part of their day in child care, and there are many more school-age 
children who spend portions of their afternoons under the supervision 
of someone other than a parent when the school day ends. These children 
need care that will enable them to learn and grow, while keeping them 
safe, healthy, and happy.
  There can be no disagreement that high quality child care and early 
childhood development services are absolutely essential to the well-
being of our children and our families. In fact, recent research 
findings in early brain development indicate that much of children's 
growth and future emotional health is determined by early learning and 
care. This research emphasizes the urgent need for well-trained 
reliable child care-givers for even the youngest of children, and 
underscores the importance of continued Federal support for child care 
programs. Whether these programs are called child care, early childhood 
development, or early childhood education they all must provide the 
nurturing and stimulation children need to develop fully, to enter 
school ready to learn, and to grow into capable and responsible adults.
  While quality of care is the most important consideration for parents 
choosing a child care provider for their families, many parents must 
take into consideration the high cost of child care in this country. 
According to the 1995 Census, middle class families earning 
approximately $36,000 a year spend 12 percent of their annual income in 
child care expenses, and families earning $15,000 or less a year pay 
approximately 25 percent of their household income on care for their 
children. For these parents child care is an enormous financial burden.
  In my own State of Maryland, many parents are struggling to hold jobs 
and at the same time provide quality care for their children. While the 
State of Maryland is a leader in day care financing, in 1994, there 
were approximately 4,000 children on the waiting list for child care 
assistance. Many of these children's parents must daily live with the 
fear that their child care situation is inadequate or that their 
carefully patched together child care arrangements will fall apart. We 
can--and we must--do better.
  The Federal Government has a crucial responsibility to support and 
protect society's youngest members. As a nation we must work to empower 
low-income parents so that they may meet their children's needs by 
providing access to affordable, quality child care. As a member of the 
Senate, I have co-sponsored previous legislation to address these 
pressing issues including the Act for Better Child Care Services which 
led to the authorization of the Child Care and Development Block Grant, 
and I have continued to work with my colleagues to ensure that Federal 
investments in the care and development of young children yield 
concrete results.
  The White House Child Care Conference has provided us with a strong 
foundation on which to build and expand our Nation's child care 
programs, and has already begun to yield tangible results. Proposals 
resulting from the White House conference include the creation of a 
national child care provider scholarship fund to improve training, 
education, and compensation for child care providers, and a National 
Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact to increase the efficiency and 
effectiveness of background checks on child care providers. These 
proposals are useful first steps to bolster Federal child care 
programs, and to address issues of quality, accessibility, and 
affordability of reliable child care.
  Mr. President, it is imperative to remember that children represent 
the future of this Nation. Unless we provide those generations to come 
with the knowledge and skills needed to function successfully in an 
increasingly complex world, we not only imperil the futures of our 
children--we imperil the future of our Nation. We must continue to 
invest in the future of our children by renewing our commitment to 
quality child care, and I urge my colleagues to join me in this effort. 


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