[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 160 (Thursday, November 13, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H10775]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   MAKING 1998 THE YEAR OF THE CHILD

  (Mr. McGOVERN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, today Congress is scheduled to adjourn for 
1997. It is a good day to assess what we have done this year for 
American children and what issues we need to pursue more vigorously 
next year.
  This year, Democrats succeeded in forcing the Republican majority to 
provide $24 billion in health care for uninsured children. We fought to 
protect public education from the majority's radical voucher 
experiments and anti-education block grants. My colleagues, the 
gentlewoman from Connecticut [Ms. DeLauro], the gentleman from Maryland 
[Mr. Hoyer], the gentlewoman from Maryland [Mrs. Morella] and I 
succeeded in crafting legislation that gives our children the support 
they need during their first 3 years of life to grow up healthy and 
develop to their fullest potential.
  But there is so much more that needs to be done. I have urged the 
President to make early childhood development issues the centerpiece of 
his State of the Union address next year. I urge my colleagues from 
both sides of the aisle to join Representatives DeLauro, Hoyer, Morella 
and me in sending the President legislation early next year that gives 
our kids access to affordable, high-quality child care and early 
education programs. Let us agree today to make 1998 ``The Year of the 
Child.''

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