[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 25 (Wednesday, March 11, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H1026]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONGRESS FACES HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY TO ACT ON TOBACCO-RELATED DISEASES 
                         AND CHILD CARE ISSUES

  (Ms. DeLauro asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the President came to Connecticut 
and talked about the many challenges facing American parents as they 
try to raise happy and healthy children. On one hand there is an 
epidemic of teen smoking. Three thousand kids start smoking every day, 
a thousand of whom will die from tobacco-related illnesses.
  On the other hand, there is an appalling lack of affordable and 
quality child care for working parents in this country. Multi-State 
studies have proven that nearly half of the care in this country for 
very young children is of such poor quality that it threatens their 
health and their safety.
  Luckily, as the President said yesterday, we have a historic 
opportunity to act on both of these issues. By supporting tobacco 
legislation that stops this billion dollar special interest from 
killing our kids, we can make a difference.
  We can save our children. We can save their lives and provide them 
with quality, affordable, accessible child care. I urge my colleagues 
to support our children and stop supporting the special interests.

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