[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 52 (Thursday, April 15, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E666]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                 THE CARING FOR AMERICA'S CHILDREN ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 15, 1999

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the Caring for 
America`s Children Act, in an effort to effectively stimulate the 
demand for higher quality care for our Nation`s children while 
stimulatenously removing barriers and providing resources to improve 
the quality of child care in the United States.
  Child care continues to be a worry for most families as stories 
continue to surface about the lack of quality child care. Moreover, 
research has clearly demonstrated that a high-quality child care 
program is one that makes the healthy development and education of 
children its first objective and strives to stimulate the learning 
process of all children through developmentally appropriate activities 
that foster social, emotional, and intellectual growth. In addition, 
families in today`s society are increasingly required to have both 
parents enter the work force. Accordingly, the demand for quality child 
care is increasing as is the need for credentialed and accredited child 
care providers.
  Accordingly, this act will stimulate the demand for higher quality 
child care for our Nation's children while simultaneously removing 
barriers and providing resources to improve the quality of child care 
in the United States.
  Many of my colleagues may have read about the tragic circumstances 
surrounding the Fiedelhotz family in Florida. The Fiedelhotz` son 
Jeremy died after only 2 hours at a day care facility. Though this 
tragedy should have never happened, it is an unfortunate example of 
what can and may continue to happen unless we encourage and inform all 
parents about the need for accredited and credentialed child care 
providers and facilities.
  Caring for America's Children Act through the Tax Code will encourage 
the demand for accredited or credentialed child care. This will be 
accomplished in the following manner: First, by increasing the amount 
which an employee can contribute to a dependent care assistance plan if 
a child is in accredited or credentialed child care; second, changing 
the dependent care tax credit to allow parents to receive a higher and 
more equitable dependent day care credit; third providing tax benefits 
for employees which provide quality child care; fourth, extending 
eligibility for businesses to take a qualified charitable deduction for 
the donation of educational equipment and materials to public schools, 
accredited or credentialed nonprofit child care providers; fifth, 
establishing a $260 million competitive grant program to assist States 
in improving the quality of child care; sixth, expanding public 
information and technical assistance services to identify and 
disseminate to the public what is important for child development in 
child care; seventh, providing $50 million to create and operate a 
technology-based training infrastructure to enable child care providers 
nationwide to receive the training, education, and support they need to 
improve the quality of child care; eighth, creating a child care 
training revolving fund to enable child care providers and child care 
support entities to purchase computers, satellite dishes, and other 
technological equipment which enable them to participate in the child 
care training provided on the national infrastructure; and ninth, 
requiring that all Federal child care centers will have to meet all 
State and local licensing and other regulatory requirements related to 
the provision of child care, within 6 months of the passage of this 
legislation.
  I want to urge all of my colleagues to review this bill and to 
consponsor this important bill. Our children are our future and we must 
insist that they receive the best care possible, especially during 
their early development years.
  Accordingly, I urge your support.

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