[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 9 (Thursday, February 7, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E118]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  THE TANF REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2001

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                    HON. JUANITA MILLENDER-McDONALD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 7, 2002

  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, all too often, we forget that 
work-first policies do not just affect adult individuals.
  We must remember that--when we talk about adults--we are also talking 
about families--and families include children.
  While their parents are away from home at work, children require 
quality--affordable--child-care.
  It is an unfortunate reality that many of the jobs performed by 
parents supported by TANF involve working late at night or at irregular 
hours--in fact, at the very times when it is extremely hard to find 
safe, affordable child-care.
  These circumstances are particularly difficult for families with 
young children and children with disabilities.
  Even when the parents are able to find child-care, they often find 
that their jobs do not pay enough to cover food, housing and utilities. 
Stretching those dollars to cover the cost of child-care can be 
extremely difficult for low-income families.
  I have co-sponsored the TANF Reauthorization Act of 2001 (H.R. 3113) 
because--as we continue to emphasize work as a means to achieving 
economic security--we must stand up for working families by making 
safe, quality, affordable child-care accessible to all children.

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