[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 50 (Monday, April 29, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3501-S3502]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               CHILD CARE

 Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to share with my 
colleagues a letter sent by almost 300 State legislators--Republican 
and Democrat alike from 40 States--calling on Congress to add 
substantial new funding for child care.
  Just as parents have provided moving testimony to Congress about 
their struggles to find and afford child care, these state legislators 
join them in urging us to better fund child care to help families work 
and children succeed in school. Unfortunately, the Child Care and 
Development Block Grant (CCDBG), is currently serving only one out of 
every seven eligible children. And any progress that States have made 
in recent years is now being threatened by the challenging economic 
situations that the States are confronting. I, along with Senators 
Kerry and Torricelli, introduced the Children First Act of 2002, S. 
2070, to help children, families and the states meet their child care 
needs.
  People in New Mexico recognize that accessible, quality child care is 
a vital support for working families. Increased availability of child 
care will help to ensure the success of welfare reform, while also 
providing a critical support for parents earning low-incomes who are 
struggling to support their families and stay off the welfare rolls. 
State legislators see firsthand the integral role of child care in 
helping families to work.
  Quality child care also provides children with the early learning 
experience they need to achieve in school. States have been strong 
partners in the effort to improve public education across the nation. 
We must help them to provide children with the experiences they need to 
be ready to learn.
  These State legislators, including 14 legislators from New Mexico, 
today join the growing chorus of voices that we have heard from in 
support of increased child care funding. I ask unanimous consent that 
the text of their letter be printed in the Record.
  The letter follows.

                                                    April 24, 2002
     Re: Child Care
     Hon. Jeff Bingaman,
     U.S. Senate, Hart Senate Office Building,
     Washington, D.C.
       Dear Senator Bingaman: Quality child care is one of the 
     most important investments we can make to help families to 
     work and children to enter school ready to learn. The 
     undersigned state legislators believe that substantial new 
     investments for child care must be a top federal priority.
       Congress has a unique opportunity to address child care 
     this year. As you undertake the reauthorization of the Child 
     Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), we urge you to make 
     sufficient new investments to ensure that 2 million more 
     eligible children can receive assistance and that quality 
     improvements can be made. This additional funding would 
     approximately double the number of children currently getting 
     assistance while improving the quality of care. Now, just 1 
     in 7 eligible children are receiving this important 
     assistance.
       This additional investment serves two critical purposes. 
     First, child care is an essential work support that will help 
     ensure the success of welfare reform. Working parents need 
     stable, affordable, and safe child care for their children in 
     order to get a job and stay employed. Parents who work in low 
     wage jobs struggle to find quality child care that they can 
     afford. State legislators see firsthand the critical value of 
     child care and its integral role in helping families to work.
       Second, quality care provides children with the early 
     education experience they need to be ready for school and 
     success in later life. States have been strong partners in 
     the effort to improve the education of our children; we must 
     to provide them with the strongest foundation possible to 
     prepare them to be ready to learn and to succeed in school.
       Substantial new funding for the CCDBG would help states 
     ensure that parents can work and children can have the 
     quality early learning experiences that help prepare them to 
     achieve in school. Now, as states struggle to overcome 
     difficult economic challenges, we hope that we can count on 
     your leadership in making additional investments in the 
     CCDBG. This investment is one we cannot afford NOT to make.
           Sincerely,
       Rep. Steven C. Adams (VT), Sen. Richard Alarcon (CA), Rep. 
     Elaine R. Alfano (VT), Rep. David Allaire (VT), Sen. Dede 
     Alpert (CA), Assm. Elaine Alquist (CA), Sen. Ellen Anderson 
     (MN), Sen. Jean Ankeney (VT), Assm. Dion Aroner (CA), Rep. 
     Kathy B. Ashe (GA), Rep. Loranne Ausley (FL), Rep. Catherine 
     Barrett (OH), Sen. Susan Bartlett (VT), Del. Viola O. 
     Baskerville (VA), Rep. Gail C. Beam (NM), Rep. Sharon 
     Beasley-Teague (GA), Sen. Mike Beebe (AR), Rep. Bernie Benn 
     (NH), Del. Joanne C. Benson (MD), Sen. Roseann Bentley (MO), 
     Rep. Connie Bernardy (MN), Rep. Cindy Beshear (UT), Rep. Anne 
     Betancourt (FL), Rep. Gary Biggs (AR), Sen. Mark Blade (IN), 
     Sen. Patricia Blevins (DE), Rep. Lynn Bohi (VT), Rep. David 
     Bolduc (VT), Rep. Johnnie Bolin (AR), Rep. John L. Bowman 
     (MO), Rep. Betty Boyd (CO), Assm. James F. Brennan (NY), Del. 
     Robert Brink (VA), Rep. Shane Broadway (AR), Rep. Tyrone 
     Brooks (GA), Sen. Lisa Brown (WA), Sen. Robert Brown (GA), 
     Sen. Brian Burke (WI), Del. Emmett C. Burns (MD), Rep. James 
     Buskey (AL), Sen. Gloria Butler (GA), Rep. Kenneth A. Carano 
     (OH), Rep. Karen R. Carter (LA), Assm. Gil Cedillo (CA).
       Rep. Joseph Cervantes (NM), Rep. Duane Cheney (IN), Rep. 
     Marvin Childers (AR), Assm. Joan K. Christensen (NY), Assm. 
     Judy Chu (CA), Sen. J. Clement Cicilline (RI), Rep. Mary 
     Cirelli (OH), Rep. Irma Clark (MI), Rep. Carol C. Cleven 
     (MA), Sen. Eric Coleman (CT), Assm. Herb Conaway (NJ), Assm. 
     Jack Conners (NJ), Rep. Edward G. Connolly (MA), Rep. Olin 
     Cook (AR), Rep. Ken Cowling (AR), Rep. William Crawford (IN), 
     Del. Flora D. Crittenden (VA), Rep. George C. Cross (VT), 
     Rep. Judy B. Crowley (VT), Rep. LeRoy Dangeau (AR), Del. L. 
     Karen Darner (VA), Rep. Dan K. Darrow (VT), Rep. Don P. Davis 
     (VT), Rep. Lois DeBerry (TN), Rep. Michael DeBose (OH), Rep. 
     David L. Deen (VT), Rep. Johannah L. Donovan (VT), Rep. 
     Robert Dostis (VT), Rep. Patricia R. Doyle (VT), Rep. Carina 
     Driscoll (VT), Rep. Dawnna Dukes (TX), Assm. John Dutra (CA), 
     Rep. Dean Elliott (AR), Rep. Susan Emerson (NH), Rep. Alice 
     Emmons (VT), Sen. Martha Escutia (CA), Assm. Arthur O. Eve 
     (NY), Sen. Dede Feldman (NM), Sen. Joseph A. Fidel (NM), Sen. 
     Vivian Davis Figures (AL), Sen. Eric D. Fingerhut (OH), Rep. 
     Michael Fisher (VT), Rep. Mary E. Flowers (IL), Rep. John E. 
     Follett (VT).
       Rep. Betty Folliard (MN), Rep. Johnny Ford (AR), Sen. 
     Vincent D. Fort (GA), Rep. Lois Frankel (FL), Sen. Rosa 
     Franklin (WA), Rep. George French (AR), Rep. John Fritchey 
     (IL), Rep. Anne Gannon (FL), Sen. Mary Jane Garcia (NM), Rep. 
     Dean George (VT), Rep. Avis L. Gervias (VT), Rep. Stanley J. 
     Gerzofsky (ME), Assm. Deborah J. Glick (NY), Rep. Cedric 
     Bradford Glover (LA), Rep. Pat Godchaux (MI), Assm. Jackie 
     Goldberg (CA), Sen. Avel Louise Gordly (OR), Rep. Maxine Grad 
     (VT), Assm. Aurelia Greene (NY), Rep. Jane Greimann (IA), 
     Rep. Peter Groff (CO), Sen. Mary Ann Handley (CT), Sen. Alice 
     V. Harden (MS), Sen. Toni Nathaniel Harp (CT), Sen. Ruth 
     Hassell-Thompson (NY), Rep. David Charles Hausam (AR), Assm. 
     Sally Havice (CA), Rep. Joe Hayes (AK), Sen. Robert L. 
     Hedlund (MA), Sen. Robert Hernandez (CO), Rep. Steve Hingtgen 
     (VT), Sen. Melvin ``Kip'' Holden (LA), Sen. Maxine Horner 
     (OK), Rep. Don House (AR), Del. James W. Hubbard (MD), Del. 
     Susan Hubbard (WV), Rep. Cola H. Hudson (VT), Sen. Vincent 
     Hughes (PA), Rep. Margaret Hummel (VT), Rep. Kay Iles (LA), 
     Sen. Paulette Irons (LA), Rep. Lei Ahu Isa (HI), Rep. Lydia 
     P. Jackson (LA), Rep. Gilda Jacobs (MI), Assm. Rhoda Jacobs 
     (NY), Rep. Pam Jochum (IA).

[[Page S3502]]

       Assm. Susan V. John (NY), Sen. Emil Jones, Jr. (IL), Sen. 
     Paula F. Julander (UT), Rep. Bertha C. Kawakami (HI), Rep. 
     Helene M. Keeley (DE), Assm. Christine Kehoe (CA), Sen. 
     Delores G. Kelley (MD), Del. Ruth M. Kirk (MD), Rep. Warren 
     F. Kitzmiller (VT), Assm. David Koon (NY), Assm. Paul Koretz 
     (CA), Rep. Luanne Koskinen (MN), Sen. Liz Krueger (NY), Rep. 
     John LaBarge (VT), Assm. Ivan Lafayette (NY), Sen. Charles 
     Langford (AL), Rep. Leigh B. Larocque (VT), Rep. Mark Larson 
     (VT), Rep. Kathy Lavoie (VT), Sen. Alfred Lawson Jr. (FL), 
     Sen. Connie Lawson (IN), Rep. Rob Leighton (MN), Sen. Burton 
     Leland (MI), Rep. Bertha F. K. Leong (HI), Rep. Cindy Lerner 
     (FL), Rep. John M. Lewellen (AR), Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford 
     (IL), Rep. David Litvack (UT), Assm. Carol Liu (CA), Sen. 
     Linda M. Lopez (NM), Rep. James Roger Madalena (NM), Rep. Liz 
     Malia (MA), Assm. Virginia Strom Martin (CA), Rep. Bob Mathis 
     (AR), Assm. Naomi C. Matusow (NY), Sen. Nathaniel J. McFadden 
     (MD), Rep. Jack McGuire (IL), Rep. Mary Jo McGuire (MN), Rep. 
     Terry McMellon (AR), Assm. Carole Migden (AR), Rep. Rick 
     Miera (NM), Rep. Dale Miller (OH), Rep. Mark Miller (WI), 
     Assm. Joan L. Millman (NY), Sen. Richard Mitchell (FL), Rep. 
     Larry Molloy (VT).
       Sen. Angela Monson (OK), Rep. Arthur A. Morrell (LA), Rep. 
     Mary A. Morrissey (VT), Rep. Kevin J. Mullin (VT), Rep. 
     Phyllis Mundy (PA), Rep. Pat Murphy (IA), Rep. Edwin R. 
     Murray (LA), Rep. Elliott Naishtat (TX), Del. Shirley Nathan-
     Pulliam (MD), Rep. Wayne Nichols (AR), Rep. Alice W. Nitka 
     (VT), Assm. Catherine Nolan (NY), Rep. Michael J. Obuchowski 
     (VT), Rep. Pat O'Donnell (VT), Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer (NY), 
     Rep. Donny Osman (VT), Rep. Robert J. Otterman (OH), Assm. 
     Robert Pacheco (CA), Rep. Allen C. Palmer (VT), Rep. Laura C. 
     Pantelakos (NH), Sen. Mary Kay Papen (NM), Sen. Sandy Pappas 
     (MN), Rep. Carolyn Partridge (VT), Rep. Janet Petersen (IA), 
     Rep. Danice Picaux (NM), Rep. Wilfred Pierre (LA), Sen. Edith 
     P. Prague (CT), Rep. Joseph Preston, Jr. (PA), Assm. Mary 
     Previte (NJ), Rep. Ann Pugh (VT), Sen. Bill Purcell (NC), 
     Rep. Randy Rankin (AR), Rep. Michael S. Reese (VT), Rep. Nan 
     H. Rich (FL), Rep. Barbara Hull Richardson (NH), Rep. Curtis 
     Richardson (FL), Sen. John Riggs (AR), Sen. Elizabeth Roberts 
     (RI), Rep. Debbie A. Rodella (NM), Rep. Jim Roebuck (PA), 
     Rep. Tommy Roebuck (AR), Rep. Sandra Reyenga Rodgers (AR), 
     Rep. Sara Romeo (FL), Rep. Don Ross (OK), Sen. Larry Rowe 
     (WV), Rep. Ray Ruiz (NM).
       Rep. Byron Rushing (MA), Rep. Robert Rusten (VT), Sen. John 
     Sampson (NY), Assm. Steven Sanders (NY), Sen. Nellie R. 
     Santiago (NY), Rep. Hank Schaefer (VT), Rep. Mark Schauer 
     (MI), Sen. J. Thomas Schedler (LA), Sen. Eric T. Schneiderman 
     (NY), Sen. Allyson Y. Schwartz (PA), Rep. Nancy Scovner (NH), 
     Sen. Jack Scott (CA), Rep. Craig S. Scribner, Sr. (VT), Rep. 
     Gloria Seldin (NH), Sen. William Shaw (IL), Rep. O.L. Shelton 
     (MO), Sen. Mike Shoemaker (OH), Rep. Martha Shoffner (AR), 
     Rep. Elizabeth C. Shultis (NH), Ren. Betty Sims (MO), Rep. 
     Ricca Slone (IL), Rep. Harvey T. Smith (VT), Rep. Marjorie K. 
     Smith (NH).
       Assm. Richard A. Smith (NY), Rep. Shirley A. Smith (OH), 
     Sen. Terry Smith (AR), Rep. Hilda Weyl Sokol (NH), Rep. 
     Cynthia Soto (IL), Rep. Pamela A. Stanley (GA), Sen. Toby Ann 
     Stavisky (NY), Assm. Darrell Steinberg (CA), Rep. Matthew 
     Stevens (VT), Rep. Mimi Stewart (NM), Rep. Bill Stovall (AR), 
     Rep. Fred Strahorn (OH), Rep. Benjamin Sulan (MA), Rep. 
     Benjamin Swan (MA), Rep. Donna Sweaney (VT), Rep. Gaye 
     Symngton (VT), Sen. Penfield W. Tate III (CO), Rep. Larry 
     Teague (AR), Rep. Samuel ``Buzz'' Thomas (MI), Assm. Helen 
     Thomson (CA).
       Sen. Patricia S. Ticer (VA), Sen. Tom Torlakson (CA), Rep. 
     John Patrick Tracy (VT), Sen. Sue Tucker (MA), Del. Frank S. 
     Turner (MD), Del. Marina Van Landingham (VA), Rep. Barb 
     Vander Veen (MI), Sen. John Vasconcellos (CA), Rep. Richard 
     Vigil (NM), Rep. Cathy Voyer (VT), Sen. Jack Wagner (PA), 
     Rep. Vicki Walker (OR), Rep. Don Webster (VT), Assm. Loretta 
     Weinberg (NJ), Rep. Yvonne Welch (LA), Sen. Royce West (TX), 
     Rep. Susan Wheeler (VT), Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple (VA), 
     Sen. Celestino A. White, Sr. (VI), Rep. Doug Wiles (FL), Rep. 
     Roberta Willis (CT), Rep. Frederica Wilson (FL), Rep. Philip 
     Winters (VT), Rep. Larry W. Womble (NC), Rep. Jane Wood (NH), 
     Rep. Jim Wood (AR), Rep. Kurt Wright (VT), Rep. Karen 
     Yarbrough (IL), Rep. David Zuckerman (VT).

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