[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 62 (Tuesday, April 29, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S5495]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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  SENATE RESOLUTION 122--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE 
PRESIDENT SHOULD DESIGNATE MAY 1, 2003 AS ``NATIONAL CHILD CARE WORTHY 
                               WAGE DAY''

  Mr. CORZINE (for himself, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Feingold, Mr. 
Kerry, Mrs. Murray, and Mr. Kennedy) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 122

       Whereas approximately 14,000,000 children are in out-of-
     home care during part or all of the day so that their parents 
     may work;
       Whereas the average salary of early childhood educators is 
     $16,000 per year, and only one third of these educators have 
     health insurance and even fewer have a pension plan;
       Whereas low wages make it difficult to attract qualified 
     individuals to the early childhood education profession and 
     impair the quality of child care and other early childhood 
     education programs, which is directly linked to the quality 
     of early childhood educators;
       Whereas the turnover rate of early childhood educators is 
     approximately 30 percent per year because low wages and a 
     lack of benefits make it difficult to retain high quality 
     educators;
       Whereas research has demonstrated that young children 
     require caring relationships and a consistent presence in 
     their lives for their positive development;
       Whereas the compensation of early childhood educators must 
     be commensurate with the important job of helping the young 
     children of the United States develop the social, emotional, 
     physical, and intellectual skills they need to be ready for 
     school;
       Whereas the cost of adequate compensation for early 
     childhood educators cannot be funded by further burdening 
     parents with higher child care fees, but requires instead 
     public as well as private resources to ensure that quality 
     care and education is accessible for all families; and
       Whereas the Center for the Child Care Workforce and other 
     early childhood education organizations recognize May 1st as 
     National Child Care Worthy Wage Day: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF NATIONAL CHILD CARE WORTHY WAGE 
                   DAY.

       (a) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the President should designate May 1, 2003, as 
     ``National Child Care Worthy Wage Day''.
       (b) Proclamation.--The Senate requests the President to 
     issue a proclamation--
       (1) designating May 1, 2003, as ``National Child Care 
     Worthy Wage Day''; and
       (2) calling on the people of the United States to observe 
     ``National Child Care Worthy Wage Day'' by--
       (A) honoring early childhood educators and programs in 
     their communities; and
       (B) working together to resolve the early childhood 
     educator compensation crisis.
  Mr. CORZINE. Mr. President, I rise today to submit, along with 
Senators Dodd, Durbin, Feingold, Kennedy, Kerry and Murray, a 
resolution supporting national Child Care Worthy Wage Day. It is my 
hope that it will bring attention to early childhood education and the 
importance of attracting and retaining qualified childcare workers.
  Every day, approximately 13 million children are cared for outside 
the home so that their parents can work. This figure includes 6 million 
of our Nation's infants and toddlers. Children begin to learn at birth, 
and the quality of care they receive will affect them for the rest of 
their lives. Early childcare affects language development, math skills, 
social behavior, and general readiness for school. Experienced 
childcare workers can identify children who have development or 
emotional problems and provide the care they need to take on life's 
challenges. Through the creative use of play, structured activities and 
individual attention, childcare workers help young children learn about 
the world around them and how to interact with others. They also teach 
the skills children will need to be ready to read and to learn when 
they go to school.
  Unfortunately, despite the importance of their work, the committed 
individuals who nurture and teach our Nation's young children are 
undervalued. The average salary of a childcare worker is about $15,000 
annually. In 1998, the middle 50 percent of childcare workers and pre-
school teachers earned between $5.82 and $8.13 an hour, according to 
the Department of Labor. The lowest 10 percent of childcare workers 
were paid an hourly rate of $5.49 or less. Only one third of our 
Nation's childcare workers have health insurance and even fewer have 
pension plans. This grossly inadequate level of wages and benefits for 
childcare staff has led to difficulties in attracting and retaining 
high quality caretakers and educators. As a result, the turnover rate 
for childcare providers is 30 percent a year. This high turnover rate 
interrupts consistent and stable relationships that children need to 
have with their caregivers.
  If we want our children cared for by qualified providers with higher 
degrees and more training, we will have to make sure they are 
adequately compensated. Otherwise, we will continue to lose early 
childhood educators with BA degrees to kindergarten and first grade, 
losing some of our best teachers of young children from the early years 
of learning.
  In order to bring attention to childcare workers, I am sponsoring a 
resolution that would designate May 1 as National Child Care Worthy 
Wage Day. On May 1 each year, childcare providers and other early 
childhood professionals nationwide conduct public awareness and 
education efforts highlighting the importance of good early childhood 
education.
  I encourage my colleagues to join me in recognizing the importance of 
the work and professionalism that childcare workers provide and the 
need to increase their compensation accordingly. The Nation's childcare 
workforce, the families who depend on them, and the children they care 
for, deserve our support.




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