[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 59 (Monday, May 15, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4555-S4556]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 479--SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEAS OF A CHILD CARE 
                            WORTHY WAGE DAY

  Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Feingold, Mrs. Boxer, 
Mr. Kerry, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Inouye, and Mr. 
Dodd) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 
agreed to:

                              S. Res. 479

       Whereas approximately 13,000,0000 children are in 
     nonparental care during part or all of the day while their 
     parents work;
       Whereas the early care and education industry employs more 
     than 2,000,000 workers;
       Whereas these workers indirectly add $580,000,000,000 to 
     the economy by enabling millions of parents to perform their 
     own jobs;

[[Page S4556]]

       Whereas the average salary of early care and education 
     workers is $18,060 per year, and only \1/3\ have health 
     insurance and even fewer have a pension plan;
       Whereas the quality of early care and education programs is 
     directly linked to the quality of early childhood educators;
       Whereas the turnover rate of early childhood program staff 
     is roughly 30 percent per year, and low wages and lack of 
     benefits, among other factors, make it difficult to retain 
     high quality educators who have the consistent, caring 
     relationships with young children that are important to 
     children's development;
       Whereas the compensation of early childhood program staff 
     should be commensurate with the importance of the job of 
     helping the young children of the Nation develop their 
     social, emotional, physical, and intellectual skills, and be 
     ready for school;
       Whereas providing adequate compensation to early childhood 
     program staff should be a priority, and resources may be 
     allocated to improve the compensation of early childhood 
     educators to ensure that quality care and education are 
     accessible to all families;
       Whereas additional training and education for the child 
     care workforce is critical to ensuring high-quality early 
     learning environments, and whereas child care workers should 
     receive compensation commensurate with such training and 
     experience; and
       Whereas the Center for the Child Care Workforce, A Project 
     of the American Federation of Teachers Educational Foundation 
     and other early childhood organizations recognized May 1 as 
     National Child Care Worthy Wage Day: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates May 1, 2006, as National Child Care Worthy 
     Wage Day, and
       (2) calls on the people of the United States to observe 
     National Child Care Worthy Wage Day by honoring early 
     childhood care and education staff and programs in their 
     communities.

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