[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 50 (Tuesday, March 24, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E757]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              CHILD CARE FACILITIES FINANCING ACT OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CAROLYN McCARTHY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 24, 2009

  Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of 
legislation I am introducing in the House of Representatives today 
entitled, the ``Child Care Facilities Financing Act of 2009.'' I would 
like to thank the organizations that make up the National Children's 
Facilities Network (NCFN), as well as several of the Network's 
staffers, including Caitlin Kovalkoski, from the Local Initiatives 
Support Corporation (LISC) and Corey Carlisle, from the Low Income 
Investment Fund, for all their guidance in revising this legislation 
that, if adopted, will meet the financial and technical needs of early 
care development.
   Early care and education has a profound impact on the development of 
our nation's youth. To date, the federal government, in conjunction 
with state and local efforts, has invested billions of dollars through 
the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and programs like 
Head Start and Early Head Start. While these efforts have done much to 
enhance early care in our nation, a lack of consistent funding and 
organized infrastructure has prevented the early childhood field from 
addressing its physical capital needs and creating the kind of 
environments that support quality programs.
   President Obama has articulated on numerous occasions America's need 
to make headway in youth development programs. However, the supply of 
suitable spaces to house early childhood programs has not kept pace 
with the growth of the sector, and the shortage is especially severe in 
low-income communities--both urban and rural. Research conducted at a 
Connecticut preschool center documented how quality facilities result 
in more teacher-child interaction, more productive play with fewer 
conflicts among children, higher staff morale and lower staff 
turnover--all of which are established indicators of program quality. 
Yet it is rare to find high quality early learning centers designed to 
meet the unique needs of very young children, especially in low-income 
neighborhoods where programs typically occupy makeshift, surplus or 
donated space such as church basements or storefronts, and out of date 
school buildings designed for older children.
   To address the shortfall in quality child care facilities, I am 
pleased to introduce the Child Care Facilities Financing Act of 2009, 
which will go a long way toward providing a dedicated source of capital 
for early care and education programs in our nation.
   By allowing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award 
competitive grants to experienced non-profit community development 
organizations, my bill will help providers develop well-designed and 
appropriately-located facilities that will foster an environment of 
productive play and staff dedication. Non-profit facilities 
organizations can leverage a relatively small public investment with 
additional private capital, multiplying the total investment in child 
care facilities and serving even more children.
   Over the past several years, two Community Development Financial 
Institutions (CDFI's), the Leviticus Alternative Fund and the CDC of 
Long Island, have made nine loans to child care providers serving 
children from low-income families in my Congressional District. The 
Leviticus Fund lends to licensed child care centers and has made loans 
to Harbor Day Care, AMC Child Care Center, D&D Day Care, and Pat-Kam 
Early Childhood Center. The CDC of Long Island lends to Family Day Care 
providers and has lent to Susie's Day Care, Inc., Rosa's School House, 
Elena's Child Care, Barbara Grullon, and Carolyn Reid, all in the 
Fourth District. Passage of this legislation will further increase the 
support we can give to child care providers.
   I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation for our 
nation's youth.

                          ____________________