[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 57 (Thursday, April 19, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E598-E599]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN RECOGNITION OF PATRICIA SIEGEL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 19, 2012

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Patricia Siegel, who has 
dedicated her life and career to making child care accessible and 
affordable for all families. I have known Patty for over 25 years and 
have witnessed her passion and determination to have child care 
recognized as a vital component of community life. Patty was a 
ferocious advocate for children in the California Legislature. She was 
unstoppable and never hesitated to shame people into doing the right 
thing.
  Drawing on her experience as a mother, teacher and parent-organizer, 
Patty began developing and delivering child care services 40 years ago. 
She organized the Yellow Garage Playgroup for families in the Inner 
Sunset District in San Francisco. In 1972, she founded Childcare 
Switchboard to help families elsewhere in the city find such services. 
Four years later she was instrumental in initiating and implementing 
alternative child care solutions through the passage of AB 3059 which 
provided funding for the Child Care Resource & Referral Programs and 
Alternative Payment Programs in all California counties.
  In 1980, Patty was the Founding Director and Executive Director of 
the California Child Care Resource & Referral Network, which has grown 
into the most established system of child care resource and referral 
services in the country.
  As the Executive Director of the California Child Care Resource & 
Referral Network, Patty shaped state and federal policy for children 
and families. Her work included the Child Care Initiative Project, a 
statewide public-private partnership to expand the supply of licensed 
quality child care by recruiting and training new family child care 
providers, with special emphasis on infants and toddlers and Spanish 
speaking communities. She also inspired and guided the development of 
Parent Voices, a grassroots parent-led effort to engage and empower 
parents to actively and successfully participate in the policy process.
  Patty also played an essential role in the creation and 
implementation of TrustLine, California's registry of license-exempt 
caregivers.
  Beyond her role at the Network, Patty served on the Governor's 
Advisory Committee on Child Care Development, was one of the original 
state commissioners for the California Children and Families First 
Commission (First 5), and represented California in the Children's 
Defense Fund state child care advocates network. She is the state 
advocate and liaison for the National Women's Law Center and volunteers 
her time and expertise with the National Association for the Education 
of Young Children.
  Patty was born in Oakland and received her B.A. in French and English 
from the University of California, Davis.
  In 1965 she married her husband Sanford ``Sandy'' Siegel. They have 
three children, Toby, Tara and Kelsey, and three grandchildren, Declan, 
Caio and Oona.
  In her well deserved retirement, I am certain that Patty will enjoy 
spending more time with her family, gardening, traveling, cooking, 
hiking, reading, dancing and being in the outdoors.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask this body to rise with me to recognize my friend 
Patricia Siegel for her lasting contributions to families in California 
and the country and for always putting her community before herself.

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