[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 76 (Monday, June 3, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3908-S3909]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. MIKULSKI (for herself, Mr. Burr, Mr. Harkin, and Mr. 
        Alexander):
  S. 1086. A bill to reauthorize and improve the Child Care and 
Development Block Grant Act of 1990, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Child Care 
and Development Block Grant Act of 2013, along with Senators Burr, 
Harkin, and Alexander.
  For the past year, our offices have worked on a bipartisan basis to 
draft a comprehensive reauthorization of the Child Care Development 
Block Grant, CCDBG, a program that helps low- and moderate-income 
working families access and afford child care. This program helps 
working parents keep working, it helps parents who are in school stay 
in school, and it is supposed to ensure that children are in safe 
environments that support their physical,

[[Page S3909]]

emotional, and cognitive development. It is a vital program and its 
reauthorization is of the utmost importance.
  We did not draft this reauthorization in a vacuum. We held three 
public hearings in the Subcommittee on Children and Families, and we 
worked closely with all members, Democrat and Republican, of the Senate 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. We also asked for 
input and recommendations from folks on the ground since we know that 
parents, child care providers, and early learning and developmental 
experts, know best how this program works and how it can be improved. 
It is my hope that the bill we're introducing today represents all of 
the good ideas that have been brought to us throughout this process.
  It is noteworthy that the CCDBG program has not been reauthorized 
since 1996. The last time we reauthorized CCDBG was during welfare 
reform. At that time, the program was envisioned solely as a workforce 
aid--something to help moms and dads get back to work or school. This 
was, and remains, an important goal, but we have learned a lot since 
1996. We know that child care can, and should, be constructed in such a 
way that benefits both the parent and the child: it should allow 
parents to go to work or school, but it should also give kids the 
building blocks to be successful in their lives.
  What we know today, that we didn't 17 years ago, is that the most 
rapid period of development for the brain happens in the first 5 years 
of life. That is why it is so imperative that we ensure our children 
are in high-quality child care programs. While important, it is not 
enough to simply ensure that kids have someplace to go. We must also 
ensure that they go someplace that is safe, that nurtures their 
development, that challenges their mind, and that prepares them for 
school.
  The current program is outdated. It does not go far enough in 
promoting and supporting high-quality child care programs. It does not 
do enough to safeguard the health and safety of children. It does not 
always ensure that children have continuity of care, nor does it 
provide sufficient protections for working families when their 
employment situations change. It does not focus enough on infant and 
toddler care. It does not require mandatory background checks for child 
care providers in this program.
  So, today we are introducing a bill that makes needed changes to 
address shortcomings in current law.
  Our bill requires States to devote more of their funding to quality 
initiatives, such as: training, professional development, and 
professional advancement of the child care workforce, supporting early 
learning guidelines, developing and implementing quality rating systems 
for providers, and improving the supply and quality of child care 
programs and services for infants and toddlers.
  Our bill says that CCDBG providers must meet certain health and 
safety requirements related to prevention and control of infectious 
diseases, first aid and CPR, child abuse prevention, administration of 
medication, prevention of and response to emergencies due to food 
allergies, prevention of sudden infant death syndrome and shaken baby 
syndrome, building and physical premises safety, and emergency response 
planning.
  Our bill gives families more stability in the CCDBG program. It 
ensures that children in the program can get care for at least a year, 
even if their parent sees a change in their working status or income.
  Our bill works to improve early childhood care by requiring States to 
spend a certain portion of their funding on infant and toddler quality 
initiatives. The bill requires States to develop and implement plans to 
increase the supply and quality of care for infants and toddlers, as 
well as children with disabilities and children receiving care during 
non-traditional work hours.
  And our bill requires mandatory background checks for child care 
providers in the CCDBG program.
  At the outset, I would like to say that most child care providers I 
have met and spoken with are wonderful, caring people committed to 
ensuring that the children in their care are safe and happy. This 
proposal is not meant to insinuate anything negative about our child 
care workforce.
  Instead, it is simply meant to ensure that we are doing our due 
diligence to ensure that the adults entrusted with our children's day-
to-day care are not murderers, child molesters, kidnappers, arsonists, 
drug dealers, or rapists. Background checks are required for many jobs 
and I believe they should be required for child care providers.
  Every working parent with children, no matter their income level, 
worries about child care. What's affordable? What's accessible? Will my 
child be safe? Where can I get the very best care for my kid? The CCDBG 
program is supposed to give parents peace of mind. And for many 
families over many years, it has. But we can and should be doing more 
to improve child care for children, parents, and providers alike. It is 
long past time to revitalize, refresh, and reform this vitally 
important program.
  Again, I would like to thank Senator Burr, Chairman Harkin, Ranking 
Member Alexander, and all members of the Senate HELP Committee for 
their hard work on this bipartisan proposal. It is my hope that we can 
move swiftly to get this bill passed out of House and Senate and onto 
the President's desk.

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