[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 12, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1570-S1572]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ACT OF 2014

  Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the 
bipartisan Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014. I thank 
Senator Mikulski for her great leadership, Senator Burr for his 
leadership, and Senators Harkin and Alexander. We have had a great 
afternoon.
  We also had a number of people confirmed today, which I am very 
pleased about, including the Ambassador to Canada. I think it is pretty 
important we have an ambassador to Canada because Canada is our biggest 
trading partner. We haven't had one now for months, and this is a very 
good outcome.
  But back to the bill. It has been almost 20 years since the Senate 
last reauthorized CCDBG. Since that time we have learned if we want 
strong communities, a robust workforce, and students who are ahead of 
the curve, we need to ensure that every child has access to high-
quality childcare.
  As the country's primary Federal childcare program, CCDBG provides 
millions of families with the assistance they need to ensure working 
parents can keep their jobs or finish schooling knowing their children 
are safe and receiving quality care. We know that a child's early years 
are critical to building a strong foundation for their lives. Up to 90 
percent of brain development happens before age 5. Just think about 
that: 90 percent of brain development happens before age 5. That is why 
it is so important to invest in quality care and education. When we do, 
it pays off for the rest of us by giving us better informed citizens 
and a more productive workforce.
  Investments in the Child Care and Development Block Grant Program 
also give parents the option of affordable childcare. Research 
indicates that higher childcare costs have a negative impact on a 
mother's employment because women are more likely to leave their jobs 
when childcare costs are high. That can have a lasting negative impact 
on families' finances and women's future earnings.
  As the Senate chair of the Joint Economic Committee, I released a 
report last year that looked at the critical role mothers play in the 
financial well-being of their families. My report found that lower 
income families are especially dependent on the money earned by mothers 
who work outside the home. In families in the lowest 10 percent of the 
income distribution, mothers account for over half of family income. 
The high price of childcare these days--it averages over $14,000 each 
year for two children--means the child care and development block grant 
assistance makes a big difference between families rising into the 
middle class or falling further behind.
  Working families across the country are counting on us to get this 
done. Since the child care and development block grant was last 
reauthorized in 1996, families have seen the cost of childcare increase 
while access to quality care has become more difficult to find.
  This bipartisan legislation would provide the opportunity for 
Congress to make critical improvements to the Child Care and 
Development Block Grant Program to ensure that children are safe and 
healthy in their childcare setting, that families have access to 
quality programs, and that States have a coordinated system of early 
care and education for children from birth to age 13.
  One of the primary updates in the 2014 reauthorization is the 
requirement that all childcare providers receiving this assistance must 
go through comprehensive background checks. It is unbelievable that 
currently only 13 States require comprehensive background checks for 
childcare providers. We have had a number of incidents in our State 
where children have had tragic injuries and tragic ends because of the 
lack of background checks. As a former prosecutor, I saw firsthand how 
abuse harmed young children, tore families apart, and challenged local 
law enforcement agencies, our court system, and our social service and 
health care providers. Our kids deserve better. We need to do 
everything we can to make sure people caring for our kids undergo 
comprehensive background checks before receiving child care and 
development block grants.
  The bill also requires States to conduct regular health and safety 
inspections of the childcare settings so we can make sure kids are 
learning and developing in safe environments.
  The legislation cuts redtape by giving families more flexibility 
around enrollment procedures.
  These changes will not only strengthen the program's integrity but 
also improve transparency so that the 1.5 million children being served 
through this program every month get the best care possible.
  Raising the next generation has always been a difficult job, and it 
has never been more expensive. The future of our Nation rests on making 
sure parents have the support they need to give their children a strong 
start.
  I urge the Senate to reauthorize this bipartisan bill and ensure 
children and working families get the quality care and education they 
need to thrive. It is the best investment we can make.
  I see the Senator from North Carolina Mr. Burr just came in. I thank 
him for his great work not only on this bill but also in allowing for 
this amendment process, which I believe is very important for the 
future of the Senate.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Montana.
  Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I wish to talk about two amendments I will 
call up on S. 1086, the child care and development block grant bill. 
The first one I will speak to is amendment No.

[[Page S1571]]

2834, which Senator Murkowski and I are offering in relation to tribal 
childcare facilities.
  As my colleagues know, I recently took over as chairman of the Senate 
Committee on Indian Affairs, and 2 weeks ago I held my first hearing. 
This hearing focused on early childhood development and education in 
Indian Country. This hearing was timely, as some of the testimony the 
committee received related to the child care and development block 
grant. At that hearing a childcare program director from the White 
Earth Nation--who is also the chair of the National Indian Child Care 
Association--testified about the needs of her program and the needs of 
all Indian childcare providers. One of the needs she highlighted was 
improving the condition of tribal childcare facilities in Indian 
Country.
  According to the Administration for Children and Families, of the 260 
Indian tribe or tribal organizations that receive CCDBG funds, only 14 
of them constructed new tribal childcare facilities in the last 10 
years.
  In an effort to improve and replace facilities, my amendment allows 
tribes more flexibility in the use of their grant funds. Renovation and 
construction of tribal facilities is already an allowable activity 
under this legislation, but the law explicitly states that Indian 
tribes or tribal organizations cannot reduce services--even 
temporarily--to improve or replace their facilities.
  This amendment allows the Secretary to grant a waiver to an Indian 
tribe or tribal organization, permitting them to temporarily reduce 
services if they can prove the outcome will improve capacity or improve 
services as a result of the construction. It is a simple, commonsense 
amendment that will improve the quality of life in Indian Country, and 
I urge its adoption when it comes up.
  I will now speak to amendment No. 2835. Under current law, a parent 
who suffers the tragedy of the death of a child has to rely on their 
employer's compassion for time off to grieve. Many times this is not an 
issue. There are thousands of compassionate employers out there who 
give parents the space they need. But not everyone is so fortunate. 
Some folks who just aren't ready to come back after a few days end up 
having to choose between returning to work while struggling with the 
aftermath of their child's death or losing their job.
  This amendment would fix the Family and Medical Leave Act to include 
the death of a child as a trigger for benefits provided under the FMLA. 
The FMLA currently allows parents to take time off to care for a child 
battling a serious health issue. But children between the ages of 1 and 
14 are more than twice as likely to die suddenly from an accident than 
from cancer, flu, and pneumonia combined.
  The FMLA protects parents who are caring for their children; it 
should support parents who are grieving for their children as well. 
This is a small amendment, but it will mean so much to parents who 
suffer the unimaginable loss of a child. I urge my colleagues to stand 
for compassion, and I urge adoption of this amendment when it is 
brought up.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I rise somewhat reluctantly today to 
speak about an intelligence committee matter.
  Allegations in the past 24 hours have been discussed rampantly in the 
halls of Congress and in the press. Based on press reports today, 
yesterday, and even last week, allegations have been made regarding the 
Central Intelligence Agency's actions toward the committee, as well as 
staff and Members' actions on the Senate intelligence committee toward 
the CIA.
  The reason I feel compelled to speak on this matter is the following: 
Although people speak as though we know all of the pertinent facts 
surrounding this matter, the truth is we do not. The Republican 
committee members on the Senate intelligence committee and staff were 
not involved in the underlying investigation of the detainee and 
interrogation report. We do not know the actual facts concerning the 
CIA's alleged actions or all of the specific details about the actions 
by the committee staff regarding the draft of what is now referred to 
as the ``Panetta internal review document.''
  Both parties involved have made allegations against one another and 
have even speculated as to each other's actions, but there are still a 
lot of unanswered questions that must be addressed. No forensics have 
been run on the CIA computers--or, as my colleagues refer to them, 
``the SSCI computers''--at the CIA facility to know what actually 
happened regarding the alleged CIA search or the circumstances under 
which the committee came into possession of the Panetta internal review 
document.
  Given that both of these matters have now been referred to the 
Department of Justice, it may take us a while before any accurate 
factual findings can be reached and a satisfactory resolution of these 
matters can be achieved. It may even call for a special investigator to 
be named to review the entire factual situation. Eventually, we will 
get to the bottom of this, but today I cannot make a statement that 
will reflect what actually occurred and therefore what recommendations 
we ought to make as we move forward.
  Right now our committee members are conducting an internal assessment 
of the facts and circumstances involved in both of these matters. This 
will be an ongoing process which should not be described or discussed 
in the public domain but, like all other intelligence committee 
matters, should remain within the purview of the confines of the 
intelligence committee.
  Today I simply wanted everyone to know where I stand on this matter 
and how we need to get to the ground truth of these very important 
matters.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as if in 
morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (The remarks of Mr. Casey are printed in today's Record under 
``Morning Business.'')
  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, we know it is well past time--and that is 
an understatement--to take up the reauthorization of this important 
legislation, the Child Care and Development Block Grant Program, which 
has not been reauthorized since 1996. It is hard to comprehend that, 
but that is true.
  In the nearly two decades since, our understanding of early childhood 
development and the importance of high-quality childcare in early 
learning has expanded dramatically. Investing in high-quality early 
learning opportunities, such as childcare and prekindergarten, sets 
children on the path to success.
  I like to say if children learn more now, they will earn more later, 
and that is why there is a direct nexus with the quality of the 
childcare we provide. The quality of early learning connects directly 
with our economic growth.
  Our gross domestic product--our future economic growth and success as 
a country--is substantially dependent on the quality of early learning 
and the quality of childcare. It is good we are focused in a bipartisan 
way on the childcare aspects of this challenge.
  We must update the Federal standards that relate to childcare to 
ensure that the Federal Government is supporting high-quality 
childcare--not just any quality childcare--for low-income children.
  The bill we are considering sets a new standard for childcare in 
America. It makes sure Federal dollars are going to providers who are 
committed to providing childcare that meets certain criteria, such as 
health and safety standards.
  Many of these changes reflect proposals I put forth in previous 
Congresses to improve the child care and development block grant. The 
Starting Early Starting Right Act was legislation I introduced.
  I am encouraged we are able to reach consensus on many of the 
provisions I supported in the past and that they are represented in 
this bill. I, and I know many others, would have liked to have gone 
further to provide more of an investment both by way of dollars and

[[Page S1572]]

more of an investment by way of quality, but these are significant 
changes and we should all support them.
  In terms of the increase in incentives that I would hope we can do at 
a future date, I described them in this way: incentives for States to 
invest in quality ratings and improvement systems. We know a lot of 
acronyms. This is QRIS, Quality Rating and Improvement Systems, which 
encourages childcare providers to make continuous improvements in the 
care they provide and the facilities they use often through financial 
incentives, such as higher reimbursement rates, when a certain quality 
level is reached.
  However, I still believe the bill we have in front of us represents a 
substantial and significant improvement over the current law. We owe 
our most vulnerable children nothing less.
  For the first time we are requiring all States to develop a robust 
health and safety set of standards and to institute a consistent 
background check for childcare providers. We are requiring States to 
formally coordinate their early learning programs to improve service 
coordination and delivery. We are allowing children who qualify for a 
subsidy to receive 1 year of care before their eligibility is 
redetermined. This will help promote stability and continuity for the 
entire family and encourage the child to develop strong relationships 
with his or her teachers and peers in childcare.
  Finally, we are increasing the investment in quality from the 4-
percent quality set-aside per year--currently required in law--to 10-
percent within 5 years, including a separate set-aside for infants and 
toddlers. Quality is a continuum and continual investment. It is not a 
one-time purchase. It is something we need to support and sustain.
  This bill is about investing in our children's future and supporting 
working parents. I urge all of my colleagues to join us in supporting 
the CCBDG reauthorization--a nice acronym for a long bill.
  I mentioned earlier that if children get quality early care and 
learning, they will learn more now and earn more later when they are in 
the workforce. There is no question about that. All the studies 
indicate that. We know that. There is no disagreement about that.
  We also have to recognize that there are so many families--somewhere 
in the millions--that have two parents working, and we know the stress 
and challenge that creates. In addition, we have just come through the 
worst economic downturn since the 1930s. Climbing out of that hole and 
having all of the economic pressures on these families, they are often 
also heavily burdened or even crushed by the cost of childcare.
  We have an opportunity with this legislation to move forward and make 
needed changes on issues, such as health and safety standards and 
making sure we are setting aside more dollars for infants and toddlers.
  There are a whole range of actions we are taking, but we still have a 
ways to go to speak directly to the needs that working families have in 
terms of the cost of childcare and ensuring the kind of quality they 
have a right to expect.
  Finally, on a related topic, we need to make sure we are making a 
national and substantial commitment to early learning. The President 
has talked about this issue. People from both parties and CEOs tell us 
about it all the time. We need to get together on these other issues 
even as we pass this bipartisan legislation.
  I wish to commend the work of Senator Harkin and Ranking Member 
Alexander, who are working to get this done, and the good work over 
several years now done by Senator Mikulski and Senator Burr.
  We need to get this done and then get to work on some of the 
childcare and early learning challenges our country faces and families 
are often burdened with.
  I yield the floor and note the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.

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