[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 137 (Wednesday, November 12, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5951-S5952]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ACT

  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, this week, the Senate will once again 
consider S. 1086 as amended by the House, the Child Care and 
Development Block Grant Act of 2014. This is bipartisan legislation 
that I introduced along with Senators Burr, Harkin, and Alexander.
  A version of this bill was passed by the Senate earlier this year by 
an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 96-2. An amended version passed the 
House on September 15th, by unanimous consent. I stand here today, on 
the side of families and children across the nation, encouraging the 
Senate to once again pass this child care bill and send it to the 
President's desk to become law.
  Before I was the Senator for Maryland, I was a social worker for 
Baltimore families and worked with children and the elderly. At the 
dawn of the civil rights movement, I went from being a social worker to 
a social activist in elected office. Today, I'm a social worker in 
Congress, working to build opportunities for families throughout 
America. I stand here today, proud that with this bill, we can make a 
difference for parents and children across America. Every family 
deserves child care that is affordable, accessible, and exceptional.
  Child care is one of the most important decisions a parent will make 
when raising their child. But we live in the aqe of scrimp and save. 
Times are tough and budgets are tight. Every day, parents across 
American struggle to put food on the table, pay their bills, and 
provide care for their kids. Maybe you are a single parent, working 
double shifts, wondering if your child is safe and sound, or maybe you 
are a student, working to get your degree for a better job and a 
brighter future. But instead of studying statistics, you are 
calculating the cash you need to pay your babysitter. Those worries 
weigh heavily on the shoulders of parents everywhere. Our bill helps 
lift that burden by giving families and children the child care they 
need to succeed.
  That is why I am so proud to move this bill forward. This bill is the 
product of brilliant bipartisan effort between Senators Burr, Harkin, 
Alexander, and myself. We also worked on a bicameral basis with 
Representatives Kline and Miller from the House Education and the 
Workforce Committee.
  This bill reforms and refreshes important child care legislation, so 
moms and dads earning lower incomes can afford child care for their 
kids while they go to work or school. Child care is something all 
families worry about, regardless of income or zip code. People want 
care that is reliable and undeniable, safe, affordable, and accessible. 
This bill helps ensure that all children get the care they need and 
deserve so they and their families can have a better, brighter future.
  In 1990, the CCDBG program was first signed into law by President 
George H.W. Bush to assist working families with the cost of providing 
child care. It has not been reauthorized since 1996. Through the CCDBG 
program, the Federal government provides states and Indian tribes and 
territories with funding. That funding is used to help lower-income 
families afford child care while parents work, train for work, or 
attend school. Families are given vouchers based on their income level 
to help cover costs of care. These vouchers can be used by parents for 
the provider of their choice: care in the home, at a relative's home, 
or in a child care center. Every month, CCDBG serves more than 1.5 
million children in the United States, including 19,000 children in 
Maryland.
  Why is this program so important? Because child care is expensive. It 
is the highest household expense faced by dual income households and 
averages $14,872 per year for two children. In Maryland, families 
spend, on average, 20% of their family income on child care. This is 
about $14,000 per year or $249 per week. Keep in mind that the 
Department of Health and Human Services recommends that families not 
spend more than 10% of their income on child care. Child care isn't a 
luxury, it is a necessity. It shouldn't reach beyond the bounds of the 
family budget, especially in these tough economic times.
  CCDBG has not been reauthorized since 1996. At the time, the program 
was envisioned solely as workforce aid--something to help moms and dads 
get back to work. This was and remains an important goal, but we have 
learned a lot since 1996. What we know today, but didn't know 18 years 
ago, is that the most rapid period of development for the brain happens 
in the first five years of life. That is why it is so imperative that 
we ensure our young children are in high-quality child care programs 
that give kids building blocks for a lifetime of success. It is not 
enough to ensure that kids have someplace to go. We must ensure that 
they go someplace safe that nurtures their development, challenges 
their mind, and prepares them for school. The current program is 
outdated. It does not go far enough in promoting and supporting high-
quality child care, safeguarding health and safety of children, 
ensuring children have continuity of care, and focusing on infant and 
toddler care.
  Senators Burr, Harkin, Alexander, and I got together more than two 
years ago. We held three bipartisan Subcommittee on Children and 
Families hearings, got input from more than fifty stakeholder 
organizations, worked with every member of the Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions Committee to put together a comprehensive 
reauthorization bill. It does not solve every program for every family, 
but it does a lot of good for families relying on CCDBG.
  First, the reauthorization requires states to prioritize quality. 
States will be required to eventually set aside at least 9% of funding 
for quality initiatives, 5% more than current law. States will choose 
what is best for them, whether it is training of the workforce, 
supporting early learning guidelines, expanding quality rating systems, 
or improving quality and quantity of child care programs and services 
for infants and toddlers.
  Second, it requires that providers meet health requirements so 
parents know that the individuals taking care of their children are 
capable and competent when it comes to handling first aid and CPR, 
child abuse, sudden infant death syndrome, or shaken baby syndrome. 
Third, it requires mandatory background checks. And lastly, this 
reauthorization gives families using the CCDBG program more stability 
by ensuring that their kids get care for at least one year, even if a 
parent sees a change in their pay check.
  We know that increasing funding for this program is important. More 
kids and families are in need of access. That is why as Chairwoman of 
the Senate Appropriations Committee, I am pushing for $2.46 billion for 
child care in the FY15 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and 
Related Agencies appropriations bill. This is an increase of $100 
million over FY14. This funding would ensure that countless additional 
children have access to this vital program, bringing more families of 
very modest means peace of mind when it comes to child care.

[[Page S5952]]

  I am fighting hard for this increase, because I know quality child 
care is worth every penny. I could not have done it without Senator 
Harkin as the Labor-HHS Chairman. And rest assured, we will keep 
fighting for this child care program. So you see, we put money in a 
program through appropriations channels and now we are improving the 
program through authorizing channels.
  I would like to thank my partner in crime, Senator Richard Burr, who 
was Ranking Member of Children and Families when I was Chair of that 
Subcommittee. Senator Burr's unwavering commitment to reauthorizing 
this program and ensuring safety of children is unrivaled, 
unparalleled, and unmatched. It has been a pleasure working with 
Senator Burr and his staff, Chris Toppings. They deserve a lot of 
credit for getting us here today.
  I would also like to extend a sincere thanks to Chairman Harkin and 
Ranking Member Alexander, as well as former Ranking Member Enzi, and 
all of their staffs. Senators Harkin, Alexander, and Enzi have been 
involved in drafting the bill from the outset. They have worked to make 
sure that the bill remained a priority for the HELP Committee. The 
expertise of their staffs has been invaluable throughout this process. 
I want to thank Senator Harkin's staff, Mario Cardona and Mildred 
Otero, and Senator Alexander's staff, Peter Oppenheim and Patrick 
Murray. I would also like to thank our House colleagues, 
Representatives Kline and Miller, for making this bill a priority and 
for getting it done.
  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 best care for my kid? The CCDBG 
program has given many families over many years peace of mind, 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. It is my hope that 
we can move swiftly to pass this bill and send it to the President's 
desk. It has been 18 years in the making. Let's not wait any longer.

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