[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 160 (Wednesday, September 16, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H4444-H4447]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ENSURING CHILDREN AND CHILD CARE WORKERS ARE SAFE ACT OF 2020
Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 7909) to facilitate access to child care services safely and
securely during the COVID-19 pandemic, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 7909
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Ensuring Children and Child
Care Workers Are Safe Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Child care is an essential service that supports
children's early development and allows parents to work.
(2) At least 1 out of 2 child care providers closed at some
point during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 2 out of 5 face the
possibility of permanent closure.
(3) The lack of access to child care services can prevent
parents from returning to work and can prevent children from
accessing critical services, including meals.
(4) Ensuring the safe re-opening and operation of child
care service settings during periods of community
transmission of COVID-19 will require child care providers to
adopt new measures and practices in order to reduce the
likelihood of COVID-19 transmission.
(5) Such measures and practices must ensure the safety of
children as well as child care workers, who may be at high
risk of infection.
(6) Ensuring that working families have access to safe
child care service options is critical to supporting young
children's development and to returning the economy back to
its pre-pandemic levels.
SEC. 3. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON THE SAFE PROVISION OF CHILD
CARE SERVICES.
(a) Technical Assistance to States.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
(in this Act referred to as the Secretary), in consultation
with the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, shall provide technical assistance to States,
Indian Tribes, and tribal organizations related to the safe
provision of child care services while there is community
transmission of COVID-19. Such technical assistance shall
include information about--
(A) the prevention of COVID-19 transmission in child care
provider settings, including the use of face masks and other
personal protective equipment in such settings,
(B) training and professional development on health and
safety practices related to the prevention of COVID-19
transmission in child care provider settings,
(C) the acquisition and use of personal protective
equipment, and
(D) modifications of child care provider settings and
services to prevent COVID-19 transmission, such as optimal
staff-to-child ratios across such settings and the use of
mental health supports.
(2) Materials.--As part of such technical assistance
efforts, the Secretary shall--
(A) publish educational materials related to the prevention
of COVID-19 transmission in child care provider settings,
including by posting such materials on a website,
(B) update any such materials as necessary to reflect
advancements in the science of COVID-19, and
(C) provide a mechanism through which States may exchange
best practices relating to the safe operation of child care
providers.
(b) Technical Assistance to Child Care Providers.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may make grants to lead
agencies designated under section 658D(a) of the Child Care
and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858b(a))
to provide guidance, technical assistance, and support to
child care providers, either directly or through resource and
referral agencies or staffed family child care networks,
regarding the safe operation of child care providers while
there is community transmission of COVID-19.
(2) Reservation.--The Secretary shall reserve 2.75 percent
of funds appropriated to carry out this section to make
payments to Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, or consortia
of Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations.
(3) Allotments.--From amounts appropriated to carry out
this section and not reserved under paragraph (2), the
Secretary shall allot to Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin
Islands of the United States, and the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands and to the remaining States amounts
in accordance with subsections (a)(1) and subsection (b) of
section 658O of the Child Care and Development Block Grant
Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858m), except that none of such
remaining States shall receive an allotment of less than
$10,000.
(4) Requirements.--Each lead agency that receives a grant
under this section shall ensure that--
(A) guidance, technical assistance, and support are
available to child care providers regardless of such
providers' settings, sizes, or administrative capacities, and
(B) guidance, technical assistance, and support are
available in the languages most commonly spoken in the State,
Indian Tribe, or Tribal organization.
(c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 60 days after funds
are appropriated to carry out this Act, the Secretary shall
provide to the Committee on Education and Labor of the House
of Representatives and to the Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a report that includes--
(1) recommendations for how to ensure the safe provision of
child care services while there is community transmission of
COVID-19, including recommendations that address each of the
issues described in subparagraphs (A) through (D) of
subsection (a)(1),
[[Page H4445]]
(2) recommendations for how to ensure the supply of child
care services meets demand during periods when providers
implement the recommendations described in paragraph (1),
including whether it will be necessary to expand the number
of child care providers to meet such demand and, if so,
recommendations for how to expand the number of child care
providers, and
(3) the estimated cost of implementing the recommendations
described in paragraphs (1) and (2).
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
The terms ``State'', ``Indian Tribe'', and ``Tribal
organization'' have the meanings given such terms in section
658P of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of
1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858n).
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this
Act, $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2021. Funds appropriated to
carry out this Act shall remain available until expended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Oregon (Ms. Bonamici) and the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Oregon.
General Leave
Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Oregon?
There was no objection.
Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7909, the Ensuring
Children and Child Care Workers Are Safe Act.
Access to high-quality, affordable childcare has always been
fundamental to the well-being of families and children, so it is not
surprising that childcare has emerged as one of the most urgent issues
facing families and communities during this pandemic.
I have spoken with parents who are struggling with how you balance
kids at home with work at home. I have heard from business owners,
economic development leaders, and local elected officials who are
worried about the workforce and the economy, and childcare has always
been an important part of all of these conversations because it is a
key factor in reopening our communities safely.
Many, and in some places most, childcare providers across the country
were closed during the early months of the pandemic. But now, they are
reopening and working hard to restore confidence and provide a safe
place for the children in their care.
Unfortunately, providers have told us that they have received little
direct guidance about how to modify their practices for COVID-19 to
keep children, families, and workers safe and that the guidance they
have received keeps changing and is oftentimes unrealistic. This makes
it difficult for providers to rebuild and to serve the number of
children they need to sustainably run their business and survive the
pandemic.
It is worth noting that even before the pandemic, this industry
operated on razor-thin margins and faced major difficulties.
According to a recent report from the American Institutes for
Research and Early Edge California, of the 278 California childcare
providers surveyed, 52 percent reported that it was too difficult to
understand or follow new requirements during COVID-19, and 79 percent
reported a significant need for guidance on how to implement new COVID-
19 health and safety protocols.
This important bipartisan bill before us today, introduced by my
colleagues Representative Finkenauer and Representative Guthrie, will
help meet this need by requiring the Department of Health and Human
Services, in consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, to issue educational materials and guidance on how to
provide childcare services safely during the pandemic.
Critically, this bill authorizes funding that will enable States to
provide direct outreach, technical assistance, and support to childcare
providers.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance
of my time.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, before I begin, I was talking to my friend from Oregon
earlier--and also, I know, your home State--and our thoughts and
prayers are with everybody on the West Coast. I know some of us have
friends on the Gulf Coast. We have citizens of our country, Madam
Speaker, that are going through some tough times, and our thoughts and
prayers are with them.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7909, the Ensuring Children
and Child Care Workers Are Safe Act. It is a bipartisan piece of
legislation that I introduced with my colleague, Representative
Finkenauer from Iowa, which will provide childcare providers resources
and information on how to safely operate during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Without childcare options, parents can't return to work, which is a
key component to our Nation's economic recovery. Additionally,
childcare benefits and a child's health and development are critical to
building a strong foundation for future success.
Childcare providers, however, are currently grappling with safely
reopening and staying open. A recent article in U.S. News and World
Report noted tens of thousands of childcare providers shuttered across
the U.S., 4,500 in the Washington, D.C., area alone.
In my home State of Kentucky, thanks to the CARES Act, many of our
childcare centers have been fortunate to reopen. However, one-third of
the State's 2,200 licensed or certified childcare centers still haven't
reopened.
In order to reopen for families, childcare providers must follow
certain guidelines and modify their normal routines in order to create
a safe environment for children. Now more than ever, childcare
providers need assistance interpreting and implementing CDC and State
guidelines designed to keep children safe.
My bill, along with Representative Finkenauer, H.R. 7909, requires
the Department of Health and Human Services to work with States to
provide technical assistance for childcare providers as they reopen
across the country.
In a recent study on technical assistance, the Government
Accountability Office found that the current COVID-19 pandemic
underscores the importance of Federal agencies providing technical
assistance to grantees to ensure the continuity of operations of grant
programs and the effective use of funding.
{time} 1115
While it is common for Congress to require technical assistance, it
is critical that we tailor these directives carefully to ensure
grantees are receiving necessary and timely support. We in Congress
hear the concerns of childcare providers and are sending the assistance
they desperately need.
Additionally, this bill authorizes $5 million for 1 year for HHS to
issue grants to States so they can provide guidance and technical
support to childcare providers, and it requires HHS to provide
recommendations to Congress on how to ensure there is an adequate
supply of safe childcare during COVID-19. It is critical, and not only
to children and childcare providers, but also to families who need
access to childcare while they return to work.
Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on H.R. 7909 so that we can help
put our country on the path forward. I appreciate working with my
colleague from Iowa, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague, Mr.
Guthrie, for his kind remarks.
Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume to the
gentlewoman from Iowa (Ms. Finkenauer), the author of this important
bipartisan legislation.
Ms. FINKENAUER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my
legislation, aptly called the Ensuring Children and Child Care Workers
Are Safe Act. I introduced this commonsense bipartisan bill to help
ensure our childcare providers have the information and resources they
need to provide a safe environment both for the kids they serve and
also their caregivers they employ amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
You see, parent and childcare providers were having a tough time even
[[Page H4446]]
before this pandemic hit our country. In my district, for example,
parents can't find enough people to provide quality and affordable
childcare, and there is an overwhelming demand and just not enough care
available. This is an industry struggling with a shrinking workforce,
low wages, and razor-thin margins.
And for myself personally, growing up in Iowa, I went to college in
Iowa; and I saw, after college and even after high school, a lot of my
friends move away and go to States where they could make more money and
pay off their student loan debt.
Right now they are in their thirties, around my age, getting married,
wanting to have kids, wanting to move back home, and one of the
barriers to doing it is access to childcare.
So, again, this has been an issue that we have dealt with for a long
time, before this pandemic even hit. But now, on top of everything, we
are asking our childcare providers to keep our kids safe during this
pandemic. In my State, cases continue to rise, but many folks have no
choice but to return to work.
Right now, I am worried that we are headed in the wrong direction.
Roughly 60 percent of childcare providers have actually closed their
doors because of the pandemic, and there is a chance that up to half of
those closures will actually be permanent.
Earlier this year, we passed legislation to create a $50 billion
childcare stabilization fund, which passed with bipartisan support.
This will help address some of the intense financial pressure facing
our providers right now, but the problem is still more complicated. We
must give the providers the guidance and also the support that they
need to protect the health and safety of our children, families, and
frontline workers.
That is where the Ensuring Children and Child Care Workers Are Safe
Act comes in. We want to make sure childcare providers are equipped to
keep kids safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19. We are going to do
that by ensuring there is practical safety guidance and technical
assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
We also want to make sure that this guidance actually reaches
childcare providers and that providers get the help they need in
implementing best practices. That is why our bill would also create
grants so States can reach out to providers and provide the technical
support they need to succeed.
This bill recognizes the unprecedented demands being put on our
childcare providers. We simply cannot expect them to do this alone when
they are already up against so much.
When it comes to addressing the childcare crisis which existed,
again, well before COVID-19 hit our country, I am happy to say that I
have found many partners on both sides of the aisle who are willing to
tackle this issue for hardworking families.
Thank you to the great group of bipartisan colleagues who are joining
me in tackling this problem and who worked with me to craft this bill.
This includes my colead, Congressman Brett Guthrie of Kentucky.
There is an understanding here that if parents don't have access to
quality and affordable childcare, then they will start passing up
economic opportunities. Sometimes it is turning down a promotion or, in
other cases, that means leaving the workforce altogether. We see this
far too often, especially in rural districts like mine.
It is clear that the childcare industry is critical to recovering
from this pandemic and the economic situation it created. Providing
help and technical assistance now will take a burden off our providers
amid the many challenges, again, that they face during the pandemic.
This bipartisan bill before you today is common sense, and it is
something that folks across the country are asking for. So I urge you
to vote ``yes'' on the Ensuring Children and Child Care Workers Are
Safe Act.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Keller), a member of the committee and a good friend.
Mr. KELLER. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in
supporting America's childcare providers and the essential services
they provide to our Nation's families.
As millions of families have learned during the COVID-19 pandemic,
childcare is a critical component of our national economy. In addition
to the significant benefits that childcare provides for children's
social and emotional development, access to reliable childcare
continues to play a vital role in America's economic recovery.
As parents return to work, they need to be sure that their children
will be looked after and kept safe. The Ensuring Children and Child
Care Workers Are Safe Act of 2020, H.R. 7909, would make these
assurances to families by equipping childcare providers with the
resources they need to perform their jobs safely and effectively.
This legislation would provide funding for States to implement
technical support and training programs to assist childcare providers
in meeting safety guidelines and acquiring personal protective
equipment.
Childcare providers have supported millions of American families,
providing an essential service during good times and bad. I urge my
colleagues to support H.R. 7909.
Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, may I please inquire how much time
remains on each side.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Oregon has 13 minutes
remaining.
Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman
from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I really thank the gentlewoman for
her leadership on these issues. Thank you so very much for allowing me
this time. As well, to the chairman of the committee, ranking member,
and to Ms. Finkenauer and the gentleman from Kentucky, let me thank
them for their leadership, and I thank the gentlewoman for the time.
Madam Speaker, let me indicate how important this legislation is.
Twelve Utah childcare students were infected with COVID-19. They
infected another 12; one of them was a parent who had to go to a
hospital.
The Ensuring Children and Child Care Workers Are Safe Act of 2020 is
vital and long overdue. This bill requires the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services to provide educational materials and
technical assistance to States related to the safe provision of
childcare services during COVID-19.
With this bill, childcare facilities not only receive information on
COVID-19 prevention, but also professional development for providers on
health and safety, as well as guidance on the acquisition and use of
personal protective equipment.
We heard this a lot in my district: No PPE.
It also instructs HHS to recommend additional steps to Congress about
ensuring the safe provision and adequate supply of childcare during
COVID-19, including whether and how to expand the supply of childcare
to meet demand. There is a demand. It is crucial.
In addition, according to The Washington Post, before the coronavirus
pandemic, approximately one-third of all children under age 5 attended
a paid care facility, daycare center, preschool, or prekindergarten. In
2019, there were 15 million-plus children living with a single mother
and approximately 3 million children living with a single father.
This is crucial because, as things open up, children and schools are
all going to be intermingling, and these childcare workers are vital to
what we do and how we provide for these hardworking parents and to
protect these children.
And now we know. It has been disabused that at any point children are
not infectious. That is no longer a fact. It is not a fact. It is not
true. They are infectious and they can transmit COVID-19.
Let me take a moment to speak quickly to H.R. 2574, the Equity and
Inclusion Enforcement Act of 2019.
That bill passed, but it restores the power of students and parents
to challenge discriminatory policies and practices in schools and other
federally funded programs. We know what happened to this young man who
wanted to wrestle. What a humiliating situation when, on the wrestling
floor, in the competition, a coach had to cut his hair off.
I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 7909.
I also rise to support H.R. 3659, Danny's Law, that deals with
bullying,
[[Page H4447]]
and, as well, H.R. 8162, 21st Century Community Learning Centers
Coronavirus Relief Act.
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues and ask my colleagues to support
the legislation.
Madam Speaker, as a cosponsor and Founding Chair of the Congressional
Children's Caucus, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7909, the
``Ensuring Child and Child Care Workers Are Safe Act of 2020,'' which
requires the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to
provide educational materials and technical assistance to states
related to the safe provision of child care services during COVID-19.
Despite their vital role during the pandemic, child care providers have
received insufficient actionable guidance on how to prevent the spread
of COVID-19 while providing high-quality care.
With this bill, child care facilities not only receive information on
COVID-19 prevention but also professional development for providers on
health and safety as well as guidance on the acquisition and use of
personal protective equipment. It also instructs HHS to recommend
additional steps to Congress about ensuring the safe provision and
adequate supply of childcare during COVID-19, including whether and how
to expand the supply of child care to meet demand.
As an increasing number of states open up and more individuals return
to work, parents are relying on child care facilities once again,
making the need for proper guidance to prevent the spread of COVID-19
at child care services more essential than ever. As of this morning,
the United States has over 6,606,859 cases of coronavirus and over
195,961 related deaths. Adequate and updated information is key to
getting control over this disease, and we must ensure that this
guidance is easily and readily accessible to all.
It is no secret that the child care sector provides an immense public
value to our society and our economy. According to the Washington Post,
before the coronavirus pandemic, approximately one-third of all
children under age 5 attended a paid care facility, day-care center,
preschool or prekindergarten.
Child care plays a crucial role in the lives of working parents,
especially in single parent households. In 2019, there were about 15.76
million children living with a single mother and approximately 3.23
million children living with a single father in the United States. We
must never forget that child care is often a lifeline to single,
working parents that allows them to balance both their parenting and
professional responsibilities.
I am proud to be a leader on this critical piece of legislation, and
I urge my colleagues from both parties to join me in voting to pass
H.R. 7909.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, in these challenging times, childcare providers,
especially those who run small operations, are at risk of shutting
their doors. The call for Congress to act is loud and clear.
With the additional health and safety requirements providers are
expected to navigate, it is important to help them implement these
requirements so the children in their care remain safe and free from
harm. H.R. 7909 will ensure that childcare providers receive guidance
and assistance to safely operate so that parents can return to work and
our economy can continue to recover. I think most of the people, when I
am back home, are just looking to return to normal, and this moves that
forward.
For these reasons, I strongly urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on
H.R. 7909, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I wish to once again thank Representatives Finkenauer
and Guthrie for their leadership in crafting this urgently needed
bipartisan bill and all of my colleagues who have spoken in support of
the Ensuring Children and Child Care Workers Are Safe Act. This is such
an important issue.
Today's children are tomorrow's leaders. This bill will help make
sure that childcare providers who are entrusted with the health,
safety, and development of our Nation's very future have the support
they need to succeed.
I also want to note, as my colleague from Iowa noted, that the
consideration of this bill comes after the House passage of the Child
Care is Essential Act, which will provide $50 billion in direct grant
funding to help childcare providers cover operating expenses, purchase
PPE and cleaning supplies, pay providers through the pandemic and
beyond, and, importantly, give struggling parents relief from high-cost
copayments and tuition.
This is a good investment in our children, our families, our economy,
and our future. I continue to urge Senator McConnell and the full
Senate to take up the Child Care is Essential Act, as well as this
excellent bipartisan bill.
Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the legislation
before us today, H.R. 7909, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 7909, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3 of House Resolution
965, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.
____________________