[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 5]
[House]
[Pages 6051-6052]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Loebsack) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. LOEBSACK. Madam Speaker, this week is Week of the Young Child, 
and I stand before you and my colleagues this evening to call for the 
full funding of Head Start, our Nation's premier early education 
program, and for Child Care and Development Block Grants.
  I understand firsthand how important Head Start and subsidized child 
care programs are for low-income working families. I grew up in 
poverty, and I had a single mother who suffered from mental illness. I 
relied on support from my extended family, community, and friends. And 
as a result of the support that I received, I was able to focus on 
school, work hard, and achieve the American Dream. However, not all 
children are fortunate enough to have this sort of support system 
outside of their homes, and even with this additional support, many of 
Iowa's children could benefit from attending Head Start. Additionally, 
many hardworking, low-income parents could more easily push their 
families out of poverty if provided access to affordable and reliable 
child care. This is why it is critical that we properly fund Head Start 
and Child Care and Development Block Grants so we can expand enrollment 
and provide greater support to working families and opportunity to our 
Nation's children.
  For years we have been provided with statistics proving the benefits 
of Head Start and affordable child care. We know that children enrolled 
in Head Start will excel academically, have fewer health problems, and 
adapt better both socially and emotionally.
  However, to appreciate fully the benefits, Madam Speaker, one simply 
has to speak with the parents of these outstanding young students. In 
Iowa's Second District, which I am proud to represent, I have been 
lucky enough to visit a number of Head Start locations, and I have 
received letters from the parents of a number of these students. One of 
these letters was from Trina Thompson, a single, hardworking parent of 
two. Her youngest child attends

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Head Start in Iowa City, where she shared with me that ``The staff and 
the program itself at Head Start are invaluable to my family and many 
others. It is a well-run program that has been vitally beneficial to my 
daughter and my family.'' Ms. Thompson went on to say, ``I can go to 
work every day secure in the knowledge that my daughter is safe in a 
positive learning environment with amazing people.'' Ms. Thompson is 
not alone in her praise of these critical programs and the outstanding 
educators and child care providers.
  The photo behind me today is a photo of one of these exceptional 
providers. Kelly Mathews of Iowa City is pictured here with children at 
the child care center she runs in Iowa. Ms. Mathews works 50 hours a 
week with the children at this center. Then she spends additional time 
filling out paperwork, completing continuing education credits, 
shopping for supplies, and creating a challenging and exciting 
curriculum for the children under her care. Ms. Mathews does all this 
for one clear reason: ``to change the world.'' But we know this goal 
isn't easy, especially when Ms. Mathews is receiving a very modest 
salary with no benefits and no paid time off. We must do better for Ms. 
Mathews, better for all the child care providers and Head Start 
teachers, better for the children in Iowa and across the country, and 
better for hardworking families.
  Unfortunately, this year the President failed to stand up for our 
country's children. He failed to prioritize their needs, forgetting 
that these children are the key to our country's future success. This 
year the President proposes flat funding for child care that will cause 
200,000 children to lose access to child care assistance by 2009. The 
administration also acknowledges that fewer children will be served in 
Head Start under their proposal. Should these cuts be implemented, the 
Kelly Mathews of the world will find it even more difficult to make 
ends meet, and the Trina Thompsons and their young children will find 
it next to impossible to secure a spot at their local Head Start. And 
this is simply not acceptable.
  I urge all of my colleagues to take a moment this week in honor of 
the Week of the Young Child to think about the tens of thousands of 
children you represent that could be provided a wealth of opportunity 
and hope in their lives if we simply reject the President's budget 
proposal and choose to invest in the future and well-being of our 
children.

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