MIKULSKI CALLS ON SENATE TO PASS HER BIPARTISAN BILL TO HELP AMERICAN FAMILIES ACCESS SAFE, AFFORDABLE AND QUALITY CHILD CARE

Senator introduced bipartisan legislation to support CCDBG which serves more than 1.5 million children every month, including 19,000 in Maryland

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today called on the Senate to take up and pass the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014. This bipartisan bill will improve the quality of child care for the more than 1.5 million children and families, including 19,000 in Maryland, who benefit from the federal child care subsidy program. The Senate is scheduled to take a procedural cloture vote on the legislation on Thursday. A vote on final passage is expected to occur late this week or early next.

“Before I was the Senator for Maryland, I was a social worker for Baltimore families and worked with children and the elderly. Today, I’m a social worker in Congress, working to build opportunities for families throughout America. Every family deserves child care that is affordable, accessible and exceptional,” Senator Mikulski said. “This bill reforms and refreshes important child care legislation, so moms and dads of modest means can afford child care 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.”

An earlier version of the legislation, introduced by Senator Mikulski along with Senators Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), unanimously passed the Senate HELP Committee, passed the Senate by a vote of 96-2, and was unanimously approved by the House of Representatives in September after negotiated changes were made. The modified bill must now pass the Senate again before being sent to the President to be signed into law.

The CCDBG reauthorization bill incorporates feedback and suggestions provided to the Committee since 2012. The bipartisan and bicameral legislation promotes high quality care by reserving funds at the state level to improve the quality of care provided to children, enhances states’ ability to train providers, and develop safer and more effective child care services. The bill enhances parental choice by providing information about available care options from all providers, including faith-based and community-based providers, and allowing parents to choose the child care provider that best suits their family’s needs. Finally, the legislation ensures that all providers comply with state health, safety and fire standards and undergo annual inspections and background checks.

Senator Mikulski’s full statement, as submitted to the Congressional Record, follows:

“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 age 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 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, 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 percent 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 ten percent 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 HELP 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 replying on CCDBG.

“First, the reauthorization requires states to prioritize quality. States will be required to eventually set aside at least nine percent of funding for quality initiatives, five percent more than current law. States will chose 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 paycheck.

“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 fiscal year (FY) 2015 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) appropriations bill – 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.

“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. So you see, we put money in a program through appropriations channels and now we are improving the program through authorizing channels. And rest assured, we will keep fighting for this child care program.

“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.”