James M. Jeffords: “Tomorrow I will introduce my amendment on child care. Today, there are more than 12 million children under the age of…”

“Tomorrow I will introduce my amendment on child care. Today, there are more than 12 million children under the age of five--including half of all infants under one year of age--who spend at least part of their day being cared for by someone other than their parents. The past two decades have seen a dramatic rise in the number of women in the paid labor force. More than 60 percent of women with preschool aged children, are employed full- or part-time. For most of these families, child care is a requirement, not an option. Women now constitute 46 percent of our Nation's labor force. Most women are not working just to achieve a degree of personal growth outside the home, but to meet their family's basic needs. Their employment is not a choice, but an essential part of their family's economic survival. Similarly, child care that is affordable and convenient is necessary for most women working outside the home. Many of the traditional sources of child care are no longer available--as many of the friends, neighbors, grandparents, and other relatives who used to be available to provide child care are also working. Research has repeatedly demonstrated that for parents who must work, child care services that are dependable and of high quality make it easier to find and keep a job. Good child care helps parents reach and maintain economic self-sufficiency. There is a clear connection between child care and the production of income.”