Douglas Alexander: “today I am here with Senator Dodd and on behalf of Senator Enzi and Senator Kennedy to introduce the Caring for Children…”

“today I am here with Senator Dodd and on behalf of Senator Enzi and Senator Kennedy to introduce the Caring for Children Act of 2005 which reauthorizes the Child Care and Development Block Grant, CCDBG, program. This program provides funding to States for child care vouchers. Across the United States last year low-income parents of 2.3 million children were able to use these certificates or ``vouchers'' to help pay the cost of child care while the parents worked or continued their education so they could get a better job. Last year, my home State of Tennessee spent $251,760,528 for child care, much of which came through the CCDBG program. This important program legislates how States are to administer child care. States provide certificates to parents to choose the type of care that best fits their children's needs. In Tennessee, 1 percent of children receive care in their own home, 19 percent have chosen to place their children in family home care, 5 percent are in group care while the vast majority, 75 percent, are in child care centers. About 24,500 Tennessee families with children are enrolled in some form of subsidized child care, and as of January of this year, 46,591 children were receiving subsidized child care in my home State. A family of four, which is a typical size for eligible families in Tennessee, is eligible for child care support when their median income is no more than 60 percent of the State's median income.”