It was a crisis before the pandemic, and it certainly was exacerbated by that. So it is front and center.

It was found by the prior administration that the expanded background checks did not increase the safety of these children.

I am a strong supporter of their work. They are particularly effective because they have a personal experience with mental health, with substance abuse, homelessness, incarceration, or some sort of other behavioral health crisis.

Make no mistake, caps are just another name for more cuts. Caps are cuts.

We need to take a very, very hard look at the investments that we have made and the benefits of those investments.

Cuts to HHS, Health and Human Services, would result in fewer opioid use disorder and medication-assisted treatment programs that millions of people in rural areas depend on.

What we can tell you is that it would lead to some 100,000 slots for childcare being eliminated from our funding opportunity.

Thank you for dedicating your career to the work of saving lives by increasing access to high-quality healthcare.

We already had in the House a vote where 75 percent of House Republicans voted for Representative Massie's amendment to H.R. 5 that funding for all K through 12 education should be terminated by December of this year.

Last month, Representative Massie introduced an amendment to H.R. 5 that read, and I directly quote, 'Any office or program related to elementary or secondary education should be terminated by December 2023.'

Thank you to Mr. Hoyer.

I think the mindset that we have to have should include the importance of mental health and well-being.

I must mention how deeply concerned I am over some of my House Republican colleagues' calls for massive spending cuts.

I am worried about House Republicans' reported proposal to cap the domestic spending for the 2024 budget at the 2022 level.

The maternal mortality rate in this Nation, especially among black and brown women, is unacceptable and, frankly, appalling.

I am proud that while I served as chair of the Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee we responded quickly and forcefully to the COVID-19 pandemic.

I must mention how deeply concerned I am over extreme--some House Republican calls for massive spending cuts.

Childcare, I will tell you parents are not going back to work, what that does to the economy.

These cuts threaten so much of the progress that we have made in recent years.

I suggest that is going to bring--that would bring misery and hardship to millions of Americans.

We supported middle class and working families with increased funding for childcare, Head Start, preschool grants.

for-profit OPMs are the new predators in higher education.

We can't afford to lose that time because you never get it back.

I thank the chair for holding this hearing, this critical hearing, and I am pleased to welcome our witnesses.

There is a reality out there, with everyone in this room and beyond whatever networks you have, to understand what is being suggested.