Tom Harkin: “I first thank Senator Enzi again for working with us for a long time on the committee to put this bill together, and I…”

“I first thank Senator Enzi again for working with us for a long time on the committee to put this bill together, and I thank him for this amendment. Basically, GAO's 2012 annual report noted the Department of Education and Health and Human Services should be increasing their coordination efforts in dealing with childcare and early learning programs. This amendment would require them to collaborate and conduct a comprehensive review of the 45 programs which currently support early learning and childcare across the country. This would ensure better coordination, reduction in duplication, and effective programming for children. I say to my friend from Wyoming, on Monday I was in my home State of Iowa, in Des Moines, visiting an early learning center. On Saturday, I was in Ames visiting an early learning center in preparation for this bill to be on the floor. Monday, I was meeting with everyone there. With all of the different funding streams which come through and all of the different cross-purposes, I finally said: Stop a minute. I am confused. They said: If you are confused, so are we. Even the people running the programs--everything has some different thing they have to fill out paperwork for to qualify. So I am particularly sensitive to the Senator's amendment, having just tried to wade through all of that just a couple days ago in Iowa. I thank my friend from Wyoming. It is a good amendment and should be adopted. We certainly support the amendment.…”