Tom Harkin

The Strong Start for America's Children Act introduced by Senator Harkin would create and fund the State-Federal partnership that would enable States across the country to provide high-quality pre-K for 4-year-olds from every low- and…

Head Start will continue to play a key role in the transformation of education in America.

Thank you, Senator Harkin. Thank you for this opportunity, and I thank you for your work related to early childhood.

Head Start is our Nation's premier provider of developmental and educational services to pregnant moms, infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their families, who live in poverty and struggle to meet the basic needs of life.

We serve fewer than 1 in 20 infants and toddlers that are eligible for Early Head Start.

If you just said for everybody there's free breakfast and lunches, it just doesn't cost that much more money, and it's just very streamlined.

Why don't we just kind of start biting the bullet and saying, 'Look, what is so magic about the age of 5 and kindergarten?'

All children, regardless of circumstances, deserve access to high-quality education that will nurture that potential.

Senator Harkin's bill also puts an emphasis on pre-K programs, including nutrition services and education, physical activity, and obesity prevention programs.

We are well short of meeting existing needs.

The Strong Start for America's Children Act, introduced by Senator Tom Harkin, would create and fund a State-Federal partnership.

We provided over a $1 billion increase for Head Start, $1 billion, and a $150 million increase for child care.

But if you want high-quality early childhood, especially in that early birth-to-3, and you want really good daycare, and you want qualified people with those kids, and you want good home visits and parental involvement and making sure kids…

Earlier today a vote was taken in the Senate that, to this Senator, marked about the lowest point that I think this Senate has descended in my 30 years here. I don't say that lightly. I was in Congress during the impeachment process trial…

I wish to recognize the 30th anniversary of a special place in our Senate community--the Senate employees' childcare center. The teachers and administrators at the center are some of the unsung heroes of the Senate, and it is a privilege…

I rise today to pay tribute to the former Deputy Secretary of Labor, Seth Harris, who recently left the Department after nearly 5 years of service. In his time serving as both Deputy Secretary and Acting Secretary, Seth was an invaluable…

I have spoken on the floor of this body on a number of occasions about the impending retirement crisis facing this country. I know from my constituents that the dream of a secure retirement is growing fainter and fainter. In fact, the…

I think it's just a milestone.

I hope you'll do it very aggressively.

Those with household incomes of less than $15,000 were more than four times likely to have dementia as those with household income more than $75,000.

I fought hard to overturn the Bush Administration limitation on stem cell research.

Today's hearing is the sixth that this subcommittee has held since 2000 focusing on Alzheimer's disease, the burden of the disease, the state of the research, and the challenges faced by caregivers.

This place, this Senate, this Congress, however much you may read to the contrary in the newspapers and the media, it does respond to you.

Today's hearing is the sixth this subcommittee has held since 2000 focusing on Alzheimer's disease--the burden of this disease, the state of research, and the challenges faced by caregivers.

But I just want to get that out just so that people understand that and that, hopefully, the House won't repeat that again this year.