John Kerry: “our Nation has suffered through the worst recession since the 1930s. As the economy begins to recover, the availability…”

“our Nation has suffered through the worst recession since the 1930s. As the economy begins to recover, the availability of affordable and safe child care is a necessary component of enabling parents to find and maintain employment to support their family. The recession has caused States across the country to scale back funding for child care. The waiting lists for subsidized child care in some States are beginning to rise and a few states have stopped or are planning to stop providing child care assistance to families who are not receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, TANF, altogether. Restrictions of the availability of child care assistance make it harder for parents to afford child care and force some parents to leave their jobs and turn to welfare programs for support. That is wrong and we can do better. Child care consumes a large portion of family budgets, and can range from $4,560 to $15,895 annually for full-time care depending on where the family lives, the type of care, and the age of the child. Child care prices are higher than other household expenses and typically exceed the average amount families spend on food. In 39 States and the District of Columbia, the average annual price for child care for an infant in a child care center was higher than a year's tuition at many 4-year public colleges. Without assistance, low-income families can find it impossible to secure child care.”