Barbara Mikulski: “this week, the Senate will once again consider S. 1086 as amended by the House, the Child Care and Development Block…”

“this week, the Senate will once again consider S. 1086 as amended by the House, the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014. This is bipartisan legislation that I introduced along with Senators Burr, Harkin, and Alexander. A version of this bill was passed by the Senate earlier this year by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 96-2. An amended version passed the House on September 15th, by unanimous consent. I stand here today, on the side of families and children across the nation, encouraging the Senate to once again pass this child care bill and send it to the President's desk to become law. Before I was the Senator for Maryland, I was a social worker for Baltimore families and worked with children and the elderly. At the dawn of the civil rights movement, I went from being a social worker to a social activist in elected office. Today, I'm a social worker in Congress, working to build opportunities for families throughout America. I stand here today, proud that with this bill, we can make a difference for parents and children across America. Every family deserves child care that is affordable, accessible, and exceptional. Child care is one of the most important decisions a parent will make when raising their child. But we live in the aqe of scrimp and save. Times are tough and budgets are tight. Every day, parents across American struggle to put food on the table, pay their bills, and provide care for their kids.…”