Amy Klobuchar: “I rise today in support of the bipartisan Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014. I thank Senator Mikulski…”

“I rise today in support of the bipartisan Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014. I thank Senator Mikulski for her great leadership, Senator Burr for his leadership, and Senators Harkin and Alexander. We have had a great afternoon. We also had a number of people confirmed today, which I am very pleased about, including the Ambassador to Canada. I think it is pretty important we have an ambassador to Canada because Canada is our biggest trading partner. We haven't had one now for months, and this is a very good outcome. But back to the bill. It has been almost 20 years since the Senate last reauthorized CCDBG. Since that time we have learned if we want strong communities, a robust workforce, and students who are ahead of the curve, we need to ensure that every child has access to high- quality childcare. As the country's primary Federal childcare program, CCDBG provides millions of families with the assistance they need to ensure working parents can keep their jobs or finish schooling knowing their children are safe and receiving quality care. We know that a child's early years are critical to building a strong foundation for their lives. Up to 90 percent of brain development happens before age 5. Just think about that: 90 percent of brain development happens before age 5. That is why it is so important to invest in quality care and education.…”