Political Quotes

“I would like to thank Chairman Harkin, Ranking Member Alexander, and sponsors Senator Mikulski and Senator Burr for their tremendous work to bring the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014 to passage. I thank all of my colleagues in the House and Senate who helped get us to this point. As many of my colleagues have commented, it is well past time that we take up a reauthorization of this important legislation. The Child Care and Development Block Grant, CCDBG, has not been reauthorized since 1996. In the nearly two decades since, our understanding of early childhood development, and the importance of high-quality child care and early learning, has expanded dramatically. Investing in high-quality early learning opportunities such as child care and pre-K sets children on the path to success. This bill updates Federal standards to ensure that the Federal Government is supporting high-quality child care for low-income children. The legislation we have passed sets a new standard for child care in America, making sure that Federal dollars are going to providers who are committed to providing child care that meets certain criteria, such as health and safety standards. Many of these changes reflect proposals I have put forth in previous Congresses to improve the Child Care and Development Block Grant, such as the Starting Early, Starting Right Act.…”