Orrin Hatch: “As this decade nears a close, and as our Nation has enjoyed an unprecedented period of economic growth, there remains an…”

“As this decade nears a close, and as our Nation has enjoyed an unprecedented period of economic growth, there remains an issue that affects many American families. I am referring to child care. It has been nearly 9 years since the passage of the bipartisan Child Care and Development Block Grant Act. I was proud to have been a sponsor of this legislation, and I remain committed to its goals, structure, and principles. Though the CCDBG has led to great improvements in the child care situation facing low-income families in every State, it has become clear that more needs to be done to help the family. In my home State of Utah, an extraordinary 57 percent of mothers with children under the age of 6 are in the labor force, and 134,000 children under the age of 6 in Utah will be cared for by someone other than their parents. I am pleased to again join my colleagues in sponsoring this measure. The Caring for Children Act is a comprehensive, realistic child care proposal, which we believe will benefit middle- and lower-income American families who struggle to get ahead or struggle to keep up.”