Formatting necessary for an accurate reading of this text may be shown by tags (e.g., <DELETED> or <BOLD>) or may be missing from this TXT display. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the PDF.
[Pages H3987-H3988]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SALUTING EARLY EDUCATORS AND CHILDCARE WORKERS
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from
Massachusetts (Mrs. Trahan) for 5 minutes.
Mrs. TRAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to salute the early educators and
childcare workers who have sacrificed so much for our children and
their parents across the Nation throughout this pandemic.
As a working mom, I know how critical they are to our families and to
our economy. The fact is, had our childcare workers not done their
part, many other essential workers like our nurses, firefighters,
police officers, postal workers, food service and sanitation employees,
and grocery workers could not have done theirs.
The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated what we have known to be true
all along, that our childcare workforce is essential. That is why I was
proud to cast my vote yesterday for the Child Care Is Essential Act.
The House advanced bold legislation to ensure that our childcare
workforce has the support it needs to operate childcare centers safely.
I would like to commend my colleagues, Representatives Rosa DeLauro,
Bobby Scott, and Katherine Clark, for their leadership on this critical
issue.
The fact is, even before the pandemic, enrolling an infant or toddler
in a quality childcare program could be enormously expensive. Frankly,
there was inadequate support to make those programs fit in the
household budgets for many families.
[[Page H3988]]
The GAO found that, on average, just 1 out of every 10 children who
are eligible for Federal childcare subsidies actually received them.
Moreover, 1 in 10 parents have reported being demoted, transferred, or
fired due to childcare problems.
Overall, inadequate childcare costs our economy nearly $60 billion,
annually. Meanwhile, we are leaving money on the table. For every
dollar invested in quality early childhood programs, we get a $7 return
on our investment.
As challenging as it has been over the years for parents to find
affordable childcare, COVID has massively compounded the problem. It
has demanded even more of our childcare workforce, while stretching
budgets to the absolute limit.
In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, some childcare centers have had
to turn parents away in order to make the necessary public health
accommodations, such as reducing class size. A childcare center in the
city of Lawrence went from serving 715 children pre-COVID to 360, a
nearly 50 percent reduction. What is more, 97 percent of the households
with children in that program were eligible for subsidies.
What is a parent to do when they can't afford to miss work but also
has no childcare support?
It is long past time for America to assist them by investing in
reliable, affordable, high-quality childcare.
Each day we hear praise for our essential workers, and they deserve
every word of it. They have been keeping us safe for months while
risking their own lives. It is obvious that thank-yous will no longer
cut it. The least we can do is guarantee that they aren't left
penniless due to the cost of childcare.
If we are going to show our commitment to workers and to families,
the Child Care Is Essential Act should advance through the upper
Chamber without delay.
____________________
