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BIPARTISAN LAWMAKERS OPPOSE DIMINISHING THE CHILD CARE BUREAU IN HHS RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT THE IMPACT ON CHILD CARE IN AMERICA


Washington, DC: Today a bipartisan and bicameral group of lawmakers objected to the restructuring of the Department of Health and Human Services because of the proposed consolidation of the Child Care Bureau. Led by Senators Edward M. Kennedy and Chris Dodd and Representatives George Miller and Lynn Woolsey, the lawmakers raised their concerns in a letter to Secretary Leavitt on the impact this change will have on important efforts to improve access to child care and upgrade the quality of early care and education programs available to families. Since its establishment in 1995, the Child Care Bureau has played a leadership role in promoting the quality of care as an essential component to child development and school readiness. In justifying the move, the Department of Health and Human Services cited the need for greater coordination between the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. However, House and Senate Democrats expressed strong concern about the future policy implications of the move, particularly in narrowing federal child care assistance to function solely as a work support for TANF families, rather than as a work support and a key to children’s educational success. "Thousands of children across the country are waiting for quality child care, and thousands that currently receive help under the CCDBG program are the working poor,” said Senator Kennedy. “The Bush Administration's misguided policy and budget cuts threaten to push these families off of child care assistance, and it compromise efforts already underway to improve child care and leverage CCDBG to support quality early learning environments." “Watering down the role of the Child Care Bureau diminishes the purpose of child care as both a support for working parents and an early learning experience for children,” said Senator Dodd. “This is a step backward in the movement to improve the quality of care for all families, especially low- income families struggling to keep their children safe while they earn a living.” “The Bush Administration’s proposal once again calls into question whether its commitment to child care is real or not,” said Rep. George Miller. “It comes at the same time that the President’s budget proposes drastic cuts in the number of American children that would receive child care.” “The Administration's proposed consolidation of the Child Care Bureau into the Office of Family Assistance could significantly harm the availability of quality child care for low-income families,” said Woolsey. “The Child Care Bureau has been a focal point in the national effort to ensure that child care is not only a support for working parents but also an enriching experience that prepares children to succeed in school. This action is another unfortunate example of the Administration's lack of understanding of the needs of working families.” This year, CCDBG is serving 250,000 fewer children than it did in 2001, when President Bush took office. Yet the President’s budget for 2007 would reduce the number of children receiving child care through CCDBG by another 400,000 by the year 2011. Child care is central to the integration of early education services for families across the country. Withmore and more of the nation's children in out-of-home care, the Senators and Members of Congress believe that the Administration for Children and Families crucial focus on improving early education and care must be maintained. Below is the letter from the lawmakers, as well as a letter of opposition from a large consortium of advocates across the country. (PDF versions of the letters are available upon request.)