Child C.A.R.E. Act Introduced

This information is just in from our friends at Child Care Aware of America:

This week, Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Congresswoman Lois Frankel (D-FL), and Congressman Joe Crowley (D-NY) will introduce the Child Care Access to Resources for Early-learning Act (the Child C.A.R.E. Act), which furthers the purposes of the Child Care and Development Block Grant reauthorization. This makes landmark investment in the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), that helps families with young children afford high-quality child care.

Access to high-quality child care and early education not only promotes a child’s development, but it also helps support parents who are struggling to balance work and family. This legislation helps Americans meet the needs of their jobs and their families which ultimately strengthens the economy.

“In half of all states, a year of child care is more than a year of college tuition and in every state child care costs are higher than rent and mortgage payments for working parents,” Crowley said. “That’s a huge pill to swallow.”

Highlights from the legislation include:

Infants and toddlers. Families with infants and toddlers who are living at or below 200% of the Federal poverty level (FPL) will gain access to high-quality child care by FY 2021.

Child care providers. Payment rates will be set at a level high enough to support high-quality care for young children, and help infant and toddler providers in improving the quality of their programs by strengthening the skills of the workforce, and ensure that children receive comprehensive services by coordinating activities with other community service providers.

Increased Quality Child Care. This bill will provide the resources to help states implement the important safety and quality reforms signed into law through CCDBG in 2014, and support the expansion of access to quality child care programs staffed by early educators that can provide developmentally appropriate services that promote the healthy development and school readiness of young children.

Tribes. The Child C.A.R.E. Act will ensure that quality infant and toddler child care is a strong component of a continuum of quality early learning within states and tribes.

Take action today by sending a message to your legislator using Child Care Aware® of America’s pre-crafted messaging, asking him or her to co-sponsor the Child C.A.R.E. Act. And share about this bill on social media using the hashtags #ChildCareWorks and #InvestInKids.

For more information, read Child Care Aware’s blog post on The Child C.A.R.E. Act and the Child Care and Dependent Care Tax Credit Act (CDCTC).

Download Child Care Aware’s Social Share Kit for predrafted social media posts, press release, and graphics.

City County Council Meeting is Tonight

Tonight the Marion County City Council will vote on the Indianapolis Preschool plan. The council meeting will be in the the City County Building in the Public Assembly Room at 7:00 pm. Hope to see you all there.

The fight for quality child care continues in November (CCDBG Reauthorization Update)

This information is just in from our friends at Child Care Aware of America:

Friday, September 12, 2014, House and Senate leaders reached a bipartisan agreement to reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act. Negotiated by Representatives John Kline (R-MN), George Miller (D-CA), Todd Rokita (R-IN), and David Loebsack (D-IA), and Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and Richard Burr (R-NC), the agreement will enhance transparency, strengthen health and safety protections, and improve the quality of care.

After the original bill was introduced in the Senate on June 3, 2013, the Senate voted to pass S.1086, the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act (CCDBG) of 2014 on March 13th, 2014 by a vote of 96-2 and the House passed the amended version of the bill on September 15, 2014.

timeline

Timeline of S.1086 in Congress:

June 3, 2013: Senator Mikulski (D-MD), Senator Burr (R-NC), Senator Harkin (D-IA), and Senator Alexander (R- TN) Introduce S.1086, a bill to reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block Grant.

September 18, 2013: The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee passes S.1086 out of committee by unanimous consent via voice vote.

March 12, 2014: The Senate begins debate on S.1086.

March 13, 2014: After adopting multiple amendments, Senate passes S.1086 by a vote of 96-2.

September 12, 2014: Representatives John Kline (R-MN), George Miller (D-CA), Todd Rokita (R-IN), and David Loebsack (D-IA), and Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and Richard Burr (R-NC) announce bi-partisan, bicameral agreement to reauthorize CCDBG.

September 15, 2014: House of Representatives pass amended version of S.1086 by a voice vote

On Tuesday, the morning after House passage, the Senate leadership “hotlined” the bill, meaning that every Senator received a call and was required to notify leadership if they objected. Senator Pat Toomey from PA placed a “hold” on the bill, stopping it’s progress unless the hold was removed. Toomey was fighting for passage of his own K12 background check bill and due to the manner that the hotline works, held significant leverage in this situation.

For more information on what went on in the the Senate this past week with CCDBG, click below:

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2014/09/child_care_and_development_blo.html

Through the end of yesterday’s session, Sen. Toomey (R-PA) continued his hold on CCDBG. Since it was clear that S.1086 as amended would not be passing through unanimous consent, Majority Leader Reid (D-NV) placed S.1086 at the top of the list of pending business to be continued by the Senate when it returns from recess (Monday, Nov. 10th). Reid scheduled a cloture vote on S.1086 that will allow the Senate to proceed for a vote on the House passed version, which is scheduled to begin on Thursday, November 13th after the midterm elections in November.

To read through Thursday night’s legislative proceedings, check out the Senate Legislative Calendar Digest here:

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/floor_activity/09_18_2014_Senate_Floor.htm

For more information on the Child Care and Development Block Grant and reauthorization, click below:

http://usa.childcareaware.org/public-policy/core-issues/ccdbg-reauthorization

From now through November 13th, stay tuned to Child Care Aware of America’s Public Policy department as we continue our calls to action and provide updates around the latest happenings with CCDBG Reauthorization.

Breaking News: House of Representatives Advances CCDBG Reauthorization

Child Care Aware of America reports that the House of Representatives has advanced the Child Care Development Block Grant Reauthorization.

This is a huge win for working families in this country. This bill contains many common-sense measures for helping protect children in child care, such as requiring providers to undergo comprehensive background checks, ensuring annual inspections are conducted and requiring childcare providers receive training on CPR, first aid and safe sleep practices.

We are one step closer to ensuring children are safe and receiving quality early learning experiences while in child care. The research is clear, children’s early years are proven to be the most important time to create strong learners. This bill sets the standard families expect for their children.

Please join us to thank the House of Representatives for standing up for children and working families by voting yes to reauthorize CCDBG by clicking here.

Now that the House has passed the bill, the Senate will have to take it up again. Click here join us to urge your Senators to pass CCDBG out of Congress for the first time in 18 years.

CCDBG Reauthorization

This news is just in from Child Care Aware of America!

Last Friday, September 12, 2014, House and Senate leaders reached a bipartisan agreement to improve and reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act. Negotiated by Representatives John Kline (R-MN), George Miller (D-CA), Todd Rokita (R-IN), and David Loebsack (D-IA), and Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and Richard Burr (R-NC), the agreement will enhance transparency, strengthen health and safety protections, and improve the quality of care.

The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the primary federal grant program that provides child care assistance to families, and funds quality initiatives for child care. Your advocacy efforts have gotten us this far, but our work isn’t done yet. You can continue to make a difference by telling your Members of Congress that we need to strengthen CCDBG as they are considering its reauthorization.

Timing is critical. Members of Congress need to hear from you now more than ever.  Act now to support working families.

The bill is set to be on the Floor of the House of Representatives today, as part of the legislative activity set to start at 2pm Eastern. To watch the House Floor proceedings, click here.

To read a summary of the agreement, click here.