Facts In Action

As we go to print, the United States Senate and House are adjourned until December 4^th. When they return, they will continue to work on the FY2001 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill, which could include increases in funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, Head Start, and after school programs.

In the meantime, the House and Senate passed identical legislation, the Children's Day Care Health and Safety Improvement Act [S.2236/H.R. 4750, sponsored by Sen. William Frist (R-TN) and Rep. Edward Bryant (R-TN)], authorizing $200 million in grants to states to establish programs to improve the health and safety of children in child care. In order for funding for these activities to be available this year, however, funds for the bill must be appropriated in the final FY2001 budget.

A number of other bills related to early care and education are currently being considered. You can view bill summaries and status information on-line at thomas.loc.gov. The following are a few of the bills being considered:

• Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) and Rep. Sanford Bishop, Jr. (D-GA) introduced the Child Care Quality Incentive Act of 1999 (S.1475/H.R. 2943), a provision of $1.5 billion to establish a mandatory pool of $300 million each year under the Child Care and Development Block Grant to provide incentives to states to increase subsidy payment rates.

• Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) introduced S.2866, the Early Learning Opportunities Act, a provision to make $3.25 billion in grants to states available over the next three years to improve the accessibility, affordability and quality of early care and education programs.

• Rep. Patsy Mink (D-HI) introduced H.R.5071, the Comprehensive Early Childhood Education Act of 2000, providing $4.1 billion in FY2001 to establish comprehensive early childhood education programs and early childhood education professional development programs.
  

Facts in Action, November 2000