III 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 517 

Designating the week of April 13–19, 2008, as ‘‘Week of the Young Child’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 16, 2008 

Mr. SALAZAR (for himself, Mr. COCHRAN, Mr. DODD, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mr. 

LEVIN, Mrs. LINCOLN, Mr. BROWN, Ms. LANDRIEU, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. 

CASEY, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. ROBERTS, and Mr. JOHNSON) submitted the 

following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating the week of April 13–19, 2008, as ‘‘Week of 

the Young Child’’. 

Whereas there are 20,000,000 children under the age of 5 in 

the United States; 

Whereas numerous studies, including the Abecedarian Study, 

the Study of the Chicago Child-Parent Center, and the 

High/Scope Perry Preschool Study, indicate that low income children who have enrolled in quality, comprehensive early childhood education programs— 

(1) improve their cognitive, language, physical, social, and emotional development; and 

(2) are less likely to— 

(A) be placed in special education; 

(B) drop out of school; or 


wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
2 

•SRES 517 ATS 

(C) engage in juvenile delinquency; 

Whereas the enrollment rates of children under the age of 5 

in early childhood education programs have steadily increased since 1965 with— 

(1) the creation of the Head Start program carried 

out under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.); 

(2) the establishment of the Early Head Start program carried out under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 

9831 et seq.); and 

(3) the enactment of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.); 

Whereas many children eligible for, and in need of, quality 

early childhood education services are not served; 

Whereas only about one-half of all preschoolers who are eligible to participate in Head Start programs have the opportunity to do so; 

Whereas less than 5 percent of all eligible babies and toddlers 

in the United States receive the opportunity to participate in Early Head Start; 

Whereas only about 1 out of every 7 eligible children receives 

assistance under section 658C of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858a) 

to— 

(1) enable the parents of the child to continue working; and 

(2) provide the child with safe and nurturing early 

childhood care and education; 

Whereas, although State and local governments have responded to the numerous benefits of early childhood education by making significant investments in programs 

and classrooms, there remains— 


wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
3 

•SRES 517 ATS 

(1) a large unmet need for those services; and 

(2) a need to improve the quality of those programs; 

Whereas, according to numerous studies on the impact of investments in high-quality early childhood education, the 

programs reduce— 

(1) the occurrence of students failing to complete 

secondary school; and 

(2) future costs relating to special education and juvenile crime; and 

Whereas economist and Nobel Laureate, James Heckman, 

and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal 

Reserve System, Ben S. Bernanke, have stated that investment in childhood education is of critical importance 

to the future of the United States: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates the week of April 13–19, 2008, 

3 as ‘‘Week of the Young Child’’; 

4 (2) encourages the citizens of the United States 

5 to celebrate— 

6 (A) young children; and 

7 (B) the citizens who provide care and early 

8 childhood education to the young children of the 

9 United States; and 

10 (3) urges the citizens of the United States to 

11 recognize the importance of— 

12 (A) quality, comprehensive early childhood 

13 education programs; and 


wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
4 

•SRES 517 ATS 

1 (B) the value of those services for pre2 paring children to— 

3 (i) appreciate future educational expe4 riences; and 

5 (ii) enjoy lifelong success. 

Æ 


wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS