IV
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. RES. 131
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Federal com-
mitment to early childhood development programs should be supported
by sufficient funding to meet the needs of infants and toddlers in the
areas of health, nutrition, education, and child care.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 24, 1997
Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts submitted the following resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that
the Federal commitment to early childhood development
programs should be supported by sufficient funding to
meet the needs of infants and toddlers in the areas
of health, nutrition, education, and child care.
Whereas in 1995, there were 11,800,000 children younger
than age three in the United States and about one in
four of these children lived in poor families (with annual
incomes less than $12,158 for a family of three);
Whereas groundbreaking scientific research shows that chil-
dren’s experiences during their first three years of life de-
termine how the intricate circuitry of their brains are
‘‘wired’’ and lay the foundation for their future develop-
ment;
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Whereas failure to provide young children what they need
during this period has long-term consequences and costs
for the larger society;
Whereas children need certain supports such as a close and
supportive relationship with their parents and other nur-
turing adults, good health care and adequate nutrition,
good child care, and strong families with sufficient in-
comes to provide children with the essentials necessary
for sound development during these critical years if they
are to thrive and grow to be contributing adults;
Whereas in 1995, about one out of every seven children under
the age of three had no health insurance and were there-
fore more likely to experience poorer health and to go
without cost-effective preventive care, and were less likely
to see a doctor;
Whereas about one out of five pregnant women in America
did not get early prenatal care in 1994;
Whereas children born to mothers who do not get prenatal
care are more likely to be born with dangerously low
birthweight and need costly newborn care;
Whereas in 1994–1995, more than half of the States had as
many as one out of every four children between 19
months and three years of age who were not fully immu-
nized against childhood diseases;
Whereas children who are not immunized are more likely to
contact preventable diseases which can cause long-term
harm;
Whereas malnutrition during a child’s early years has far
more devastating consequences than at later points in
such child’s life, and can seriously inhibit children’s
growth and development;
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Whereas low-income children are at particular risk to be se-
verely underweight and clinically malnourished;
Whereas three out of five mothers with children younger than
three were in the labor force in 1995, with many, there-
fore, relying on child care centers or family child care
homes to care for their children while they work;
Whereas studies show children in poor quality care are more
likely to have delayed cognitive and language development
and prereading skills, are more likely to spend substantial
amounts of unoccupied time not engaged in social inter-
actions, are more likely to be insecurely attached to their
caregivers, and are more likely to display aggression; and
Whereas child care for infants and toddlers is in short sup-
ply, with three out of four parents of young children in
a national poll stating there is an insufficient supply of
child care for infants in their communities: Now, there-
fore, be it
Resolved,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This resolution may be cited as the ‘‘Zero to Three
Resolution for Early Childhood Development’’.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
It is the sense of the House of Representatives that—
(1) sufficient funding should be provided to
meet the needs of infants and toddlers through—
(A) the Healthy Start program established
under section 301 of the Public Health Service
Act (42 U.S.C. 241);
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(B) the special supplemental nutrition pro-
gram for women, infants, and children (WIC)
established under section 17 of the Child Nutri-
tion Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786);
(C) Head Start programs and those pro-
grams under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C.
9831 et seq.) that provide services for families
with infants and toddlers;
(D) programs for infants and toddlers with
disabilities under part H of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1471 et
seq.); and
(E) programs under the Child Care and
Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42
U.S.C. 9858 et seq.); and
(2) legislation should be enacted during the
105th Congress to expand health insurance to pro-
vide coverage for all of America’s uninsured chil-
dren.
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