Date: 2008-04-14
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

illafford to pick up the slack. which in 2009 will Madam Speaker. I rise today to express my total over four and half million dollars. Since strong support for two essential programs for 2002. our state has beenon the hook for our children and familiesChild Care and De- $52.7 million. velopment Block Grants (CCDBG) and Head Meanwhile. the president has provided just Start. a 2.1 percent increase for Head Start. a proWe know that eariy investments in our chil- gram widely acknowledged as one of the most dren pay off in the long run. Early childhood successful in the federal government. This education programs increase school readiness wont even keep pace with inflation and falls and achievement. and improve cognitive and woefully short of what is needed to catch up social skills needed for academic success. In- to the more than $110 million in funding that vesting in Head Start is a good investment. as California has lost relative to Fiscal Year 2002 for every $1 spent we save neary $9. These funding. benefits include less welfare dependency. Mr. Speaker. on behalf of the approximately lower crime rates. and a reduction in grade 130.000 California children registered in Head repetition and special education services. Start and the benefit that early childhood eduCCDBG programs also offer a life line for cation provides to our nation. I urge the Conmany low income families. By offering sub- gress and President Bush to do all we can to �sidies for quality child care parents have adequately provide for this most important rebroader employment opportunities which result source. in higher incomes. less turnover. and in- Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. creased productivity. In addition. these funds Speaker. thank you very much to the are improving the quality. as well as the Speaker. and we yield back the balance amount of child care available. to low income of our time. families. In Texas. there are nearly 90.000 children enrolled in Head Start. Current proposed fund- LEAVE OF ABSENCE ing levels for Head Start in the FY 2009 Presi- By unanimous consent. leave of abdential Budget will leave this program in peril. sence was granted to: If enacted at the Presidents requested level. Mr. HONDA (at the request of Mr. 14.000 fewer children will be able to be en- HOYER) for today and April 15 on acrolled in Head Start in 2009. Last year. Con- count of personal business. gress made many needed improvements to Ms. RICHARDSON (at the request of the Head Start program during reauthorization. Mr. HoYER) for today and April 15 on Many of these improvements will not be en- account of family business. acted without a significant increase in funding. Ms. SOLIS (at the request of Mr. CCDBG faces similar prospects if there is HOYER) for today and until 5:30 p.m. on not an increase in -funding. Wait lists for April 15 on account of official business CCDBG programs continue to rise. In Texas. with the Helsinki Commission. there are currently 15.000 children on a Mr. BUYER (at the request of Mr. waitlist for child care assistance. If funding BOEHNER) for today on account of a continues at current levels 300.000 fewer chil- death in the family. dren nationally will receive child care assist- Mr. CULBERSON (at the request of Mr. ance by 2010. Without this much needed as- BOEHNER) for today on account of offisistance. parents will be forced to make in- cial business. creasingly difficult choices. Many will be forced into debt. will choose lowerquality child care. SPECIAL ORDERS GRANTED or end up back on welfare rolls. Mr. Speaker. we must increase the re- B? unanimous consent. permission to sources to these programs. Flat funding for address the House. following the legisCCDBG and nearflat funding for Head Start lative program and any special orders over the past decade has left hundreds of heretofore entered. was granted to: thousands of children without needed assist- The following Members (at the reance. Current economic conditions have hit quest of Ms. WOOLSEY) to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material: