On April 2, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee approved, by voice vote, a bill (as-yet-unnumbered) that would reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) through FY2008. The CCDBG, which is part of the 1996 welfare reform law (P.L. 104-193), is set to expire in June 2003.
During the 107th Congress, the committee approved legislation (S. 2758) that would have reauthorized the CCDBG. However, Congress was unable to reach a compromise on welfare reauthorization, pushing consideration to the 108th Congress. On February 13, the House approved a bill (H.R. 4) to reauthorize welfare reform (see The Source, 2/14/03).
Under the Senate bill and House-passed bill, $2.3 billion would be allocated in discretionary funding to provide low-income families with assistance for child care in FY2004. Funding for the CCDBG would increase to $3.1 billion by FY2008. In FY2003, Congress allocated $2.1 billion.
Additionally, the bill would improve child care reimbursement rates, mandate quality improvements, and enhance security at child care centers in federal facilities.
Ranking Member Edward Kennedy (D-MA) noted that the bill is “a good-faith effort to come together on these issues from both sides of the aisle.” He added, “Child care is a major issue both in providing needed support for working families, and in providing good care for children. Too many employees can’t obtain dependable child care, and too many young children arrive at school far from ready to learn.”
The committee defeated, 10-11, an amendment offered by Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) that would have provided an additional $100 million for disabled children.
