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WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON
EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING
POLICY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Today, the President and First Lady are hosting The White House Conference on Early Childhood
Development and Learning: What New Research on the Brain Tells Us About Our Youngest
Children. The day-long conference highlights new scientific findings on brain development in very
young children and points to the importance of children's earliest experiences in helping them get off to
a strong and healthy start and reach their full potential.
Clinton Administration Commitment to Young Children. The Clinton Administration has invested
heavily in research to help us better understand the importance of the first few years of life to child
development and learning. President Clinton has also strengthened efforts to support families with
young children by investing in Head Start and Early Head Start, the WIC Supplemental Nutrition
Program, immunization and other early childhood programs.
At the conference, the President will make a series of policy announcements that build on the Clinton
Administration's commitment to young children:
Improving the Quality of Child Care By Learning from the Military. Child care experts believe that
the military child care system is now the best in the country. The President is issuing an executive
memorandum directing the Secretary of Defense to use the Department's expertise to help improve child
care across the nation. The memorandum urges the Department to consider: (1) creating partnerships
with civilian child care centers in the community to help them improve quality; (2) providing training
courses for civilian child care providers; (3) sharing the materials and models for worker training,
accreditation and evaluation, facility design, financing, and other ingredients of the military's success;
and (4) working with States and local governments to enable military child care facilities to serve as
training sites for welfare recipients moving from welfare to work.
Providing Health Coverage for Children. The President's fiscal year 1998 budget includes a
children's health initiative that will extend coverage to up to 5 million uninsured children by the year
2000 by strengthening Medicaid for poor children, building innovative State programs to provide
coverage for working families, and continuing health coverage for children of workers who are between
jobs. Today, the Association of American Medical Colleges issued a letter of support for the Clinton
Administration's children's health proposal.
Importance of Early Education. The President recognizes that children must be nurtured and
stimulated in the earliest years. That is why he is announcing two initiatives geared toward early
learning.
Expanding Early Head Start. The Department of Health and Human Services is requesting
proposals for new Early Head Start programs to expand Early Head Start enrollment by one-third
next year. Created by the Clinton Administration in 1994, the Early Head Start program brings
Head Start's successful comprehensive services to families with children ages zero to three and to
pregnant women.
Giving Parents and Caregivers Early Childhood Tools. The President's America Reads
Challenge is releasing "Ready* Set* Read" early childhood development activity kits. The kits
offer suggestions to families and caregivers about developmentally appropriate activities for
children ages zero to five. They will be distributed in May to early childhood programs across
the country and to callers to the Department of Education's 1-800-USA-LEARN hotline.
Safe Start. The Department of Justice is establishing "Safe Start" to change the way law enforcement
officers respond to children who are the victims of or witnesses to violence. The program will provide
training on early childhood development to community police officers, prosecutors, probation and parole
officers, school personnel and mental health providers. It will better prepare law enforcement officials to
respond to young children exposed to violence and can help prevent today's children from turning into
tomorrow's criminals. The initiative is built on the successful partnerships between community police
officers and mental health providers funded by DOJ in New Haven, Connecticut and three other
communities.
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Department of Defense
Child Development Program
Partnership with Health & Human Services
What will a partnership between DoD and HIIS mean to the country? Military child care programs
have improved dramatically over the last ten years and have attained a well-deserved reputation for being
on the cutting edge of child care in America. During this time. DoD management and policy makers
have learned a lot about what makes a difference in the day to day lives of children. The military's
holistic and systemic approach to meeting the needs of military families especially those with very young
children stands out as a model for state and local agencies. DoD is committed to providing quality,
affordable options for families. Five factors have contributed to the military success story.
First among five clements is a recognition that quality costs more than most parents can afford to
pay. The DoD is committed to a prescribed level of funding for all Child Development Programs. In
military centers, there is a dollar for dollar match of appropriated funds to parent fees. In family
child care programs we provide indirect financial support through equipment lending libraries, low
or no cost insurance options and training. In many instances we provide direct cash subsidies as
incentives for family child care providers to care for infants. Funds allow both centers and homes to
provide stimulating environments that are staffed with trained personnel and appropriately equipped.
The sccond element of quality is atrict oversight of all programs, and adherence to standards. There
are comprehensive unannounced inspections for all facilities and programs with a mandatory
correction of deficiencies within 90 days. Non-compliance can, and has, resulted in closure. As a
result, facilities and programs are in good repair, and there is high quality, institutional grade
equipment that contributes to the cognitive development of children.
The third and perhaps most critical element directly linked to program quality is the wage and
benefits package that contribute to low staff turnover. Military caregiver wages and benefits average
approximately $10 per hour compared to the minimum wages in the civilian community. While
most civilian child care employers offer few or no benefits to direct care staff, military staff have a
full range of benefits. Because of low turnover children have the continuity of care so vital to their
healthy development.
Fourth and related directly to quality, is training. Training is tied to wages, and an "up-or-out"
personnel policy requiring the completion of training programs. All training is competency based
and caregivers not performing appropriately are not retained.
Finally, the commitment for all military child development centers to meet national accreditation
standards has provided an outside evaluation previously missing. The combination of the DoD
certification and the national accreditation provides a comprehensive review of all center programs.
By sharing the "the military experience" DoD can provide unique expertise to state and local
governments seeking to improve the quality of child care. As a result parents and children not associated
with the Military can benefit from these systems and "lessons learned". As noted in the 1992
Congressional Record "the precedent was set for the military 10 be the national agent of change in child
care, as it has been in areas such as integration and drug interdiction."
April 1997
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Building on the Military's Model To Improve Child Care Quality
The military has been extremely successful in improving the quality of child care by adopting
a unique strategy that includes five key elements: financial support for programs,
enforcement of standards, accreditation, strong family child care networks, and training
linked to compensation. Building on the military's model of improving child care quality, the
President/First Lady could announce efforts to promote and expand these five critical
elements that research and experience show are key to ensuring quality child care and
ultimately children's language and cognitive development.
The announcement could include:
Release of a report on how the military is working with the civilian community to expand the
military's child care quality model (pending DOD).
The establishment of an incentive fund for states to develop strategies to improve care
based on these five key elements (funds would have to be identified).
Plans to provide technical assistance (TA) on these key elements, beginning with special
sessions at the national conference of all states in July and the dissemination of
promising practices from across the states. (Child Care Bureau could incorporate this
into the planning for the National Conference of State Child Care Administrators that
will be held in June).
The development of an ongoing interagency workgroup to devoted to ways other agencies
can assist in improving the quality of care based on the military model (chaired by
HHS and DOD)
A challenge to the nation's governors that acknowledges the flexibility they have in the
use of the new child care funds and encourages them to double their efforts on quality
by incorporating the military model in their July plans.
A challenge to the business community to invest in quality improvements, highlight those
promising efforts going on across the country and announce the HHS TA effort to
provide TA to states on reaching out to the business community.
In addition, other cfforts could be highlighted in such an announcement such as Early Head
Start expansion and the release of "Stepping Stones to Using Caring for Children." a new
guide produced by HHS which provides key information on how best to promote the health
and safety of children in child care.
001
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703 614 9303 P.001/004
APR-08-1997 16:56
DASD(PSFE)
CC : Melanue Verveer
Pruce Reed
OF DEFENEC
Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Ten Klein
(Personnel Support, Families & Education)
Nicole Rabuer
STATES
(+veture)
DATE: april 8
# OF PAGES (INCLUDING COVER) 4
FAX #: 2024562878 7028
TO:
Elena Ragan
FROM: Carolin Becreft
MESSAGE: attached is the response requested
by your office do highlight the Department
of Defenses' child care program. a hard
copy will follow.
Ausan Roberts
CONFIRMATION #: (703) 697-7220 DSN: 227-7220 FAX #: (703) 614-9303
002
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DASD(PSFE)
703 614 9303
P.002/004
APR-08-1997 16:56
STATEMENT of DEPARTMENT
OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
4000 DEFENSE PENTAGON
50
WASHINGTON, DC 20301-4000
FORCE MANAGEMENT
APR
8
1997
POLICY
Ms. Elena Kagan
Deputy Assistant to the President
for Domestic Policy,
Old Executive Office Building
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 10000
Dear Ms. Kagan:
The following is provided in response to your questions regarding the Department's
efforts in child care for children zero to three. The Military Child Development Programs have
attained a well-deserved reputation for being on the cutting edge of child care in America. We
are proud of our systemic approach to the four components of military child care: child
development centers, family child care, resource and referral and school-age care. Our
commitment is to provide a quality experience for children regardless of setting. We strive to
ensure equal treatment for all components especially family child care homes. We believe much
of our success comes from our efforts to provide a variety of quality and affordable options for
families rather than focus on centers only. It should be noted that we do not guarantee every
family their first choice of child care options. Our goal is to provide at least one affordable child
care option for every family that needs child care. It should also be noted that we view the
appropriated fund support as a program subsidy not an individual family subsidy. Five key
reasons for our success are:
1. The DoD commitment to a prescribed level of funding for Child Development Programs. In
military child development centers, there is a dollar for dollar match of appropriated funds to
parent fees. In our family child care homes we provide indirect financial support through
extensive equipment lending libraries, low or no cost insurance options and free training. In
many instances we also provide direct cash subsidies for family child care providers to
provide incentives to care for infants. This commitment of funds allows military programs to
provide stimulating environments that are staffed with trained personnel and appropriately
equipped both indoors and out.
2. Strict oversight and accountability of programs, and adherence to standards including four
comprehensive unannounced annual inspections for all facilities and programs; one by a
representative of higher headquarters. There is mandatory correction of deficiencies within
90 days or the program must either apply for a time restricted waiver with adequate
compensatory measures or close. (As a result, facilities and programs are in good repair, and
there is high quality, institutional grade equipment that contributes to the cognitive
development of children). These inspections result in DoD certification of the program.
Certification is closely monitored. Contributing to comprehensive program oversight is the
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DoD "Hotline". It is well publicized and accessible world wide. Identified or anonymous
callers can either report child abuse or safety violations at Military Child Development
Programs or facility deficiencies. Those reports are diligently tracked until a satisfaction is
achieved.
3. Wages and benefits that contribute to low staff turnover compared to the private sector.
Military child development center caregiver wages and benefits average approximately $10
per hour compared to the minimum wages in the civilian community. While most civilian
child care centers offer few or no benefits to direct care staff, most military child care staff
have a full range of benefits. As a result of wages and benefits, military caregivers tend to
stay in our child care programs, and the result is that children have continuity of care so vital
to their healthy development.
4. Required basic training of caregiving staff which is tied to wages and an "up-or-out"
caregiving personnel policy requiring the completion of training requirements. All training is
competency based and caregivers who do not meet the performance requirements are not
retained.
5. Commitment for all military child development centers to meet national accreditation
standards. The combination of the DoD certification and the national accreditation standards
provides a comprehensive review of all center programs.
As you are aware, Congress has asked DoD to report on the status of any initiatives which
improve the Military Services Child Development Program so as to benefit civilian child care
providers in communities in the vicinity of military installations. Although we have not
completed the report, the Military Services have offered the following suggestions that could
assist civilian child caré programs:
Local military bases could partner with state and county efforts to provide employment
opportunities for welfare recipients. Military programs could provide on-the-job-training
opportunities, for recipients needing work experience and knowledge of child care program
"best practices". Because the competency-based training programs are a key to the quality of
military child care, they could serve as a source of training for civilians. As in the case of
Quantico Marine Corps Base, VA., the county is paying the salaries of personnel placed in
the centers for 90 days of training in child care practices. Their child care is paid by the
county. In exchange, the Quantico Child Development Center gets additional no-cost staff to
supplement existing staff. A similar program could be established for family child care
providers.
Each military installation child development program within the United States could "adopt-
a-center" in their local community. The Child Development Program staff could assist with
local accreditation efforts, help validate the centers' accreditation self study process, train
management and direct care staff, mentor caregiving staff working on their child
development associate degree, and model/coach effective child care techniques.
2
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Military regional "Child Care Programs of Excellence" or "Master Programs" could be
established within-existing military programs in densely populated areas where several
military Services co-exist (e.g., Washington, D.C. Tidewater, VA, Southern California, etc.).
These magnet "laboratory programs" would demonstrate effective child care practices in each
of the child care components (centers, family child care homes and school-age care).
Particularly beneficial would be education and training in the area of infant/toddler
curriculum and environments since many civilian programs have limited amounts of
infant/toddler care. Local civilian child care management trainees could spend two to three
weeks in these centers with "hands-on" learning experiences, being taught and coached by
the centers' Training and Curriculum Specialists and military management staff. These
"Master Programs" could be modeled on corporate concepts such as "Motorola University"
or Disney's training program for executives where staff attend training before going to work
for the corporation.
Military Training and Curriculum Specialists could provide "hands-on" training for local
requesting child care centers to train and follow-up direct care staff in the child development
associate 13 competency areas, and other areas as needed.
DoD could make the military standard facility and playground designs available to the
civilian community.
DoD could provide. "Benchmarks" in the areas of cost, compensation, evaluation, standards,
and environments on which local child care programs could cvaluate themselves.
My point of contact in the Office of Family Policy is Linda K. Smith, Director, Office of
Family Policy, 696-5733.
Sincerely,
Gieltm.Gr
Carolyn H. Becraft
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense,
(Personnel Support, Families and Education)
3
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Department of Defense
Child Development Program
SUBJECT: Military Child Care Program Accreditation
BACKGROUND: The Military Child Care Act (MCCA) of 1989 required DoD to conduct a
program to require 50 military child development centers meet standards necessary for
accreditation by an appropriate national early childhood program accrediting body and achieve
accreditation. The 50 accredited centers were to serve as "demonstration programs" from which
other non-accredited centers could learn about best practices. DoD identified the standards
established by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs as the accrediting standards
DoD centers would meet. These standards were developed in 1985 and are recognized nationally
as standards of excellence in programs for young children. By the end of 1992, 55 DoD child
development centers were accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young
Children (NAEYC).
The Rand Corporation conducted a study on accreditation for DoD, entitled "Examining the
Effects Accreditation on Military Child Development Operation and Outcomes,"
published 1994. The study attirmed that accreditation improved the quality of care and child
outcomes. Increased parent communication and staff morale were also cited as benefits of
accreditation.
CURRENT STATUS: The 1996 Defense Authorization Act which codified the Military Child
Care Act of 1989, required all eligible military centers meet standards necessary for
accreditation. Currently 72 percent of all oligible military centers have achieved accreditation
from NAEYC as compared to the national average of 7 percent.
ACCREDITATION RATE BY MILITARY SERVICE:
Service
Eligible Centers
Accredited Centers
Percent Accredited
Air Force
145
143
98%
Army
154
126
82%
Navy
135
58
42%
Marine Corps
31
10
32%
DoD TOTAL
466
337
72%
The remaining 129 centers are in the required self-study process, waiting for a validation visit or
the results of their validation visit from NAEYC.
April 1997
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1 AMILI 1 VEIDE
Chronology Of Department Child
Prior to 1978 - Child care was provided by private groups such as parents and wives clubs
usually on an hourly basis during social events.
1978 - Child Care was recognized as an official Morale Welfare and Recreation Program in DoD
Directive 13130.2, dated March 17, 1978.
1982 - Congress approved appropriated funds to construct child care facilities as a result of an
earlier DoD policy change on this issue.
1982 - GAO Study "Progress Made, More Needed" - Criticized DoD for not meeting generally
accepted quality standards & recommended DoD develop standards for child care centers,
regulate and expand family child carc homes, and develop plans to correct facility deficiencies.
1982 - DoD issued the "Child Care Action Plan" to correct deficiences identified by the GAO.
1985 - The Military Family Act established the Office of Family Policy under Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Force Management Policy. The Office is responsible for the
coordination of programs relating to military families including child care.
1988 - Congressional Hearings were conducted on Military Child Care as the result of child
sexual abuse allegations in centers at Presidio SF, CA, Scott AFB, IL, West Point, NY.
1989 - GAO Study "Military Child Care Extensive, Diverse, and Growing." The study examined
the need for and the availability of DoD child care.
1989 - DoD Instruction for Child Development Programs (DoDl 6060.2 March 3, 1989)
established policy for care provided to children aged birth - -12 of military and DoD civilian
personnel "for effective operation and accomplishment of assigned mission and tasks."
1989 - DoD Inspector General Report issued on Military Child Care which contained over 50
recommendations including one to develop a formula to assess the need for child care.
1989 - The Military Child Care Act of 1989 was passed in November as part of the Defence
Authorization Act for 1990 and 1991. The goals were to standardize the delivery and quality of
care while improving the availability and affordability of care.
1990 - 1991 - As a result of the Military Child Care Act. DoD:
Implemented the DoD non-appropriated fund Caregiver Wage Test to increase the
compensation of child care employees and to improve the quality and stability of the child
care work force.
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Established uniform fee policy for Military Child Development Centers based on total family
income. The fee policy applies to all who attend on a regular basis.
Implemented DoD Certification procedures. Quarterly unannounced inspections are
conducted at the local level with an annual unannounced higher headquarters inspection.
Established the DoD Child Abuse and Safety Violation Hotline. Access is available
worldwide.
Added 3,700 General Schedule (GS) positions. All management personnel, training
specialists, cooks and some caregivers are targeted for GS positions.
Required accreditation of 50 Military Child Development Centers.
Required a report to Congress on "The Potential Demand for Child Care With the
Department of Defense and a Plan to Expand Availability."
1992 - Study "Improving the Delivery of Military Child Care: An Analysis of Current and New
Approaches" by Rand Corporation.
1993 - Department of Defense Instruction 6060.2 "Child Development Program, dated January
19, 1993," implements all provisions of the Military Child Care of 1989 and expands DoD policy
on Family Child Care.
1994- GAO Study "Child Care: Promoting Quality in Family Child Care." Highlights the DoD
Family Child Care model as example of a quality initiative.
1994 - Study "Examining the Effect of Accreditation on Military Child Development Center
Operations and Outcomes" by Rand Corporation submitted to Congress.
1995 - Army, Navy and Marine Corps implement the use of direct cash subsidies for Family
Child Care.
1996 - National Defense Authorization Act - codifies the Military Child Care Act of 1989 and
requires a second study of child care need.
1996 - Report to Congress "Department of Defense Plan for Military Child Development Centers
10 Meet Accreditation Standards." All Military Services commit to meeting accreditation
standards by December 1996.
1997 Study "Examining the Implementation and Outcomes of the Military Child Care Act of
1989" by the Rand Corporation.
1997 - Will report to Congress on DoD efforts to form partnerships with the civilian community
to share our expertise in child development and youth programs. The report will also include
recommendations to improve the DoD child development and youth program.
1997 - Will report to Congress on the re-assessment of the DoD need for child care.
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FAMILI FOLICE
Department of Defense
Questions and Answers
on the
Military Child Care Program
QUESTION: I was surprised to find out that the Military has one of the largest child care
programs in the country. Why is this?
ANSWER: DoD has the largest employee sponsored child care program in the world serving
over 200,000 children (birth - 12 years of age) daily. Our program consists of child development
centers, family child care homes, school-age care programs and information and referral services.
Through these delivery systems DoD offers full-day, part-day and hourly care, before-and after
school programs and extended hour care for nights, weekends and shift work. Our active duty
members are parents to 1.29M children. Generally military parents are young, often far from
home, and without the support of families and neighbors. Child care for infants and toddlers is
hard to find and expensive. Because 65% of military spouses are in the work force. quality.
affordable child care is an economic and quality of life issue for military families. By providing
child care we help military families balance the competing demands of the family, accomplish
the military mission, and improve the economic viability of the family.
QUESTION: How big is the program? Does the existing program meet the need?
ANSWER: We currently have child development programs at over 300 locations with 811 child
development centers and 9,793 family child care homes. We are meeting 56% of the need with
166,322 spaces; there is a need for 299,000 spaces. Our goal is to meet 65% of the need by
1998 and 80% by 2005.
QUESTION: Who uses the program? What is the military policy on maternity leave?
ANSWER: Service women who give birth are granted six weeks of maternity loave.
Commanders are also authorized to grant leave to military parents who are adopting a child to
allow them time to bond with the child and make arrangements for child care Our eligible
patrons are active duty members and DoD civilian personnel, reservists on active duty and DoD
contractors. Each installation commander is responsible for establishing a priority system under
which access to child development programs is determined. First priority is for active duty and
DoD civilians who are single parents, or whose spouse is employed on full-times basis outside
the home, or is also a military member on active duty.
QUESTION: Is child care an entitlement? Do parents pay for their child care? If so, how much
do they pay?
April 1997
1
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FAMILI FULTUT
ANSWER: DoD Child care is not an entitlement. Wo strongly believe child care is a work
force issue and priority for child care is given to working families. But even for these families
military child care is not always available. The demand is high and spaces are limited. Through
our information and referral services WE make every effort to help families locate at least one
affordable child care option. The Military Child Care Act of 1989 required DoD to establish a
uniform fees based on family income. Patrons who use DoD child development programs pay
for services. Last year the average weekly fee was $65 per week. Parent fees account for
approximately 50% of the cost of child care.
QUESTION: If the parents only pay half of the cost of care, where does the rest come from?
ANSWER: The other 50% of child care costs is paid for with appropriated funds authorized by
Congress. In 1997 that amount is $273.3M.
QUESTION: You are holding the military program up as an example for the rest of the
country? Why? What has made the military program SO good.
ANSWER: In 1992, the House Armed Services Committee stated in the Congressional Record
its goal that military child care be on the "leading edge of child care in America." Military care
programs are nationally recognized as models by early childhood advocates and professional
organizations.
In June 1993. ABC News featured as segment on military programs as being the national
leader in staff compensation. training as well as programming.
Dr. Shirlee Sveska. principal investigator of the GAO study on military child care stated "I
hold up military child care as the most exemplary federally funded effort in early childhood
education in every discussion I have with colleagues about what we should see in these
programs."
Publications such as Working Mother have held up military programs as being model
programs. A ground-breaking April 1994 Carnegie Corporation Report, Starting Points --
Meeting the Needs of Our Youngest Children pointed to military child care programs as
models.
In a cover story in Frankly Speaking. a publication of the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill the author, Thelma Harms stated: "State government, which is responsible for
child care facilities, keeps the regulation of family child care 10 a minimum in contrast
(DoD) has developed a family child care system that far exceeds the civilian sector in its
level of support and expectations of quality of care. For the past 15 years. (DoD) has been
improving its child care standards and expanding support to family child care homes in an
effort to deliver high quality child care to families (DoD) has undoubtedly become a
prime example of employer commitment to quality child care."
April 1997
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AMILI
Helen Blank- Director, Child Care Division, Department of Programs and Policy, Children's
Defense Fund says: "Most of my speeches refor to the military child care system as a model
that should be emulated in every state in this country. I believe that their child care system -
which not only recognizes that children need good care, but also that such care cannot be
provided without a sound structure that recognizes that the skills and compensation of a
child's caregiver is central to their development - should be replicated and funded in every
state. The military not only focuses on ensuring that child care is available and affordable to
its families but also ensures that each child will get a supportive and nurturing child care
experience. It is fortunate for military families bus unfortunate for civilians that the best
chance a family has to be guaranteed of affordable and high quality care in this country is to
join the military"
The Military Child Development Programs have attained a well-deserved reputation for being on
the cutting edge of child care in America. We are proud of our systemic approach to the four
components of military child care: child development centers, family child care, resource and
referral and school-age care. Our commitment is to provide a quality experience for children
regardless of setting. Wc strive to ensure equal treatment for all components especially family
child care homes. Five key reasons for our success are:
1. The DoD commitment to a prescribed level of funding for Child Development Programs. In
military child development centers, there is a dollar for dollar match of appropriated funds to
parent fees. In our family child care homes we provide indirect financial support through
extensive equipment lending libraries. low cost insurance options and free training. In many
instances we also provide direct cash subsidies for family child care providers to provide
incentives to care for infants. This commitment of funds allows military programs to provide
stimulating environments that are staffed with trained personnel and appropriately equipped
both indoors and out.
2. Strict oversight and accountability of programs, and adherence to standards including four
comprehensive unannounced annual inspections for all facilities and programs; one by a
representative of higher headquarters. There is mandatory correction of deficiencies within
90 days or the program must either apply for a time restricted waiver with adequate
compensatory measures or close. (As a result, facilities and programs are in good repair, and
there is high quality, institutional grade equipment that contributes to the cognitive
development of children). These inspections result in DOD certification of the program.
Cortification is closcly monitored, Contributing to comprehensive program oversight is the
DoD "Hotline". It is well publicized and accessible world widc. Identified or anonymous
callers can report either child abuse or safety violations at Military Child Development
Programs, or facility deficiencies. These reports are diligently tracked until a satisfactory
response is completed.
3. Wages and benefits that contribute to low staff turnover compared to the private sector.
Military child development center caregiver wages and benefits average approximately $10
per hour compared to the minimum wages in the civilian community. While most civilian
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child care centers offer few or no benefits to direct care staff, most military child care staff
have a full range of benefits. As a result staff turnover has decreased dramatically, and the
result is that children have continuity of care so vital to their healthy development.
4. Required basic training of caregiving staff which is tied to wages and an "up-or-out"
caregiving personnel policy requiring the completion of training requirements. All training is
competency based and caregivers who do not meet the performance requirements are not
retained.
S. Commitment for all military child development centers to meet national accreditation
standards. The combination of the DoD certification and the national accreditation standards
provides a comprehensive review of all center programs.
QUESTION: Why did you decide 10 require national accreditation of the military child care
centers? How many are currently accredited?
ANSWER: In the 1996 Defense Authorization Act, Congress codified the Military Child Care
Act (MCCA), and required that all programs meet the standards of accreditation. The 1989
MCCA required DoD to demonstrate the effect of accreditation on 50 military child carc
programs by June 1991. By 1992, 55 military child development centers were accredited. The
Rand Corporation studied the effect of accreditation on the quality of those programs, and
contrasted these programs with those who were not accredited. In its published report, Rand
pointed to accreditation's having positive effects on the quality of the program. Currently, 72%
of military child development centers are accredited.
QUESTION: Are the military programs inspected by the states? Whose standards do they
follow?
ANSWER: Military programs are not inspected by the states; they are inspected for compliance
with DoD standards four times annually by various installation proponents (fire, safety, health,
engineers, etc.) and the Services' Headquarters.
QUESTION: I've heard military standards are higher than everyone else's; 1S this true?
ANSWER: DoD standards are neither high nor low but represent a "middle ground" or median
standard relative to state standards. As an example, the DoD staff-to-child ratio for infants 6
weeks to 12 months is 1:4 (the Stato modian) compared to the 1:3 ratio required by the National
Fire Protection Association Life Safety Code (NFPA) and that of the National Association for
the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
QUESTION: Is all of DoD care in child care centers? If not how do you ensure quality in
homes?
ANSWER: More than a third (35%) of care in DoD Child Development Programs is in certified
Family Child Care Homes. Family Child Care provides flexibility of program and hours of
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operation that meet the needs of service members who have shift work extended hours, and
temporary duty away from their home station. Family Child Care homes and providers are
screened prior to certification and are trained in the same way as are caregivers in child
development centers. Additionally. FCC homes are monitored for compliance with standards
and receive the same unannounced inspections as centers.
QUESTION: All the recent research indicates a need for a careful look at programs for children
0-3. What is the military doing (has done) to ensure quality in infant/toddler programs.
ANSWER: Since infant and toddlers comprise over 40% of all children served in military child
development programs, quality infant/toddler programs are imperative. There are standards for
infant/toddler programs that are based on a sound understanding of infant/toddler needs. It is a
requirement that when infants and toddlers are awake, they are out of cribs and interacting with
the caregiving staff. Environments are stimulating and based on infant needs. Feeding and
sleeping schedules are based on infants' demand. Caregivers read, sing and talk to infants
regularly during routines such as when they are being changed, fed, rocked and permitted to
craw) around specially designed padded indoor and outdoor play areas. There are DoD
infant/toddler training modules from which caregivers learn appropriate activities and interaction
with our youngest children. Staff-to-child interactions are observed regularly by Training and
Curriculum Specialists who are the "quality assurance" staff in military programs.
QUESTION: You stated that the factors that contribute to the quality of your program include
wages? How have you addressed this issue?
ANSWER: In 1990 we implemented a caregiver wage program that gives incentives for
completing training and allows management to reward high performers with wage increases.
Caregivers in the military child development program receive annual and sick leave plus other
benefits such as health and life insurance. These are not common in the civilian child care
programs. The average child caregiver makes $10 per hour including benefits as compared to
minimum wage for many civilian caregiving staff
QUESTION: Finally, you state that you have an aggressive training program? How does it
differ from those elsewhere in the country?
ANSWER: One of the unique aspect of the military child care training programs is that it is
directly linked to wages and promotion - in other words - we have an up or out policy which
requires completion of "competency-based" training for all child caregivers who work directly
with children. The training (regardless of setting) is based on the Child Development Associate
Credential competencies and 13 functional areas. Since completion of training results in a pay
increase, there is a real incentive to complete training.
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Chronology Of Department Of Defense Child Development Program
Prior to 1978 - Child care was provided by private groups such as parents and wives clubs
usually on an hourly basis during social events.
1978 - Child Care was recognized as an official Morale Welfare and Recreation Program in DoD
Directive 13130.2, dated March 17, 1978.
1982 - Congress approved appropriated funds 10 construct child care facilities as a result of an
earlier DoD policy change on this issue.
1982 - GAO Study "Progress Made, More Needed" - Criticized DoD for not meeting generally
accepted quality standards & recommended DoD develop standards for child care centers,
regulate and expand family child care homes, and develop plans to correct facility deficiencies.
1982 - DoD issued the "Child Care Action Plan" to correct deficiences identified by the GAO.
1985 - The Military Family Act established the Office of Family Policy under Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Force Management Policy. The Office is responsible for the
coordination of programs relating to military families including child care.
1988 . Congressional Hearings were conducted on Military Child Care as the result of child
sexual abuse allegations in centers at Presidio SF, CA, Scott AFB, IL, West Point, NY.
1989 - GAO Study "Military Child Care Extensive, Diverse, and Growing." The study examined
the need for and the availability of DoD child care.
1989 - DoD Instruction for Child Development Programs (DoDI 6060.2 March 3, 1989)
established policy for care provided to children aged birth -12 of military and DoD civilian
personnel "for effective operation and accomplishment of assigned mission and tasks."
1989 - DoD Inspector General Report issued on Military Child Care which contained over 50
recommendations including one to develop a formula to assess the need for child care.
1989 - The Military Child Care Act of 1989 was passed in November as part of the Defense
Authorization Act for 1990 and 1991. The goals were to standardize the delivery and quality of
care while improving the availability and affordability of care.
1990 - 1991 - As a result of the Military Child Care Act, DoD:
Implemented the DoD non-appropriated fund Caregiver Wage Test to increase the
compensation of child care employees and to improve the quality and stability of the child
care work force.
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Established uniform fee policy for Military Child Development Centers based on total family
income. The fee policy applies to all who attend on a regular basis.
Implemented DoD Certification procedures. Quarterly unannounced inspections are
conducted at the local level with an annual unannounced higher headquarters inspection.
Established the DoD Child Abuse and Safety Violation Hotline. Access is available
worldwide.
Added 3,700 General Schedule (GS) positions. All management personnel, training
specialists, cooks and some caregivers are targeted for GS positions.
Required accreditation of 50 Military Child Development Centers.
Required a report to Congress on "The Potential Demand for Child Care With the
Department of Defense and a Plan to Expand Availability."
1992 - Study "Improving the Delivery of Military Child Care: An Analysis of Current and New
Approaches" by Rand Corporation.
1993 - Department of Defense Instruction 6060.2 "Child Development Program, dated January
19, 1993," implements all provisions of the Military Child Care of 1989 and expands DoD policy
on Family Child Care.
1994- GAO Study "Child Care: Promoting Quality in Family Child Care." Highlights the DoD
Family Child Care model as example of a quality initiative.
1994 - Study "Examining the Effect of Accreditation on Military Child Development Center
Operations and Outcomes" by Rand Corporation submitted to Congress.
1995 - Army, Navy and Marine Corps implement the use of direct cash subsidies for Family
Child Care.
1996 - National Defense Authorization Act - codifies the Military Child Care Act of 1989 and
requires a second study of child care need.
1996 - Report to Congress "Department of Defense Plan for Military Child Development Centers
to Meet Accreditation Standards." All Military Services commit to meeting accreditation
standards by December 1996.
1997 - Study "Examining the Implementation and Outcomes of the Military Child Care Act of
1989" by the Rand Corporation.
1997 - Will report to Congress on DoD efforts to form partnerships with the civilian community
to share our expertise in child development and youth programs. The report will also include
recommendations to improve the DoD child development and youth program.
1997 - Will report to Congress on the re-assessment of the DoD need for child care.
President Clinton Acts to
Expand Family and Medical Leave
April 12, 1997
To assist families in meeting the needs of young children and other family members, the
President called on Congress to pass legislation expanding the Family and Medical Leave
Act. The FMLA currently allows workers to take up to 12 weeks unpaid leave to care for a
newborn or adopted child, to attend to their own serious health needs, or to care for a seriously
ill parent, child, or spouse. In June, 1996 President Clinton proposed to expand the Family
and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to allow workers to take unpaid hours off -- up to 24 hours a
year -- for school and early childhood education activities, routine family medical care, and
additional activities related to caring for an elderly relative.
Today President Clinton asked Federal agencies to implement his expanded leave policy
immediately for Federal workers. The President asked agencies to ensure employees can
take up to 24 hours of unpaid leave for the following activities:
School and early childhood education activities -- to allow employees to participate
in school activities directly related to the educational advancement of their child,
including child care and Head Start activities. Parental involvement in a child's
education is an important determinant of the child's success. Parents could use leave to
attend parent-teacher conferences or meetings with child care providers, or to interview
for a new school or child care facility.
Routine family medical or dental appointments -- to allow parents to accompany
children to routine medical or dental visits, such as annual checkups or vaccinations.
Elderly relatives' health and care needs -- to allow employees to accompany an
elderly relative to routine medical or dental appointments or other professional services
related to the elderly relative's care, such as interviewing nursing or group homes.
The Family and Medical Leave Act Works. Based on data in a 1996 report of the bipartisan
Commission on Leave, more than 12 million American workers have taken leave for reasons
covered by the FMLA since the law's enactment in 1993, and 90% of businesses covered by
the law find that it's easy to administer and that it costs them little or nothing.
The Clinton Administration is Building a Family Friendly Federal Workplace.
In 1994 the President signed the Federal Employees Family Friendly Leave Act
allowing employees to use sick leave for routine medical appointments for family
members. The President's action today allows employees to take time off for this
purpose even when sick leave is unavailable.
Federal employers have discretion now to approve employees' requests for time off for
school activities, routine medical visits, and elder care. Today, the President urged
Federal supervisors to exercise their discretion on a routine basis -- to the fullest extent
possible -- to give their employees up to 24 hours of unpaid leave for these activities.
where From
$
use
How many new
police depts Involved
Sara Ingersoll
616-3650
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002
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0JJDP
0 002
U.S. Department of Justice
TTII 23
Office of Justice Programs
Office of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention
Office of the Administrator
mashington. D.C 20531
April 10, 1997
Memorandum
ec Jklein
NRabner
DBwke
To:
Elena Kagan
From:
Shay Bilchik
Ja
Re:
Child Victims of Violence Initiative
Summary
Through a partnership between the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention,
Violence Against Women Grants Office, and Office for Victims of Crime, the Department of
Justice will allocate $700,000 of FY 97 discretionary funding to establish a Child Vicrims of
Violence Initiative through the Yale. New Haven Child Development-Community Policing
program.
Children Exposed to Violence
Throughout America, millions of children are exposed to violence at home, in their
neighborhoods, and in their schools. In a study conducted at Boston City Hospital, 1 out of
every 10 children seen in their primary care clinic had witnessed a shooting or stabbing before
the age of 6 -- 50 percent in the home and 50 percent in the streets. The average age of these
children was 2.7 years.
:
Children's exposure to violence and maltreatment is significantly associated with increased
depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress, anger, greater alcohol and drug abuse, and lower
academic achievement. It shapes how they remember, learn and feel. In addition, children who
experience violence either as victims or as witnesses are at increased risk of becoming violent
themselves. These dangers are greatest for the youngest children who depend almost completely
on their parents and care givers to protect them from trauma.
1
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The majority of children who are exposed to violence are not treated. According to the National
Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect, over 90 percent of children who are exposed to
child abuse and neglect do not get the services they need; and too often, victims services in
domestic violence and criminal investigations focus on the adult victim rather than the child.
The Department of Justice Child Victims of Violence Initiative will ensure that the silent victims
of crime and violence are helped.
According to the recommendations of a consensus of professionals in the field, child
development theory, experience and evaluations from psychoanalytic and psychodynamic
interventions with children, what children need when they are exposed to violence is
comprehensive mental health services to help them process the violence; a sustained relationship
with a caring, pro-social adult role model; protection from further risk of harm; and legal.
intervention.
The Child Development - Community Policing Program
The Child Development-Community Policing Program, initiated in 1991 through an innovative
partnership between the New Haven Department of Police Services and the Child Study Center
at the Yale University School of Medicine, addresses the psychological burdens on children,
families and the broader community of increasing levels of community violence. In FY 1995
and FY 1996, OJJDP provided $300,000 each year to the Child Study Center to replicate the
model through training of law enforcement and mental health providers in Buffalo, NY;
Charlotte, NC; Nashville, TN; and Portland, OR.
The program consists of interrelated training and consultation, including a child development
fellowship for police supervisors; police fellowship for clinicians; seminars of child
development, human functioning, and policing strategies; 15 hour training course in child
development for all new police officers; weekly collaborative meetings and case conferences that
support institutional changes in police practices; establishment of protocols for referral and
consultation that insures that children receive the services they need.
The CD-CP program has provided a wide range of coordinated police and clinical responses in
the four sites, including: round-the-clock availability of consultation with a clinical professional
and a police supervisor to patrol officers who assist children exposed to violence; weekly case
conferences with police officers, educators, and child study center staff; open police stations
located in neighborhoods and accessible to residents for police and related services; community
liaison and coordination of community response; crisis response; clinical referral; interagency
collaboration; home-based follow-up; and officer support and neighborhood foot patrols. In the
CD-CP program's four years of operation in the New Haven site, more than 450 children have
been referred to the consultation service by officers in the field.
2
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OJJDP
004
The Child Victims of Violence Initiative
In fiscal year 1997, the Department of Justice will allocate $700,000 of FY 97 discretionary
funding ($300,000 from OJJDP, $300,000 from VAWA, and $100,000 from OVC) to establish a
Child Victims of Violence Initiative that expands on the Child Development-Community Policing
program. The new funds will support the following activities:
Nationwide intensive training and technical assistance for law enforcement, prosecutors,
mental health professionals, school personnel, and probation and parole officers to better
respond to the needs of children exposed to community violence including but not limited
to family violence, gang violence, and abuse or neglect. This will be accomplished
through the development of a training and technical assistance center in New Haven
consisting of a team of expert practitioners who serve as trainers throughout the country.
Expansion of the program sites from the original four. Future sites, the total number of
which are yet to be determined, will be selected competitively based upon each site's
capacity to establish a core police/mental health provider team concerned with child
victimization.
Further research, data collection, analysis and evaluation of CD-CP in the program sites.
The development of a casebook for practitioners which will detail intervention strategies
and various aspects of the CD-CP collaborative process.
In addition, the Department of Justice's COPS office will publish information on the Child
Victim of Violence Initiative in the COPS Newsletter and the Community Policing Consortium
Newsletter, a publication that reaches over 17 thousand police organizations. This dissemination
will supplement information on research, effective practices, and promising programs that will be
shared by the Department of Justice with community based organizations and law enforcement
via bulletins, fact sheets and a national satellite teleconference.
As a result of the Initiarive, those individuals responding to children in violent situations, who
are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, will now have new partners. The nation-wide
training will give law enforcement, probation and parole officers, prosecutors, school personnel,
mental health providers, and clinicians tools for collaborating in the rapid and effective response
to children exposed to violence:
Education on needs of children and the dangers of their exposure to violence so that they
know how to respond to scenes of domestic and community violence.
Experience in problem-solving so that they can prevent crime and trauma before it
happens.
3
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0JJDP
1005
Effective protocols and memoranda of understanding for working across systems so that
they can intervene early and effectively when trouble arises.
Access to the range of local service providers and resources; including school-based,
court-based and hospital-based victim services.
Increased likelihood of leveraging resources to expand services.
Coordination with victims assistance and victims compensation for children.
In conclusion, the results of this exciting new Initiative will begin to bring to bear the resources
needed to break the cycle of violence affecting our nation's youngest victims.
4
statement
EK
NR
CR
AMENDMENT NO.
Calendar No.
Purpose: To state the sense of the Senate on Department
of Defense sharing of experiences with military child
care.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES-104th Cong., 2d Sess.
S.1745
To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 1997 for military
activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Depart-
ment of Energy, to prescribe personnel strengths for
such fiscal year for the Armed Forces, and for other
purposes.
Referred to the Committee on
and ordered to be printed
Ordered to lie on the table and to be printed
AMENDMENT intended to be proposed by Mr. KENNEDY
Viz:
1
At the end of subtitle F of title X, add the following:
2 SEC. 1072. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON DEPARTMENT OF DE-
3
FENSE SHARING OF EXPERIENCES WITH
4
MILITARY CHILD CARE.
5
(a) FINDING.-The Senate makes the following find-
6 ings:
7
(1) The Department of Defense should be con-
8
gratulated on the successful implementation of the
AKM ARM96.872
2
1
Military Child Care Act of 1989 (title XV of Public
2
Law 101-189; 10 U.S.C. 113 note).
3
(2) The actions taken by the Department as a
4
result of that Act have dramatically improved the
5
availability, affordability, quality, and consistency of
6
the child care services provided to members of the
7
Armed Forces.
8
(3) Child care is important to the readiness of
9
members of the Armed Forces because single par-
10
ents and couples in military service must have access
11
to affordable child care of good quality if they are
12
to perform their jobs and respond effectively to long
13
work hours or deployments.
14
(4) Child care is important to the retention of
15
members of the Armed Forces in military service be-
16
cause the dissatisfaction of the families of such
17
members with military life is a primary reason for
18
the deparsure of such members from military serv-
19
ice.
20
(b) SENSE OF SENATE.-It is the sense of the Senate
21 that
22
(1) the civilian and military child care commu-
23
nities, Federal, State, and local agencies, and busi-
24
nesses and communities involved in the provision of
25
child care services could benefit from the develop-
3
1
ment of partnerships to foster an exchange of ideas,
2
information, and materials relating to their experi-
3
ences with the provision of such services and to en-
4
courage closer relationships between military instal-
5
lations and the communities that support them;
6
(2) such partnerships would be beneficial to all
7
families by helping providers of child care services
8
exchange ideas about innovative ways to address
9
barriers to the effective provision of such services;
10
and
Il
(3) there are many ways that these partner-
12
ships can be developed, including-
13
(A) cooperation between the directors and
curriculum specialists of military cluid develop-
15
ment centers and civilian child development
16
centers in assisting such centers in the accredi-
17
tation process;
18
(B) use of family support staff to conduct
19
parent and family workshops for new parents
20
and parents with young children in family hous-
21
ing on military installations and in communities
22
in the vicinity of such installations;
23
(C) internships in Department of Defense
24
child care programs for civilian child care pro-
25
viders to broaden the base of good-quality child
430
1
(c) REPORT.-Not later than June 30, 1997, the Sec-
2 retary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report on
3 the status of any initiatives undertaken this section, in-
4 cluding recommendations for additional ways to improve
5 the child care programs of the Department of Defense and
6 to improve such programs SO as to benefit civilian child
7 care providers in communities in the vicinity of military
8 installations.
9 SEC. 1079. INCREASE IN PENALTIES FOR CERTAIN TRAFFIC
10
OFFENSES ON MILITARY INSTALLATIONS.
11
Section 4 of the Act of June 1, 1948 (40 U.S.C.
12 318c) is amended to read as follows:
13
"SEC. 4. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b),
14 whoever shall violate any rule or regulation promulgated
15 pursuant to section 2 of this Act may be fined not more
16 than $50 or imprisoned for not more than thirty days,
17 or both.
18
"(b) Whoever shall violate any rule or regulation for
19 the control of vehicular or pedestrian traffic on military
20 installations that is promulgated by the Secretary of De-
21 fense, or the designee of the Secretary, under the author-
22 ity delegated pursuant to section 2 of this Act may be
23 fined an amount not to exceed the amount of a fine for
24 a like or similar offense under the criminal or civil law
25 of the State, territory, possession, or district where the
425
1
"(P) Costs of compensation (including bo-
2
nuses and other incentives) paid with respect to
3
the services (including termination of services)
4
of any one individual to the extent that the
5
total amount of the compensation paid in a fis-
6
cal year exceeds $200,000.".
7 SEC. 1077. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON DEPARTMENT OF DE-
8
FENSE SHARING OF EXPERIENCES UNDER
9
MILITARY YOUTH PROGRAMS.
10
(a) FINDINGS.-The Senate makes the following
11 findings:
12
(1) Programs of the Department of Defense for
13
youth who are dependents of members of the Armed
14
Forces have not received the same level of attention
15
and resources as have child care programs of the
16
Department since the passage of the Military Child
17
Care Act of 1989 (title XV of Public Law 101-189;
18
10 U.S.C. 113 note).
19
(2) Older children deserve as much attention to
20
their developmental needs as do younger children.
21
(3) The Department has started to direct more
22
attention to programs for youths who are depend-
23
ents of members of the Armed Forces by funding
24
the implementation of 20 model community pro-
25
grams to address the needs of such youths.
16 1745 ES
426
1
(4) The lessons learned from such programs
2
could apply to civilian youth programs as well.
3
(b) SENSE OF SENATE.-It is the sense of the Senate
4 that-
5
(1) the Department of Defense, Federal, State,
6
and local agencies, and businesses and communities
7
involved in conducting youth programs could benefit
8
from the development of partnerships to foster an
9
exchange of ideas, information, and materials relat-
10
ing to such programs and to encourage closer rela-
11
tionships between military installations and the com-
12
munities that support them;
13
(2) such partnerships could benefit all families
14
by helping the providers of services for youths ex-
15
change ideas about innovative ways to address bar-
16
riers to the effective provision of such services; and
17
(3) there are many ways that such partnerships
18
could be developed, including-
19
(A) cooperation between the Department
20
and Federal and State educational agencies in
21
exploring the use of public school facilities for
22
child care programs and youth programs that
23
are mutually beneficial to the Department and
24
civilian communities and complement programs
& 1745 ES
CONGRESS HOUSE OF REPRESED REPHESENTATIVES (TATIVES 104 104-724
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION:
ACT ACT-FOR FISCAL Y YEAR YEAR71997 1997>
be printed
CARD
CE CONFERENCE REPORT
TO ACCOMPANY
HR 3230
The
eq 6 Amr
788
789
Transfer of excess personal property to support law enfor
ient ao
In which the servi pro yes are coordinated in matters of
tivities (sec. 1033)
doctrine, operational concepts, organization and acquisition strat-
The House bill contained a provision (sec. 362) that would pro-
vide permanent authority for the Department of Defense (DOD) to
The House bill contained no similar provision.
provide excess personal property to state and local law enforcement
us The House recedes with an amendment requiring the Secretary
agencies. This property includes vehicles, helicopters, weapons, am
Defense to prepare and submit the report In consultation with
munition and other property that is needed by law enforcement
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
agencies. Section 1208 of the National Defense Authorization Act
port on Department of Defense military child care programs (sec.
for Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991 (Public Law 101-189) estabished
1043)
one year program to provide excess personal property to law on
The Senate amendment contained a provision (sec. 1078) that
forcement agencies for use in drug enforcement activities. This pro
vision was extended until September 30, 1997 by section 1005 of
could express the sense of the Senate that the Department of De-
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1991 (Pub
ise should share its experiences with providing child care serv-
with other federal, state, and local agencies.
lic Law 101-510). This provision would make the section 1208 pro
The House bill contained no similar provision.
gram permanent and expand it to all law enforcement activities
The House recedes with an amendment that would express the
with a priority to counter-narcotics activities.
The Benate amendment contained no similar provision.
nse of the Congress.
The Senate recedes with an amendment which would give pri-
Report on Department of Defense military youth programs (sec.
ority to counter-narcotics and counter-terrorist law onforcement ac)
1044)
tivities. The amendment would also ensure that DOD would incun
The Senate amendment contained a provision (sec. 1077) that
no cost of transferring this excess equipment to these law enforce
duld express the sense of the Senate that the Department of De-
ment agencies except the cost associated with the management of
se should share its experiences in conducting youth programs
the program within DOD.
Hth other federal, state, and local agencies.
Sale by Federal departments or agencies of chemicals used to manu
The House bill contained no similar provision.
facture controlled substances (sec. 1034)
The House recedes with an amendment that would express the
of the Congress.
The Senate amendment contained a provision (sec. 1082) that
would prevent the sale of chemicals that could be used in the man
arterly reports regarding eoproduction agreements (sec. 1045)
ufacture of controlled substances. These chemicals could be sold
The House bill contained a provision (sec. 1046) that would
however, if the head of the department or agency certifies that
ad the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2776(a)) to require
there is no reasonable cause to believe the sale will result in an
quarterly reports to the Congress required by this statute in-
improper use.
Information on specified government-to-government agree-
The House bill contained no similar provision.
its on foreign co-production of defense articles.
The House recedos with a clarifying amendment.
The Senate amendment contained no similar provision.
Subtitle D-Reports and Studies
The Senate recedes.
hort on witness interview procedures for Department of Defense
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS ADOPTED
criminal investigations (sec. 1046)
Annual report on Operation Provide Comfort and Operation En
The House bill contained a provision (sec. 1023) that would re-
hanced Southern Watch (sec. 1041)
re the Comptroller General to survey and report on the policies
The House bill contained a provision (sec. 1021) that would re-
practices of all military criminal investigative agencies with re-
quire a consolidated annual report on the conduct of Operations
to the manner in which interviews of witnesses and suspects
Provide Comfort and Enhanced Southern Watch over and within
Iraq. This annual report would be required to be submitted to the
conducted. The Senate amendment contained no similar provision.
Congress 80 long as the operations continue.
The Senate recedes with an amendment that would narrow the
The Senate amendment contained no similar provision.
of the survey to the subject of procurement fraud investign-
The Senate recedes with a technical amendment.
in the Department of the Navy.
Annual report on emerging operational concepts (sec. 1042)
on military readiness requirements of the Armed Forces (sec.
The Senate amendment contained a provision (see. 1051) that
1047)
would require the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to provide
The Senate amendment contained a provision (sec. 1053) that
an annual report to Congress describing the process of defining
establish a requirement for a one-time report from the
emerging operational concepts in each of the services and the man-
Irnian of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the military readiness re-
H11866
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE
September 28, 1996
the anassthesia was accomplished. for exam-
as section 620. The House bill contained no
pla. using a novel ansesthetic or a. novel dow-
TITLE IX-FISCAL YEAR 1997 STER
similar provision.
Inv schedule. the objective or the claimed
ASSISTANCE
method would include the provision of a
Sec. 618-The conference agreement in-
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
novel use of an anacsthetic in transplan-
cludes section 618, which permits the Sec-
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
tation surgery and the use of the composi-
retary or Transportation to issue a suaran-
tion of matter (ie., the anaesthetic) would di-
tee under title XI of the Merchant Marine
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE
Act. 1935, upon such terms as the Secretary
PROGRAMS
rectly contribute to the achievement of the
may prescribe, to assist in the reactivation
The conference agreement includes
objective.
and modernization of currently closed ship
$25,000.000 in emergency fiscal year 1997 fund-
It is intended that the applicability of the
exception in for & patented use of
yards that historically built military vessels
ing for infrastructure expenses related to re-
a. composition of matter can usually be de-
if the State in which it is located is making
covery efforts associated with Harric
cided by a motion to dismiss or summary
a significant financial investment and is
Fran and Hortense and other natural disas-
judgment under Rule 12(b) or Rule 56, respeo-
paying the credit subsidy cost of the guaran-
ters. instead of $18,000,000 requested as a fis-
tively. of the Federal Rules of Civil Proce-
tee. The provision requires the Secretary to
cal year 1996 emergency supplemental appro-
impose such conditions AO are necessary to
priation. Amounts provided under this ac-
dure. Fur example, an accused infringer
protect the interests of the United States
count are designated as emergency require-
seeking to invoke the relief from remedies
from the risk of & default. Total guarantees
ments pursuant to the Balanced Budget and
afforded under 287(c)(1) would ordinarily pre-
under this section are not to exceed
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as
vall under such a motion if the following
$50,000,000, and no commitment to guarantee
amended.
conditions are met: (1) the movant shows by
clear and convincing evidence that the ro-
obligations under this provision may be is-
RELATED AGENCY
cited uses of the compositions of matter,
sued more than one year from the date of en-
SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
both individually and collectively. lack nov-
actment of this section. The Senate-reported
DISASTER LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT
sity. and (2) the movant also shows by & pre-
bill contained a provision under section 622
that provided authority to make these suar-
In addition to amounts provided under
ponderance of the evidence that the eteps of
title V of the bil, the conference agreement
the claimed method that do not involve uses
antees, but did not require State contribu-
tions or require the imposition of any condi-
provides an additional $113,000,000 in emer-
of compositions of matter (ie_, the medical
tions relating to the risk of default. The
gency fiscal year 1997 subsidy appropriations
or surgical procedure steps) are, by them-
for disaster loans for recovery efforts related
selves. novel and non-obvious. provided, how-
House bill did not contain any provision on
to Hurricanes Fran and Hortense. and other
ever. that the movent may cononde the non-
this matter.
natural disasters.
obviousness in lieu of making the required
TTTLE VII-RESCISSIONS
In addition to amounts provided under
evidentiary showing.
title V of the bill, the conference agreement
Paragraph (0)(3)(A)(ii) excludes from the
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
includes an additional $22,000,000 in emer-
definition of "medical activity" the practice
GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
gency fiscal year 1997 funding for administra-
of a patented process in violation of a bio-
tive expenses necessary to carry out the dis-
technology patent. For the purposes of this
WORKING CAPITAL FUND
aster loan program for Hurricanes Fran and
provision. the definition of the term "bio-
(RESCISSION)
Hortenie and other natural disasters, instead
technology patent" includes a patent on a
of $22,000,000 requested as a fiscal year
"biotechnological process" as defined in 35
The conference agreement includes & re-
emergency supplemental appropriation
U.S.C. $103(b). as well as a Datent on & proc-
sciesion of $30,000,000 from unobligated bel-
Amounts provided under this account are
ess of making or using biological materials.
anoes under this heading. as proposed in the
designated as emergency requirements pur-
including treatment using those materials.
Senate-reported bill The House bill did not
suant to the Balanced Budget and Emer-
where those materials have been manipu-
include a resclasion from this account.
gency Deficit Control Act of 1965. as amend-
lated at viso at the callular or molecular
IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE
ed.
level.
SECTION m(b)
Biological materials which may be manip-
DOCUMATION EMERGENCY FUND
ulated et vivo at the celinlar or molecular
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
level include a variety of cellular,
(RESCISSION)
ACT. 1987
intracellular. extracollular. and acellular
The conference agreement includes a re-
The conference agreement on the Depart-
substances. Collular substances include (but
scission of $34,779,000 from unobligated bal-
ment of Defense Appropriations Act. 1997, in-
are not limited to) cultured microbial and
anoss under this heading. as proposed in the
corporates some of the provisions of both the
mammalian cells. Intracellular substances
Senate-reported bill The House bill did not
House and Senate versions of the bfll The
include (but are not limited w) genetic ma-
include a rescission from this account.
language and allocations set forth in House
terials, such as DNA and RNA that is ob-
Report 104-617 and Senate Report-104-286
tained from wichin the cell. Extracellular
TITLE VII-FISCAL YEAR 1995
should be complied with unless specifically
substances include (but are not limited to)
SUPPLEMENTAL AND RESCISSION
addressed in the accompanying bill and
proteins and other molecules that are ac-
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
statement of the managers to the contrary.
creted or excreted by cells. Acellular sub-
DEFINITION OF PROGRAM. PROJECT. AND
stances include (but are not Limited to) vi-
FEDERAL PRISON SYSTEM
ACTIVITY
ruses and other vectors for transmitting ge-
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
The conferees agree that for the pull
retic material.
of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Defi-
Ex vivo manipularion includes propagation.
The conference agreement includes a
cit Control Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-177) as
expansion. selection. purification, pharma-
$40,000,000 supplemental appropriation for
amended by the Balanced Budget and Emer-
ceutical treatment. or alteration of the cio-
fiscal year 1996. for the Federal Prison Sys-
gency Deficit Control Reaffirmation Act of
logical characteristics of these substances
tem and makes these funds available until
1987 (Public Law 100-119) and by the Budget
outside of L human body.
Septamber 30, 1997. in order to allow total
Enforcement Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-
This definition excluded medical proce-
carryover funding for this account to be
the term program, project, and activity for
dures which do not invoive er VIDO cellular or
$90,000,000. This provision was not included in
appropriations contained in this Act shall be
molecular manipolation of a biological ma-
the House and Senate-reported bills. but is
defined as the most specific level of budget
terial. For example. a patent on A method of
necessary for technical reasons to ensure
items identified in the Department or De-
performing heart transplantation surgery.
that adequate funds are available for prison
fense Appropriations Act, 1997, the accom-
including the ase of a heart-lung machine. is
activations which were scheduled for 1996,
panying House and Senate Committee re-
excluded from this definition on two
but have been delayed until 1997,
ports, the conference report and accorapany-
grounds: Drst. the method involves manipu-
(RESCISSION)
ing joint explanatory statement of the man-
lation in vivo. not er vive. and second. the
gers or the Committee of Conference. the To
method does not manipulate the cellular or
The conference agreement includes re-
lated classified annexes and reports, and the
molecular characteristics of the heart.
scission of $40,000,000 from funds appro-
P-1 and R-1 budget justification documents
The House bill included a provision which
printed in fiscal year 1996 for the Federal
as subsequently medified by Congressional
prohibited funds from being used by the Pat-
Prison System. Neither the House nor the
action. The following exception to the above
ent and Trademark Office to issue patents
Senate-reported bills included this rescis-
definition shall apply:
for survical and medical procedures and di-
sion. Funding is available for rescission as &
For the Military Personnel and the Oper-
agroses. with certain exceptions for medical
result of delayed activations of prisons
ation and Maintenance accounts. the term.
and biomedical devices and processes.
scheduled to open in fiscal year 199G. This
"program, project. and activity" is defined
Sec. 617.-The conference agreement in-
provision. in conjunction with the previous
as the appropriations accounts contained in
cludes section 617. which aliminates current
provision. is necessary to ensure that addi-
the Department of Defense Appropriations
reprogramming requirements which are re-
Copal resources may carry forward from fis-
Act. At the time the President submits his
dundant with section 605 of this ACT The
cal year 1996 to fiscal year 1997 to support on-
budget for fiscal year 1998, the conferees of
Benate-reported bill included this provision
going prison system operations.
rect the Department of Defense to transmit
427
1
of the Department carried out at its facilities;
2
and
3
(B) improving youth programs that enable
4
adolescents to relate to new peer groups when
5
families of members of the Armed Forces are
6
relocated.
7
(c) REPORT.-Not later than June 30, 1997, the Sec-
8 retary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report on
9 the status of any initiatives undertaken this section, in-
10 chuding recommendations for additional ways to improve
11 the youth programs of the Department of Defense and to
12 improve such programs so as to benefit communities in
13 the vicinity of military installations.
14 SEC. 1078. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON DEPARTMENT OF DE-
15
FENSE SHARING OF EXPERIENCES WITH
16
MILITARY CHILD CARE.
17
(a) FINDINGS.-The Senate makes the following
18 findings:
19
(1) The Department of Defense should be con-
20
gratulated on the successful implementation of the
21
Military Child Care Act of 1989 (title XV of Public
22
Law 101-189; 10 U.S.C. 113 note).
23
(2) The actions taken by the Department as a
24
result of that Act have dramatically improved the
25
availability, affordability, quality, and consistency of
t $ 1745 ES
428
1
the child care services provided to members of the
2
Armed Forces.
3
(3) Child care is important to the readiness of
4
members of the Armed Forces because single par-
5
ents and couples in military service must have access
6
to affordable child care of good quality if they are
7
to perform their jobs and respond effectively to long
8
work hours or deployments.
9
(4) Child care is important to the retention of
10
members of the Armed Forces in military service be-
11
cause the dissatisfaction of the families of such
12
members with military life is a primary reason for
13
the departure of such members from military serv-
14
ice.
15
(b) SENSE OF SENATE.-It is the sense of the Senate
16 that-
17
(1) the civilian and military child care commu-
18
nities, Federal, State, and local agencies, and busi-
19
nesses and communities involved in the provision of
20
child care services could benefit from the develop-
21
ment of partnerships to foster an exchange of ideas,
22
information, and materials relating to their experi-
23
ences with the provision of such services and to en-
24
courage closer relationships between military instal-
25
lations and the communities that support them;
18 1745 ES
429
1
(2) such partnerships would be beneficial to all
2
families by helping providers of child care services
3
exchange ideas about innovative ways to address
4
barriers to the effective provision of such services;
5
and
6
(3) there are many ways that these partner-
7
ships can be developed, including-
8
(A) cooperation between the directors and
9
curriculum specialists of military child develop-
10
ment centers and civilian child development
11
centers in assisting such centers in the accredi-
12
tation process;
13
(B) use of family support staff to conduct
14
parent and family workshops for new parents
15
and parents with young children in family hous-
16
ing on military installations and in communities
17
in the vicinity of such installations;
18
(C) internships in Department of Defense
19
child care programs for civilian child care pro-
20
viders to broaden the base of good-quality child
21
care services in communities in the vicinity of
22
military installations; and
23
(D) attendance by civilian child care pro-
24
viders at Department child-care training classes
25
on a space-available basis.
+ S 1745 ES
MAZUR M @ A1
04/03/97 04:03:00 PM
Record Type:
Record
To:
Pauline M. Abernathy, Cynthia A. Rice, Elena Kagan, Jennifer L. Klein
CC:
Subject: loan forgiveness proposal
Folks,
In the FY 1998 Budget, there is a tax provision that would exempt from
individual income tax the amount of income attributed to forgiveness of student
loan amounts by educational institutions and charitable organizations. This
favorable tax treatment would be provided where the loan forgiveness was
premised on the former student going to work in certain professions for a broad
class of employers. The basic idea is to provide a tax subsidy to students who
wind up working for certain employers in generally lower-paid positions. For
example, Stanford Law School provides partial or total loan forgiveness for
students who work in public service positions such as Legal Aid. And I believe
the Heinz School of Public Affairs offers similar loan forgiveness for students
who work in lower-paid public sector positions.
The legislative language for this provision is so broad that almost any child
care related activity could qualify, so long as the educational institution or a
charitable organization is making the loan and then forgiving it under specified
circumstances. So, for example, a university could forgive loans for those who
go into training day care providers or providing day care themselves. Or a
charity could make loans to students and then forgive them if the student
becomes a pre-school teacher. In either case, the student would not have to
report the loan forgiveness as taxable income under this proposal.
This is not a big deal, but it seems related to the overall theme. And, it's in
the budget and could be trotted out at the conference. At worst, it's just
another bullet on a fact sheet.
Mark
Dmeeting
Zero-Three Agency Policy Preview Documents
Dearine
March 24, 1997
HHS:
Messages for parents on what they can do to improve their children's health [and
development] in the first three years: SIDS, immunizations, breast-feeding, screening
for sickle cell, preventing lead poisoning, reading, signing, etc.
Promoting the Healthy Child Care Campaign. Issue new model child care standards
that states and communities could voluntarily adopt and launch new effort to train health
professionals to work in child care. Challenge doctors and nurses to "adopt a child care
program."
NIH funding announcements and requests for relevant proposals.
Annual set of children's indicators
Goal of eliminating Hib meningitis by the year 2000.
NICHD study of Early Child Care.
Immunization announcement in July. Achieved our goals one year early.
HUD:
Use National Service participants to talk and work with parents about early
childhood development. [Is HUD working with the CNS on this? Feasible? Timing?]
Establish partnerships between Public Housing Family Investment Centers and
early childhood development organizations. [HUD and the Ounce of Prevention is
doing this in Chicago. When could this be announced? What would it take?]
Use day care center in public housing as conduits for information. [How many kids
does this reach?]
Focus University-Community Partnership Grants on early childhood development.
HUD proposes a special round of grants on early childhood development research and
outreach in urban communities. [when could these grants be announced? How much
money? How many sites? Research vs. outreach]
Focus Historically Black Colleges and Universities on early childhood development.
[Timing? Size and number of grants?]
Use day care center in public housing as conduits for information. [How many kids
does this reach?]
Teach the Faith Community to be an early childhood resource. HUD's Office of
Special Actions has been working with the faith community and could provide them with
early childhood information while getting practical ideas from those on the ground.
[Good idea. What could be the first action? When?]
Build on public housing immunization pilot project. HUD and HHS are jointly
funding four immunization demo projects. [Has it even begun? Can't yet build on this?
Can we even simply highlight this?]
CEA:
White Paper: The First Three Years: Investments That Pay. Draft will likely be
circulated later this week.
ED:
Only gave us the parenting kit.
The main ED programs are: Even Start, Part A of Title 1 funds preschool, Part H of
IDEA (0-2), IDEA preschool grants (3-5). Also the proposed Parents as First Teachers
Challenge Grants included in America Reads.
DOJ:
Safe Kids/Safe Streets: Community Approaches to Reducing Abuse and Neglect and
Preventing Delinquency. Plan to award the grants to five communities soon.
[Requested further information and timing.]
Family Strengthening Training and TA. DOJ is publishing information on exemplary
family strengthening programs, regional training conferences, and training and TA. [I
have requested to see any existing publications and what new ones could be released
when.]
Child Development Community-Oriented Policing. DOJ funds a program to train
community police officers in early childhood development. We will have a police chief
from this program on Panel 2. [I have asked whether any announcements are possible]
Juvenile Monitoring Program (JUMP). Program supports mentoring and many
grantees work with teen parents on proper pre-natal care, parenting, and communication.
50 new grants will be awarded soon. [I asked whether this was a stretch.]
Parents Anonymous. DOJ funds PA programs in 11 states in high-crime, minority
communities to help parents with their parenting skills. [Asked if there was any news
here.]
DOD:
Will be providing list of announcements in final report. DOD has the largest employer
sponsored child day care system in the country (over 200,000 kids ages birth to 12).
[Request 0-3 and 0-5]. DOD runs parenting programs and early intervention and
preschool programs for children with disabilities.
DoD's goal is for all DoD child development centers to be nationally accredited.
Currently 70% are compared to 5% nationally. [When will they achieve their goal of
100%?]
Domestic ( ts
EPA:
Will give us more on their policy announcements later today. but they will include the
infamous E.O., their Right-to-know labeling initiative [NEC has had concerns about
this in the past], information to parents in urban communities about local
environmental health risks to children, protecting children from carcinogens, and a
second-hand smoke impact on children education campaign. EPA will be late with
their big response, likely tomorrow or Wednesday.
SSA:
Submitted information on their programs, but no new announcements.
OPM:
Work and Family Program Center: Has a clearinghouse, runs seminars and
workshops, such as on child safety from infancy.
Family-Friendly leave policies for federal employees.
GSA:
Submitted a preview of their ongoing programs.
satellite
Commerce:
Gave us final report and there was essentially nothing there -- quarter a
Surprising.
Aguda of page.
- Precruption to read
Meeting
who sotit
- Becom Roundap
- child Care -Nicole
Invitations
Satellity
Health
Email a interagery
mtg Carre
proposals
MAR-17-97 MON 10:02 AM CCAC
FAX NO. 212 268 6515
P. 4
The Family Investment Package: A Modest Proposal
Twelve million pre-school children and 17 million school age children need child care for all or
part of their day. They need good quality child care so they can succeed in school. Their parents
need good quality care so they can work to support their children, confident that their children are
safe and well-cared for. Yet, good quality care costs more than most working families can afford
to pay. Good quality care costs between $6,300 and $8,500 per year per child. Parents pay, on
average, $3,700 per year. When employers and government invest to help parents bridge the gap
between what they can afford to pay and what good quality costs, everyone benefits: children are
more likely to enter school ready to learn, parents experience less stress on the job and at home,
neighborhoods are safer and more welcoming, the nation's economy is stronger.
It is time to consider investing in families by supporting their child care needs.
Therefore, we are proposing that Congress and state governments consider a family investment
package.
The key elements of the Package are:
Expansion of the Dependent Care Tax Credit: Make the credit refundable,
increase the maximum allowable expenditure and change the percentage formula
so that low and moderate income working families get a greater benefit. Every
state with an income tax can also provide a tax credit. Follow Arkansas's lead by
providing a supplemental tax credit for families who choose licensed or accredited
care. (Representative Cynthia McKinney introduced a bill containing most of these
provisions during the 104th Congress.)
Establish a scholarship fund for early childhood teachers, modeled after the
Eisenhower teacher training grants for teachers of science and math. Improving
the training and compensation of child care teachers is the surest way to improving
the quality of child care.
Create a community reinvestment fund to rebuild or create community centers
that include child care, family resource programs, and Head Start. This could be
tied to Empowerment Zones, and to the President's $5 billion school rebuilding
fund, which could include monies for school age child care.
Expand Parental Leave to allow parents time to attend school meetings, look for
child care, spend time volunteering in school (as the President has proposed), and
expand coverage of the Family and Medical Leave Act to include employers of
or more workers.
Double the Child Care and Development Block Grant to increase child care
subsidies for the working poor and to ensure adequate investment in resource and
referral services, training and compensation for child care providers, and
MAR-17-97 MON 10:02 AM CCAC
FAX NO. 212 268 6515
P. 3
monitoring of the health and safety of child care facilities. (Senator Dodd has
introduced S.19 which would authorize this element of the Package.)
Establish a tax credit for employers that provide child care benefits to their
employees. Senator Kohl has introduced S.82 that would create a business-related
tax credit for employer-provided child care benefits. Because expenditures eligible
for the credit would be capped at $150,000, this credit would be particularly
attractive to smaller employers.
Child Care Action Campaign
March 3, 1997
MAR-17-97 MON 10:00 AM CCAC
FAX NO. 212 268 6515
P. 2
Elin
CCAC
Fill. Isple
w/
CHILD CARE ACTION CAMPAIGN
330 7th Ave., 17th fl., New York, NY 10001
(212) 239-0138
Fax (212) 268-6515
hn
5746
@
handsnet
or;
Board of Directors
Honorary Chairmen
March 1, 1997
PAESIDENT JIMMY CARTER
PRESIDENT GERALD R. FORD
Founding President
ELINOR GUGGENHEIMER
First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton
President
The White House
Pailine
RICHARD B. STOLLEY
Time Inc.
Vice-Presidents
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
DANA E. FRIEDMAN, ED.D
CorporateFamily Solutions
Washington, D.C. 20050-2000
FRANCINE SOMMER
Gabelli Multimedia Partners, L.P.
Secretary
JUDITH KAUFFMAN FULLMER
Dear Hillary:
Citibank
Treasurer
ARNOLD H. KROLL
Schrodor Werthelm & Co. Inc.
Thank you for the recognition you gave to all working mothers by
SUSAN ARONSON, M.D.
Fellow, American Academy of Pediatics
hosting that wonderful luncheon for the "influential mothers" on February
SUSAN BAYH
International Joint Commission
12. It's a challenging time for children's advocates, and affirming moments
MYRNA BLYTH
Ladies' Home Journal
are few and far between. Lunch with you was certainly one of them! More
JoANNE BRANDES
S.C. Johnson & Son. Inc.
important, perhaps, my daughter is still glowing from the experience.
T. BERRY BRAZELTON. M.D.
Harvard Medical School
ROGER H. BROWN
Bright Horizons Children's Centers
As you and I discussed, the research on brain development, the
BETTYE M. CALDWELL Ph.D.
President's renewed focus on education, and states' efforts to meet the child
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
JOHN MACK CARTER
care needs of low income working families in the context of welfare
Hearst Magazines Enterprises
SEY CHASSLER
reform, make this an opportune moment to introduce some realistic
ROXANNE J. COADY
R.J. Julia Booksellers, Ltd.
proposals for improving the quality of child care and helping working
JUDSEN CULBRETH
Working Mother
families pay for it. The Child Care Action Campaign has begun to talk
MATILDA RAFFA CUOMO
Montoring USA
about a Family Investment Package with other children's advocates,
RICKI FAIRLEY-BROWN
Coca-Cola USA
women's organizations, some key business leaders and the bipartisan
ELLEN GALINSKY
Families and Work Institute
leadership of the Congressional Women's Caucus. I would be delighted to
GARY DAVID GOLDBERG
U6U Productions
discuss it further with you, and perhaps to raise it at the Summit on Brain
BETTY HUDSON
Development that you are planning.
Reader's Digest Inc.
SHEILA B. KAMERMAN. D.S.W.
Columbia University School of Social Work
ELLIOT LEHMAN
The key elements of the Package are:
FEL-PRO Incorporated
JACQUELINE LEO
Good Morning America, ABC News
PATRICIA $ LIEBERMAN
Expansion of the Dependent Care Tax Credit: Make the
AL Maitman Family Foundation
JAY MAZUR
credit refundable, increase the maximum allowable expenditure and
UNITE!. AFL-CIO
EVELYN K. MOORE
change the percentage formula so that low and moderate income
National Black Child Development Institute
GWEN MORGAN
working families get a greater benefit. Every state with an income
Whoelock College
ANN PLESHETTE MURPHY
tax can also provide a tax credit. Follow Arkansas's lead by
Parents
providing a supplemental tax credit for families who choose
SONDRA L MURPHY
Brazolton Foundation
licensed or accredited care. (Representative Cynthia McKinney
ARTHUR L. NOVELL
Markham/Novsll Communications, Ltd.
introduced a bill containing most of these provisions during the
FRANCINE SUSSNER RODGERS
Work/Family Directions
104th Congress.)
BEA ROMER
State of Colorado
DEE TOPOL
The Travelers Foundation
Establish a scholarship fund for early childhood teachers,
LINDA VILLAROSA
Essence
modeled after the Eisenhower teacher training grants for teachers of
THOMAS J VOLPE
Interpublic Group of Companies
science and math. Improving the training and compensation of
BERNICE WEISSBOURD
Family Focus, Inc.
child care teachers is the surest way to improving the quality of
EDWARD ZIGLER, Ph.D.
Bush Center, Yale University
child care.
General Counsel
GAINES GWATHMEY, III
Paul, Weiss. Rilkind, Wharton & Garrison
Executive Director
BARBARA REISMAN
MAR-17-97 MON 10:03 AM CCAC
FAX NO. 212 268 6515
P. 5
Create a community reinvestment fund to rebuild or creat community
centers that include child care, family resource programs, and Head This
could be tied to Empowerment Zones, and to the President's $5 school
rebuilding fund, which could include monies for school age child
Expand Parental Leave to allow parents time to attend school meetings,
look for child care, spend time volunteering in school (as the President has
proposed), and expand coverage of the Act to include employer more
workers.
Expand the Child Care and Development Block Grant crease child
care subsidies for the working poor and to ensure adequate investment resource
and referral services, training and compensation for child care pro: and
monitoring of the health and safety of child care facilities. (Senated Dodd has
introduced S.19 which would double the Child and Dependent Block Grant.)
Establish a tax credit for employers that provide child care benefits to
their employees. Senator Kohl has introduced S.82 that would
3
business-
related tax credit for employer-provided child care benefits. Be expenditures
eligible for the credit would be capped at $150,000, this credit
particularly attractive to smaller employers.
At Renaissance Weekend, Elinor Guggenheimer circulated a proposal for a child
care initiative that generated a great deal of enthusiasm. She and I would welcome the
opportunity to meet with you to discuss these ideas more fully. Elly will receiving the
Natalie Heineman Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service at the Chile Weltine League
of America's annual dinner on March 13. Is there any chance that you milable
on
the
13th or 14th for a fifteen minute meeting? We can, of course, come to Washington at
your convenience, or meet with you when you are next in New York
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you again for hosting the lunch, and for your commitment
children and
families.
Sincerely,
Barbara Rum
Barbara Reisman
TAX INCENTIVES FOR EXPANSION OF STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS
Current Law
Generally, a taxpayer has income when all or part of a loan made to the taxpayer is
forgiven. However, an exception is provided in section 108(f) for the forgiveness of certain
student loans. If the United States, a State or local government, or a public benefit corporation
with control over a state, county, or municipal hospital makes a loan to a student to support the
student's attendance at an educational institution and subsequently forgives all or part of the
loan, the income resulting from the cancellation of indebtedness is excluded from the student's
income, provided the loan forgiveness is contingent on the student's working for a certain period
of time in certain professions for any of a broad class of employers.
Reasons for Change
The Administration believes in encouraging Americans to use their education and
training in community service. Providing tax relief in connection with the forgiveness of certain
student loans will help make it possible for students with valuable professional skills to accept
lower-paying jobs that serve the public.
Proposal
The income exclusion for student loan forgiveness would be expanded to cover
forgiveness of loans extended by nonprofit tax-exempt charitable or educational institutions to
their students or graduates when the proceeds are to be used to repay outstanding student loans,
provided the loan forgiveness is contingent on the student's working for a certain period of time
in certain professions for any of a broad class of employers. The income exclusion would not be
available where a loan is extended and then forgiven by an institution that employs the borrower.
The exclusion would also be expanded to cover forgiveness of direct student loans made through
the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program where loan repayment and forgiveness are
contingent on the borrower's income level.
The proposal would be effective with respect to amounts otherwise includable in
incomè after the date of enactment.
9
Child Care Options
"Stepping Stones" Child Care Quality Guidelines
Shid fed y?v't
do this
More information forthcoming. POTUS issues "Stepping Stones," a set of federal
guidelines for child care quality and safety that we provide to States (for their voluntary
- Are they
soronger or
use) as they determine their own state-specific guidelines. POTUS challenges states to
weaker than
give guidelines full consideration.
state Ads
Interact w/
"Adopt a Child Care Center" Campaign
accreditation
POTUS announces a grant to provide training to health professionals to work with child
agency stds
care center personnel to enhance child care quality, and challenges pediatricians to
"adopt" child care centers in their communities. As a part of its Healthy Child Care
Campaign, HHS made a grant to the Academy of Pediatrics to do the campaign's
What's diff.
about this
technical assistance and, through newsletters and tracking, to amplify the campaign's
How much $7
messages. HHS is in discussions with the Academy on challenging its pediatricians to
"adopt" child care centers.
How many kids
How many
pediatricsans
Federal Leadership Toward 100% Accreditation
DoD or USG pledge for full accreditation of all of its child care facilities.
NAYEC
DoD Child Care Facilities Partner with Community Child Facilities to Improve Quality
POTUS announces that every accredited DoD child care facility will pair with a local,
non-accredited community child care facility to help it achieve accreditation.
[HHS advises that in appropriations language, Kennedy inserted language for DoD to
work with HHS toward improving quality in non-military facilities, but no money was
specifically earmarked for this purpose -- need specifics]
"Child Care Champion" Presidential Awards
POTUS calls for the establishment of presidential awards to honor family-friendly
businesses that have improved the quality, accessibility or affordability of child care for
their workers and/or the community in which the businesses are located.
Presidential Advisory Commission on Child Care
Announcing his attention to appoint an Advisory Commission on Child Care, the
President says that we are taking some steps today (i.e. listed above), but that there are
broader issues that we as a society need to address about how to meet the growing need
for quality, affordable child care. This Advisory Commission would be tasked to study
the present system and help envision our child care system in the 21st Century. The
Commission would present a set of recommendations, not just to the President, but also
to all sectors of society for how best to meet this growing need.
Make Sure children immunized in in child care centers
MARCH 25, 1997
MEMORANDUM FOR BRUCE REED AND ELENA KAGAN
FROM:
CYNTHIA RICE
SUBJECT:
CHILD CARE IDEAS
The new welfare law increased child care spending by nearly $4 billion--a hard-won
victory for the President. Generally, analysts agree that the new law provides enough funding for
welfare recipients entering the workforce. Yet there is growing concern that working poor
families will be short-changed as available subsidies are directed toward former welfare
recipients. Even the Congressional Budget Office last December concluded that the new law is
$1.4 billion short of the resources needed to maintain current child care programs for at-risk,
working poor families and provide enough child care for newly working welfare recipients. In
addition, there are persistent concerns about the quality of care most children receive in the
typical child care setting.
Here are a few ideas for ways to address these problems.
Make the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Refundable. Current tax law
provides a tax credit for child care expenses of up to $2,400 for one child and $4,800 for
two or more children. The credit is not refundable, however, meaning families with little
or no income can't benefit. In August, the Joint Tax Committee concluded it would cost
$2.1 billion from 1997-2002 to make the tax credit refundable; the Treasury Department
estimate was inexplicably twice as high. The Blue Dog budget released last month made
the credit refundable but paid for it by eliminating the tax benefit for families with
incomes over $100,000.
Endorse Senator Kohl's "Child Care Expansion Act." Senator Kohl's bill provides
tax credits to private companies and institutions to encourage them to build quality child
care centers on-site or near their companies. (Generally, child care centers are considered
to be higher quality than family day care, which operate out of individual homes, because
centers have to meet certain state staffing and safety rules.) His bill, introduced in
January, was lauded in a recent edition of Working Mother magazine. It would provide a
50% credit for eligible activities up to $150,000 per year per business. The Joint Tax
Committee estimates the cost to be $2.6 billion from 1997-2002.
Endorse Republican Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas' "Child Care Expansion Act."
His bill, which has not yet been introduced, would: 1) Increase the amount of the Child
and Dependent Tax Credit to $3,600 for one child and $5,400 for two. This would not
help the lowest-income families since the credit would still not be refundable. 2) Provide
matching grants of up to $50,000 for small businesses that work together to provide day
care for their employees. 3) Expand the IRS rules to allow more parents to deduct home
offices expenses from their taxes. This provision would allow an exception to the
"exclusive use" rule permitting mixed use of space for business and personal purposes in
the case of taxpayers who conduct home-based business while caring for dependents. 4)
Encourage older Americans participating in federally-supported programs to provide
child care services in their communities. A cost estimate for this bill is not yet available.