Child Care Protection Improvement Act of 2020
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of S. 2683, the Child Care Protection Improvement Act of 2020, the same bill offered by my colleagues Representatives McBath, Keller, Taylor, Finkenauer, and Axne.
In 2014, Congress passed the Child Care Development and Block Grant Reauthorization Act with broad bipartisan support and it required that States conduct specified comprehensive criminal background checks for all childcare staff members.
As part of this crucial requirement, interstate checks must be completed in any State where the prospective employee lived over the last 5 years. However, given the variation of individual State laws and practices, interstate background checks have proven difficult for many States to complete.
With only three States able to fully implement the Child Care and Development Block Grant background checks as of March 1st, 2020, it is time for Congress to determine the root causes of the roadblocks to interstate background checks.
The Child Care Protection Improvement Act does just that by establishing a task force at HHS. The task force includes the FBI and respective CCDBG Federal agencies, as well as those who are operating State background check systems in order to determine the issues with the current systems.
By establishing a task force, Congress can take action to improve the operability and preserve the resources of the grantees who are already burdened by the red tape in the interstate background check system.
Approximately 1.3 million children receive a childcare subsidy from the Child Care and Development Fund every month. Their parents deserve the peace of mind that their children's caretakers have gone through comprehensive background checks.
While good-faith efforts toward compliance have been shown and incremental improvement has been demonstrated, more can be done to expediently implement these crucial safety measures for our children. The task force established in this bill is a promising step to achieving criminal background check implementation in every State.
I thank my colleagues for working across the aisle in crafting this legislation. I thank Chairman Scott of the Education and Labor Committee and Republican leader Foxx for helping bring this bill to the floor today.
Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Murphy), my friend and an important member of our committee.
Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2683, the Child Care Protection Improvement Act.
As a father of three and a member of the Education and Labor Committee, the issue this legislation seeks to improve is near and dear to me.
After reauthorizing the Child Care and Development Block Grant in 2014, which passed with broad bipartisan support, Congress added a requirement for States to implement background checks for any childcare employee put in charge of supervising children.
Childcare is an essential service as well as a source of employment for many Americans, so safety and care are of the utmost concern. Parents want to know that their children are in a good, honest, and safe environment.
However, since this reauthorization, implementation has been very problematic. Many States have experienced a great amount of difficulties actually performing robust background checks.
In fact, as of March 1, 2020, only three States have been able to fully implement the required background checks.
If passed, this bill will establish a task force at the Department of Health and Human Services to monitor background checks and to make recommendations for improving implementation at childcare businesses.
Keeping children safe from harm is a parent's number one concern when they leave them in someone else's care.
Parents will be more assured when they know their caretaker and all of its employees have histories absent of criminal activity, sexual abuse, or any other forms of neglect.
We are facing so many challenges in this Nation at this time, but regardless, we can never stop working to make our children safe.
I thank my colleague, Senator Burr from North Carolina, for leading this initiative in the upper Chamber. I thank my colleagues in the House for doing the same. I look forward to its passage here in the House.
I urge my colleagues to vote for this legislation.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Keller), who has been an architect of this piece of legislation.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, the childcare industry is critical to the well-being of American families, and each family across our Nation deserves to know that those who are caring for their children have gone through thorough and necessary criminal background checks.
The Child Care Protection Improvement Act helps protect children and gives parents peace of mind when it comes to sending their children to a childcare facility.
This legislation is a perfect example of what Congress can accomplish when bipartisanship and meaningful collaboration take priority over politics.
I encourage a ``yes'' vote on S. 2683.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source