Child Care is Economic Development Act of 2020

Floor Speech

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Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8326) to amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to require eligible recipients of certain grants to develop a comprehensive economic development strategy that directly or indirectly increases the accessibility of affordable, quality child care, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 8326

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Child Care is Economic Development Act of 2020'' or the ``CED Act''. SEC. 2. COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES.

(a) In General.--Section 302(a)(3)(A) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3162(a)(3)(A)) is amended--

(1) by striking ``and'' before ``balances resources''; and

(2) by inserting ``, and directly or indirectly increases the accessibility of affordable, quality child care'' after ``sound management of development''.

(b) Guidance.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall issue guidance on implementing the amendments made by subsection (a) to include the accessibility of affordable, quality child care in a comprehensive economic development strategy developed under section 302 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3162).

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Ms. NORTON. 8326.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 8326, the Child Care is Economic Development Act, or the CED Act.

Access to childcare is essential to economic development but it is often ignored in planning. This legislation changes that by making sure that local Economic Development Districts consider the availability and accessibility of affordable, quality childcare when creating their Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.

Job creation is an important part of economic development. But doing so without considering childcare leaves an enormous blind spot. For many communities large and small, access to affordable childcare remains one of the largest barriers to job recruitment. If people cannot find quality and affordable childcare, they may not relocate to a region for a new job no matter how good the job may be.

A report from the Center for American Progress found that more than half of American households live in a childcare desert. This is especially problematic in smaller and rural communities where the rate of families with childcare deserts grows to three in five households without adequate childcare.

If our economic development plans don't consider childcare, we are limiting the type of workforce that is available to compete for jobs and limiting our economic development and competitiveness. Jobs that don't work for working families don't work for our communities.

The childcare crisis in our country has been further exacerbated by COVID-19. As many as 4.5 million childcare slots may be permanently lost due to COVID-19, further reducing the limited supply of affordable childcare nationwide. With declining childcare options, many families are forced to reduce working hours or leave the workforce altogether, oftentimes leaving women with the greatest share household duties.

Limited childcare availability has for years reduced women's participation in the workforce, and the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed that even further. In September alone, four times as many women as men left the labor force--over 865,000 women in one month alone. And women and children who have remained in the workforce report reducing their working hours by 20 to 50 percent to provide childcare services to their families.

Left unchecked, the childcare crisis, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, will reverse decades of progress for women's equity and opportunity in the workforce, including reducing pay equity and opportunity gaps.

While there is a lot we need to do to address the childcare crisis in our country, the CED Act provides us a first step forward by recognizing the intrinsic connection between economic development and access to childcare. It allows communities to identify their needs and strategies and forces an integration of early childhood needs into broader economic plans.

I am proud to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Financial Services, Washington, DC, November 13, 2020. Hon. Peter A Defazio, Chairman, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing concerning H.R.8326, the ``Child Care is Economic Development Act of 2020.'' In order to permit H.R. 8326 to proceed expeditiously to the House Floor, I agree to forgo formal consideration of the bill.

The Committee on Financial Services takes this action to forego formal consideration of H.R. 8326 with our mutual understanding that, by foregoing formal consideration of H.R. 8326, we do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that our Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as this or similar legislation moves forward with regard to any matters in the Committee's jurisdiction. I appreciate your commitment to work with the Committee to address any outstanding issues as the bill is considered in the Senate. The Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this or similar legislation that involves the Committee's jurisdiction and request your support for any such request.

Finally, I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming this understanding, and I would ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the Congressional Record during Floor consideration of H.R. 8326. Sincerely, Maxine Waters, Chairwoman. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Washington, DC, November 13, 2020. Hon. Maxine Waters, Chairwoman, Committee on Financial Services, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairwoman Waters, Thank you for your letter regarding H.R 8326, the Childcare is Economic Development Act of 2020. I appreciate your decision to waive formal consideration of the bill.

I agree that the Committee on Financial Services has valid jurisdictional claims to certain provisions in this important legislation, and I further agree that by forgoing formal consideration of the bill, the Committee on Financial Services is not waiving any jurisdiction over any relevant subject matter. Finally, this exchange of letters will be included in the Congressional Record when the bill is considered on the floor.

Thank you again, and I look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with the Committee on Financial Services on this important issue. Sincerely, Peter A. DeFazio, Chair.

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Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Judiciary, Homeland, and Budget Committees, and Founding Chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, I rise in strong support of H.R. 8326, the ``Child Care is Economic Development Act''.

First and foremost, I wish to thank my colleague, Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer, for her leadership on this vital, bipartisan piece of legislation.

H.R. 8326 requires grant applicants for certain public works and economic development projects to describe in their comprehensive economic development strategy how they will increase the accessibility of affordable, quality child care.

By doing so, this bill makes it easier for child care to be an essential part of plans for local economic development projects.

The child care industry has served as a crucial backbone to the United States' economy for decades, and it, too, continues to be rocked by the devastating effects of the coronavirus.

Mr. Speaker, over the last few weeks, we have seen a tremendous surge in the number of coronavirus cases across the United States.

As of today, health authorities have identified more than 11 million COVID-19 cases throughout the United States since the start of the pandemic in January.

Just last week, my home state of Texas surpassed 1 million cases and reported over 20,000 related deaths.

At the county level, Harris County, which includes my district, has reported more than 175,000 cases and over 2,360 related deaths.

Before the pandemic, Texas had more than 11,000 child care operations.

Yet, as a result of this disease, that number has reduced dramatically as these facilities have had to permanently close their doors.

According to a survey conducted by the Bipartisan Policy Center, nearly two-thirds (63 percent of parents across the United States had difficulty finding child care amidst COVID-19.

Furthermore, about 47 percent of parents are concerned they won't be able to afford child care when they can return to the workforce.

As we seek to regain control over this virus and poise our economy to rebound from the effects of the coronavirus, these closures will, without a doubt, affect parents and families who need to return to work yet no longer have a child care provider.

Child care facilities provide an immense and unquestionable public value.

Workers in every industry rely on child care centers to provide capable care for their children, helping them juggle both parenting and employment responsibilities.

The child care industry is even more essential to single parent households.

In 2019, 15.76 million children lived with a single mother and approximately 3.23 million children lived with a single father.

For these millions of families, child care is a lifeline.

I have been a long-standing advocate for the child care industry because I understand the challenges many working families face when it comes to obtaining reliable, affordable, and quality child care.

Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have supported numerous initiatives that strengthen the viability of the child care sector.

Most recently, I supported:

H.R. 7327, the ``Child Care for Economic Recovery Act'';

H.R. 7027, the ``Child Care is Essential Act''; and

H.R. 7909, the ``Ensuring Children and Child Care Workers are Safe Act''.

Mr. Speaker, I stand here today, voicing my support for H.R. 8326 because it serves as a vital component to our nation's economic reopening strategy.

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, approximately 50 percent of parents who have not yet returned to work cite childcare as a reason they have not returned.

By passing H.R. 8326 today, we have the opportunity expand access to quality child care, so that individuals who are pursuing opportunities with these public works projects will not have to worry about choosing between employment opportunities and child care.

I urge all Members to join me in voting for H.R. 8326, the ``Child Care is Economic Development Act.''

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