Recognizing Children's Week

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. FOSTER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak as a father and a new and excited grandfather to advocate for a country that is dedicated to helping all of its children thrive.

As a scientist, I recognize that one of the most important issues our children face is the fragility of children's brain development. Early brain development in children lays the foundation for their success in adulthood. During the first few years of life, millions of new neural connections are formed every second. It is during this time that the brain is the most flexible but also the most vulnerable to the environment around it.

Polluted environments, chronic stress, extreme poverty, or repeated abuse are toxic for brain development, and this has a lasting negative impact on a child's success in life.

It is important to continue research on the impact of children's environment on early brain development and then to take action to provide early intervention services for children whose brain development is at risk.

In fact, as Representative Jacobs mentioned, early childhood intervention has one of the highest returns on investment of any investment that our country can make.

Although my grandson is growing up in a supportive, loving, and hopefully chemically nontoxic environment, I recognize that many children in the United States are not. But I remain hopeful that we will continue to combat the challenges that all of our children face and continue to provide them with the best future possible.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source