The Infant and Toddler Care Improvement Act

Floor Speech

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, today, as a country, we face many economic challenges: income disparity, stagnant wages, and an alarming rise of children living in poverty. Luckily, all available research points to a solution. High-quality early childhood education and care is as close to a silver bullet as we are going to find. It supports working families, creates economic opportunities for women, and provides a great start for our youngest learners.

But today, hardworking families spend an extraordinary percentage of their income on child care. Even then, they are not always sure it meets the needs of their kids. Mr. Speaker, that is why I am introducing a bill today to help ensure quality care for infants and toddlers. As a mother of three, I understand that parents want nothing more than to make sure their kids are healthy, safe, and thriving.

More than 6 million children under the age of 3 will spend time in child care this week. At this tender age, when brain development is at its peak, when neuropathways are being formed every second by the millions, that is when quality child care matters most.

Today I encourage my colleagues to help these children and their families succeed by supporting the Infant and Toddler Care Improvement Act.

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