Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

70

and such services shall be deemed to meet the requirements 2 of section 422 (a) (1) (C) of the Social Security Act. The 3 Secretary shall prescribe such regulations and make such 4 arrangements as may be necessary or appropriate to insure 5 that suitable child and family services programs under this 6 Act are available for children receiving aid or services under 7 State plans approved under part A of title IV of the Social 8 Security Act and State plans developed as provided in part 9 B of such title to the extent that such programs are required 10 for the administration of such plans and the achievement of 11 their objectives, and that there is effective coordination between the comprehensive child services programs under this 13 Act and the programs of aid and services under such title 14 IV.

12

15 (c) (1) Section 203 (j) (1) of the Federal Property 16 and Administrative Services Act of 1949 is amended by 17 striking out "or civil defense" and inserting in lieu thereof 18 "civil defense, or the operation of child care facilities".

[blocks in formation]

(2) Section 203 (j) (3) of such Act is amended

(A) by striking out, in the first sentence, "or public health" and inserting in lieu thereof "public health, or

the operation of child care facilities";

(B) by inserting after "handicapped," in clause

(A) and clause (B) of the first sentence the following: "child care facilities"; and

1

2

3

4

5

71

(C) by inserting after "public health purposes" and

the second sentence, the following: ", or for the opera

tion of child care facilities,"

ACCEPTANCE OF FUNDS

SEC. 507. In carrying out the purposes and provisions 6 of this Act, the Secretary is authorized to accept and use 7 funds appropriated to carry out other provisions of Federal 8 law if such funds are used for the purposes for which they 9 are specifically authorized and appropriated.

Senator MONDALE. The 1971 version of the bill passed both Houses of Congress by impressive bipartisan margins, was vetoed by former President Nixon, and that veto was almost overridden by the Senate, but the 51-36 vote to override fell 7 votes short of the two-thirds majority required.

In 1972, the Senate passed a revised version of that bill by an overwhelming vote of 73 to 12. Then, last August, we held joint SenateHouse hearings on the bills before us today in an effort to begin the legislative consideration and public debate necessary for passage this

year.

With today's hearing we begin a series of joint hearings to be held over the next several months. Today and tomorrow, we hope to focus primarily on the need for legislation of this kind.

In later hearings, we intend to explore in depth many of the important questions about the specific provisions in the bill, including questions about the authorization levels; about the appropriate role of the public schools in the delivery of these services; about the role of profitmaking child care programs; about the appropriate combination of State and local governments in the delivery and administration of these services; and about ways to coordinate this legislation with existing services to families and children such as the social services and day care programs under the newly enacted title XX of the Social Security Act.

I want to emphasize that the bills before us are designed to provide the substance necessary to achieve the No. 1 priority identified by the 1970 White House Conference on Children and Youth-the priority of "comprehensive family-oriented child development programs including health services, day care, and early childhood education.

The bill reflects our best thinking, after 5 years of legislative investigation, about the way to best provide for the wide variety of programs and services that families need. But nothing in this bill is

etched in stone.

Many things have changed during the 5 years we have been working on this legislation, but the needs for it have remained constant or have increased.

The infant mortality rate in our country is still inexcusably highstill higher than that of 13 other nations.

While we have made some progress in the detection and treatment of handicaps, each year an estimated 200,000 children are struck by handicaps which could have been prevented if they and their mothers had received early health care.

There are only about 1 million spaces available in licensed day care programs for the 6 million preschool children whose mothers are working.

And between 1970 and 1973.,there has been an increase of 650,000 in the number of children whose mothers are working.

Our bills will not meet all of these needs, but, if passed and funded, they will substantially increase the resources available to families and children who need this kind of help.

The bills authorize $1.8 billion over the next 3 years to fund a wide. variety of services, including day care services for preschool children, medical services for expectant and new mothers to reduce the inci

dence of preventable birth defects, family counseling, education, health diagnosis and treatment programs, and nutrition programs for children.

The bills contain a unique phase-in year for planning, training, and technical assistance, to assure that program funds which become available in the following years can be used as effectively and efficiently as possible.

I want to emphasize that programs authorized by this legislation are totally voluntary and maximize parent control and decisionmaking. They recognize and specifically provide that child care programs must be voluntary, and must build upon and strengthen the role of the family as the primary and fundamental influence on the development of the child.

They assure that parents will have the opportunity to choose among the greatest possible variety of child and family services, including prenatal care, nutrition assistance, part-day programs like Head Start, after school or full day developmental day care for children of working mothers, in-the-home tutoring, early medical screening and treatment to detect and remedy handicapping conditions, and classes for parents and prospective parents.

Clearly the economic situation in our country will affect the consideration of this bill.

Unemployment is now at the absolutely intolerable level of more than 8 percent. Families and children are also suffering from doubledigit inflation. There are, obviously, many important programs in the areas of tax relief, tax reform, public service jobs, improved unemployment compensation, and other fields that require the immediate attention of the Congress and the President.

But I believe for many reasons that child and family services should continue to rank among the highest priorities of our Nation because many children need improved services and care, either through a new or an upgraded program of health or child care, or other service.

These investments to support families and help in the early years of life are not only the most humane actions our Nation can take, they are also one of the most cost effective. In addition, at a time of rising unemployment, the child care system should be among those programs considered for its job creation capacity, because it is one of the most labor-intensive programs we have.

I hope that as our hearings proceed and the need for this legislation. becomes even more clearly demonstrated that we can work with the administration and gain their support.

I am delighted that Senator Stafford is with us this morning.
Senator STAFFORD. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I am glad, after many years of service on both sides, to find these committees holding joint hearings.

I think in this way so much of the time of the Congress is saved. I wish we had more of this. I think it is progressive from the standpoint of getting our work done.

Senator MONDALE. Thank you.

I also want to welcome Congressman Brademas, who is cochairman, and is my old friend and companion from House days, Congressman Bell is also here as a member of the House Select Subcommittee on Education. It is very nice to have you over on this side.

Mr. BRADEMAS. It is very nice to be here.

Mr. BELL. It is a pleasure to be here, Senator Mondale and Senator Stafford.

Senator MONDALE. Mr. Brademas.

OPENING STATEMENT OF MR. BRADEMAS

Mr. BRADEMAS. Today we begin joint hearings of the House Subcommittee on Select Education and the Senate Subcommittee on Children and Youth, chaired by Senator Walter F. Mondale, on H.R. 2966 and S. 626, the child and family services bill.

I want to observe at the outset that we resume consideration of this measure which can prove to be of enormous importance to children and families across the Nation thanks to the leadership of several Members of the House and Senate on both sides of the aisle.

Joining me in the House as principal sponsors of the child and family services bill, H.R. 2966, are the gentleman from California, Mr. Bell; the gentlewoman from Hawaii, Mrs. Mink; and the gentlewoman from Massachusetts, Mrs. Heckler; and several members of my subcommittee. And the principal sponsors of the companion measure in the Senate, S. 626, are Senators Mondale of Minnesota and Jacob K. Javits of New York.

The bill would provide $1.85 billion over 3 years to plan for, initiate, and operate a new program providing a wide variety of services to children and their families.

Activities which could be funded under the measure which we are considering today include health services, screening for handicaps, prenatal services for mothers, in-home and center-based day careboth part and full-time-and health and nutrition programs.

My own subcommittee held 20 days of hearings on similar legislation in the 91st and 92d Congresses, and Senator Mondale's subcommittee, likewise, conducted an extensive investigation into the needs of children during that period.

Those hearings amply demonstrated the need for the services to children and their families which the bill provides.

Some of you may recall the results of our efforts in the 91st and 92d Congresses. President Nixon, in December of 1971, vetoed the Child Development Act.

Last August, efforts to enact a new bill began again in earnest, and Senator Mondale and I held 2 days of joint hearings on the child and family services bill, joint hearings which we are resuming again today. Evidence of the need for legislation of the type we are considering comes from several sources.

Take the need for screening programs for handicapped youngsters. Today there are approximately 7 million handicapped children between the age of 0 and 18, including over 1 million handicapped preschool children, in the United States.

Fully 60 percent of these youngsters are not receiving the special education services they need, and many of them lack the medical assistance they also require.

The early identification programs for handicapped and learning disabled children, which can be established under this bill, will allow prompt treatment at an early age, treatment which might make a critical difference to the full development of such children.

« AnteriorContinuar »