Press Releases
Senator Roberts’ Child Care Bill Funded by Senate;
A Major Step Forward for legislation to Help Working Families
Oct 23 2007
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts today announced his amendment to fund the Small Business Child Care Act, which encourages small businesses to work together to provide access to affordable, quality child care for their employees, was unanimously passed by the U.S. Senate.
Roberts’ Small Business Child Care Act was added to the Supplemental Appropriations Act, approved by Congress and signed into law by the President in May. The Roberts amendment to the Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill (H.R. 3043) passed by unanimous consent today and funds the program for $5 million for 2008. The bill now goes to a conference committee to iron out the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill and must be then signed into law by the President.
“This is a big step forward,” Senator Roberts said. “Child care is a top concern for parents who are struggling to balance work with family. We want to know our children are safe and thriving while we work to provide for them. If we can get this bill signed into law, Main Street businesses will have opportunities to give employees new child care options.”
Senator Roberts’ measure creates a short-term, flexible grant program to encourage small businesses to work together or with other local child care agencies to provide child care services for employees. Small businesses will be eligible for grants up to $500,000 for start-up costs, training, scholarships, or other related activities. Businesses, however, will be required to match federal funds to encourage self-sustaining facilities well into the future. The program is authorized at $50 million over five years and sunsets in 2012. The $5 million funding for 2008 will jump-start the effort to get businesses to start looking at child care options.
“In many small Kansas towns such as Dodge City,” Roberts said, “the availability of child care options is often limited. This amendment would alleviate the strain on working families who often have to close the door on the opportunity to expand their income because of the lack of child care options in their communities. I have been pleased by the interest I have received from communities and private employers who want to apply for this program, which if signed into law, will be administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.”
Small businesses employ half of all private sector employees and created between 60 and 80 percent of net new jobs annually over the last decade, according to the Small Business Administration.
Senator Roberts is a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and the Senate Finance Committee.-30-
Roberts’ Small Business Child Care Act was added to the Supplemental Appropriations Act, approved by Congress and signed into law by the President in May. The Roberts amendment to the Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill (H.R. 3043) passed by unanimous consent today and funds the program for $5 million for 2008. The bill now goes to a conference committee to iron out the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill and must be then signed into law by the President.
“This is a big step forward,” Senator Roberts said. “Child care is a top concern for parents who are struggling to balance work with family. We want to know our children are safe and thriving while we work to provide for them. If we can get this bill signed into law, Main Street businesses will have opportunities to give employees new child care options.”
Senator Roberts’ measure creates a short-term, flexible grant program to encourage small businesses to work together or with other local child care agencies to provide child care services for employees. Small businesses will be eligible for grants up to $500,000 for start-up costs, training, scholarships, or other related activities. Businesses, however, will be required to match federal funds to encourage self-sustaining facilities well into the future. The program is authorized at $50 million over five years and sunsets in 2012. The $5 million funding for 2008 will jump-start the effort to get businesses to start looking at child care options.
“In many small Kansas towns such as Dodge City,” Roberts said, “the availability of child care options is often limited. This amendment would alleviate the strain on working families who often have to close the door on the opportunity to expand their income because of the lack of child care options in their communities. I have been pleased by the interest I have received from communities and private employers who want to apply for this program, which if signed into law, will be administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.”
Small businesses employ half of all private sector employees and created between 60 and 80 percent of net new jobs annually over the last decade, according to the Small Business Administration.
Senator Roberts is a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and the Senate Finance Committee.-30-
