23.03.22
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) participated in a hearing of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HULP) Committee this week to examine barriers to access to child care and discuss solutions.
During the hearing, Senator Murkowski pointed out, “It’s pretty clear out there that our child care providers in this country, certainly in my state, are barely making ends meet. Suppliers compete with other employers for workers. Far too many parents can’t afford high-quality childcare, even if they can find it… So I appreciate that we’re looking for ways to provide more support.”
Senator Murkowski also noted that while there was broad consensus about the problems and the need for continued, increased investment in child care, “It’s not always about the money,” and legislative solutions must be flexible to meet the diverse needs in Alaska and across the country. .
“What is it that we need to do to make sure that we have quality providers and that our families can afford care for their children? We have to make it work here. I don’t want us to be in a situation where we’re left with No Child Left Behind, where the one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t fit a rural state like Alaska and we’ve had to work and fight for exemptions and waivers,” said Senator Lisa Murkowski.
Senator Murkowski’s comments during the HELP hearing, and her question to one of the witnesses, can be seen here.
After the hearing, Senator Murkowski said, “There is a lot at stake when it comes to creating solutions that support our child care providers, raise wages for child care workers, and help parents find and afford high-quality child care. We must recognize that any legislative solutions must be flexible to meet the varying needs and circumstances across states and among families.I will continue to work with my colleagues to find truly bipartisan solutions that work for all types of providers, all types of families, in all parts of the country will work.”
Background:
The House and Senate majorities included child care and universal preschool proposals in the Build Back Better Act. These provisions can be found here, at Subtitle D starting on page 242. Summaries can be found here and here. Senator Murkowski co-sponsored S. 3899, the Child Care and Development Block Grant Reauthorization Act of 2022. The text of that bill is available here and a summary is available here.
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