Asia-South Pacific Trade Preferences Act

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Asia- South Pacific Trade Preferences Act to help some of the world's poorest countries sustain vital export industries and promote economic growth and political stability.

This legislation will provide duty free and quota free benefits for garments and other products similar to those afforded to beneficiary countries under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act.

The countries covered by this legislation are 13 Least Developed Countries, LDCs, as defined by the United Nations and the U.S. State Department, which are not covered by any current U.S. trade preference program: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Kiribati, Laos, Maldives, Nepal, Samoa, Solomon Islands, East Timor, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

They are among the poorest countries in the world.

Nepal has per capita income of $240. Unemployment in Bangladesh stands at 40 percent. Approximately 36 percent of Cambodia's population lives below the poverty line.

Each country faces critical challenges in the years ahead including poor health care, insufficient educational opportunities, high HIV/AIDS rates, and the effects of war and civil strife.

The United States must take a leadership role in providing much needed assistance to the people of these countries.

Yet humanitarian and development assistance should not be the sum total of our efforts to put these countries on the road to economic prosperity and political stability.

Indeed, the key for sustained growth and rising standards of living will be the ability of each of these countries to create vital export industries to compete in a free and open global marketplace.

We should help these countries help themselves by opening the U.S. market to their exports as we have done for other developing countries in the past.

By doing so, we will demonstrate the best of American values: reaching out to a neighbor in need and helping him to stand on his own two feet.

Success in this endeavor will ultimately allow these countries to become less dependent on foreign aid and allow the United States to provide assistance to countries in greater need.

But make no mistake. These countries will not automatically receive the trade benefits provided by this legislation.

Our efforts to promote economic growth, jobs, and political stability will fail if these countries are strangled by human rights abuses, corruption, and the absence of the rule of law.

Instead of lifting the citizens of these countries out of poverty and giving hope for a better future, we will ignore our values and sustain the status quo.

So, this legislation has been drafted to ensure that the benefits are granted on a performance-driven basis.

That is, to be eligible, a beneficiary country must demonstrate that it is making continual progress toward establishing rule of law, political pluralism, the right to due process, and a market-based economy that protects private property rights.

So, this legislation would help promote democracy, human rights, and the rule of law while sustaining vital export industries and creating employment opportunities.

The beneficiary countries have a clear incentive to stay on the right path or they will lose the benefits of this bill.

I firmly believe that these benefits will make a difference.

The garment industry is a key part of the manufacturing sector in some of these countries.

In Nepal, the garment industry is entirely export oriented and accounts for 40 percent of foreign exchange earnings. It employs over 100,000 workers, half of them women, and sustains the livelihood of over 350,000 people.

The United States is the largest market for Nepalese garments and accounts for 80-90 percent of Nepal's total exports every year.

In Cambodia, approximately 250,000 Cambodians work in the garment industry supporting approximately one million dependents. The garment industry accounts for more than 90 percent of Cambodia's export earnings.

In Bangladesh, the garment industry accounts for 75 percent of export earnings. The industry employs 1.8 million

people, 90 percent of whom are women, and sustains the livelihoods of 10 to 15 million people.

Despite the poverty seen in these countries and the importance of the garment industry and the U.S. market, they face some of the highest U.S. tariffs in the world, averaging over 15 percent.

In contrast, countries like Japan and our European partners face tariffs that are nearly zero.

Surely we can do better.

By targeting the garment industry, we can make a real difference now in promoting economic growth and higher standards of living.

This legislation will help these countries compete in the U.S. market and lift their and let their citizens know that Americans are committed to helping them realize a better future for themselves and their families.

Doing so is consistent with U.S. goals to combat poverty, instability, and terrorism in a critical part of the world. We should not forget that the vast majority of the people from these beneficiary countries are Muslim.

The impact on U.S. jobs will be minimal.

Currently, the beneficiary countries under this legislation account for only 4 percent of U.S. textile and apparel imports, compared to 24 percent for China, and 72 percent for the rest of the world.

These countries will continue to be small players in the U.S. market, but the benefits of this legislation will have a major impact on their export economies.

At a time when we are trying to rebuild the image of the U.S. around the world, we need legislation such as this to show the best of America and American values. It will provide a vital component to our development strategy and add another tool to the war on terror. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Asia- South Pacific Trade Preferences Act to help some of the world's poorest countries sustain vital export industries and promote economic growth and political stability.

This legislation will provide duty free and quota free benefits for garments and other products similar to those afforded to beneficiary countries under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act.

The countries covered by this legislation are 13 Least Developed Countries, LDCs, as defined by the United Nations and the U.S. State Department, which are not covered by any current U.S. trade preference program: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Kiribati, Laos, Maldives, Nepal, Samoa, Solomon Islands, East Timor, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

They are among the poorest countries in the world.

Nepal has per capita income of $240. Unemployment in Bangladesh stands at 40 percent. Approximately 36 percent of Cambodia's population lives below the poverty line.

Each country faces critical challenges in the years ahead including poor health care, insufficient educational opportunities, high HIV/AIDS rates, and the effects of war and civil strife.

The United States must take a leadership role in providing much needed assistance to the people of these countries.

Yet humanitarian and development assistance should not be the sum total of our efforts to put these countries on the road to economic prosperity and political stability.

Indeed, the key for sustained growth and rising standards of living will be the ability of each of these countries to create vital export industries to compete in a free and open global marketplace.

We should help these countries help themselves by opening the U.S. market to their exports as we have done for other developing countries in the past.

By doing so, we will demonstrate the best of American values: reaching out to a neighbor in need and helping him to stand on his own two feet.

Success in this endeavor will ultimately allow these countries to become less dependent on foreign aid and allow the United States to provide assistance to countries in greater need.

But make no mistake. These countries will not automatically receive the trade benefits provided by this legislation.

Our efforts to promote economic growth, jobs, and political stability will fail if these countries are strangled by human rights abuses, corruption, and the absence of the rule of law.

Instead of lifting the citizens of these countries out of poverty and giving hope for a better future, we will ignore our values and sustain the status quo.

So, this legislation has been drafted to ensure that the benefits are granted on a performance-driven basis.

That is, to be eligible, a beneficiary country must demonstrate that it is making continual progress toward establishing rule of law, political pluralism, the right to due process, and a market-based economy that protects private property rights.

So, this legislation would help promote democracy, human rights, and the rule of law while sustaining vital export industries and creating employment opportunities.

The beneficiary countries have a clear incentive to stay on the right path or they will lose the benefits of this bill.

I firmly believe that these benefits will make a difference.

The garment industry is a key part of the manufacturing sector in some of these countries.

In Nepal, the garment industry is entirely export oriented and accounts for 40 percent of foreign exchange earnings. It employs over 100,000 workers, half of them women, and sustains the livelihood of over 350,000 people.

The United States is the largest market for Nepalese garments and accounts for 80-90 percent of Nepal's total exports every year.

In Cambodia, approximately 250,000 Cambodians work in the garment industry supporting approximately one million dependents. The garment industry accounts for more than 90 percent of Cambodia's export earnings.

In Bangladesh, the garment industry accounts for 75 percent of export earnings. The industry employs 1.8 million

people, 90 percent of whom are women, and sustains the livelihoods of 10 to 15 million people.

Despite the poverty seen in these countries and the importance of the garment industry and the U.S. market, they face some of the highest U.S. tariffs in the world, averaging over 15 percent.

In contrast, countries like Japan and our European partners face tariffs that are nearly zero.

Surely we can do better.

By targeting the garment industry, we can make a real difference now in promoting economic growth and higher standards of living.

This legislation will help these countries compete in the U.S. market and lift their and let their citizens know that Americans are committed to helping them realize a better future for themselves and their families.

Doing so is consistent with U.S. goals to combat poverty, instability, and terrorism in a critical part of the world. We should not forget that the vast majority of the people from these beneficiary countries are Muslim.

The impact on U.S. jobs will be minimal.

Currently, the beneficiary countries under this legislation account for only 4 percent of U.S. textile and apparel imports, compared to 24 percent for China, and 72 percent for the rest of the world.

These countries will continue to be small players in the U.S. market, but the benefits of this legislation will have a major impact on their export economies.

At a time when we are trying to rebuild the image of the U.S. around the world, we need legislation such as this to show the best of America and American values. It will provide a vital component to our development strategy and add another tool to the war on terror. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, today too many families are at risk of losing the child care assistance that helps maintain their financial stability and ensure the well-being of their children. That is why I am introducing the Children First Act to address the growing unmet need for affordable and safe child care.

Until now, most states were able to maintain their child care assistance programs through the recession due to the additional $2 billion in Federal Child Care and Development Block Grant, CCDBG, funding for 2009 and 2010 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, ARRA.

However, with only a portion of these ARRA funds being continued, and with persistent state budget gaps, many states are forced to scale back child care assistance for families. Some states' waiting lists for subsidized child care are beginning to rise and a few states have stopped or plan to stop providing child care assistance to families who are not receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, TANF, together.

Cuts and restrictions in the availability of child care assistance make it harder for parents to afford child care and have forced some parents to leave their jobs and turn to welfare programs for support. Children lose access to the stable, good-quality child care that encourages their learning and development and prepares them for school success. And child care programs can find difficulty filling their classrooms, leading them to lay off staff or close their doors entirely. That is wrong and we can do better.

Child care consumes a large portion of family budgets, and can cost up to $18,773 annually for full-time care depending on where the family lives, the type of care, and the age of the child. Child care prices are higher than other household expenses and typically exceed the average amount families spend on food. In 39 States and the District of Columbia, the average annual price for child care for an infant in a child care center was higher than even a year's tuition at some 4-year public colleges.

Without assistance, many low-income families can find it impossible to secure child care. For example, in 2007, the median monthly income of families receiving child care assistance was just $16,680 a year. Nearly half, 49 percent, of families receiving child care assistance live below the poverty line and 86 percent of these families were single parent households. In these challenging economic times, it is especially important to help low and moderate-income families with their child care costs.

The Children First Act which I am introducing today will help address the growing unmet need for affordable and safe child care. It will help--States meet the significant demand for child care assistance by increasing funding for mandatory child care by $500 million for fiscal year 2012, $700 million in 2013, and $750 million in 2014 thru 2021, resulting in an increase of $3.45 billion over 5 years and $7.2 billion over 10 years.

This increase is necessary because only about one in six children eligible for Federal child care assistance receives help and there have been no increases in mandatory' child care funding since 2007. This increased funding will be used to provide approximately 212,000 additional children access to safe and affordable child care as compared to current funding levels.

The Children First Act would exclude child care from the definition of TANF assistance so that unemployed families who receive child care assistance will not have it count towards the 5-year time limit for Federal TANF assistance. The legislation would also ensure that the minimum child care health and safety standards required for providers receiving Child Care Development Block Grant, CCDBG, funding also apply to providers who receive funding through TANF. In Massachusetts, all licensed providers are required to the same health and safety standards regardless of subsidy type received.

This legislation would increase the availability of child care for parents who are required to work. States are currently prohibited from withholding or reducing assistance to a single parent with children under 6 who does not meet work requirements for reasons related to the unavailability or unsuitability of appropriate, affordable child care arrangements. The Children First Act would prevent States from withholding or reducing cash assistance to parents of a child with children under age thirteen.

Enactment of this legislation is incredibly important for my home State of Massachusetts which currently has approximately 24,000 children on a waitlist for child care subsidies. The high cost of child care is the most significant issue facing families currently on the waitlist in Massachusetts. Massachusetts families pay more on average than families in all other states for child care, with the average price of full time care in center based settings totaling $18,773 for an infant and $13,158 for a preschooler. This legislation will help lower the waitlist and help our children become more productive citizens.

I would like to thank a number of organizations who have been integral to the development of the Children First Act and who have endorsed it today, including the including the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, AFSCME, the Children's Defense Fund, CLASP, the National Women's Law Center, and the Service Employees International Union, SEIU.

These reforms would significantly increase access to stable and affordable child care to low-income families and would make our Nation's children more prepared for school and success later in life. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate to pass this legislation.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Civilian Service Recognition Act of 2011. This bill ensures that the next of kin of Federal civilian employees killed in the line of duty are presented a United States flag honoring the service and sacrifice of their loved one. This legislation is co-sponsored by Senator Lieberman and is a companion to a bi-partisan bill introduced by Representative Hanna. Representative Hanna's bill was recently reported favorably by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform by unanimous voice vote.

Every day, Federal civilian employees serve our nation at home and abroad, fulfilling critical roles that protect our citizens, our economy, and our freedom. Some put their lives at risk when doing so. Approximately 100,000 Federal civilian employees have served alongside the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last decade. Since 1992, nearly 3,000 Federal civilian employees have died in service of their country, including 24 killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Employees who make this ultimate sacrifice deserve the utmost gratitude and respect from their nation.

U.S. law currently requires that a United States flag be presented to the next of kin of deceased U.S. military veterans, but no law or government-wide policy requires that Federal civilian employees killed in the line of duty be similarly recognized. Some Federal agencies have already established internal practices to honor employees killed in service with a U.S. flag, but others have not. Every Federal civilian employee who dies as a result of their honorable service to this country should at least be recognized with the symbolic but nonetheless significant appreciation embodied in the presentation of an American flag.

The bill I am introducing today would remedy the current inconsistency. It requires that Federal agencies present a flag to the next of kin of Federal civilian employees killed in the line of duty. In the unusual circumstance where the national security, such as in the case of a covert employee, or employee misconduct dictate otherwise, the requirement would not apply. It is a modest but meaningful step in expressing our condolences and gratitude to the families of those killed while serving this country; reminding Federal employees that their service and sacrifices are appreciated; and highlighting the important role

Federal employees play, sometimes at great personal risk, in promoting the general welfare of this great Nation.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Communities of Color Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Act.

Teen pregnancy is closely linked to a number of issues that affect the welfare of children in our Nation, particularly child poverty. A child in the United States is nine times more likely to grow up in poverty if their mother gave birth when she was a teen, if the child's parents are unmarried when they are born, and if the mother did not graduate from high school.

The United States has the highest teen pregnancy rate of any developed nation. Each year close to 750,000 teens in the United States become pregnant. Despite some progress in reducing teen pregnancy overall, many minority communities continue to struggle with disproportionately high rates of teen pregnancy.

Over half of all Latina and African American girls will become pregnant at least once before they turn 20. In 2009 the teen birth rate for Latinas, African Americans and American Indians/Alaska Natives was more than double the teen birth rate of non-Hispanic Caucasians.

The Communities of Color Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Act takes would address teen pregnancy in communities of color by supporting teenage pregnancy prevention programs that work with community-based organizations that are experienced in serving youth

in ethnic and racial groups with the highest teen pregnancy rates; using multimedia campaigns to provide public health education and increase awareness about teen pregnancy, and researching what factors contribute to disproportionately high rates of teenage and unintended pregnancy in communities of color.

I am proud that our country has made progress in reducing the rate of teen pregnancy by one third over the last decade, but our work is not done. We need to strengthen our efforts, especially among the youth in communities of color who are now so much more likely to face the unexpected and difficult challenges of parenting before they have finished growing up themselves.

I am pleased to be joined in this effort by Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard, who is sponsoring this legislation in the House, as well as Hispanas Organized for Political Equality, the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, the Futures Without Violence, and the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health.

I urge my colleagues to join us in taking the next step forward in preventing teenage pregnancy by supporting this important legislation.