S.Res. 436Senate112th Congress (2011-2013)In Committee

A resolution designating the week of April 22 through 28, 2012, as the "Week of the Young Child".

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SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2735)

Judiciary Committee

April 25, 2012

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

April 25, 2012

SenateIntro Referral

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2735-2736)

April 25, 2012

SenateIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2735)

Judiciary Committee

April 25, 2012

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1 member

What members said about S.Res. 436 on the floor

1 Democrat

Sen. Mark Begich D-AK · Apr 25, 2012

Mr. President, today I rise to submit a resolution to recognize the Week of the Young Child. My resolution recognizes April 22 to 28 as the Week of the Young Child. This week in Alaska, and in States…

Mr. President, today I rise to submit a resolution to recognize the Week of the Young Child.

My resolution recognizes April 22 to 28 as the Week of the Young Child. This week in Alaska, and in States and communities across the Nation, we celebrate and bring greater awareness to the importance of the early years of children's lives.

The Week of the Young Child officially began in 1971 as an annual observance and public education effort of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the Nation's oldest and recognized leader in early childhood education for children from birth through age 8, to reach out to families and communities and to emphasize the crucial role adults play in giving children the foundation they need to succeed in school and beyond.

This week focuses attention on the importance of children's early years. Early childhood educators, librarians, United Ways, and other organizations provide a range of activities to highlight how each of us can help children and families thrive. This is a national issue as well as local issue. Federal policy and funding is a significant component of early childhood education in this country, from Early Head Start and Head Start to the Child Care and Development Block Grant as well as Title I and even higher education financial aid and teacher support programs for the early childhood education workforce. Yet our investments remain inadequate, especially when you consider the work of noted economists such as James Heckman on the return on investment to our Nation's economy. Today, not quite half of the poorest preschoolers in our country

can enroll in Head Start and only 3 percent of the babies and toddlers who could benefit from Early Head Start can attend because of inadequate resources. Child care assistance reaches only one in seven eligible children, making it harder for families to have stable jobs and for children to have safe and nurturing places to grow and learn. The committed individuals who work in child care earn woefully inadequate salaries, often without health care or retirement support.

I hope all of my colleagues will find out more about the activities celebrating the Week of the Young Child in their States and can show their support for families and the professionals who work with young children every day.

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Introduced in SenateIssued April 25, 2012

III

112th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. RES. 436

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 25, 2012

Mr. Begich submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

RESOLUTION

Designating the week of April 22 through 28, 2012, as the Week of the Young Child.

Whereas there are 20,000,000 children under the age of 5 in the United States;

Whereas numerous studies show that high-quality early childhood education programs improve the likelihood that children will have success in school and in life by improving their cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development;

Whereas many children eligible for, and in need of, high-quality child care, Early Head Start, Head Start, and other early childhood education programs are not served by such programs;

Whereas child care assistance and other early childhood education programs enable parents to work, go to school, and support their families;

Whereas the individuals who work with young children deserve the respect of the people of the United States, professional support, and fair compensation to reflect the important value of their work;

Whereas economist and Nobel Laureate James Heckman has stated that investment in childhood education reaps economic returns due to outcomes such as lower special education placements, lower juvenile delinquency rates, and greater school graduation rates; and

Whereas the National Association for the Education of Young Children established the Week of the Young Child to bring attention to the developmental and learning needs of young children: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate—

(1)

designates the week of April 22 through 28, 2012, as the Week of the Young Child;

(2)

encourages the people of the United States to celebrate—

(A)

young children and families; and

(B)

the individuals who provide high-quality care and early childhood education to the young children of the United States; and

(3)

urges the people of the United States to recognize the importance of—

(A)

high-quality, comprehensive early childhood education programs; and

(B)

the value of those programs for preparing children to—

(i)

experience positive development and education; and

(ii)

enjoy lifelong success.