CEDS Act

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5547) to amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to require eligible recipients of certain grants to develop a comprehensive economic development strategy that directly or indirectly increases the accessibility of affordable, quality care-based services, and for other purposes, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5547, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support the Care is an Economic Development Strategy Act.

I would like to start by honoring my coauthor of this bill, who recently passed away unexpectedly, Congressman Don Young, the longest- serving Member of this body, the dean of the House. As my partner on this bill, I got to see his dedication to serving the people up close.

Even though he is no longer with us in this Chamber, I know that Congressman Young would be proud that the full House is considering the bill we worked so hard on together to help our kids and our communities.

We authored this legislation with a simple idea in mind: Investing in care will help get people back to work, create good-paying jobs, and create a stronger economy for everyone.

I know this firsthand as the working mom of my 6-year-old son, my Carter Cakes. My ability to be standing before you today is dependent on making sure that my Carter Cakes is safe and cared for. Let me tell you all, it can even be difficult for families like mine.

When I was pregnant with Carter, we struggled to find childcare that was affordable and accessible. Today, it is up to my husband, Leslie, and me to make sure that Carter continues to be cared for so I can serve the people.

Just this month, my husband had to take a day off from his job so that I could make a last-minute trip to D.C. when school was closed for a teacher workday. Later that same week, it was my turn. It became ``Bring Carter to Work Day.'' So, in Atlanta, Leslie traveled to do his job, and I was home with Carter as he attended many Zoom sessions in Congress.

We have made it work, but unfortunately, during this pandemic, not everyone has been as lucky as my family.

Earlier this week, I visited Our House, a childcare center in my district that serves some of the most marginalized families, families experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. One of the providers told me that, during the height of the pandemic, a parent told her that she had to reopen because: ``Corona may kill me, but poverty definitely will if I can't go to work and provide for my family.''

Care is not a luxury; it is a lifeline. Women, especially women of color, have been forced to drop out of the labor market at record rates during the COVID pandemic. This impacts the prosperity of our families and our economy at large.

Care is an economic development strategy, and it is time that we treated it like one. My CEDS Act will ensure care accessibility is prioritized for all communities and all constituents.

Currently, economic development districts must consider transportation access, workforce development, technology use, and environmental protection when creating their comprehensive economic development strategies. Right now, there is no mention of considering quality, affordable care-based services. The CEDS Act would simply add this as a consideration.

This bill will treat childcare, early childhood education, disability, long-term care, and eldercare as essential to communities' economic development. When we do this, we can help folks return to work, provide for their families, and invigorate our economy while knowing that their loved ones are in good hands.

I bring this bill before you today for every caregiver who has been forced to leave the workforce, for every working parent who has given up on finding a solution that works, for every person who feels forced to choose between their loved ones and their livelihoods. It doesn't have to be this way, y'all.

Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to support this legislation, for our children, our seniors, and our families nationwide.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on Financial Services,

Washington, DC, March 7, 2022.

Hon. Peter DeFazio,

Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing concerning H.R. 5547, the

``Care is an Economic Development Strategy Act.'' In order to

permit H.R. 5547 to proceed expeditiously to the House Floor,

I agree to forgo formal consideration of the bill.

The Committee on Financial Services takes this action to

forego formal consideration of H.R. 5547 in light of our

mutual understanding that, by foregoing formal consideration

of H.R. 5547 at this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction

over the subject matter contained in this or similar

legislation, and that our Committee will be appropriately

consulted and involved as this or similar legislation moves

forward with regard to any matters in the Committee's

jurisdiction. The Committee also reserves the right to seek

appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any

House-Senate conference involving this or similar legislation

that involves the Committee's jurisdiction and request your

support for any such request.

Finally, I would appreciate your response to this letter

confirming this understanding, and I would ask that a copy of

our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the

Congressional Record during Floor consideration of H.R. 5547.

Sincerely,

Maxine Waters,

Chairwoman.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation as care is an economic development strategy.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5547, the Care is an Economic Development Strategy Act or the CEDS Act, which requires grant applicants for certain public works and economic development projects to describe how they will increase the accessibility of affordable, quality, care-based services.

These services include childcare, early childhood education, disability and long-term care, and elder care.

This legislation increases the accessibility of affordable, quality, care-based services, and will expand quality childcare and support the dire needs of single parent homes.

The CEDS Act will amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, which provides grants for public works and development facilities, and the planning and coordination needed to alleviate conditions of substantial and persistent unemployment and underemployment in economically distressed areas and regions.

By amending this law, this bill would require recipients of certain grants to develop a comprehensive economic development strategy that directly or indirectly increases the accessibility of affordable, quality care-based services, and for other purposes.

The economic development strategy will ensure that all funds are being dispersed to programs that need them and will utilize the funding to provide quality care-based services.

The COVID-19 pandemic has unveiled and emphasized how vital care- based access is to ensure that we have a functioning economy.

According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, annually, about 8,357,100 people receive support from the 5 main long-term care services.

These include: Home health agencies 4,742,500; Nursing homes 1,383,700; Hospices 1,244,500; Residential care communities 713,300; Adult day service centers 273,200.

The number of individuals using paid long-term care services in any setting will likely double from 13 million using services in 2000, to 27 million people by 2050.

This estimate is impacted by steep growth in the population of older people who tend to need an increasing amount of care.

Among the disabled and elder population in the world, about two- thirds rely solely on family members to provide care, which often results in conflicts with their professional careers.

These conflicts often limit their ability to work outside the home and provide for their families.

For many parents, especially single mothers, a lack of childcare reduces workforce participation and prevents upward economic mobility.

Fifty-seven percent of working families spent more than $10,000 on childcare in 2020.

Twenty-seven percent of families have difficulty accessing childcare because of high demand and low supply of available childcare providers who have not yet reached capacity.

On average, Americans with children spend at least 10 percent of their household income on childcare.

Fifty-eight percent of working parents rely on childcare centers which equates to about 6.38 million parents across the nation.

This bill is a stepping stone towards economic stability and allows hardworking American parents to return to their jobs.

We must continue working alongside parents, employers, and childcare advocates to secure an economy that helps working parents thrive.

For these reasons, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 5547.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, H.R. 5547, the Care is an Economic Development Strategy Act, will ensure that recipients of Economic Development Administration grants consider the availability of childcare, early childhood education, disability, and eldercare in their comprehensive economic development strategy.

This helps ensure that the children, the elderly, and those with disabilities who live in rural and distressed communities are rightfully included in economic development planning.

Our friend and colleague from Alaska, the late Don Young, cosponsored this legislation as the Republican champion for this bill. It is an example of the commitment he had to bipartisanship and to supporting efforts to help distressed communities not only in Alaska, but throughout the Nation.

Madam Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, in closing, H.R. 5547 ensures childcare and early childhood education, as well as disability and eldercare are components of local comprehensive economic development strategies.

I thank the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) for championing this issue on our side of the aisle and note our deepest appreciation for his work.

Madam Speaker, I urge support of this important legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.