Reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act

July 15, 1999

Issue:

New child care dollars could be a reality this year if our Senators and Representatives hear that their constituents view child care as a top priority. The Children's Defense Fund has set the following goals: 7.5 billion increase (over five years) for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG); Passage of the Early Leaning Trust Fund Act with $10 billion (over five years); $607 million increase in Head Start (for this year); and $400 million increase in 21st Century Community Learning Centers for After-school activities (for this year).

Action:

Child care, early learning, and after-school investments will not happen unless advocates across the country make them stand out enough to become priorities, in either a big tax bill or, an omnibus appropriations bill. Neither the administration nor members of Congress will step out to increase funding for child care and after-school activities unless they believe that voters and constituents are clamoring for these increases. This is our job! Let's do it!

Let your Members of Congress know that you are watching their decisions on child care, early learning, and after-school activities. Please take the following steps:

1. Write your U.S. Senators and Representative and urge them to help families work and children learn by making increases in the Child Care and Development Block Grant a reality for children and families this year, co-sponsoring the Early Learning Trust fund, increasing Head Start funds by $6-7 million and the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program by $400 million.
2. Please generate LOTS of letters! One letter is not enough to create groundswell. Every time you go to a meeting, a friend's house, a book group, a soccer game, etc. bring postcards or paper, pens, envelopes and stamps and urge your friends and colleagues write as well. Set a goal of getting 25 letters to each of you members of Congress.
3. Plan a program visit for your members of Congress. Do not allow this Spring to go by without inviting your Members to visit a local child care program. Visits provide an opportunity for policy makers to see first-hand the child care needs in your community. The Children's Defense Fund has on-line tips for hosting a program visit - See "Planning a Visit to Child Care Centers for Legislators."
4. Let us know how your doing - how many letters you've generated, and any visits with Legislators.

Write or Phone:

You can reach your lawmakers by calling the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. If you prefer to write, send AS SOON AS POSSIBLE to:

Honorable ___________
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

Honorable ___________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

Background:

Our Legislators are starting to get busier on Capitol Hill and there are many good signs that we can make progress on increasing investments in early childhood and school-age funding this year. Last years funding was carried on a larger spending bill - the same is expected this year. The two most likely opportunities are:

• A Reconciliation or Tax Bill that includes tax cuts and (possibly) spending measures as well. These bills could include increases in funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant as wells as the Early Learning Trust Fund. Such a bill would be written by the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees.
• An Omnibus Appropriations Bill that will include funding for Head Start and the 21st Century Learning Centers. This bill could also include Child Care and Development Block Grant increases and funds for Early Learning Trust Fund. This bill will be written by the Appropriations Committee, House and Senate Leadership, and the Administration.

General Assembly Guidance:

198th (1986) Resolution on NCCC Child Day Care Policy urges congregations to respond to the critical lack of day care services by . . . working for quality child day care in their communities. (Minutes, p.573)
203rd (1991) Overture 91-35 calls on the church and its members at all levels to advocate and support the development and implementation of public and private policies for the needs and rights of children, built on a prevention/investment strategy aimed at meeting the needs of all children and families for . . . quality child care. (Minutes, p.935)

209th (1997) Overture 97-59 designates a "Year of the Child" to start at the 211th General Assembly (1999), and establishes programs responding to the special gifts and needs of children. (Minutes, p.712)