[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 112 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.Con.Res.112
                                                   Agreed to May 2, 2008

                       One Hundred Tenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday,
            the third day of January, two thousand and eight


                          Concurrent Resolution

Whereas approximately 63 percent of the Nation's children under 5 are 
  in nonparental care during part or all of the day while their parents 
  work;

Whereas the early care and education industry employs more than 
  2,300,000 workers;

Whereas the average salary of early care and education workers is 
  $18,180 per year, and only \1/3 \have health insurance and even fewer 
  have a pension plan;

Whereas the quality of early care and education programs is directly 
  linked to the quality of early childhood educators;

Whereas the turnover rate of early childhood program staff is roughly 
  30 percent per year, and low wages and lack of benefits, among other 
  factors, make it difficult to retain high quality educators who have 
  the consistent, caring relationships with young children that are 
  important to children's development;

Whereas the compensation of early childhood program staff should be 
  commensurate with the importance of the job of helping the young 
  children of the Nation develop their social, emotional, physical, and 
  cognitive skills, and to help them be ready for school;

Whereas providing adequate compensation to early childhood program 
  staff should be a priority, and resources may be allocated to improve 
  the compensation of early childhood educators to ensure that quality 
  care and education are accessible for all families;

Whereas additional training and education for the early care and 
  education workforce is critical to ensuring high-quality early 
  learning environments;

Whereas child care workers should receive compensation commensurate 
  with such training and experience; and

Whereas the Center for the Child Care Workforce, a project of the 
  American Federation of Teachers Educational Foundation, with support 
  by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and 
  other early childhood organizations, recognizes May 1 as National 
  Child Care Worthy Wage Day: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress supports the goals and ideas of National Child Care 
Worthy Wage Day, and urges public officials and the general public to 
honor early childhood care and education staff and programs in their 
communities and to work together to resolve the early childhood care 
and education staff compensation crisis.
Attest:

                                 Clerk of the House of Representatives.

Attest:

                                               Secretary of the Senate.