Enumerated Powers:

As a family physician, Dr. Coburn understands the importance of quality child care and early education, and the need to ensure that children are cared for in a secure environment where they can grow and learn. However, it is not the proper role of the federal government to oversee child care or education. The U.S. Constitution does not give the federal government any authority or role in these matters.

Increased Funding:

The new mandates in this bill would cost an additional $1.2 billion in order to continue serving the same number of families.  The added expense to taxpayers is not offset through reductions in spending elsewhere.

Duplication:

In a February 2012 report, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found the federal government is currently administering 45 programs to provide or support child care and related services to children from birth through age five, as well as several tax credits to subsidize private expenditures for early learning and child care. The programs operate under numerous departments including the Departments of Agriculture, Interior, Justice, Labor, Housing and Urban Development, the General Services Administration, and the Appalachian Regional Commission. The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grants given to states also provide funding for child care programs.

Misguided Mandates:

The bill restricts a state’s frequency of income checks to once every year rather than every six months.  States should not be restricted from trying to keep their programs restricted to those truly in need by performing income checks more than once a year.  States have created solutions to ensure families are not adversely affected by these checks (such as sudden drop-offs from the program), and they can remain accountable for the success of their programs.

The bill places new requirements on states for their health, safety, and fire inspections of all child-care providers before licensing and annually thereafter.  Most states already conduct these inspections.  This provision will require an additional $35 million per year to implement, according to the Congressional Budget Office.