Better Access To Education And Better Schools

By Kayleigh Harvey - Talk Radio News Service

Two new pieces of legislation were introduced to the Senate yesterday
by Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.) to improve access to education for children and to develop better facilities for children to learn.

The Starting Early Right Act and The Child Care Facilities Financing Act of 2009, "are critically important and essential in any environment because we are not doing nearly enough on child care...both of these bills speak to that basic challenge,” Casey said during a conference call today.

The Starting Early Right Act aims to help all children have equal and improved access to education. This bill would amend the Childcare and Development Block Grant of 1990 by investing an additional $10 billion each year to help low income families ensure their children receive access to a high quality education.


The Child Care Facilities Financing Act of 2009 aims to get to the “bricks and mortar,” Casey said. The bill would provide financial assistance to improve schools and other learning establishments. “This bill would set up a grant program,” Casey added.

Casey has already received support from Senators Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) and Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and hopes to see bipartisan support from Senators towards this legislation.

Casey is also in talks with President Obama and his administration about education policy. Casey is an advocate of the Obama administrations focus to help children from zero to five.

“In the midst of this economy it’s especially important that President Obama has demonstrated the type of leadership that he has on his zero to five initiative...I think both of these bills are consistent with what the President is trying to do,” Casey said.

In closing Casey said these bills would, “provide the kind of dollars for good quality childcare as well as a bill to provide the dollars for the physical infrastructure for a care setting that is appropriate for children.”

Senator Bob Casey and Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney discusses Monthly Job Report and Unemployment Rate

Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and Joint Economic Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y) attended a news conference today and discussed the increasing unemployment rate and the economic recovery package.

Senator Casey brought up figures from a new report regarding unemployment. Senator Casey described that almost 600,000 people lost their job over just one month and all States suffer from this crisis. Over three months almost 1.8 million people have lost their jobs and now is the time for action and to pass the economic recovery bill, Senator Casey said. "If their is any time for action, it is now. Not in two weeks from now, not two months from now, but now", Senator Casey stated.

Maloney argued that the report shows something all Americans already know. We are living in bad times. The job-loss has escalated over just months and every sector are affected, Maloney said. To recover from this economic crisis, the stimulus bill has to be passed.
Maloney also replied that to pass this bill successfully, the Senate need input from the House and also support from Republicans.