Veterans' Access to Child Care Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

No veteran in Upstate New York or across the country should have to forgo healthcare because they can't access childcare services. My amendment adds emergency mental healthcare as a covered healthcare service for veterans under H.R. 840.

As it now reads, the bill provides for regular and intensive care, such as monthly VA medical appointments. However, it does not account for unscheduled appointments that, sadly, can make the difference between life and death. What if there is no time for an appointment? What if the individual is thinking about harming themselves or others?

My amendment would allow veterans to receive childcare services when there is an immediate need for assistance due to mental ailment, whether from addictive opioids, post-traumatic stress disorder, or depression, just to name a few.

In my district and throughout most of the country, we have seen the opioid crisis rise to horrific numbers and impact millions of families. In fact, between 2010 and 2015, studies revealed that the number of veterans addicted to prescribed opioids grew by more than 50 percent, a total of 68,000 servicemembers. This is quite a concern. In my district, I represent more than 39,000 veterans, and much too often, addiction and mental health are swept under the table.

Mental health should not be treated differently than one's physical health, and this legislation and proposed amendment take significant steps to do just that, helping to aid veterans and their respective families with this fight. Our veterans have sacrificed so much for our country, and when faced with a mental health crisis, it is our responsibility as a nation to do everything we can to provide for their well-being.

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Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano).

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Mr. DELGADO. Again, Mr. Chairman, I thank Congresswoman Brownley and Chairman Takano for their efforts to get H.R. 840 to the House floor. I urge both sides of the aisle to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

My amendment would add extended day programs, otherwise known as before- and after-school programs, to the childcare services that qualify for a stipend or reimbursement from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under H.R. 840.

Extended day programs held at educational institutions, typically K- 12, are offered to students whose parents have obligations prior to school hours and/or obligations that extend beyond school hours. They are a valuable educational tool. Recent studies suggest that childcare programs that focus on education rather than general daycare services improve students' academic achievement and help close the achievement gap.

In rural communities like those in my district, going to the doctor can mean a long commute, so expanding access to childcare services is especially important.

Expanding such access is also vital as we look to fulfill our Nation's commitment to support female veterans. Mothers in particular often have to forgo their own healthcare in order to provide for their children. With more and more women in service, including the estimated 3,500 woman servicemembers in my district, we must prioritize ways we can help them and their families. This bill is one way we can do that, and adding this amendment would just strengthen that measure.

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Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Chairman, again, I have to thank Congresswoman Brownley and Chairman Takano for their efforts to get H.R. 840 on the House floor.

I urge Members on both sides of the aisle to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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