The Honorable Brett R.

Miller,

United States Senate

Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Brett Miller,

My name is Andressa Witek. I am a certified early childhood educator (CDA) and student

of Harrisburg Area Community College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I am writing to request your

support for quality early childhood care and I urge you and your leaders to make restorations of

these programs a priority. As your constituent and a taxpayer, I believe that investment in these

programs benefit the child, the family, the community, local business and the state.

Families rely on childcare to work and study and on the quality education components in

child care to help prepare their children for school. Many tout the benefits of pre-k and have

made increasing these funds a priority, which I support; However, It is important that we do

not short change childcare to fund other programs. We have to do both!

The Governor proposed a $ 35 million increase in childcare. Now is not the time to cut

childcare funding when…

 Over 14,000 children of working families determined eligible, some who have

waited over a year, are on the waiting list (Diane P. Barber, Now is not the time

to cut or move funding for child care. We can't afford to get it wrong in these early

years, pacca.org).

 The Child Care Information Services help parents connect to high-quality child

care. Child care is not an entitlement program. Moving these services to the

County Assistance Office is not in the best interests of children and families
 (Diane P. Barber, Now is not the time to cut or move funding for child care. We

can't afford to get it wrong in these early years, pacca.org).

 Child care providers have not had a rate increase since 2007 – for more than a

decade they have continued to serve children while their cost have risen

(“Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2015 – 39-9011 Childcare

workers”).

The cuts made by the House will have a grave impact on child care, access to high

quality child care programs, and increased costs to our low-income families who are struggling

to keep their jobs and raise their children.

We are counting on your leadership to protect these critical investments in child care.

Stop the cuts to child care and support the increase of the money that was proposed.

I ask you to support to not short change kids and families that rely on high-quality child

care and improve the education of young children. Please contact me with any additional

questions you may have.

Respectfully Yours,

Andressa Witek

adw71647@hawkmail.hacc.edu

1175 Maple Ave

Lancaster PA 17603
 Works Cited

Barber, Diane P. Now is Not the Time to Cut or Move Funding for Child Care. We can’t Afford to
Get It Wrong in These Early Years. PACCA, 5 May 2017, www.pacca.org/hot_issue.php.

39-9011 Childcare Workers.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,
30 Mar. 2016, www.bls.gov/oes/2015/may/oes399011.htm.