Gore announces child-care initiatives; Bush honors World War II veterans

June 6, 2000
Web posted at: 6:41 PM EDT (2241 GMT)

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Campaigning in New York, Vice President Al Gore on Tuesday announced $8 billion in new campaign proposals aimed at improving standards and raising pay for workers at day-care centers across the United States.

"No government program can ever replace the love, warmth, and support of a family. But as a society, we can make it a whole lot easier for families to be strong," said Gore, who has softened the tone of his presidential campaign in recent days. "We can give practical support and more options to Americans caring for small children."

During an appearance at a Manhattan day care center, the presumptive Democratic nominee unveiled a plan that would require participating states to establish early reading programs and would give bonuses to staff that complete a program on literacy training for children.

The plan would also require states to increase background checks of workers and limit staff turnover through pay incentives for better-trained workers. "We do not presently place a high enough value on child care. You know there are 21 states in our country that do not even require criminal background checks for the people who are employed in child care centers to make sure there are no abuses, to make sure that there are no people who should really never be working in child care facilities."

Gore said that inspections and the number of accredited centers would be increased under his incentive plan, which would cost about $8 billion over the next ten years.

The proposals reflect the vice president's recent strategy of putting forth optimistic campaign themes while avoiding attacks on his Republican rival, Texas Gov. George W. Bush.

The vice president announced plans Monday to improve online government services, which followed on the heels of campaign proposals to increase cancer research and incentives to help parents meet child support payments.

On Tuesday, the Gore campaign released figures estimating that 13 million children under age 6 are receiving child care in the United States, but only 14 percent of centers have been rated as high quality.

"We require hundreds of hours (of training) for people who take care of hair but no training for people who take care of children, and that ought to change," the vice president said.

Gore explained that his plan was based in part on the child care program run by the Department of Defense, which cares for 200,000 children daily at 300 locations.

Gore's plan also calls for a 10-year, $30 billion tax incentive plan to help parents with child-care costs. Gore pledged to expand the federal child care tax credit to cover up to $2,400 in day care costs per child, and said he would make the credit available to those families whose incomes are so low that they pay no tax.

Gore also called for a tax break of up to $500 for parents who stay home to take care of children younger than 1 year old.

The $30 billion proposal is part of the Clinton Administration's existing budget proposal for an overall $250 billion tax cut over the next decade.

Gore also touched upon his international policy agenda on Monday, during a television appearance on ABC's "Good Morning America." The presumptive Democratic nominee said he would consider pulling out of the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty with Russia if it hindered U.S. plans to go forward with a missile defense system.

The vice president was commenting on Russian President Vladimir Putin's refusal to modify the 1972 landmark treaty during a summit meeting with President Bill Clinton this past weekend in Moscow. Clinton, as well as Gore, is in favor of moving the United States toward a limited anti-missile system.

"I'm not going to rule out whatever step might be necessary to assure the American people are safe and secure," said Gore, when asked if would consider scrapping the treaty.

Bush backs a more extensive missile defense plan that many critics have likened to President Ronald Reagan's "Star Wars" of the 1980s. Gore charged Tuesday that the large scale of the Bush plan could re-ignite an arms race with Russia

"There's a big difference between tearing up the ABM treaty and throwing it away, which the so-called space-age 'Star Wars' system would require, and the different alternative, which is a modest, affordable and limited system that is designed to protect us from these rogue states that might have a handful of weapons," Gore said.

Bush marked Tuesday's 56th anniversary of the D-Day landing by attending a World War II memorial ceremony in Augusta, Georgia.

"D-Day is as momentous as any day in our grand history. As a nation, we must honor and do honor to the heroism and sacrifice of war by marking days of remembrance and raising monuments as the good people of Georgia have done at Hero's Overlook," said Bush, after touring the memorial grounds along the Savannah River.

The Texas governor used the appearance to promote his agenda before the "Greatest Generation" -- Americans who grew up during the Great Depression and came of age and fought in World War II.

He pledged to make "reform proposals" aimed at making the Department of Veterans' Affairs more responsive to the needs of U.S. veterans. Citing a 500,000-case backlog of claims, Bush said that the current system has evolved into "a complicated, bureaucratic process" with "unfair denials of coverage."

"A grateful nation keeps faith with the old soldier," Bush said. "It stays true to its obligations to the veteran ... too often, in Washington, those who served in the military are remembered only on Veterans' Day."

On another subject, Bush defended his Social Security plans to let workers take a portion of their payroll tax and invest it in the stock market. Gore has called the proposal "risky."

"Nothing will change for those currently receiving Social Security, or for those nearing retirement. The promise made is a promise that will be kept," Bush told the group of older veterans.

He also lent his support to the idea of building a national World War II memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

"Even as the World War II generation passes from our midst, there is still no national memorial to honor their achievement," said Bush, who commended efforts lead by former Sen. Bob Dole to build a memorial "right where it belongs, in the heart of Washington, D.C."

Although the plan to construct a 7.5 acre, $100 million memorial on the Mall is in the final stages of the approval process, it has encountered increasing opposition from groups who say the design is awkwardly large and would destroy too much green space.

Bush also cited his recent proposals to build a national missile defense system that is more comprehensive than the plans offered by the Clinton Administration.

"The Cold War has ended, the Evil Empire has passed," said Bush, referring to the former Soviet Union. "But evil still remains ... we must stand ready to meet the new threats of the 21st century: terrorism, threats from rogue dictatorships and the spread of weapons of mass destruction."

The presumptive Republican nominee also accused the Clinton-Gore Administration of contributing to lower morale in the armed services through weapons cutbacks and an over-deployment of U.S. troops overseas.

"After seven years, the Clinton-Gore Administration has allowed the morale to slip to dangerously low levels. I will rebuild the military power of the United States in order to keep the peace," Bush said.

Bush's jabs at Gore on Tuesday were seen be many as a pre-emptive response to the expected barrage of so-called issues ads by the Democratic National Committee expected to air this weekend.

The television ads, financed largely by "soft money" contributions to the DNC, will highlight Democratic positions on popular items on the Democratic agenda, including Social Security, prescription drug coverage for senior citizens, and a patients' bill of rights.

The DNC said the planned media blitz is intended to counter of series of ads independent groups sympathetic to the Republicans have already aired. In March, Gore pledged to prevent the DNC from running any soft money ads this year, if Bush did the same.

"It sounds like to me they are laying out a smoke screen to provide an excuse for Al Gore to break his promise," said Bush, who denied Democratic charges that the GOP is already running issue ads.

While campaigning in Augusta, Bush also told reporters that a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court throwing out a Texas inmate's death sentence is proof that "the system is working."

On Monday, the Supreme Court reversed the death sentence of Victor Hugo Saldano after prosecutors conceded the penalty was based in part on the fact that he is Hispanic. Saldano, convicted of robbing and murdering a man in Dallas in 1996, will have a new sentencing hearing.

"As I understand the facts, there is no question that the man did the crime. It's the penalty phase that needs to be examined. I think the system is working," Bush said.

Bush -- an ardent supporter of the death penalty -- granted a 30-day reprieve last week to Texas death row inmate Ricky Nolen McGinn, allowing defense attorneys enough time to seek DNA testing of crime scene evidence.

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Tuesday, June 6, 2000

• Campaign finance furor sparked anew as panel releases Justice memos
  
• Gore announces child-care initiatives; Bush honors World War II veterans
  
• Democrats plan first wave of 'issue ads'
  
• Judge orders White House to produce e-mails
  
• Clinton pressures Congress on spending requests
  
• Political parties break soft money fund-raising records
  
• Republicans and Democrats share the Garden State's market for political intrigue
  
• Republicans offer compromises on patients' rights bill
  
• Vice President's wife appeals for votes, saying politics is 'personal'
  
• Bradley casts vote for Gore, promises to campaign for Democrats
  
• NRA's Baker sees year as pivotal for gun lobby
  
• latimes.com: Mountain states feel the neglect of presidential campaigns
  
• Gore, Mrs. Clinton raise $4 million at New York fund-raiser
  
• Secret money invading political system
  

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