Bentsen Chides Bush on Child Care Tardiness

Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, underscoring an increasing prominence of child care in the presidential campaign, today toured a model day- care center at UCLA and chided George Bush for his “late conversion” to the issue.

The Democratic candidate for vice president charged that the Reagan Administration “vigorously” opposed child-care subsidies in the past, including a proposal he succeeded in passing through the Senate last year that added $50 million to child-care programs.

Asked at a news conference about Vice President Bush’s proposal for a $1,000-per-child payment to poor families for child care, a program that President Reagan endorsed Thursday, the Texas senator quipped, “I’m delighted to see them get on board.”

‘Late Conversion’

Bentsen characterized the Republican initiative as “a late conversion.”

During his 20-minute tour of the child-care center, subsidized by California taxpayers at an average of $4,600 per child, Bentsen posed with some of the children while chatting with their parents. The parents, who included UCLA faculty members, students and employees, told Bentsen how vital the child-care center had been to their families.

Bentsen, who was accompanied by his wife, Deryl Ann, told reporters he doubts that states without California’s tax base could afford to subsidize similar centers.

He said it is “essential” that federal block grants be increased to expand child-care services nationwide.