Providing For Consideration Of H.R. 1429, Improving Head Start Act Of 2007

Floor Speech

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1429, IMPROVING HEAD START ACT OF 2007 -- (House of Representatives - May 02, 2007)

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Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Florida for her national leadership on an issue of national importance, Head Start.

Later today I will be joining with my colleagues, Representative Space from Ohio, Representative Hare from Illinois, and Representative Altmire from Pennsylvania to offer an amendment that will require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to pay special attention to the unique needs and challenges that our rural kids face to have access to Head Start.

This is a great program, as was described by my colleague from Florida, but there is a misconception oftentimes that Head Start is about urban America, poor kids from cities. In fact, there are many poor kids from rural America that benefit from access to Head Start, and as a federally funded national program, we know the different communities have different needs.

The National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services, in fact, acknowledged this when it issued a report that found several issues to be particular challenges for rural America in access to Head Start: transportation, workforce, enrollment fluctuation, performance standards, health requirements and financial matching.

What we know is that one size does not fit all, but what we also know is the opportunity for all is an essential American goal.

This amendment, when it is offered, is directing the Secretary to make certain that those special challenges that our rural kids face in America are included in an execution plan so that there will be opportunity for the rural kids as well as the urban kids.

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