Head Start Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014

Floor Speech

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Mr. VALADAO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Joint Resolution 84, the Head Start for Low-Income Children Act.

Since its inception in 1965, Head Start has served over 30 million children and their families. The program's purpose has always been to serve children and pregnant women in centers, family homes, and in family child care homes in urban, suburban, and rural communities throughout our nation.

Last year, California Head Start received over $900 million in federal funding and taught over 111,000 children. In California, there are almost 23,000 Head Start employees serving children and their families.

My rural, low-income district relies heavily on the Head Start Program. Without it, families across the Central Valley would be unable to ensure proper care and early education of their young children.

Just last week, two of my constituents flew across the country to appeal to me and my California colleagues on the devastating impacts of this drawn-out shutdown on the Head Start Program.

After passage, this bill would provide immediate funding for the nation's Head Start program at the same rate and under the same conditions as were in effect last year ensuring that Head Start programs across the country will be able to keep providing education, health, nutrition and additional services to our 1 million enrolled children and their families.

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