Chris Dodd: “we discussed this amendment sometime ago. In the past, I have offered amendments to fully fund Head Start. This…”

“we discussed this amendment sometime ago. In the past, I have offered amendments to fully fund Head Start. This amendment does not do that. This amendment adds $153 million specifically to deal with the inflation that will affect the cost of the 19,000 Head Start Programs across the country. There are 900,000 children in Head Start. If this amendment is not adopted, the estimates are that 20,000 to 25,000 children will be dropped from the Head Start Program across our country. We all know that a Head Start child is more likely to finish school, less likely to end up in the juvenile justice system, less likely to be a substance abuser, less likely to become a teenage parent. We know it is not perfect, but after 40 years, Head Start works. This is not to expand the program, but let us not lose the children today who are part of that program. I urge the adoption of this amendment. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who seeks recognition? The Senator from Pennsylvania.”