Denise Majette: “I rise today in support of Head Start, the most successful program our country has in the war against poverty. The Head…”

“I rise today in support of Head Start, the most successful program our country has in the war against poverty. The Head Start program gives children the tools they need to break the cycle of poverty. As the philosopher, Plato, once noted, "The direction in which education starts a man will determine this future life." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Congressman John Lewis, A. Philip Randolph, and hundreds of thousands of others marched on Washington 40 years ago to demand that the President and Congress give every man, woman, and child an equal opportunity to be the best we can be. That opportunity can only come about when every child has equal access to education. Indeed, providing a firm foundation for the education of our children is the most important investment we as a nation can make in our future. When President Lyndon B. Johnson convinced Congress to put this program in place almost 40 years ago, we began a war on poverty that has benefited this country in countless ways. Poverty in America weakens our greatest resource by sapping our children of their hope that they can realize their dreams. These children can, and do, realize their dreams when they take part in Head Start. Head Start is not a simple daycare program it focuses on the whole child. These children receive balanced, nutritional meals. They also receive basic health care, including dental, medical and vision screenings and vaccinations.”