David Loebsack: “this week is Week of the Young Child, and I stand before you and my colleagues this evening to call for the full funding…”

“this week is Week of the Young Child, and I stand before you and my colleagues this evening to call for the full funding of Head Start, our Nation's premier early education program, and for Child Care and Development Block Grants. I understand firsthand how important Head Start and subsidized child care programs are for low-income working families. I grew up in poverty, and I had a single mother who suffered from mental illness. I relied on support from my extended family, community, and friends. And as a result of the support that I received, I was able to focus on school, work hard, and achieve the American Dream. However, not all children are fortunate enough to have this sort of support system outside of their homes, and even with this additional support, many of Iowa's children could benefit from attending Head Start. Additionally, many hardworking, low-income parents could more easily push their families out of poverty if provided access to affordable and reliable child care. This is why it is critical that we properly fund Head Start and Child Care and Development Block Grants so we can expand enrollment and provide greater support to working families and opportunity to our Nation's children. For years we have been provided with statistics proving the benefits of Head Start and affordable child care. We know that children enrolled in Head Start will excel academically, have fewer health problems, and adapt better both socially and emotionally.”