Heath Shuler: “The Congress-- (1) finds that-- (A) while the steady economic growth and low inflation in the United States has yielded…”

“The Congress-- (1) finds that-- (A) while the steady economic growth and low inflation in the United States has yielded unprecedented prosperity, many children and families in this country have not benefited from this prosperity and continue to be socioeconomically disadvantaged, (B) many community- and faith-based organizations have expertise in moving individuals and families from dependency to self-sufficiency by providing families with the tools and skills they need to participate in the community and contribute to our economy, (C) the Head Start Act was established to help prepare low-income young children to succeed in school and in life by addressing the needs of the whole child and providing comprehensive services such as health and nutrition, (D) research confirms that children who attend Head Start programs enter school better prepared than low-income children who do not attend the program, are less likely to need special education services, to repeat a grade, or commit crimes in adolescence, and are more likely to graduate from high school, (E) community- and faith-based organizations have participated in Head Start programs since the enactment of the Head Start Act in 1965.”