Bill Barrett: “I rise in reluctant support of H.R. 4250 because while the bill contains many improvements to the Head Start, Community…”

“I rise in reluctant support of H.R. 4250 because while the bill contains many improvements to the Head Start, Community Services Block Grant, and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Programs, it also contains an expansion of the Head Start Program that--if gone unchecked--could imperil the past and future success of Head Start on the sword of overzealous expansion. H.R. 4250 would expand Head Start to children from 0 to 3 years of age, commonly referred to as the 0 to 3 initiative, by setting aside, in the first year of the expansion, 3 percent of Head Start funds, eventually rising to 5 percent of Head Start funds. If we just look at current appropriations, $165 million a year could be siphoned from current programs to fund this untested and unstudied 0 to 3 initiative. During Education and Labor Committee consideration, I offered a common sense amendment to create an Advisory Committee to study this initiative for 1 year, so we could have full knowledge of the scope, structure, funding, standards, implementation, and other issues that will affect this initiative. Unfortunately, my amendment was defeated. Mr. Speaker, no one in the administration or in Congress has any idea the effect this initiative could have on current Head Start Programs.”