Burgess Owens: “for its exemplary performance, Head Start deserves to be rewarded by the decision-makers in both parties. But instead of…”

“for its exemplary performance, Head Start deserves to be rewarded by the decision-makers in both parties. But instead of rewarding Head Start, the Republican majority is proposing to abandon Head Start through the slow death process which begins with the block-grant experiment. When translated into realistic terms, realistic political terms, the Republican block grant means, first, a withdrawal of compliance requirements and the automatic granting of endless waivers. In the next appropriations cycle, it means a reduction in Federal funds. This slow strangling process has been utilized to destroy enough safety net and social programs to provide us with a clear vision of the fate that Head Start will suffer if it is block-granted. Consider the fate of title XX social service programs. Consider the fate of the summer youth employment programs. For years, youth summer jobs could be protected from the floor of this House, but once the block grant took place, we have a situation this year where State by State you will find that everywhere summer youth employment programs are being drastically reduced. In New York State, the Governor started the budget process by putting zero in the budget for summer youth employment programs. Block grant means certain death. The time to save Head Start is now. Vote ``no'' on this Republican proposal.”