Legislative Update Week of January 28, 2009
Date Posted: 01/30/2009
Dear friends:
Things are moving fast in the Head Start world! We have a new President of the United States. Congress has been hard at work on the economic recovery package. The Secretary of Education has been confirmed. Please take a moment to read this legislative update and share it with your Head Start network.
Special thanks to all of you who joined us in record attendance at our Leadership Institute this week! With a huge audience, hundreds strong, we heard from Congresswoman Hirono and Congressman Polis about their views for the future of early childhood issues, Joan Lombardi, David Johns (Senior Advisor to Senator Kennedy) as well as longstanding leaders in the Head Start community and our advocacy partners. We debated and discussed the future of early childhood education and Head Start's unique and important role in it. We also honored a true Head Start Hero, Secretary Elliot Richardson in NHSA style by presenting his son with a commemorative plaque and celebrated with food, great company, and fun. We look forward to our Annual Training Conference in Orlando starting the last week of April and trust we'll see you there!
CURRENT LEGISLATIVE NEWS
Economic Recovery (Stimulus)
As you know, NHSA along with State and Regional Head Start Associations have been working hard on your behalf to try and ensure that Head Start will receive funding in this economic recovery package.
Early this week, the Senate released and marked up its version of the economic recovery ("stimulus") package that includes $2.1 billion for Head Start ($1 billion through the funding formula and $1.1 billion for Early Head Start expansion, including up to 10% for T/TA and up to 3% for monitoring) and $2 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant. It is very similar to the House bill on the Head Start provisions. The funds would be available in the Senate version through September 30, 2010.
On Wednesday January 27, the House of Representatives passed its version of the Economic recovery bill (HR 1) that also includes $2.1 billion for Head Start ($1 billion through the funding formula and $1.1 billion for Early Head Start expansion, including up to 10% for T/TA and up to 3% for monitoring) and $2 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant. Breaking down primarily along party lines, the House voted 244-188 to approve the economic recovery package. All House Republicans and 12 House Democrats voted against it. Please go to http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll046.xml for a list of Representatives voting in favor and those against and send emails of thanks to your Representatives and Senators who supported the House bill.
The Senate is expecting to vote on its version of the economic recovery bill next week. Then, a conference of members of the House and the Senate will work together to iron out the differences in the two versions of the bills. Once these final details have been worked out in the House and the Senate, it will go to the President for his signature to be signed into law.
Stay tuned. We hope that we'll have good news for you on this soon!
IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED
Please follow up this week with your Representative in the House and thank those who voted in favor of the economic recovery package (HR 1) including $2.1 billion for Head Start.
You can go to www.house.gov, search for your Representative by name or by zip code, and from their individual website, send them an email. It should include:
- A strong thank you for including Head Start and other important early childhood provisions in the economic recovery package;
- A thank you for voting in favor of the bill; and
- An acknowledgement that as his/her constituent, you count on him/her to continue to support Head Start, the nation's premiere 0 to 5 early childhood program.
Please also follow up by sending a message to your Representative if he or she did not vote in favor of the House bill.
- From the same website as outlined above, please select your Representative's website. From his/her site, please leave a two-part message:
- you understand that he/she did not vote in favor of the economic recovery package and that as a constituent, you hope and expect that they will support Head Start , the nation's premiere 0 to 5 early childhood program in the future.
- Through the economic stimulus, Head Start will preserve good jobs, create new ones, and ensure that low income families can get back to work, attend job training or school, or stay in their jobs knowing that they have safe, high-quality programs for their young children to attend.
CURRENT ADMINSTRATIVE NEWS
As you all know, the United States' 44th President, Barack Hussein Obama, was inaugurated and took the oath of office on January 20, 2009. He has lost no time in including his birth to 5 vision for early childhood education into the economic recovery package and for that, we thank him.
Soon after President Obama's inauguration, Arne Duncan was confirmed by the Senate as Secretary of Education. We are still awaiting the confirmation of Secretary-designate of Health and Human Services Tom Daschle. Additional appointments at HHS will be made following Daschle's confirmation.
NEW MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
In our next Legislative Update, we will continue to introduce you via short bios to the new Members of Congress who were recently elected-so that if you are one of their constituents, you can drop a note, make a call, and either introduce them to Head Start or encourage them to continue being Head Start champions.
ADDITIONAL NHSA TRAINING
Join attorney Ted Waters for NHSA's Legal Advisory Service Webinars happening every month. He'll cover issues of importance to you and your Head Start program. Check out http://www.nhsa.org/training/advisory/index.htm for topics, dates, and registration information. Don't miss out!
Also, get ready for NHSA's 36th Annual National Training Conference on April 27-May 2 in Orlando, Florida entitled "Beyond the Boundaries: New Approaches and New Strategies." Visit http://www.nhsa.org/training/annual_conference/36th/index.htm for more information and to register.
DOLLAR PER CHILD
Thanks to all of you who have sent in your donations for the Dollar Per Child campaign. Your donations are vital for supporting our advocacy efforts and ensuring that the Head Start community is heard. Please continue to mail your donation checks to NHSA Dollar Per Child Campaign, P.O. Box 890080, Charlotte, NC 28289-0080. Be sure to note which program, state, or region your donation is representing.
If you have questions about the contents of this Legislative Update, please contact Michael McGrady at mmcgrady@nhsa.org.
This Legislative E-Update has been sent to Head Start directors, the NHSA Board, Head Start State and Regional Association presidents, executive directors, and parents. Please share it withothers in your network.