Legislative Update Week of March 30, 2009
Date Posted: 04/04/2009
NHSA LEGISLATIVE UPDATE AND CALL TO ACTION
Week of March 30, 2009
Dear Friends:
Please read this email and share it with others in your network. It contains a legislative update, an Administration update, an NHSA Update
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
2010 Budget and Appropriations
As we explained in the last legislative update, Congress has begun work on the FY 2010 budget and appropriations. President Obama is expected to release his detailed budget (including a request for Head Start) in May. His budget plan, released a few weeks ago and highlighted in the March 2nd NHSA Legislative Update, includes language to build on the investments from the economic recovery package (“ARRA”) made in early childhood services, including Head Start, Early Head Start and the Child Care and Development Block Grant. Yesterday the House and Senate passed their budget plans (recall that these budget resolutions contain fairly broad contours and don't include line-by-line allocations for programs like Head Start. The Senate vote was 55-43; House vote was 233-196).
In light of the substantial influx of funds through the ARRA for Head Start and Early Head Start for FY 2009 and FY 2010, NHSA has reevaluated its FY 2010 Appropriations request and, after reviewing numerous scenarios and taking into account the current economic climate, has decided to request an appropriation of $8, 112,786,000 for FY 2010, which is $1 billion over Head Start’s annual appropriation for FY 2009.
This amount would make a down payment on the President’s Zero to Five Plan and build on the recent investments in early childhood education and care in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. It would flow through the existing Head Start funding formula and foster sustainable growth in Head Start, Early Head Start, American Indian/Alaska Native Head Start and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start. It would also allow programs’ base funding to keep up with the pace of inflation since 2002.
NHSA, the National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association, the National Indian Head Start Directors Association and over 30 State and Regional Associations signed letters to House and Senate appropriators and the authorizers responsible for Head Start explaining our request for FY 2010. Read the Senate letter here. Read the House letter here. Thanks to all State and Regional Associations who pitched in and signed on a tight timeframe!
The Head Start community has much work to do on the FY 2010 appropriations process, and we will keep you posted as we go forward. Stay tuned!
April Recess
The House and Senate are scheduled to begin their District Work Periods, also known as “recess” from April 6th through April 17th. During this time, your legislators will be back in their home districts handling matters. Recess is a perfect time to meet with your Representative and Senators back in your state, to help them understand what makes Head Start great and what your current challenges are. So long as they are not campaigning for office, consider inviting them to your program for a site visit to learn more about what it you do every day.
ADMINISTRATIVE NEWS
HHS Issues Press Release and PIs on Part of ARRA Recovery Funding
On April 2nd, HHS issued a press release announcing the start of the Recovery funds flowing to Head Start and Early Head Start and how they will dovetail with FY 2009 Appropriations. Read the press release and details at: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/04/20090402a.html. Highlights include:
- Current Head Start grantees will be eligible for $220 million in expansion funding (RFP in the coming weeks)
- There will be an open competition for nearly $1.2 billion for Early Head Start expansion (RFP in the coming weeks)
- $325.6 million of ARRA and 2009 regular appropriations will go to a 4.9% COLA
- $353.8 million of ARRA funding will go towards Quality Improvement
- $100 million of ARRA funding for State Advisory Councils
The Office of Head Start also released a Program Information Notice on the Head Start Funding Increase, ACF-PI-HS-09-06. It includes estimated state allocations for COLA and Quality Improvement Funds and explains how programs are to apply for those increases. Look for it on the ECLCK website at http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc.
Secretary of HHS
HHS Secretary-designate Kathleen Sebelius (currently Governor of Kansas) will be President Obama’s last Cabinet Secretary to be confirmed and is undergoing confirmation hearings this week. She had hearings before the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee on Tuesday of this week (see http://help.senate.gov/Hearings/2009_03_31/2009_03_31.html to watch a video) and the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday (see http://finance.senate.gov/sitepages/hearings.htm for written testimony and to watch a video). Note: On the HELP Committee hearing video link, if you fast forward to minutes 149-155 of the hearing, you can watch Senator Casey ask her about her views on childcare funding, Head Start and Early Head Start. After the Senate Finance Committee’s hearing, it would then make a recommendation to the full Senate for a vote on her confirmation. At the time this E-Update went to press, it was not clear whether that will occur before or after recess.
CALL TO ACTION
Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA) spearheaded a Dear Colleague Appropriations Request Letter to House appropriators for a $1 billion increase for Head Start in FY 2010. The following Representatives signed on to the letter: Sanchez (Linda), Sutton, Michaud, Massa, Peters, Clarke, Doyle, Payne, Murphy, Wasserman Schultz, Shea-Porter, Meeks, Sablan, Rush, Hare, Wexler, Carney, Fudge, Polis, Kind, Kucinich, Platts, Blumenauer, Abercrombie, Castor, Cleaver, G. Moore, Hirono, Ross, Van Hollen, Etheridge, C. Wilson, Norton, Baldwin, Stupak, Stark, Wu, Reichert. If any of these are your Representatives or are from your state, please send a thank you email directly to them (to thank them for signing on to Congresswoman Waters’ Head Start Appropriations request) by going to www.senate.gov or www.house.gov and clicking on your Senator or Representative’s website. On each website, there is a contact or feedback form which will allow you to email them directly.
NHSA UPDATE
Register Now for the National Conference in Sunny Orlando: Don’t Miss It!!!
NHSA is gearing up for our 36th annual National Training Conference entitled Beyond the Boundaries: New Approaches and New Strategies. There will be special sessions on what the ARRA (or Recovery) funds mean for your program, how to operate your program in the post-Reauthorization era of the Head Start Act, and much more! Please go to https://www.nhsa.org/?e=events.detail&event_id=37 for more information and to register. Join us April 27th to May 2nd! Don’t miss out! We’re looking forward to seeing you!
Check Out NHSA Radio on Our New Homepage
NHSA’s latest media resource provides Head Start parents and staff access to the latest insights in parenting, education, health, and child development. Check it out by scrolling down to the bottom of our new homepage: www.nhsa.org.
Upcoming Webinars
NHSA has teamed up with Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell LLP to provide you with additional training opportunities. 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 https://www.nhsa.org/services/professional_development/legal_advisory_service for topics, dates, and registration information. Make sure to register early!
DOLLAR PER CHILD
All the work that NHSA did on the ARRA and is doing on other current legislative efforts is paid for by Dollar Per Child funds. That's why we need you to continue to support the Dollar Per Child Campaign. Without a robust source of funds, NHSA can't lead the way in our advocacy efforts that benefit all Head Start programs. It is through these dollars that we can advocate for you and with you on your behalf. Don't wait. Please send your contributions, whatever amount you can afford, whether it is $1 per child, $5 per child, or $10 per child. You can even easily donate online on our new, improved website at: https://www.nhsa.org/get_involved/donate.
Dollar Per Child funds will ensure that NHSA can continue to lead the way in all of the future advocacy efforts coming up—from regulatory issues with the Office of Head Start, to additional fiscal year appropriations, to the next Head Start Act reauthorization which is not far off.
Please know that NHSA continues to work for you and with you on your behalf on matters of importance to the Head Start community.
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 with others in your network.
