House Committee Passes Head Start Bill

On Wednesday, the House Education and Labor Committee approved H.R. 1429, the Improving Head Start Act of 2007, by a vote of 42-1, with Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), casting the only opposing vote. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee passed their own Head Start bill last month, so although no date has been set in either chamber for debate on the floor, final reauthorization is expected to pass through relatively quickly.




The committee passed H.R. 1429 with fourteen amendments. The most prominent amendment was a manager’s package that increases the maximum income level at which families become eligible for Head Start, from 100% of the federal poverty level, $20,560 annually for a family of four, to 130% or $26,728 for a family of four. The Senate bill, S. 556, has a similar provision. Various other amendments, sponsored mainly by Republicans, were subsequently defeated prior to passage.

Rep. Luis Fortuño (R-PR) sponsored an amendment that would allow Head Start providers to hire employees based on religious preferences. Under current law, faith-based groups that receive government grants to run Head Start programs can hire staff based on religion for any program except Head Start. Fortuño’s amendment would have allowed them to hire Head Start teachers and support staff based on religion. Republicans said the religious hiring language is worth its weight in controversy because it could help faith-based organizations expand their participation in the program, which provides early education for children from low-income households. Bill sponsor Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) and other Democrats on the committee strongly opposed the provision, claiming it would roll back civil rights and weaken Head Start. The amendment was defeated on a party line vote of 19-26.

Another failed Republican amendment, offered by Rep. Tom Price (R-GA), would have authorized a pilot project for eight states to take over their local Head Start programs. Price claimed the provision would help coordinate efforts so children would be better prepared for elementary school. Kildee and other Democrats, however, said it would “end the Head Start program as we know it” by relinquishing authority to states without requiring them to meet federal standards. The amendment also failed by a party line vote.

The bill would boost authorized funding to $7.4 billion for fiscal year (FY) 2008 and “such sums as necessary” through FY 2012. The last reauthorization expired in 2003, but the program has been extended since then by annual appropriations. The program received $6.9 billion in FY 2007. As it stands now, the amended measure will:

· Require at least 50 percent of Head Start teachers to have a bachelor’s degree by 2013 (the Senate version makes this a non-binding goal);

· Allow Head Start providers to use up to 10 percent of their funds to transport children; and

· Authorize grants for tribal colleges and Hispanic-serving schools to develop associate and bachelor’s degree programs for Head Start staff.

Resources:
Libby George, “House Panel Defeats Faith-Based Hiring Before Advancing Head Start Bill,” CQ Today, March 14, 2007.
Rebecca Kimitch, “Head Start Reauthorization Wins House Panel’s Approval,” CQ Today, March 14, 2007.
Stephen Langel, “House Panel OKs Head Start Bill Despite Bitter Fight Over Religion,” CongressNow, March 15, 2007.
Author: SAS