[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 57 (Tuesday, April 30, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H4134]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO HEAD START

  (Mrs. SEASTRAND asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. SEASTAND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a program 
which I believe has had a significant, positive impact on children and 
their families. Head Start empowers the entire family, not just the 
young child. Head Start assists parents in carrying out their roles as 
the primary nurturers of their children. Parents assist in Head Start 
classrooms and sit on parent councils that have a say in how the 
program is run. Research shows positive impacts including improved 
parental awareness, and enhanced parental employment and educational 
status.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 750,000 children currently involved in 
Head Start programs, and the many more children who would benefit from 
them, I call upon my colleagues in this chamber to fully fund Head 
Start for the next fiscal year. Though government cannot provide 
solutions to all of our Nation's problems, it can, when employed 
judiciously and efficiently, help poor children and their families 
overcome some of the hardships of life.
  Let us make an investment in this Nation's future. Every dollar 
allocated for Head Start will save us many more dollars and much 
heartache in the future.

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