[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 148 (Wednesday, October 27, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2204]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN HONOR OF HEAD START AWARENESS MONTH AND THE NATIONAL HEAD START 
                              ASSOCIATION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MATTHEW G. MARTINEZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 27, 1999

  Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, since its establishment on May 18, 1965, 
Head Start has provided comprehensive health, education, nutritional 
and social services to over 17 million children and their families. 
Today, the program includes more than 835,000 children, 167,130 staff, 
and 2,051 Head Start grantees and delegate agencies nationwide.
  October 1999 has been designated as Head Start Awareness Month. I 
rise today to join with everyone in the more than 48,000 Head Start 
classrooms who celebrate the success of Head Start everyday.
  With next year's 35th anniversary of Head Start we will all have an 
opportunity to join together to promote the continued quality, 
comprehensiveness, and accountability of the program which has given it 
the staying power to improve the lives of low-income children and 
families.
  The program also has an impact on child development and day care 
services; the expansion of state and local activities for children; the 
range and quality of services offered to young children and their 
families; and the design of training programs for those who staff such 
programs. Outreach and training activities also assist parents in 
increasing their parenting skills and knowledge of child development.
  With the bipartisan reauthorization of the program in 1998, we 
embarked upon a new era for Head Start. Increased professional 
development, research into the long-term benefits of the program, 
outcome measures and program accountability, and an expansion of Early 
Head Start were but a few of the changes in the law. Progress is 
already being made.
  In the days ahead, Congress will likely be considering legislation to 
provide a significant part of the resources needed to make good on the 
promise of last year's reauthorization.
  Our partner in that reauthorization process and a critical element of 
delivering on the promise is the National Head Start Association. 
Representing the program's 835,000 children, 167,130 staff, and 2,051 
Head Start grantees and delegate agencies nationwide, NHSA provides 
training tools and policy guidance in a manner which makes the program 
more effective and most responsive to the needs of America's low-income 
children and families, I am honored to join with the Association in 
celebrating Head Start Awareness Month--October 1999.

                          ____________________