[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 112 (Friday, July 25, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1644]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      SCHOOL READINESS ACT OF 2003

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                               speech of

                           HON. RAHM EMANUEL

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 24, 2003

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2210) to 
     authorize the Head Start Act to improve the school readiness 
     of disadvantaged children, and for other purposes:

  Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Chairman, I rise to address the proposed overhaul of 
the Head Start program. Created in 1965 as part of President Johnson's 
``Great Society,'' Head Start is a program that successfully extends 
educational opportunity to disadvantaged children across the country.
  Recently, the President called into question the successes of this 
program, saying that Head Start is merely, ``working OK.'' While I 
agree with the President that there is always room for improvement, I 
think he needs to take a closer look at the remarkable track record of 
this program.
  Head Start has a long and proven record of success: Head Start 
narrows the achievement gap between disadvantaged and other children; 
Head Start children show IQ gains compared to children who are not in 
the program; and Head Start children are much more likely to graduate 
from high school and college.
  Head Start has effectively opened doors and improved the quality of 
life for 20 million kids over its 38-year history.
  Yet, today we consider a bill that threatens to cripple this 
successful program. I would like to take this opportunity to remind my 
colleagues across the aisle that a vow to ``Leave No Child Behind'' 
means that you can't turn your back on those who need your support the 
most.
  By creating a system of block grants, this bill means that there is 
no longer a guarantee that federal money will go towards Head Start 
programs, leaving the burden on the states. In these times of economic 
hardship, there is a very real possibility that these funds could be 
diverted to fill holes in tight state budgets, leaving Head Start and 
our children with nothing.
  A recent survey of state funded preschool programs confirms these 
fears. This study found that when states managed their own preschool 
programs they frequently failed to provide the same level of services 
as those required by Head Start.
  I would like to applaud President Bush for his call to improve the 
quality of teaching in Head Start programs by putting a qualified 
teacher in every classroom.
  But I would also remind the President that this is a meaningless 
promise unless he and the Congress can supply the estimated $2 billion 
needed to attract and pay more highly qualified teachers. The last 
thing the states need now is another unfunded mandate.
  Head Start is one of our nation's great success stories. It has a 
proven track record, and what we should be doing is expanding it and 
giving it stronger support, not the opposite.
  For the sake of the one million kids nationwide, 42,000 Illinoisans 
and 469 children in my district who depend on Head Start annually, I 
urge you to vote ``no'' on the bill.




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