[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19864]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      SCHOOL READINESS ACT OF 2003

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. BART STUPAK

                              of michigan

                    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. STUPAK. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 2210, 
the Republican Head Start reauthorization bill. This legislation tears 
at the heart of successful early childhood development services in the 
United States that have been in place since 1965.
  Across the Nation, Head Start has helped to combat poverty and 
provide children with an enriched social, academic, and healthful base 
before kindergarten. In my own northern Michigan communities, Head 
Start has long provided valuable services to the 5,598 children and 
their families enrolled in 148 programs throughout the 1st 
Congressional District.
  I am dismayed H.R. 2210 provides only a 2.9 percent increase over the 
last year in the already under-funded Head Start programs--barely 
keeping up with inflation, and I have very serious concerns about 
several of its provisions.
  In particular, the bill completely fails to support Head Start 
teachers. These dedicated professionals earn about half of what typical 
kindergarten teachers make. Yet, H.R. 2210 only provides about $400,000 
for teacher salaries and education next year--more than $300 million 
less than needed in fiscal year 2004. Funding for the following years 
is no better--$2 billion less than needed over the next 4 years.
  To add insult to injury, H.R. 2210 increases teacher credential 
requirements so that 50 percent of Head Start teachers must have a 
Bachelor's degree by 2008. But the bill provides almost no money to 
help teachers advance their education, and it doesn't pay to increase 
teachers' salaries after they earn a Bachelor's degree! What incentive 
does that provide for quality teachers to remain dedicated to Head 
Start programs?
  I am also concerned about block grant provisions in the bill. 
Shifting program money to state block grants, even in the eight test 
states, could allow states to change the Head Start program in 
substantive ways that may jeopardize the successes Head Start programs 
have long achieved. It is a pilot program as proposed, but as we all 
know these pilot programs tend to grow.
  In the name of so-called ``reform'', H.R. 2210 allows selected states 
to increase Head Start class size and the child-to-staff ratio; 
decrease parental involvement; hinder disability assessment and 
treatment; and eliminate comprehensive health care services like 
vision, dental, and mental health screenings. Moreover, the Republican 
Head Start bill lets the eight test states move funds currently 
intended for local Head Start agencies to other pre-school and child 
care programs that may not offer the same critical services on which 
children and families depend.
  Head Start has made a valuable contribution to the education of our 
Nation's children, and I will do everything possible to protect these 
locally designed and administered programs in northern Michigan.
  I urge my colleagues to vote no on H.R. 2210. Vote no to dismantling 
Head Start.

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