[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15415]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 IMPACTING AMERICA'S YOUNGEST LEARNERS

  (Mr. HINOJOSA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak out against the 
government shutdown and its detrimental impact on Federal programs like 
Head Start and Impact Aid for school districts.
  Instead of punishing our youngest learners through this government 
shutdown, our Nation needs a responsible, forward-looking fiscal policy 
that repairs the damage done by sequestration and the government 
shutdown and that allows programs like Head Start to provide the 
highest quality early learning opportunities to our most vulnerable 
children. A piecemeal approach to funding Head Start is not a real 
solution to this government shutdown.
  This GOP majority has slashed funding for education, including Impact 
Aid. Impact Aid school districts have been harder hit than any other 
school districts as they struggle to provide quality education for the 
children of active military and Native American students. Due to the 
GOP sequester, many of these school districts have been reduced to 4-
day school weeks.
  This is a reckless and irresponsible way to govern. Our Nation's 
children and families deserve more, not less.

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