[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1444 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1444
To amend the Head Start Act to increase the reservation of funds for
programs for low-income families with very young children, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 22 (legislative day, July 21), 2003
Mr. Harkin introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Head Start Act to increase the reservation of funds for
programs for low-income families with very young children, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) All babies and toddlers need positive early learning
experiences to foster their intellectual, social, and emotional
development and to lay the foundation for later school success.
(2) Babies and toddlers living in high-risk environments
need additional supports to promote their healthy growth and
development. Disparities in children's cognitive and social
abilities become evident well before the children enter Head
Start or pre-kindergarten programs at age 4.
(3) The congressionally mandated National Evaluation of
Early Head Start, a rigorous, large-scale, random-assignment
evaluation, concluded that Early Head Start programs are making
a positive difference in areas associated with children's
success in school, family self-sufficiency, and parental
support of child development.
(4) Only 3 percent of all estimated eligible families with
babies and toddlers are currently being served in Early Head
Start programs.
SEC. 2. RESERVATIONS.
Section 640(a)(6)(A) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C.
9835(a)(6)(A)) is amended by striking ``7.5 percent'' and all that
follows through ``2003'' and inserting ``10 percent for fiscal year
2003, 12 percent for fiscal year 2004, 14 percent for fiscal year 2005,
16 percent for fiscal year 2006, 18 percent for fiscal year 2007, and
20 percent for fiscal year 2008''.
SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENT.
Section 639 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9834) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``1999 through 2003''
and inserting ``2003 through 2008''; and
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``1999 through 2003'' and
inserting ``2003 through 2008''; and
(ii) by striking ``fiscal year 1998'' and
inserting ``fiscal year 2002'';
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``1999 through
2003'' and inserting ``2003 through 2008''; and
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``fiscal year
1999, and such sums as may be necessary for each of
fiscal years 2000 through 2003'' and inserting ``fiscal
year 2003, and such sums as may be necessary for each
of fiscal years 2004 through 2008''.
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