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Congressman John T. Salazar -- Defending Rural Values -- Third District of Colorado
  For immediate release: December 5, 2007  
 
Contact: (202) 225-4761
Eric Wortman, Communications Director
Rick Palacio, Deputy Communications Director
 
 

Rep. Salazar Announces Investment in America’s Children

 
 

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman John Salazar announced that H.R. 1429, the bipartisan Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act, is being sent to the President’s desk for his signature.  The President is expected to sign the legislation.
 
Enactment of the bipartisan Head Start Reauthorization bill is a key achievement of the New Direction Congress.  The authorization for the Head Start program expired in FY 2003, but reauthorization was blocked in the 108th and 109th Congresses.
 
“I am proud that this Congress has enacted this critical Head Start Reauthorization bill,” Rep. Salazar said.  “Head Start has been the premiere early childhood education program in the U.S. for more than 40 years, and serves more than 10,000 children in Colorado each year.   This legislation is vital because children who attend Head Start enter school better prepared than children who do not attend the program,” said Rep. Salazar.  “They are also more likely to graduate from high school.”
 
“Coloradans understand that everyone in our community benefits when we invest in high-quality early education programs for children,” Rep. Salazar added.  “This bill is designed to reinvigorate Head Start and help more children arrive at kindergarten ready to succeed.”
 
This critical bipartisan bill improves and expands the Head Start program, with provisions to:
  •  Strengthen the focus on school readiness, including requiring the Head Start program to use the latest and best science on early childhood brain development in its curriculum and materials;
     
  • Provide access to Head Start for more children by increasing authorization levels for Head Start and prioritizing the expansion of Early Head Start.
     
  • Impose strong accountability measures, to better ensure that Head Start funds are used appropriately and efficiently and that underperforming programs are either replaced or quickly improved.
“This legislation is an investment in our nation’s children – and an investment in the future success of our Nation,” added Rep. Salazar.
 
 

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