NEWS: Sanders, 189 Colleagues Demand RFK Withdraw Latest Attempt to Illegally Dismantle Head Start

WASHINGTON, October 7 — After the Trump administration proposed removing over 90% of Head Start’s standards and leaving children nationwide to face the possibility of becoming ineligible overnight, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, and 188 members of Congress called on Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to withdraw this latest attempt to illegally dismantle the federal Head Start program. “Let us be very clear: what you are proposing seriously weakens the high-quality, comprehensive research-backed services required by law, undermines access to critical services, restricts access for children and families, and creates uncertainty for Head Start programs across the nation,” Sanders and the lawmakers wrote. “This proposed rule is a brazen attempt to dismantle Head Start without regard for the hundreds of thousands of young children and working-class families who depend on these programs and services every year.” Since taking office, the Trump administration has undertaken unprecedented efforts to gut Head Start — the program that has provided high-quality early education and comprehensive services for more than 40 million children and working-class families for over 60 years. President Trump has fired federal staff, threatened to eliminate the program entirely, illegally withheld funds from Head Start and slashed critical programs for children and families to pay for $1 trillion in tax breaks for the top 1% and over $900 billion in tax breaks for large corporations. Today, nearly 800,000 children receive early education, health and dental care, and healthy meals through Head Start, while their families access referrals for job training, adult education, nutrition services and housing support. “Under your proposal, Head Start children could be subject to corporal punishment; left unsupervised; have larger class sizes; have less qualified teachers; and no longer receive preventative and continuous health services, including oral health and mental health services,” the lawmakers wrote. “Under your proposal, 80% of children in Head Start will face worse staff-to-child ratios. Nearly 1 in 10 children currently served in Head Start could become ineligible for services overnight. Key Head Start health, dental, mental health, and developmental services will be reduced nationwide. And the duration of the Head Start school day could be cut in half in many communities, leaving working families stranded and without child care. That is unacceptable.” The Trump administration’s proposed rule would illegally weaken the protections and services required under the Head Start Act. Specifically, it would: Eliminate critical quality and safety standards for Head Start classrooms, including requirements for safe learning environments, appropriate staff-to-child ratios, qualified teachers and staff, and high-quality instruction. Cut critical health services that children and families depend on, including preventive, oral health, and mental health services. Shorten Head Start operating hours, reducing the amount of time children can access early education and comprehensive services. Eliminate enrollment protections for children with disabilities, putting vulnerable children at greater risk of losing access to Head Start. Undermine services for dual language learners, making it harder for children to receive the support they need to succeed in the classroom. “You made a commitment to Congress to ‘preserve’ Head Start, yet this proposed rule is the latest attempt by the Administration to deteriorate and ultimately eliminate the program by gutting the core standards and services that have long-defined and ensured its success.” The senators concluded: “We strongly urge you to withdraw the proposed rule, obey the law, and protect the legacy of Head Start.” Joining Sanders as cosigners on the letter are Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Christopher Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Timothy Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). Read the letter here .