In March, the Education and Labor Committee overwhelmingly passed H.R. 1429, which it was my privilege to introduce with both Democrats and Republicans, by a vote of 42-1.

I hope that at the close of today’s debate, the full House will do the same.

Head Start has served our most vulnerable children and families well for 42 years, and more recently, Early Head Start has done the same for infants and toddlers.

Head Start works, and this bill will make it work even better.

This bill:

• Increases Head Start’s authorization by $461 million, to benefit as many as 10,000 more children, and increases funding for Indian and migrant and seasonal Head Start programs;
• Sets aside 60 percent of new funds for activities such as teacher salaries, professional development, and extended program hours; 
• Suspends the flawed national reporting system;
• Improves teacher qualifications; 
• Increases access to Early Head Start;
• Improves training and technical assistance to help programs identify their strengths and weaknesses; and
• Strengthens the quality of Head Start boards and maintains strong parental involvement through shared governance of Head Start programs.

I would note that we are expecting a motion to recommit that would allow faith-based programs to discriminate in hiring based on religion using federal funds.

Before supporting this bill by 42-1, the Committee considered and rejected such a policy.

Faith-based programs can and do participate in Head Start, and I support that. However, this motion is wrong and I encourage my colleagues to oppose it.

In closing, I want to thank Chairman Miller, Ranking Members McKeon and Castle, and all the members of the committee for their hard work on the bill.

And, I would like to thank the staff, especially Ruth Friedman, Chairman Miller’s senior policy advisor, Susan Ross and James Bergeron, with Ranking Member McKeon, Jessica Gross, with Ranking Member Castle, and Lloyd Horwich, of my staff.

I look forward to passage of this bill today and to working through the conference committee to see this bill become law.