GAO recently found that the Trump Admin. illegally withheld Head Start Funds, exacerbating delays caused by the Republican shutdown

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, this week joined U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and 18 Senate colleagues in demanding answers from the Trump Administration regarding delays in disbursing Head Start funds, which the Government Accountability Office found violated the Impoundment Control Act. The Senators also called for immediate clarification on authorization of the delays, legal rationale, and measures to prevent recurrence, as well as assurances that Head Start programs can continue providing inclusive services for children with disabilities. 

In their letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought, the Senators highlight how these delays, worsened by the government shutdown, forced programs to reduce services, temporarily close classrooms, lay off staff, and left thousands of children and families without critical early learning and family support.  

“When funds are delayed, many Head Start programs must plan for a disruption in services by notifying staff and families of a possible closure. In extreme cases, Head Start programs have had to close due to funding delays and lack of communication by the Administration. These issues were compounded by the government shutdown, which created an additional and immediate crisis for Head Start programs,” wrote the Senators. 

“We are particularly alarmed that there have been no assurances by HHS that funding delays for this critical program have been resolved, especially as Head Start programs continue to face issues drawing down their funding which puts the livelihoods of their employees and families served at risk,” continued the Senators.  

“We strongly urge HHS to take immediate steps to ensure Head Start funds were delivered promptly and equitably to serve the children and families who depended on them, especially as the government shutdown and limited funding threatened to disrupt services for the 134 grantees whose programs are November 1st grant recipients. These programs, their staff, and the families they serve cannot afford further uncertainty or delay,” concluded the Senators.  

In addition to Senators Welch, Luján, Warnock, and Merkley, the letter was signed by Sens. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.). 

Read and download the Senators’ full letter HHS Secretary Kennedy and OMB Director Vought. 

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