Congressman Cleaver Condemns President Trump’s Proposed Cuts to Head Start, Calls on Administration to Protect Funding

(Washington, D.C.) – This week, following reports that President Trump is working to eliminate Head Start, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) condemned the plan to cut all funding for the Head Start program, which has served nearly 40 million children since its inception in 1965 by providing childcare to low-income families while promoting school readiness for children from birth to age five through services that support early learning and development, health, and family well-being. In a letter to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Director Russell Vought, Congressman Cleaver called on the Administration to maintain funding for the vital services Head Start provides to communities nationwide and provide additional information to justify such draconian cuts.

“I am immensely concerned about a recent AP report of the Trump Administration’s plan to cut all Head Start funding,” Congressman Cleaver wrote. “The abolition of Head Start is antithetical to our country’s decades-long battle in the ‘War on Poverty.’ Often mischaracterized as a ‘handout,’ Head Start is a hand-up for low-income families nationwide.”

“Head Start allows educators who love teaching to teach kids to love learning. In its absence, 790,000 children and their families will enter a failing private childcare market,” Cleaver continued. “Without Head Start, many families unable to afford private childcare would leave their jobs and become full-time caregivers. The remaining families who enter the market will face months-long waitlists and inflated prices”

“Put simply, this is an unforced error. To put families through this manufactured crisis is unconscionable,” Cleaver concluded.

“For decades, Head Start has been a cornerstone of early childhood education, providing resources and support to local children and their families,” said Dr. Toni Sturdivant, director of early learning and Head Start with the Mid-America Regional Council. “The Kansas City region relies on Head Start not only for educational opportunities but also for health, nutrition and family engagement services that create a holistic support system. Without Head Start, many children could face significant setbacks in their developmental milestones and families would have less access to the resources they need to thrive.”

In Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, Head Start serves 2,256 children and employs 500 people. The program enables their employment by providing free/low-cost childcare, prenatal care for expecting mothers, and in-home services. Among Kansas City’s Head Start parents, 1,351 are employed, 169 are in training programs, and 168 are enrolled in school.

The official letter from Rep. Cleaver is available here.

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.