Keep Head Start Funded Act of 2025
Keep Head Start Funded Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# Keep Head Start Funded Act of 2025 — Summary **What the bill does:** This bill would ensure that Head Start programs continue operating during a government shutdown. Head Start is a federal program that provides early childhood education, health services, nutrition assistance, and other support to low-income children to help them prepare for school. If passed, the bill would automatically fund these programs at FY2025 levels for fiscal year 2026, keeping them running even if Congress hasn't passed a regular budget by the deadline. **Who it affects:** The bill primarily affects low-income families with young children who rely on Head Start services. It also impacts Head Start staff and the organizations that run these programs nationwide.
Indirectly, it affects the broader early childhood education system, as Head Start serves hundreds of thousands of children annually. **Current status:** The bill is currently in committee (S. 3147), meaning it has been introduced but hasn't yet been voted on by the full Senate. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) sponsors the legislation.
CRS Official Summary
Keep Head Start Funded Act of 2025This bill provides FY2026 continuing appropriations to carry out Head Start programs without interruption during any period in which interim or full-year appropriations for FY2026 are not in effect (i.e., a government shutdown).The Head Start programs provide comprehensive early childhood education and development services to low-income children. The programs seek to promote school readiness through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social, and other services. This bill provides FY2026 appropriations to continue projects and activities under the programs that were funded in FY2025. The appropriations are available until the earliest ofthe enactment into law of legislation that provides appropriations (including continuing appropriations) for Head Start,the enactment into law of legislation that provides regular or continuing appropriations for the Department of Health and Human Services without an appropriation for Head Start, orSeptember 30, 2026.This bill must take effect as if it had been enacted on September 30, 2025.
Latest Action
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.