Expanding Head Start Eligibility Act of 2024
Latest action (25 Sep 2024): Introduced
What this bill does
H.R. 9825, the Expanding Head Start Eligibility Act of 2024, would amend the Head Start Act's definition of "public assistance" used to determine eligibility for Head Start programs. Specifically, it would add a new definition specifying that "public assistance" includes benefits from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), related nutrition programs (including the nutrition assistance program for Puerto Rico, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, and comparable state-funded food assistance programs), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and federal housing assistance under Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937. It also allows the Secretary to designate additional federal benefits as qualifying public assistance.
The bill primarily affects families applying for Head Start early childhood education and family services, since receipt of one of these forms of public assistance is often used as a basis for automatic or streamlined eligibility. By explicitly listing these programs, the bill could expand or clarify the pool of families considered eligible based on their participation in existing federal or state assistance programs. It would also affect the Department of Health and Human Services, which administers Head Start and would apply the revised definition.
The bill was introduced in the House on September 25, 2024, by Rep. John Garamendi and referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce. It did not receive a vote before the end of the 118th Congress, so it did not become law; it would need to be reintroduced in a future Congress to be considered further.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Expanding Head Start Eligibility Act of 2024
This bill expands eligibility for Head Start programs to include the children of families eligible for specified public assistance programs.
Specifically, the bill expands Head Start eligibility to include the children of families that qualify for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), and federal housing assistance (commonly known as Section 8). The bill also provides statutory authority for the eligibility of families that qualify for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Families that qualify for state-funded food assistance programs with eligibility standards identical or substantially similar to the standards for SNAP shall also be eligible for Head Start.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 9825 do?
- H.R. 9825, the Expanding Head Start Eligibility Act of 2024, would amend the Head Start Act's definition of "public assistance" used to determine eligibility for Head Start programs. Specifically, it would add a new definition specifying that "public assistance" includes benefits from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), related nutrition programs (including the nutrition assistance program for Puerto Rico, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, and comparable state-funded food assistance programs), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and federal housing assistance under Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937. It also allows the Secretary to designate additional federal benefits as qualifying public assistance. The bill primarily affects families applying for Head Start early childhood education and family services, since receipt of one of these forms of public assistance is often used as a basis for automatic or streamlined eligibility. By explicitly listing these programs, the bill could expand or clarify the pool of families considered eligible based on their participation in existing federal or state assistance programs. It would also affect the Department of Health and Human Services, which administers Head Start and would apply the revised definition. The bill was introduced in the House on September 25, 2024, by Rep. John Garamendi and referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce. It did not receive a vote before the end of the 118th Congress, so it did not become law; it would need to be reintroduced in a future Congress to be considered further.
- Has H.R. 9825 become law?
- Not yet. As of 25 Sep 2024, H.R. 9825 is introduced.
- Who sponsored H.R. 9825?
- H.R. 9825 was sponsored by Rep. John Garamendi [D-CA8] (Democrat-CA), with 0 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 9825?
- Introduced (25 Sep 2024).
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