Congresswoman Maxine Waters Introduces Head Start Shutdown Protection Act on Day 17 of the Trump-Republican Shutdown

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services and a former Head Start teacher, introduced the Head Start Shutdown Protection Act in the House of Representatives today.  

“I introduced the Head Start Shutdown Protection Act in order to protect children and families in the Head Start program from the devastating impacts of the Trump-Republican shutdown, which is now in its 17^th day,” said Congresswoman Waters. “The Head Start Shutdown Protection Act will require the federal government to reimburse states, local governments, and school districts that use their own funds to continue the operations of Head Start programs in their communities and enable Head Start grant recipients to remain open and continue to serve the children and families who depend on them.” 

Head Start supports early childhood education and school readiness for our nation’s most vulnerable children. Head Start serves low-income children from birth to age five, including those living in poverty, in foster care, and experiencing homelessness. Head Start grant recipients provide quality education, health, and nutrition services to these children as well as parenting, employment, and educational support to their parents. 

 “As a former Head Start teacher, I know that Head Start provides a strong foundation for vulnerable young children, setting them up for academic success and a lifetime of learning,” said Congresswoman Waters. “We cannot allow the government shutdown to disrupt their education, their families, and their potential for success.”

The National Head Start Association reported that six Head Start programs serving 6,525 children are already operating without federal funding, drawing on emergency local resources to stay open. By November 1, 2025, the shutdown will affect 134 additional Head Start programs across 41 states and Puerto Rico, serving 58,627 children, threatening the programs with closure. 

Previous government shutdowns have caused some local Head Start grant recipients to close temporarily, suspending programs and services with little or no warning to the affected families. During the October 2013 shutdown, the Office of Management and Budget reported that six Head Start grant recipients serving nearly 6,300 children were temporarily closed for several days, until their states or philanthropists provided funds for them to reopen. Furthermore, a White House press release about a possible October 2023 shutdown estimated that “10,000 children across the country would immediately lose access to Head Start ... with the impacts only growing worse over time.” 

“Vulnerable children and families and the dedicated Head Start teachers and staff who serve them should not have to suffer because of a government shutdown that is beyond their control,” said Congresswoman Waters. “I introduced this bill to ensure that Head Start grant recipients will be able to remain open and continue to serve the children and families who depend on them.” 

The Head Start Shutdown Protection Act is cosponsored by Representatives Gabe Amo (RI-01), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Wesley Bell (MO-01), Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Andre' Carson (IN-07), Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05), Angie Craig (MN-02), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Shomari Figures (AL-02), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Greg Landsman (OH-01), Summer Lee (PA-12), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Joe Neguse (CO-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-00), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Emily Randall (WA-06), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), and Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24). 

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