TAKE ACTION www.saveheadstart.org I  archive 1.   Legislative Update // Actualización legislativa January, 2006   Congress passed a 1 percent across the board cut to all discretionary spending programs.  This means that Head Start funding will likely receive a decrease of $68 million in fiscal year 2006. The National Head Start Association estimates that Head Start programs nationwide will adjust to the cut by serving 25,000 fewer children.  Making matters even worse, Congress is cutting nearly $5B in Medicaid services for low-income children and families.   At least there was one positive action - Head Start programs in the Gulf region will receive $90M to rebuild their programs and to serve Katrina evacuees.   The National Head Start Association says that the calls, e-mails and letters to members of Congress over the past several months helped to keep the outcome from being even worse.   Rob Massonneau THSA PR/Advocacy Committee Chair ·        If you are concerned about any of these provisions, please contact your two U.S. Senators. The Senate will soon be considering its version of the Head Start Reauthorization Act. If the Head Start community can persuade the Senate to exclude the provisions above, we may get a Head Start Reauthorization Act that will strengthen and improve the Head Start program.     Remember: Do not use Head Start resources, such as phones, faxes or the e-mail system to communicate with your Senators. Also, do not contact them while at Head Start and on the clock.         Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison 284 Russell Senate Office Building Washington DC 20510 (202) 224-5922; (202) 224-0776 fax hutchison.senate.gov/e-mail.htm Local Office 10440 North Central Expy., Suite 1160 Dallas, TX 75231-2231 Tel.: (214) 361-3500; (214) 361-3502 fax     Senator John Cornyn 517 Hart Senate Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20510 Tel: 202-224-2934; Fax: 202-228-2856 http://cornyn.senate.gov/contact/index.html Local Office Occidental Tower 5005 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1150 Dallas, Texas 75244 Tel: 972-239-1310; Fax: 972-239-2110   Comments on this article can be sent to rmassonneau@hsgd.org Home     "A unified voice for Texas Head Start"   Texas Head Start Association., PO Box 15481, Austin, 78761-5481, (281) 545-2042 or Email: email@txhsa.org © 2006 Texas Head Start Association