The "sequester," an $85 billion dollar budget cut now being amended, was supposed to equally affect a broad range of federal programs, but instead, those with stored-up cash or friends in high places avoided the reductions, while other groups suffered greatly, David. A. Fahrenthold writes for The Washington Post, and uses a Kentucky Head Start student and program as an example.
Prompted after a special "supercommittee" and the rest of Congress couldn't decide on a better plan to reduce federal deficit, the sequestration was automatically reduced spending across the board. At Head Start, "officials had to eliminate services for 57,000 children," Fahrenthold reports.
The sequester's ground rules were supposed to protect some programs—especially those that assist low-income families—from the cuts. Somehow, Head Start didn't make the list. Richard Koan, a budget expert who worked in the Obama administration, said the list didn't seem to matter because congressional leaders didn't think they would allow the sequester to happen.
Although some organizations lobbied for exemption—and in some cases, it worked—Head Start didn't. "There is a lot of goodwill about Head Start," said Yasmina Vinci, executive director of the National Head Start Association. "And I imagine if we had just chosen to say, 'Just us! Us! Us! Us!' we might have been able to get some action." The group didn't think that was right. "We have to have a complete approach," Vinci told Fahrenthold, "because Head Start works with the whole child and the whole family." As a result of the cuts, Head Start had to cut $401 million of their federal funding for fiscal 2013.
"Congress didn't make the hard choices. . . . They avoided the hard choices at all costs," said Peggy Grant, director of a Head Start program based in Owensboro, Ky., that covers 16 mostly rural counties. "And we had to make the hard choices, again and again." They had to cut $856,232 from the budget, and budget rules didn't allow her to store money from past years, so "164 children would have to be kicked out in the middle of the school year," Farenthold writes.
Yesterday the House passed a plan to replace about $45 billion of the sequester cuts with something less pervasive. "The plan is to let House and Senate appropriators choose specific trims, saving the muscle and cutting the fat," Fahrenthold writes. (Read more) CNN reports that "top aides" for the Republican minority "said they expect the budget to pass the Senate but it could be by a razor thin margin. This could also change if momentum against the bill grows."
Prompted after a special "supercommittee" and the rest of Congress couldn't decide on a better plan to reduce federal deficit, the sequestration was automatically reduced spending across the board. At Head Start, "officials had to eliminate services for 57,000 children," Fahrenthold reports.
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| Carli Hopkins, 4, rests on mother Rebecca's shoulder as she they enjoy a story. Carli was kicked out of Head Start by budget cuts. (Washington Post photo by Luke Sharrett) |
Although some organizations lobbied for exemption—and in some cases, it worked—Head Start didn't. "There is a lot of goodwill about Head Start," said Yasmina Vinci, executive director of the National Head Start Association. "And I imagine if we had just chosen to say, 'Just us! Us! Us! Us!' we might have been able to get some action." The group didn't think that was right. "We have to have a complete approach," Vinci told Fahrenthold, "because Head Start works with the whole child and the whole family." As a result of the cuts, Head Start had to cut $401 million of their federal funding for fiscal 2013.
"Congress didn't make the hard choices. . . . They avoided the hard choices at all costs," said Peggy Grant, director of a Head Start program based in Owensboro, Ky., that covers 16 mostly rural counties. "And we had to make the hard choices, again and again." They had to cut $856,232 from the budget, and budget rules didn't allow her to store money from past years, so "164 children would have to be kicked out in the middle of the school year," Farenthold writes.
Yesterday the House passed a plan to replace about $45 billion of the sequester cuts with something less pervasive. "The plan is to let House and Senate appropriators choose specific trims, saving the muscle and cutting the fat," Fahrenthold writes. (Read more) CNN reports that "top aides" for the Republican minority "said they expect the budget to pass the Senate but it could be by a razor thin margin. This could also change if momentum against the bill grows."
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