Dear john,
As you may know, the Trump Administration and my Republican colleagues are proposing drastic cuts in federal spending as we work through the annual budget process. I want people in our community to understand that these proposed cuts have real-world impacts. For example, a leaked White House budget document proposed eliminating all federal funding for Head Start, a program which serves working parents and their children in truly remarkable ways.
I want every family who benefits from Head Start to know that I am sounding the alarm about the threats this vital program is facing. I visited the Chattahoochee Early Learning Center in Atlanta this week to meet with the children, teachers, and advocates from the YMCA of Metro Atlanta who stand to lose the most if funding is eliminated for Head Start. Proponents of these radical funding cuts fail to understand that Head Start is a core component of our local economy—it affords working families the peace of mind that their child will be safe, healthy, and well cared for during the day. Children receive top notch instruction from phenomenal teachers, which sets them up for a lifetime of success. And I want every one of my colleagues to understand that we already have a childcare crisis in Georgia, with many families being forced to enter a lottery system or wait on a list to enroll their child in pre-school.
Sounding the alarm on these dangerous cuts is an effective way to take action. In fact, just this afternoon, a revised budget document from the White House was published which did not include the proposed cuts to Head Start. While I am encouraged by this news, I will not stop in my advocacy as funding for these important programs is under attack. Take a look at some of the highlights from my visit to the Chattahoochee Early Learning Center below:
