Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Juan Vargas (CA-51) issued the following statement in honor of the 50th Anniversary of Head Start, which is observed May 18-May 21, 2015:

“Today, we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Head Start, a program that has contributed to the early academic preparedness of children with economic disadvantages. It’s crucial that we offer children access to high quality education during their early years of academic development.

“50 years after Head Start was signed into law, President Obama’s FY2016 budget recognizes the benefits of the program among at-risk children by allocating funding that would increase the duration of Head Start to full school days. This demonstrates that the program’s benefits represent a national commitment to families struggling with diverse socioeconomic challenges.

“I invite my colleagues in Congress and my constituents of the 51st Congressional District of California to join me in recognition of 50 years of contributions Head Start has invested in changing the lives of children throughout the country and the improvement of communities as a whole.”