Wednesday May 02, 2007

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Mr. TIERNEY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from California for yielding me this time.

We are told over and over again in committee hearings from experts and scholars of all natures that we could close 50 percent of the achievement gap that we see in our country if we have effective preschool, prekindergarten programs. Head Start is just that kind of a program.

We see over and over again the evidence showing us it has a positive economic and social impact across this Nation, particularly in its comprehensive nature, the fact that it deals with education, deals with health issues and social implications.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, my State, 80 percent of 3-year-olds are still not enrolled in prekindergarten or Head Start programs. We need to be expanding this program for all of the good things it does because we need to take advantage of that opportunity to close that gap.