Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV) today voted against the Head Start for Low-Income Children Act, which would provide funding for the Head Start Program through Dec. 15, 2013.
Horsford appears to be continuing in Congress the same thing he did before he got to Washington -- doing nothing to help Head Start.
In January 2005, the Economic Opportunity Board, a Southern Nevada agency that managed dozens of social programs, received notice that its contract to operate the local Head Start program would be terminated. Horsford was appointed to the board in September 2005, and instead of trying to fix the Head Start program, Horsford apparently did nothing.
“In February the board was stripped of the $12.6 million federal Head Start early childhood development program after officials said the board wasn’t providing adequate health care to the low-income children it served.” (Lynnette Curtis, “EOB Asked To Shed Light On Finances,” Las Vegas Review-Journal, 4/7/06)
Rather than appeal the federal decision, the agency, with Horsford on the board, again apparently decided to not do anything:
“The board also decided to drop a separate appeal of a federal decision to take control of Head Start away after ongoing financial problems and investigations by federal, state and local government agencies for mismanagement of funds and other administrative problems.” (Staff, “Head Start Rulings To Stand,” Las Vegas Review-Journal, 2/24/06)
Horsford left the board on March 31, 2006. The very next month, the agency was also suspended from operating a $5.5 million state child care assistance program due to mismanagement:
“[Executive Director Lester] Murray, who has threatened to resign but has decided to stay at the organization for now, also bemoaned this month’s loss of an annual $5.5 million state child care assistance program. The state informed Murray this week that the board will be suspended from running the program April 30 because of financial mismanagement and other administrative problems.” (Lynnette Curtis, “EOB Asked To Shed Light On Finances,” Las Vegas Review-Journal, 4/7/06)
