HR 728
Expanding Head Start Eligibility Act of 2025
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Bill overview
This bill expands eligibility for Head Start programs to include children from families receiving a wider range of public assistance. Specifically, it includes families receiving benefits from programs like SNAP, WIC, TANF, SSI, and federal housing assistance (Section 8). Additionally, it extends eligibility to families receiving state-funded food assistance programs with similar income standards to SNAP. The goal is to provide more children in need access to Head Start services.
Key provisions
- Expands Head Start eligibility to include families receiving SNAP benefits.
- Includes families receiving WIC benefits in Head Start eligibility.
- Extends eligibility to families receiving TANF benefits.
- Adds SSI recipients to the list of eligible families.
- Includes families receiving federal housing assistance (Section 8).
- Allows state-funded food assistance programs with comparable standards to SNAP to qualify.
- Adds eligibility for families receiving nutrition assistance program (NAP) benefits.
- Includes assistance under the Child Nutrition Act.
Who is affected
- Children from low-income families
- Families receiving SNAP benefits
- Families receiving WIC benefits
- Families receiving TANF benefits
- Families receiving SSI benefits
Notable changes
- Expands the definition of ‘public assistance’ to include a broader set of federal and state assistance programs.
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
Gilbert Ray, Jr. Cisneros
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 728
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To amend the Head Start Act to include TANF, SSI, SNAP, WIC, and federal housing assistance as eligible public assistance.
This Act may be cited as the Expanding Head Start Eligibility Act of 2025
.
Section 637 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9832) is amended—
by redesignating paragraphs (25) and (26) as paragraphs (26) and (27), respectively, and
by inserting after paragraph (24) the following:
The term public assistance
, as defined by the Secretary, shall include—
assistance received under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
benefits received under title XVI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.);
supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits received under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.);
assistance received under section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act (42 U.S.C. 1786 et seq.);
assistance received under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f et seq.); and
additional benefits and assistance provided under Federal law as determined by the Secretary.