Lawler Urges Administration to Strengthen Head Start in New Rule

Washington, D.C. - 9/28/26… Today, Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) submitted a public comment on the Administration for Children and Families' (ACF) Proposed Rule titled "Reducing Federal Burden for Head Start Program, Inc." In this letter, he strongly urged the Administration to revise the proposal to ensure the sustainability, financial security, and success of Head Start programs nationwide.

On August 7, 2026, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and ACF proposed sweeping new regulations that would undermine and weaken Head Start, one of our most substantial and successful government programs. This proposal would require English-only education, lower the cap on federal funding for administrative expenses, lower the quality of the program's performance standards, remove training requirements for staff, adjust the required staff-to-child ratios, and remove regulations governing parent committees.

"[T]he Proposed Rule, as currently written, would weaken the Head Start program as a whole and result in the reduction of quality services offered to low-income children and families in New York and across the country. We can reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and be responsible stewards of federal dollars without compromising sound care for children. Health and safety should not be where we seek savings or efficiencies," wrote the lawmaker.

While some of the proposed changes include waiver provisions to provide exceptions to impacted programs or allow for programs to continue following prior guidance without enforcement or include waiver provisions to provide exceptions to impacted programs, that is not enough. Oversight and community investment often vary, and they often do not meet the high-quality standards required in existing federal regulation.

Rep. Lawler has been a longtime partner with and advocate for Head Start of Rockland, Inc. Over the last 62 years, this program has provided high-quality services to tens of thousands of children across the county. He has advocated for increased funding to Head Start programs and supported additional funding opportunities for Head Start of Rockland specifically.

The full letter can be found HERE.

Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York's 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

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