Brownley, DWC Colleagues Demand HHS Withdraw Harmful Head Start Rules

Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26) joined 37 members of the Democratic Women's Caucus (DWC), led by DWC Caregiving Task Force Co-Chairs Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), and Lateefah Simon (CA-12), DWC Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), and DWC member Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08), in sending a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in opposition to HHS's proposed rule (RIN 0970-AD21) ("the proposed rule"), which would repeal higher wages and expanded benefits for Head Start workers established in 2024. The letter urges HHS to withdraw the proposed rule and instead prioritize funding to strengthen Head Start and support childcare workers, families, and children.

Head Start is a critical program that allows parents to go to school or work while their child is in a high-quality learning environment. The letter emphasizes that the proposed rule, which would weaken Head Start, would worsen the nation's childcare crisis, push more women out of the workforce, and harm economic growth. It would also disproportionately impact women, who make up nearly the entire Head Start teaching workforce.

In their letter, the Members explain that Head Start is a critical program that is essential to helping families access childcare amidst a national shortage:

"Childcare is an essential, high-demand service that is increasingly inaccessible for many families. Childcare programs are experiencing widespread closures across the country, hindering families' ability to achieve financial security and fully participate in the economy. Nationwide 14.8 million children under age 5 may need childcare. Yet, only 10.8 million formal spots exist. Since its founding, Head Start has tried to fill that gap, serving around 40 million children and their families. However, Head Start remains underfunded and unable to fully meet the growing need. These factors made the lack of access to affordable childcare the leading reason women left the workforce in 2025. When women and caregivers leave the workforce, it costs the economy $172 billion in lost earnings annually. Proposed rule (RIN 0980-AD21) will further limit the number of formal childcare spots and add to economic losses as women continue to be pushed out of the workforce."

The Members also underscore that the proposed rule is just the latest in an onslaught of attacks on America's childcare system:

"This proposed rule is the latest in a series of attacks by this administration on our nation's childcare infrastructure. Under the Trump administration, the U.S. childcare infrastructure has suffered from billions of dollars in funding delays under the Trump administration in 2025. In May, your Department finalized the proposed rule Restoring Flexibility in the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) (RIN 0970-AD20), which overturned critical protections to keep childcare costs affordable for families. In January, Trump ordered the freeze-currently being disputed in the courts-of $10 billion in federal child care and family assistance funding for California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York as the administration sends officials to investigate unsubstantiated claims of fraud. We refuse to stand by while your Department rips childcare and early childhood education away from women and families."

The Members close by urging HHS to strike the proposed rule, and instead work to strengthen Head Start:

"Proposed rule (RIN 0970-AD21) does nothing to support working women, families, childcare workers, or early childhood education teachers. Rather, it will worsen our country's failing childcare infrastructure, push women out of the workforce, and cost our economy billions. We remain committed to building an affordable future for all women and families, where childcare is not financially detrimental. That is why we strongly oppose proposed rule (RIN) 0970-AD20 and demand your Department prioritize funding for Head Start."

Read the full letter here.

In addition to letter leads DWC Caregiving Task Force Co-Chairs Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), and Lateefah Simon (CA-12), DWC Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), and DWC member Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08), the letter was signed by Joyce Beatty, Julia Brownley, Judy Chu, Jasmine Crockett, Sarah Elfreth, Laura Friedman, Sylvia Garcia, Adelita Grijalva, Jahana Hayes, Pramila Jayapal, Julie Johnson, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Robin Kelly, Summer Lee, Doris Matsui, Lucy McBath, Sarah McBride, LaMonica McIver, Gwen Moore, Eleanor Norton, Nancy Pelosi, Chellie Pingree, Delia Ramirez, Deborah Ross, Andrea Salinas, Linda Sánchez, Hillary Scholten, Haley Stevens, Rashida Tlaib, Jill Tokuda, Lauren Underwood, Nydia Velázquez, and Frederica Wilson.

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Issues: 119th Congress, Education, Healthcare