Democratic Women’s Caucus Leaders Congresswomen Simon, Leger-Fernandez, Dingell, Pettersen, and McDonald Rivet Lead 35+ Members to Demand HHS Withdraw Harmful Head Start Rule

WASHINGTON, D.C. - On Thursday, June 11, 38 members of the Democratic Women's Caucus (DWC) led by DWC Caregiving Task Force Co-Chairs Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), and Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), and DWC Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), and DWC member Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08) sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. opposing 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 members demanded that HHS 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 proposed rule would weaken Head Start, would worsen the nation's childcare crisis, push more women out of the workforce, and harm economic growth.

In their letter, the Members state:

"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 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 Chairs Dingell, Pettersen, and Simon, DWC Chair Teresa Leger Fernández, and DWC member Kristen McDonald Rivet, the letter was signed by Representatives 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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