FY 2025 Appropriations Update
On Sept. 25, just six days before the start of fiscal year (FY) 2025, the House and Senate passed a short-term spending bill otherwise known as a continuing resolution (CR) that extends federal funding at FY 2024 levels through Dec. 20, 2024. Passage of the CR ensures that federal agencies remain operational through the November elections and will require Congress to pass a full-year FY 2025 spending bill or another CR when they return to Washington for the lame-duck session. No new grants will be issued until a full year spending bill is agreed to.
The 118th Congress will reconvene on November 12th for the lame-duck session primarily focused on reconciling differences between House and Senate funding levels and hopefully agreeing on an omnibus FY 2025 spending bill, The outcome of the November elections will play a key role in shaping the tone and direction of the lame-duck session.
Status of FY 2025 Head Start Appropriations
The chart below reflects the topline numbers starting with the final FY 2024 enacted, the President’s FY 2025 budget request, and the FY 2025 Labor, HHS, bills reported out of the House and Senate Appropriations committees.
Head Start Appropriations: FY 2024 - FY 2025
Including additionally the Preschool Development Grant, the Community Services Block Grant, and the Child Care and Development Block Grant.
NMSHSA Advocacy Efforts
On September 16th, NMSHSA joined the National Head Start Association (NHSA) and the National Indian Head Start Directors Association (NIHSDA) in a letter to House and Senate Appropriations Committee leaders, urging them to allocate $13.2 billion for Head Start in FY 2025. This request is $251 million more than the Senate’s proposed FY 2025 Labor HHS bill, and is aimed at helping programs implement the new Head Start performance standards.
Open and review this letter.
While NMSHSA supports this request, we urge Members of Congress to make sure the final FY 2025 bill provides at least $12.9 billion for Head Start, as included in the Senate bill, with no less than $544 million for cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA ) and $125 million for Quality Improvement.
With Congress in recess until November 12th and lawmakers campaigning in their home states and districts, MSHS grantees have an opportunity to invite policymakers to visit a MSHS classroom and showcase the impact of the programs on children and farmworker families.