Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and six of her colleagues, Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Bob Casey (D-PA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), and Tina Smith (D-MN) sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) urging the Secretary to expand Head Start’s public assistance eligibility definition to include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). This action, which is allowable under current law, would ensure that additional at-risk children and families can access Head Start and Early Head Start.

The Hassan letter is the second Sec. Beccera has received from Congress on the topic of eligibility. In December 2021, Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA-40), along with Reps. Bass (D-CA-37), Chu (D-CA-27), Correa (D-CA-46), Lee (D-CA-13), Lieu (D-CA-33), Sánchez (D-CA-38), Sherman (D-CA-30), and Torres (D-CA-35), sent a letter urging the secretary to temporarily accept SNAP eligibility as proof of Head Start eligibility.