Rep. Barragán Briefs: Letter Urges Connection of Homeless Children to Federal Early Learning Programs and Bill to Improve Medication Access for Pediatric Cancer Patients Passes House

Rep. Barragán Leads Letter to Urge the Connection of Homeless Children to Federal Early Learning Programs

Washington, D.C. —  Ahead of Head Start Awareness Month in October, Rep. Nanette Barragán (CA-44)  last month led 56 Members of Congress in a letter requesting director of the Office of Head Start Khari Gavin to increase efforts to connect children and families that experience homelessness to federal Head Start programs.

“[A]ccess to early childhood education remains out of reach for many homeless families and their children” the Members wrote. “With the number of homeless families having increased by nearly 16% in 2023, the federal government must continue to explore avenues to help address barriers to housing and protect the well-being of children experiencing homelessness”.

The letter calls the Office of Head Start to take the following actions:

1. Raise awareness of family homelessness and automatic eligibility for children experiencing homelessness in the Head Start programs.
2. Issue guidance clarifying how Head Start providers can use federal funds to provide child development programs in affordable housing and homelessness services sites.
3. Work with the Education Dept. and HUD to provide guidance and technical assistance to state, local, and community stakeholders on building partnerships
4. Establish partnerships with state entities to overcome licensing, building classification, and building and fire code issues that could hinder partnerships between housing and Head Start providers.
5. Release a Request for Information on how the agency can amend regulations to better provider coordination, such as co-locating services at housing projects or shelters or providing housing vouchers at childcare locations.
6. Provide information on the regulatory and administrative barriers that Head Start programs encounter when working to improve the lives of children experiencing homelessness and any specific authority needed to remove these barriers and allow for rapid resource deployment.

Rep. Barragán Bill Language to Improve Access to Drugs for Pediatric Cancer Patients Passes House

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A provision from Rep. Nanette Barragán’s (CA-44) Creating Hope Reauthorization Act, which she co-leads, Oct 1 passed the House of Representatives. The provision would reauthorize the FDA priority review voucher program to incentivize pharmaceutical companies to develop new drugs for children with rare diseases.
The provision was included in the Give Kids a Chance Act of 2024 that unanimously passed the House Oct. 1. The Give Kids a Chance Act of 2024 would provide the Food and Drug Administration or FDA the authority to require pediatric cancer trials for certain new drugs.

The Give Kids a Chance Act of 2024 would reauthorize the Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher (PRV) for another five years.