Congresswoman Cheri Bustos says more cuts to child care services are likely coming if federal sequestration remains next year. Bustos made those comments visiting Webster Head Start in Peoria. The federal sequester this spring cut $400 Million dollars from the national Head-Start program. Bustos says the financial impact will continue past October first:
“Part of the talk on the budget for 2014 is that sequestration would stay in effect. So it will build on those reduced hours and the reduced number of kids and families that can be served through programs like Head Start,” Bustos says.
Bustos says the state’s Head Start program will serve 16-hundred fewer children this year alone because of the sequester. She also says the House needs to avoid a government shutdown without also defunding National Health Care reform. The Democratic Congresswoman from East Moline also talked tax reform with Caterpillar CEO Doug Oberhelman and toured the East Peoria Caterpillar plant.