U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono, along with fellow Senators Alex Padilla, Ben Ray Lujan, and Raphael Warnock, has raised concerns over the recent termination of numerous staff at the Office of Head Start (OHS) and the Office of Child Care (OCC). In a letter addressed to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Hirono and 27 other Senators criticized the move, urging the reinstatement of the affected employees. They argued that these actions by the Trump Administration could severely restrict access to child care services and undercut federal oversight and administration of billions in early childhood program investments.
The personnel cutbacks resulted in the closure of five regional offices, affecting locations in San Francisco, Boston, New York, Chicago, and Seattle. The Senators described these layoffs as indiscriminate, highlighting that they did not take into account employee performance, and expressed concern over their potential disruption to services that families and child care providers rely on.
“The termination of staff is alarming and will compound the challenges already facing these programs and services…with no clear planning nor considerations for how early childhood services will be impacted,” wrote the lawmakers.
OHS plays a significant role in supporting nearly 800,000 children through comprehensive services, while the OCC administers the Child Care Development Fund, assisting over 1.3 million low-income children monthly. Hirono and her colleagues emphasized the adverse effects of these terminations amid an unaffordable and increasingly complex child care landscape.
The letter was signed by 28 Senators, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and was endorsed by major organizations like the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Women’s Law Center. The Senators called for a detailed response by April 11, outlining the extent and reasoning behind the staff cuts and plans to mitigate disruptions.
“This attack on employees at a time when children, families, child care providers, and early educators are relying on critical early childhood programs undermines the Department’s role in administering and conducting oversight of early childhood programs,” noted the lawmakers.
The full text of the letter is addressed directly to Secretary Kennedy, seeking immediate action and clarifications on the matter.