“Donald Trump isn’t helping Idaho families; he’s hurting them. His reckless actions put Head Start preschool programs on the brink of closure, leaving Idaho parents without the child care they need to work. And how are Republican leaders like Brad Little and Mike Simpson responding to this blatant attack on Congressionally-approved early learning? With silence and complicity. They won’t lift a finger to stop Trump’s end-run around the Constitution, even as Idaho families pay the price. This is just the start of the damage Trump and his Project 2025 loyalists have in store. Idaho Democrats won’t stand by in silence. We will fight back, and voters will see who is looking out for their best interests and who is willing to sell them out.”

NEW: Head Start locations across southwest Idaho may be forced to shut down, leaving staff without pay, after Donald Trump and his Project 2025 loyalists froze federal funding last week.

Idaho Head Start Association: “Our own WICAP Head Start serving 465 kids and families in Western Idaho is among the group of Head Starts across the country unable to access their funds. 125 staff paychecks are on the line…”

KTVB: “Idaho nonprofit running Head Start program locked out of federal funding”

“A week after President Donald Trump tried to freeze federal funding, a nonprofit that runs Head Start in six southwest Idaho counties still cannot access its money.”

Idaho Statesman: “Trump’s grant freeze was halted, but an Idaho nonprofit serving kids can’t get its money”

“Administrators of the program had tried to draw funds from its bank account, only to find that the money wasn’t there.”

“More than 450 families rely on the partnership.”

“Last year, the program served thousands of Idahoans. There are 270 Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms in the state…”

“The freeze means that over 100 staff members could miss a paycheck, Wollen said. The program has locations in Nampa, Caldwell, Emmett, Weiser, Marsing, Payette, Wilder and Donnelly.”

“‘I tried to get some urgency from the governor’s office and they didn’t really want to do anything,’ Woller said. ‘In so many words, they said that they can’t tell the president what to do…’”

“Gov. Brad Little’s office did not respond to a request for comment.”

“A spokesperson for Rep. Mike Simpson, the only Idaho member of Congress who serves on an appropriations committee that recommends spending for programs including Head Start, also did not respond to a request for comment.”

Trump’s disastrous funding freeze and efforts to cut Head Start are the brainchild of Russ Vought, a “chief architect“ of Project 2025.

Project 2025’s Mandate for Leadership, pg. 482: “Eliminate the Head Start program.”

Washington Post: “The White House memo announcing a federal spending freeze, rescinded Wednesday afternoon amid chaos and backlash, was the brainchild of Russell Vought, President Donald Trump’s pick to direct the Office of Management and Budget. Stephen Miller, deputy White House chief of staff, explained on CNN that Vought felt that the freeze was needed. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at her first briefing that Vought asked her to convey that ‘the line to his office is open’ if agency heads ‘feel that programs are necessary.’”

Politico: “The memo, which throws into jeopardy billions of federal assistance for programs like providing school meals and supporting homeless veterans, hews closely to the strategy Trump’s pick for OMB director Russell Vought sketched out for bringing the federal bureaucracy to heel in Project 2025’s second chapter. …

“While Vought has yet to be confirmed by the Senate, multiple people close to the administration told POLITICO that both he and Trump policy chief Stephen Miller have played key roles in the funding freeze.”

Eliminating funding for Head Start — a popular program that helps nearly a million Americans annually — would wreak havoc on the economy and cost hardworking American families an extra $12,000 a year on child care.

First Five Years Fund: “Providing greater funding to Head Start and Early Head Start to support families with the greatest needs. – 80% support (including 71% of Republicans and 89% of Democrats)”

Office of Head Start: “Since its inception in 1965, the Head Start program has served about 39 million children and their families.”

Office of Head Start: “This National Services Snapshot [2023-2024] summarizes key data on demographics and services for children from birth to age five and pregnant women served by Head Start …

“Total cumulative enrollment … 805,660 …

“Children total cumulative enrollment … 792,147 …

“Pregnant women total cumulative enrollment … 13,513.”

CNN: “Nationwide, the average annual cost of care rose to $11,582 per child last year, up 3.7% from the prior year.”