11 1 "APPLICABILITY OF OTHER PROVISIONS OF FEDERAL LAW 2 "SEC. 508. The provisions of title II of this Act with 3 respect to fiscal responsibility, accounting, and audit (section 4 243) and personnel standards for assisted projects (section 5 244 (2)) shall be applicable to the comprehensive child 6 development program authorized by this title to the extent 7 not inconsistent with the provisions of this title. οι 8 "DURATION OF THE PROGRAM 9 "SEC. 509. The Director shall carry out the provisions 10 of this title during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1970, 11 and the five succeeding fiscal years." 12 13 ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS SEC. 3. (a) Section 225 (a) of the Economic Opportu14 nity Act of 1964 is amended by striking out the word "and" 15 immediately following "section 221," and by inserting "and 16 for assisting child development projects provided for in title 17 V of this Act," immediately following "section 222 (a),”. (b) Section 225 (b) of such Act is amended by insert19 ing "and for the child development program provided for in 20 title V of this Act" immediately following "section 222 (a)”. 18 21 22 TECHNICAL AMENDMENT SEC. 4. Section 222 (a) of the Economic Opportunity 23 Act of 1964 is amended by striking out paragraph (1) of 12 1 that section and by renumbering its subsequent paragraphs 2 accordingly. 3 4 AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS SEC. 5. For the purpose of carrying out the programs 5 under title V of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, 6 there is hereby authorized to be appropriated for the fiscal 7 year ending June 30, 1970, the sum of $1,200,000,000, for 8 the fiscal year ending June 30, 1971, the sum of $2,100,9 000,000, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1972, the sum 10 of $3,000,000,000, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1973, 11 the sum of $4,000,000,000, and for the fiscal year ending 12 June 30, 1974, the sum of $5,000,000,000. This measure, amending the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, would greatly strengthen and expand programs in early childhood development. It would offer preschool children from poverty areas needed health care, nutritional aid, educational assistance, and social services. It would attack the conditions of poverty that can cripple a child's intellect for life. It would, in short, help impoverished children reach their full potential. Mr. Chairman, the critical effect of the first years of life has been well documented. We know that the beginning years of life are the most important for a child's intellectual growth and for his social, emotional, physical, and motivational development. We know, for example, that about 50 percent of an individual's intellectual development takes place between conception and age 4, another 30 percent between ages 4 and 8, and only about 20 percent between ages 8 and 17. These early years are the formative years they are the years in which permanent foundations are laid for a child's feelings of self-worth, his sense of self-respect, his motivation, his initiative, and his ability to learn and achieve. Research reveals, however, that as early as 18 months of age, disadvantaged children start falling behind middle-class children in tests of language development, and general intelligence. It reveals, furthermore, that this intellectual gap between poor and nonpoor children that appears so early in life tends to grow larger over time. It was an understanding of the relationship between early childhood deprivation and the cycle of poverty that led to the creation and development of Project Headstart, and the funding of numerous very promising pilot and demonstration projects in early childhood education, health and nutrition. While few would contend that we have found all the solutions to early childhood handicaps, the results of the work to this point clearly indicate that we know how to prevent a great deal of nutritional, health and intellectual damage from occurring. We know without doubt, that by providing health care and nutritious diets to pregnant women and infants we can detect, prevent or connect conditions that otherwise could cause damage, and we know that proper educational stimulation can help disadvantaged children gain a more equal start at school. We know, in short, a great deal about how to help poor children gain a better chance to reach their full potential. I believe our knowledge of the problems and potentials in early childhood development points to the need to take affirmative action now. We know beyond a doubt that unless infants and young children receive adequate nutrition, health care and intellectual stimulation their potential is severely compromised, and the cycle of poverty is perpetuated. We know that the time to prevent cultural and nutritional retardation is in infancy and the early years. I have been very encouraged to read statements by the President and other administration officials indicating their knowledge of the need for new and expanded efforts in early childhood development. President Nixon, for example, in his February 19 economic opportunity message to Congress, called for "a new national commitment to the crucial early years of life." In that message, the President described the relationship between early childhood deprivation and the cycle of poverty and spoke about the need to act on the new knowledg which has been accumulated on the critical importance of a child. For too long, at the national level, we have resorted to rhetoric. We have authorized dreams, and then appropriated only peanuts. I think the great, cynical gaps between the Government and the people exists because what we claim we will do seldom materializes. I am afraid we are going to have the same problem in the child programs. They will meet the same result unless we fund them. I concur completely with the priority President Nixon said must be placed upon the first 5 years of life in this special message. But we need more than escalated rhetoric and administrative windowdressing to meet this need and implement this national commitment. We need legislation and we need funds. I believe the choice before us now is a simple one. We can act to equalize opportunities by significantly increasing our investment in comprehensive early childhood programs now or we can postpone investing heavily in early childhood, and continue paying the high social and economic cost of poverty, human misery, and incompetence. I, for one, choose to meet our responsibilities rather than ignore them. I choose to give substance to the "new national commitment" President Nixon spoke of, by investing now the necessary funds in that effort. I offer the Headstart Child Development Act of 1969 as a means to that end. I ask, Mr. Chairman, that a copy of S. 2060, and an analysis of the bill's provisions, be placed in the hearing record at this point. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Senator NELSON. Thank you, Senator Mondale. I commend Senator Mondale for what I think is a piece of landmark legislation. I would hope that testimony we hear here over the next three days will amply support the justifications for the passage of this legislation. Our first witness is Dr. Robert S. Mendelsohn, associate professor and director, division of community pediatrics, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, Ill. STATEMENT OF DR. ROBERT S. MENDELSOHN, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AND DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF COMMUNITY PEDIATRICS, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, CHICAGO, ILL. Senator NELSON. Dr. Mendelsohn, your earlier testimony before the House Education and Labor Committee helped to center a great deal of attention on the Headstart program, and its accomplishments, especially as compared with the public school system. That subjected you to some rather unfortunate retaliation. I think the members of this committee, regardless of party, are anxious to hear the actual experiences of those who have been intimately involved in programs such as Headstart. For the record, I would appreciate it if you would outline for the committee your own background as a pediatrician and as an educator, and as a consultant to the Headstart program. It is this background, in my opinion, which makes your testimony eso uniquely valuable. Dr. MENDELSOHN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am Robert S. Mendelsohn. My competency lies in the field of pediatrics and child development. My present position is associate professor and director, division of community pediatrics, University of Illinois College of Medicine. In addition, I hold a joint appointment as lecturer in education, Loyola University, and faculty member of the Erikson Institute for Early Education. At the outset, I would like to congratulate the chairman of the committee and the members of the committee for undertaking this important assignment. I would like to indicate the honor that I feel personally at being selected as the opening witness in the series that are going to follow in the next 3 days. I have looked over the list of those who are about to testify, and they include some of the most renowned names in the field of child development, and I feel a great sense of responsibility in joining those names. I would predict for the committee that the testimony that will be heard and the documents that will ensue from these hearings will probably constitute one of the most important contributions, not only to the welfare of children, but also, from a professional standpoint, to the field of child development in this country. I have a prepared statement which, with your permission, I would like to present at this time. Senator NELSON. You may present it however you desire, and recognizing that it isn't always possible to include everything in the prepared statement you might desire, feel free to extemporize. I assume you have no objection to occasionally being interrupted by questions. Dr. MENDELSOHN. I would welcome such interruptions and such questions in order to heighten the focus of certain points. My experience in Project Headstart began in 1965 as a consultant to local projects. Later I served as Medical Director, Project Headstart, Cook County OEO, and, finally, until March 1969, as Director of the Medical Consultation Service, Project Headstart, American Academy of Pediatrics. The purpose of my testimony today is to support the continuation and extension of Project Headstart, with special attention to Senate bill S. 2060 introduced by Senator Walter F. Mondale, and entitled "Headstart Child Development Act of 1969." I speak in my individual capacity and in response to an invitation contained in a very kind letter addressed to me by Senator Gaylord Nelson, dated March 27, 1969. At this point, I would like to interject my appreciation to Senator Nelson for his repeated kindnesses to me over the last several months. As was already mentioned, on March 24, 1969, I gave testimony on Project Headstart and the Medical Consultation Service before the Ad Hoc Hearing Task Force on Poverty of the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives, Congressman Carl D. Perkins, chairman. I will attempt to avoid repetition of the testimony presented at that hearing. At the outset, I wish to indicate my general agreement with S. 2060. It is not necessary or proper for me to repeat its contents. However, certain points merit special attention because of their unusual nature as well as their critical importance. There are four areas I intend to discuss. These are often misunderstood or inadequately appreciated by both the public and by some professionals. Clarification of these areas may enable the committee to better comprehend and cope with points that may be raised by the witnesses that follow in the next few days S. 2060 and Project Headstart are based on collaboration betwee |