Klamath Falls, Oregon – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley are urging the Trump administration to go forward with federal financing that has been delayed for a long time. They claim this funding is necessary to keep the Klamath Family Head Start program running in Klamath Falls, Oregon. The senators are asking the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, specifically its Office of Head Start, to release grant money that would let the program pay off a loan it already has and take ownership of its primary building.
Wyden and Merkley wrote a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to express their concerns over what they called months of silence after they submitted a full funding application. The senators said that Klamath Family Head Start made its request more than six months ago and hasn’t heard anything about the review since then.
They said that delay now has serious effects. Klamath Family Head Start’s lender has told them that the current mortgage extension will only be in effect until December 18, 2025. If the Office of Head Start doesn’t do anything before that date, the organization could lose the facility that is the center of its activities.
Wyden and Merkley highlighted how deeply rooted the program is in the area. Since 1980, Klamath Family Head Start has been helping families in the area, and it has become a key aspect of early childhood education in this remote portion of the state. The center now serves 180 kids and their families and has more than 40 staff members.
The senators warned that losing the building would not only cost money, but it would also be a huge problem for families that rely on the program every day. They said that a forced eviction or sudden move because of a protracted federal assessment would be hard for kids, parents, and staff.
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Wyden and Merkley wrote a letter asking for an update on the grant application and a clear timeframe showing when the Office of Head Start plans to finish its evaluation. They highlighted that quick action by the federal government is necessary to protect a community resource that has been around for a long time.
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The senators said they want accountability and urgency because the future of a trusted local program now depends on what happens in Washington.
The full letter is here.
