Who is affected and how:

• Head Start children and families: The primary beneficiaries are children served by Head Start and their families. By providing bridge funding, the legislation reduces the risk of service interruptions, enrollment disruptions, or reduced hours of operation if FY2026 appropriations are delayed.

• Head Start grantees and providers: Local grantees—often nonprofits, community organizations, and local governments—gain short‑term financial certainty and can continue payroll and program operations under the same conditions that applied in FY2025. This reduces administrative strain and the need for short‑term layoffs or service cuts.

• Department of Health and Human Services and Treasury: HHS will administer or oversee spending under existing authorities and must later record obligations against the appropriate FY2026 appropriation once it is enacted. Treasury provides the cash flow as needed until the stopgap triggers occur.

• Federal budget and fiscal exposure: The act creates a contingent near‑term outlay obligation funded from Treasury until FY2026 appropriations are enacted; the ultimate budgetary charge will be applied to the permanent appropriation when enacted. Total cost depends on the length of any gap and the level of Head Start activity maintained.

• Limited broader impact: The measure is narrowly targeted and does not amend program rules, expand eligibility, change benefits, or impose new mandates on states or localities. Administrative complexity is modest—mainly tracking and charging obligations to the correct appropriation once enacted.

Overall effect: Ensures continuity of Head Start services during an appropriations gap with minimal policy change and limited fiscal uncertainty beyond the timing and size of any delay in FY2026 appropriations.