[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 684 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 684

Recognizing the 35th anniversary of the enactment of the Education for 
                 All Handicapped Children Act of 1975.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 18, 2010

  Mr. Harkin (for himself, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Brown of Massachusetts, Mr. 
  Brown of Ohio, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. 
   Feinstein, Mr. Franken, Mr. Gregg, Mr. Hatch, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. 
Isakson, Mr. Johanns, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Mikulski, Mrs. 
   Murray, Mr. Reed, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Sanders, Mr. 
 Tester, Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mr. Vitter, Mr. Voinovich, Mr. Warner, 
    Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Barrasso, and Ms. Murkowski) submitted the 
        following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the 35th anniversary of the enactment of the Education for 
                 All Handicapped Children Act of 1975.

Whereas the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (Public Law 94-
        142) was signed into law 35 years ago on November 29;
Whereas the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 established the 
        Federal policy of ensuring that all children, regardless of the nature 
        or severity of their disability, have available to them a free 
        appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment;
Whereas the Education of the Handicapped Act (Public Law 91-230), as amended by 
        the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, was further 
        amended by the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986 
        (Public Law 99-457) to create a preschool grant program for children 
        with disabilities 3 to 5 years of age and an early intervention program 
        for infants and toddlers with disabilities from birth through age 2;
Whereas the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1990 (Public Law 101-
        476) renamed the Education of the Handicapped Act as the Individuals 
        with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.);
Whereas IDEA was amended by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
        Amendments of 1997 (Public Law 105-17) to ensure that children with 
        disabilities have equal access to, and make progress in, the general 
        education curriculum and are included in all general State and district-
        wide assessment programs;
Whereas IDEA was amended by the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
        Improvement Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-446) to ensure that all children 
        with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public 
        education that emphasizes special education and related services 
        designed to meet their individual needs and prepare them for further 
        education, employment, and independent living;
Whereas IDEA currently serves an estimated 342,000 infants and toddlers, 709,000 
        preschoolers, and 5,890,000 children 6 to 21 years of age;
Whereas IDEA has opened neighborhood schools to students with disabilities and 
        increased the number of children living in their communities instead of 
        institutions;
Whereas the academic achievement of students with disabilities has significantly 
        increased since the enactment of IDEA;
Whereas the number of children with disabilities who complete high school with a 
        standard diploma has grown significantly since the enactment of IDEA;
Whereas the number of children with disabilities who enroll in institutions of 
        higher education has more than tripled since the enactment of IDEA;
Whereas IDEA requires partnership among parents of children with disabilities 
        and education professionals in the design and implementation of the 
        educational services provided to children with disabilities;
Whereas the achievement of students with disabilities is integrally linked with 
        the successful alignment of special and general education systems;
Whereas IDEA has increased the quality of research in effective teaching 
        practices for students with disabilities; and
Whereas IDEA continues to serve as the framework to marshal the resources of 
        this Nation to implement the promise of full participation in society of 
        children with disabilities: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes the 35th anniversary of the enactment of the 
        Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (Public Law 
        94-142);
            (2) acknowledges the many and varied contributions of 
        children with disabilities and their parents, teachers, related 
        services personnel, and administrators; and
            (3) reaffirms its support for the Individuals with 
        Disabilities Education Act so that all children with 
        disabilities have access to a free appropriate public education 
        in the least restrictive environment and the opportunity to 
        benefit from the general education curriculum and be prepared 
        for further education, employment, and independent living.
                                 <all>