[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 58 (Wednesday, May 7, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S4115]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. JEFFORDS (for himself, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Lott, Mr. Kennedy, 
        Mr. Coats, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Gregg, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Frist, Mr. 
        DeWine, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Hutchinson, Mrs. Murray, Ms. Collins, Mr. 
        Warner, Mr. McConnell, and Mr. Reed):
  S. 717. A bill to amend the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
Act, to reauthorize and make improvements to that Act, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.


   THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT AMENDMENTS OF 1997

  Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, today along with 16 of my colleagues, I 
am introducing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
Amendments of 1997. This legislation is the product of 4 months of 
intensive discussion among members of the committee, the House 
Committee on Education and the Workforce, and officials from the U.S. 
Department of Education.
  The process followed in developing this legislation was unprecedented 
and demonstrates the high priority all involved place on the importance 
of the education of children with disabilities, their parents, and 
their educators.
  Many people and organizations have helped us to develop this 
legislation. I would like to name just a few.
  First and foremost, I wish to thank the Majority Leader Trent Lott 
for his unwavering support, and, in particular for the assistance of 
his Chief of Staff, Dave Hoppe. It is my firm belief that without their 
commitment to the process that we could not have produced this bill.
  I would also like to thank my colleagues Senators Kennedy, Coats, 
Harkin, and Gregg, and especially, Chairman Goodling, Mr. Clay and our 
other colleagues in the House, and Secretary Riley, and Assistant 
Secretary Heumann.
  I also wish to especially thank Senator Frist, who set the direction 
and standard that led us in our efforts to reauthorize IDEA in the last 
Congress.
  I introduce this bill in a much different climate than the one in 
which Congress first addressed the issue. In 1975, responding to 
numerous Federal court cases, Congress passed Public Law 94-142 which 
guaranteed all children with disabilities a ``free and appropriate 
public education,'' and promised that the Federal Government would 
contribute 40 percent of the costs of special education. It is 22 years 
later and today we are on the threshold of honoring that commitment.
  Our efforts in drafting this legislation are driven by a common 
belief that education is our No. 1 national priority, and that meeting 
the needs of our children includes meeting the needs our 5.1 million 
children with disabilities. In this bill we address several important 
issues: How to increase the flow of Federal dollars to local school 
districts; how to expand opportunities for children with disabilities 
to participate and succeed in the classroom along with their 
nondisabled peers; and how to ensure the appropriate participation of 
children with disabilities in State and district-wide assessments of 
student progress.
  I hope all of my colleagues will support this legislation when it is 
considered. It's importance has been demonstrated by the collaborative 
process in which it was developed, and the valuable group of Americans 
it is intended to serve.
  Thank you, Mr. President.

                          ____________________