[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 146 (Wednesday, October 14, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H10838]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 SUPPORT FUNDING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION

  (Mr. BASS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. BASS. Mr. Speaker, 25 years ago the Congress passed the 
Individuals with Disability Education Act, and contained therein was a 
mandate that the Federal Government should supply 40 percent of the 
funding to teach disabled children. To date we have broken the record 
at 12 percent.
  Mr. Speaker, let me suggest to my colleagues that in the course of 
these negotiations Republicans and Democrats should join together and 
urge the budget negotiators to fulfill the unfunded mandate for special 
education because fulfilling that unfunded mandate will not only help 
teachers, but it will help school administrators, it will help 
principals, it will help parents, it will help taxpayers, and most 
importantly, it will help the children of America.
  Let us get together and agree on something that Republicans and 
Democrats can move forward on. Let us put more money into special 
education because it helps the entire educational system across this 
country.
  I urge my colleagues to call my office and join me in urging the 
negotiators to support special education when it really counts, and it 
counts today.

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