[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 52 (Tuesday, May 2, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E609]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SUPPORTING THE FULL FUNDING OF THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES 
                             EDUCATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 2, 2000

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4055, the 
IDEA Funding Act.
  I am happy that this Congress has finally decided to vote on 
substantive legislation that puts our children first. Hopefully, this 
vote is an indication of this Congress' national commitment to our 
children in the upcoming reauthorization of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act (ESEA).
  Over 25 years ago, Congress promised to pay 40 percent of the 
national average per pupil expenditure of all children with 
disabilities. However, the government has never funded more than 12.6 
percent. This lack of funding has placed severe strains on local school 
district's budgets.
  Today's vote provides the necessary financial resources to help our 
local school districts to provide a first rate education to students 
with disabilities as well as freeing up resources to be used for the 
education of other students.
  Although it has taken 25 years for the Congress to seriously address 
this funding issue, the fact that there is a funding formula has made 
Congress accountable to providing these funds. Educators have been able 
to point out that Congressional funding for IDEA has fallen far short 
from what was promised to each disabled student. This link between 
program funding and the student provides Congress with an accurate 
measure of the amount of increased funding that is necessary to keep up 
with the inflationary increases in a student's education.
  This fact should not be lost when we debate and vote on the 
reauthorization of ESEA later this year. There have been many bills 
introduced that would break the connection of Federal funding to each 
student by block granting these programs. The effect of creating block 
grants in such programs as title I will result in fewer poor children 
receiving the adequate funds to provide them a good education.
  I ask my colleagues in the majority to remember the pressures that 
have caused Congress to vote on this bill today and how much its 
passage will positively impact the education of disabled children 
throughout the United States, I urge them to remember this when they 
vote on the reauthorization of ESEA.

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