[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 54 (Thursday, May 4, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E639]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     IDEA FULL FUNDING ACT OF 2000

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. ELTON GALLEGLY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 3, 2000

  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4055, the 
(IDEA) Full Funding Act, which sets the federal government on a course 
to reach full funding of the Individual with Disabilities Education Act 
(IDEA). I am a cosponsor of this bipartisan legislation and I want to 
thank the House Leadership or bringing it to the floor for 
consideration.
  Simply put, IDEA has the honorable intent of providing a quality 
public education for children with special needs. It requires school 
districts to provide programs and related services for special needs 
student and commits the federal government to provide 40 percent of the 
cost of those programs. However, since IDEA was implemented in 1975, 
the federal government hasn't been come close to the 40 percent if 
promised. The federal government currently pays only about 12.6 percent 
of the program's costs.
  Because of the financial burden the under funded IDEA program places 
on school districts, the Ventura County Superintendent of Schools and 
other members of my local Education Advisory Council identified IDEA as 
their number one federal education issue. The federal government's 
failure to keep its promises to fund its share of IDEA is putting a 
back breaking strain on local school districts. This shortfall is 
hurting the students the act was designed to help, and every other 
public school student as well.
  H.R. 4055 sets a schedule to meet the 40 percent commitment by fiscal 
year 2010. This bill will authorize increases of $2 billion each year 
to ensure the federal government's commitment becomes reality in 10 
years.
  I am pleased that we are already working toward this goal by 
committing to an additional $2 billion for IDA in the Fiscal Year 2001 
Budget Resolution. However, the IDEA Full Funding Act will ensure we 
meet this goal. I hope we can pass this bill on a bipartisan basis to 
fully fund IDEA and finally make good on our promises.
  I urge my colleagues to support this Bill.

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