[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 30 (Thursday, March 8, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2079-S2080]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SANTORUM:
  S. 496. A bill to amend the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
Act to modify authorizations of appropriations for programs under such 
Act; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, today, I am introducing legislation to 
dramatically increase funding for the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act, IDEA. My legislation would more than double the federal 
commitment to IDEA funding within four years. The legislation, 
``Growing Resources in Educational Achievement for Today and 
Tomorrow,'' GREATT IDEA, will take significant steps toward fulfilling 
the federal commitment to IDEA funding. The legislation will also free 
up additional funds for local school districts to be spent on their 
highest priorities, whether it be teacher training or salaries, 
reducing class sizes, school construction, library resources, 
technology, or music and arts education. The legislation is supported 
by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association and Pennsylvania Governor 
Tom Ridge.

[[Page S2080]]

  Every child is deserving of a high-quality education in an 
environment that encourages them to learn and grow to the best of their 
ability. Thanks to IDEA, many students are learning and achieving at 
levels previously thought impossible, graduating from high school, 
going to college and entering the workforce as productive citizens. We 
must encourage this progress and continue to give parents and teachers 
the resources they need to create opportunities for special children. 
By boldly increasing the IDEA funding level, we can keep more students 
in schools and help them achieve new measures of success.
  Prior to IDEA's implementation in 1975, approximately 1 million 
children with disabilities were shut out of schools and hundreds of 
thousands more were denied appropriate services. Since then, IDEA has 
helped change the lives of these children. Congress had originally 
committed to cover 40 percent of IDEA's costs when it passed the 
original IDEA bill in 1975, with the remaining balance to be met by 
local communities and states. Over the years, however, while the law 
itself continues to work and children are being educated, the intended 
cost-sharing partnership has not been realized. The federal commitment 
of 40 percent will be reached within eight years if the funding stream 
established in GREATT IDEA is sustained. This is my first priority in 
helping local school districts provide the best education possible for 
elementary and secondary education.
  I urge my colleagues to support this effort to double funding for 
IDEA within the next four years as we continue to work to fulfill this 
long neglected federal commitment and free up educational resources for 
local education. I am pleased with the funding progress we were able to 
make this past year. Yet, this legislation goes further by fully 
funding approximately 700,000 additional IDEA students at an average 
cost of $13,860 per student. We must accelerate the progress we have 
made by passing and funding this legislation.
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