[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 118 (Friday, July 31, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2153]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND 
               RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2010

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                             of minnesolta

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 24, 2009

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under cousideration of the bill (H.R. 3293) 
     making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health 
     and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for 
     the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other 
     purposes:

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Chair, I rise today in opposition to this 
Republican motion to recommit on the Fiscal Year 2010 Labor, Health and 
Human Services, and Education bill (H.R. 3293).
  Since I was first elected to Congress, I have been advocating for 
more funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
(IDEA). In January, I voted for the American Recovery and Reinvestment 
Act (H.R.1) that included $12.2 billion to help States and localities 
fund special education for 6.7 million students with disabilities. I 
want to note that not one Republican in the House of Representatives 
voted for the Recovery Act that included this vital funding. In the 
109th and 110th Congresses, I introduced the Achieving Our IDEA Act, 
which would guarantee that the federal government meets its commitment 
to provide 40 percent of the cost of educating children with specials 
needs by 2013.
  The bill we have before us today includes $12.58 billion for IDEA and 
I wish it included more. However, we cannot make up 8 years of lost 
ground in a single piece of legislation. This motion to recommit would 
add one billion dollars to the IDEA only by cutting other critical 
investments. If this motion passes, neighbors who have lost their jobs 
would suffer due to reduced funding for Training and Employment 
Services in the Department of Labor. Schools would lose needed funds 
for innovation and improvement. Nonprofits would suffer because the 
Corporation for National and Community Service budget would be reduced 
by 30 percent.
  For these reasons, I will not support this motion and urge a ``no'' 
vote.

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