On the recordSeptember 12, 2018
Today I introduce the IDEA Parity for Outlying Areas Act, which would amend the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to better support students with disabilities in our smaller U.S. territories and the Freely Associated States. During my final congressional address to my constituents in Guam, I pledged to sponsor this important legislation for our youngsters and students with disabilities, as well as their families. I want to give special recognition to Ms. Nadia Pablo, who interned in my office this past summer, for her work in developing this legislation with my staff. Ms. Pablo currently attends Virginia Commonwealth University, where she is studying to become an occupational therapist and pursue a rewarding career working with people with disabilities. The IDEA Parity for Outlying Areas Act would ensure that American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, classified as outlying areas by the U.S. Department of Education, receive their fair share of Federal funding to serve students with disabilities and their families. The intent of Congress, outlined in current Federal law, is that the U.S. Department of Education set aside a fixed percentage of available Federal funding each year for the four outlying U.S. territories and the three Freely Associated States in the Pacific. However, the U.S. Department of Education frequently allocates far less than the 1 percent reserved for the outlying areas under current law.…
