Jim Nussle: “I rise in support of H.R. 1350, which reforms and re-Authorizes the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 1350, which reforms and re-Authorizes the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Nation's primary special education law. This reauthorization of IDEA offers an opportunity to renew our commitment to students with special needs in Iowa and across the country. IDEA laws and funding decisions impact all students, regardless of whether they have special educational needs. I commend the Education Committee for authorizing in this bill special education funding increases for the next two years in line with the amounts provided in the fiscal year 2004 conference budget resolution. This includes a $2.2 billion increase in 2004, followed by another $2.5 billion increases on top of that for 2005. These funding increases would bring us more than halfway toward our ultimate goal of funding 40 percent of the national average per pupil expenditure for each child served under IDEA. These funding levels will result in the Federal Government paying 21 percent of these costs in 2004 and 25 percent the following year. Let's take a moment to acknowledge just how far we have come in funding special education in recent years. The increases in this bill build upon the dramatic rise in special education funding already provided by the Republican Congress. Since 1995, annual special education funding has risen from $2.3 billion to $8.9 billion. We've gone from 7 percent Federal funding to 17 percent.”