On the recordMay 12, 2004
we just voted--I did, and so many of us-- to say we want to get more money into special education. That is what the Gregg amendment says, that we want to increase authorizations. Right now, under present law, we can do whatever we want because it authorizes such sums as necessary. The Senator from New Hampshire put in there specific amounts, but it does not add one nickel to special education. The next amendment, the Hagel and Harkin amendment, does that. It adds real money in mandatory spending, $2.2 billion a year for 6 years to get to that 40-percent level we promised 30 years ago. This is one of the biggest unfunded mandates we have in our country. It is time that Congress lives up to the promise we made 30 years ago to help fund special education. I ask for an aye vote on the Harkin-Hagel amendment.
Source
govinfo.gov
