Russ Feingold: “Mr. President, I promised to hold a town meeting or listening session in each of Wisconsin's 62 counties each year of my…”

“Mr. President, I promised to hold a town meeting or listening session in each of Wisconsin's 62 counties each year of my first term as a Senator. At these meetings I very frequently hear from both parents and school officials talking about the merits of the IDEA program. They struggle to meet the high costs of disabled education and need additional Federal funding for the program. Of course, this amendment, as good as it is, will by no means meet all of these needs. However, it will finally provide some deserved relief for this deserving constituency. The funds our amendment provides for the IDEA program are derived, as the Senator from Arkansas has indicated, from the elimination of the percentage depletion allowances tax deduction for companies mining on U.S. public lands. What this does is simply close an outdated subsidy that contributes to environmental degradation. We can assist States providing for our Nation's disabled youth by using some of these funds that are going for tax loopholes.”