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JEFFORDS FIGHTS TO FULLY FUND
SPECIAL
EDUCATION
- AMENDMENT TO BUDGET RESOLUTION WATERED
DOWN -
WASHINGTON, D.C. --U.S. Sen. Jim Jeffords, R - Vt., today tried
to move the federal government one step closer to meeting its
obligation of fully funding its share of special education .
Unfortunately, the U.S. Senate voted to water down Jeffords'
proposal to the Budget Resolution currently under consideration.
Jeffords' amendment would have mandated that the federal
government increase spending for special education by $2
billion each year for five years. The amendment would have
raised federal special education funding from $5 billion per year to
close to $16 billion per year.
The Senate approved on a 53 to 47 vote, a substitute amendment to
Jeffords' proposal making it a non-binding Sense of the Senate
resolution to fully fund special education.
"In 1975 we made a commitment to fully fund IDEA. If
25 years later we cannot meet this commitment, in an era of
unprecedented economic prosperity and budgetary surpluses, when do
we plan to keep this pledge? The American people have a right
to ask us--If not now, when?," said Jeffords.
In 1975, the federal government promised it would provide 40
percent of the national average per pupil expenditure for each child
with a disability being educated by our nation's schools. Last
year it provided 12.5 percent.
"I am disappointed that my amendment was watered down," said
Jeffords. "But the good news is that the Senate has again gone
on the record in support of fully funding special education. I
will continue to fight for what I believe is the most important
education issue before this nation. This issue won't go away
and neither will I."
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