I frequently hear from New Hampshire school board members, school administrators, teachers, and parents regarding the unfair burden placed on their communities by the federal government's failure to pay its fair share of the cost of special education. Most recently, I received a letter from Jay Chandler, the Chairman of the Fall Mountain Regional School District, expressing his concern about the federal government's chronic under funding of special education and the "squabbling" it has caused in his community.

In 1975, when Congress passed the Individual with Disabilities Education Act, which mandated special education, the federal government promised to pay for 40% of the additional cost of educating students with disabilities. Since entering Congress, I have worked to increase federal funding for IDEA from just $2.3 billion, or 5%, in 1995 to the current level of $6.289 billion, or 15%, but that is not enough. I have introduced legislation to mandate full funding of federal assistance for special education.

School boards should not have to cut education budgets, taxpayers shouldn't have to pay higher property taxes, and families with special needs students should never feel isolated or be criticized because the federal government is not paying its fair share of the cost of special education. Last year the House passed, with my strong support, the IDEA Full Funding Act of 2000, which would have authorized increases of $2 billion a year to meet the federal commitment by the year 2010; however, appropriators failed to fund the program at its authorized level and federal funding for special education increased only $1.3 billion.

It is for these reasons and more that I have reintroduced, with 16 original cosponsors, the Mandatory IDEA Funding Act, which would amend the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to change federal funding for special education from discretionary to mandatory spending. Under my bill, which was first introduced last year, the minimum state grant for special education would increase by 5% of the state's cost a year, until full federal funding is reached in 2006. I believe my bill is a responsible alternative to the rhetoric from politicians who unrealistically tout full federal funding now and others who prefer to use the money on other education funding proposals.

Currently, New Hampshire receives from the federal government $27.35 million a year to help provide special needs students with the education to which they are entitled. Under my bill, the state would receive $85.8 million in special education funding by 2006. By mandating full federal funding of special education, Congress would immediately help free up local resources to provide a quality education to all students, including children with disabilities, and help end the wrangling that exist in Fall Mountain School District and other communities.

Furthermore, Congress will consider reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Act next year. By increasing the federal government's financial investment in special education, my bill would apply additional pressure on Congress to make necessary reforms to address the problems that contribute to the high cost of educating students with disabilities, thereby reducing the cost of the program and easing the burden on taxpayers at the local, state, and federal levels.