Washington | June 30, 2010 - As Congress continues to work on revising and updating the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and prepares for the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) next year, I was pleased that earlier this week, the House of Representatives passed legislation to highlight the critical role special education teachers play in providing equity and support for students with disabilities.

As the Senior Republican of the House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, which has jurisdiction over this issue, as the author of the 2004 IDEA, and as a cosponsor of the Everyone Deserves Unconditional Access to Education (EDUCATE) Act to provide full federal funding of IDEA, I was proud to cosponsor this bill, and I welcome this opportunity to commend special education teachers for their dedication to providing individuals with special needs with quality life skills.  I look forward to working with them and others in the advocacy community, as well as my colleagues in the House of Representatives to ensure students with disabilities receive the same high-quality education as their peers.

To voice your support for all educators or to learn more about my work on education and other important issues, please visit my website.