Congressman Charles Bass

February 17, 2011

WASHINGTON – Congressman Charles F. Bass (NH-02) praised passage of an amendment to the Continuing Resolution this morning that would restore $557 million in funding for special education grants to states under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The amendment, offered by Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), is fully offset and passed the House of Representatives this morning by a vote of 249-179. Bass spoke in support of the amendment during debate on the House floor late last night.

Bass said:

"When Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act over 35 years ago, Congress established requirements that all students, even those with special needs, received a free, appropriate public education.

"The federal government also made a promise to states to help pay for the extra costs associated with these new requirements. Unfortunately, the federal government has never lived up to that promise, and states and local communities in New Hampshire and across the country have been left with nothing but an unfunded mandate they simply can't afford.

"This fully-offset amendment will restore funding for special education grants so that struggling states aren't left holding the bill by the federal government."

Video of Bass' floor speech on this amendment from last night's debate can be found at http://www.youtube.com/RepCharlesBass.

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