Washington, D.C. – A leading advocate on the issue of education reform, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey (D-Petaluma) was recently honored for her work on behalf of children with disabilities.  The Council of Exceptional Children (CEC) presented Woolsey with their Outstanding Public Service Award during a ceremony in Washington.

The award, which is presented annually to a single member of the House, was in honor of Woolsey’s continued focus on education reform, particularly her efforts in helping to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education ACT (IDEA).

“Thirty-one years ago, Congress promised to fully fund IDEA,” Woolsey said in her remarks.  “We’ve made some progress, but we’re not even halfway there and now the President and House leaders want to take us backwards."

The CEC is a national organization that works on behalf of special needs children, both those with disabilities, as well as the gifted.  Woolsey, the Ranking Member on the House Subcommittee on Education Reform, warned the audience to hold their elected officials accountable in fully funding our nation’s education system.

“As you visit your Members of Congress today, I’m sure that every one of them will tell you they support full funding for IDEA.  But, many of them will tell you that money is short and that we can’t keep our promise right now,” Woolsey said.  “I want you to remind them that money is short because of bad decisions that the President and this Congress have made about how to invest our country’s resources.

“They’ve decided to invest billions of dollars in tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans instead of ensuring that future generations of Americans receive the education they need and deserve.

"I also want you to remind them that when they vote for a budget that doesn’t invest in our children, they’re voting against values that the American people support.”