Marking A National Milestone

Floor Speech

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Mr. JAMES. Madam Speaker, this week, on November 29, our Nation marks a milestone, the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

In 1975, President Gerald Ford, Michigan's only and greatest President, signed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act into law, making a simple but powerful promise that every child, no matter their disability, deserves a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive setting possible.

That promise changed America.

Before 1975, more than a million children with disabilities were shut out of public schools. Too many were pushed into charity-run facilities or psychiatric institutions. Far too many were left without any education at all.

We turned that injustice around. IDEA opened doors that had been closed for generations. Since its inception, it has empowered families, equipped teachers, and given children the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.

Today, IDEA protects nearly 8 million students, roughly 15 percent of all public school children in this country. It requires our schools to identify and support students who need services, including children experiencing homelessness and those attending private schools.

For 50 years, IDEA has been the backbone of special education, ensuring access, accountability, and equality for millions.

As we honor IDEA's 50th anniversary, I am proud to introduce the IDEAL Act, a bill that fully funds and strengthens the original IDEA program. This legislation keeps faith with families, teachers, and students by giving them the resources and support they were promised over half a century ago.

It modernizes services, reinforces accountability, and ensures that every child, regardless of circumstance, can reach their God-given potential.

Madam Speaker, 50 years ago, only one in five children with disabilities had access to public education. Today, millions succeed because of IDEA.

With the IDEAL Act, we reaffirm our commitment. We finish the job. We keep moving forward, not backward.

I urge my colleagues to support the IDEAL Act.

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