Protecting Education for Children with Disabilities

Floor Speech

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Mrs. McIVER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Hayes) so much for leading this Special Order hour.

Mr. Speaker, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Department of Education are vital to all communities, including the one I represent.

Nearly one in five students in New Jersey is served under IDEA. Without this support, almost a quarter-million students would be denied an adequate education.

My district, New Jersey's 10th Congressional District, receives $98 million in title I and special education grants. How will our schools support these students without these funds?

As a former education administrator, I know firsthand the impact IDEA funding makes on students who need it the most. Without Federal funding, States and local communities would have to cover the costs, but your ZIP Code should not determine if you deserve to have your children's educational needs met.

As a public school mom, this is deeply personal for me. People in my community and communities across the Nation are scared.

My office recently received a letter from Alexander, a special education and social studies teacher in my district. Alexander is worried about what funding cuts would mean for his students, who are among the most vulnerable and underserved.

Too often, the most vulnerable among us are forced to suffer from bad policy decisions. In this country, the richest one, we are supposed to find solutions for those who need our support, not leave them behind.

This administration came to office saying it was going to put Americans first. These attacks on public education show they are putting children last.

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