Rep. Allen: Republican Education Cuts "Slammed the Door on Opportunities for Millions of Children"

Rep. Allen: Republican Education Cuts "Slammed the Door on Opportunities for Millions of Children"
December 14, 2005
Bill shortchanges special education, No Child Left Behind, student financial aid and other programs to fund tax cuts for the wealthy

Washington, D.C.---U.S. Representative Tom Allen, a member of the House Budget Committee, today rebuked Congressional Republicans for drastic cuts contained in H.R. 3010, the Fiscal Year 2006 appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education.

"Education is the key that unlocks the future, and today Republicans slammed the door on the opportunities of millions for American kids," Representative Allen said. "This bill reneges on promises Congress made to pay for mandates it imposed on state and local governments for special education and the No Child Left Behind law. I believe we must invest in our children to give them the tools they will need to compete and prosper in the global economy. Republicans have chosen to continue their fiscally reckless budget policies that slash funds for education and other programs important to families and children, raid the federal treasury to give more tax cuts to the wealthiest one percent and run up the national debt our children must pay."

H.R. 3010 cuts 3.1 percent from funding for the No Child Left Behind law, $779 million less than last year to pay for the mandates Congress imposed on state and local governments. It reduces the federal share for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) from 18.6 to 18 percent, a step in the wrong direction from the 40 percent federal share Congress pledged when it enacted IDEA. It also shortchanges student aid programs, funding the Perkins Loan program at last year's level and freezing the maximum Pell Grant at $4,050.

http://tomallen.house.gov/showart.asp?contentID=1812&IssueID=1&ID=