III 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 684 

Recognizing the 35th anniversary of the enactment of the Education for 

All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 18, 2010 

Mr. HARKIN (for himself, Mr. ENZI, Mr. BROWN of Massachusetts, Mr. 

BROWN of Ohio, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. COCHRAN, Mr. DODD, Mr. DURBIN, 

Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. FRANKEN, Mr. GREGG, Mr. HATCH, Mrs. 

HUTCHISON, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. JOHANNS, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mr. 

MENENDEZ, Ms. MIKULSKI, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. REED, Mr. ROBERTS, 

Mr. ROCKEFELLER, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. TESTER, Mr. UDALL of Colorado, 

Mr. VITTER, Mr. VOINOVICH, Mr. WARNER, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. 

BARRASSO, and Ms. MURKOWSKI) submitted the following resolution; 

which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the 35th anniversary of the enactment of the 

Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. 

Whereas the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 

1975 (Public Law 94–142) was signed into law 35 years 

ago on November 29; 

Whereas the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 

1975 established the Federal policy of ensuring that all 

children, regardless of the nature or severity of their disability, have available to them a free appropriate public 

education in the least restrictive environment; 


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Whereas the Education of the Handicapped Act (Public Law 

91–230), as amended by the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, was further amended by 

the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 

1986 (Public Law 99-457) to create a preschool grant 

program for children with disabilities 3 to 5 years of age 

and an early intervention program for infants and toddlers with disabilities from birth through age 2; 

Whereas the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments 

of 1990 (Public Law 101–476) renamed the Education 

of the Handicapped Act as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.); 

Whereas IDEA was amended by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 (Public Law 

105–17) to ensure that children with disabilities have 

equal access to, and make progress in, the general education curriculum and are included in all general State 

and district-wide assessment programs; 

Whereas IDEA was amended by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (Public Law 

108–446) to ensure that all children with disabilities have 

available to them a free appropriate public education that 

emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their individual needs and prepare them 

for further education, employment, and independent living; 

Whereas IDEA currently serves an estimated 342,000 infants 

and toddlers, 709,000 preschoolers, and 5,890,000 children 6 to 21 years of age; 


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Whereas IDEA has opened neighborhood schools to students 

with disabilities and increased the number of children living in their communities instead of institutions; 

Whereas the academic achievement of students with disabilities has significantly increased since the enactment of 

IDEA; 

Whereas the number of children with disabilities who complete high school with a standard diploma has grown significantly since the enactment of IDEA; 

Whereas the number of children with disabilities who enroll 

in institutions of higher education has more than tripled 

since the enactment of IDEA; 

Whereas IDEA requires partnership among parents of children with disabilities and education professionals in the 

design and implementation of the educational services 

provided to children with disabilities; 

Whereas the achievement of students with disabilities is integrally linked with the successful alignment of special and 

general education systems; 

Whereas IDEA has increased the quality of research in effective teaching practices for students with disabilities; and 

Whereas IDEA continues to serve as the framework to marshal the resources of this Nation to implement the promise of full participation in society of children with disabilities: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes the 35th anniversary of the en3 actment of the Education for All Handicapped Chil4 dren Act of 1975 (Public Law 94–142); 


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1 (2) acknowledges the many and varied contribu2 tions of children with disabilities and their parents, 

3 teachers, related services personnel, and administra4 tors; and 

5 (3) reaffirms its support for the Individuals 

6 with Disabilities Education Act so that all children 

7 with disabilities have access to a free appropriate 

8 public education in the least restrictive environment 

9 and the opportunity to benefit from the general edu10 cation curriculum and be prepared for further edu11 cation, employment, and independent living. 

Æ 


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