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Date:	Mon, 23 Mar 1998 14:04:48 -0500
Local:	Mon, Mar 23 1998 2:04 pm
Subject:	NAMI E-News Federal Policy Action Alert

_____________________________________________________________________
NAMI E-News                                March 23, 1998
_____________________________________________________________________

IDEA UNDER ATTACK:  Rights of Students with Brain Disorders in Severe
Jeopardy!

Secretary of Education, Richard Riley, has been under heavy attack by
groups that want to reopen the debates resolved by the passage of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 (IDEA)
last year, public law 105-17.  These groups want to weaken the
protections for our children contained in that law.  They have bombarded
the Secretary and leaders in Congress with their complaints long after
the regulatory comment period ended, demanding weakening changes.  We
are frankly at a loss and disillusioned by this clear attempt to subvert
the regulatory process. Can we afford to allow this to happen?

Our response:

Dont reward those groups who are trying to subvert the federal
regulatory process.

We expect the Secretary and our representatives to stay strong and
demonstrate their real commitment to our children with disabilities.

Remember the promises made during the passage of IDEA! Honor them!!

Students with disabilities, especially those with brain disorders who so
often are the least served in their local schools, need our help NOW.

WHAT ACTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN:

1. Contact the Secretary of Education, Richard W. Riley
    The Honorable Richard W. Riley
    U.S. Department of Education
    600 Independence Avenue, SW
    Washington, DC 20202

    Telephone: 1-800-USA-LEARN
    Fax: (202) 401-0689
    Homepage - www.ed.gov

2. Contact Hill Leaders, Chairman Jeffords (R-VT) & Chairman Goodling
(R-PA)
    Senator Jim Jeffords
    502 Hart Senate Office Building
    Washington, DC  20510

    Telephone: 202-224-5141
    Fax: 202-228-0338

   Representative William Goodling
   2263 Rayburn House Office Building
   Washington, DC  20515
   Telephone: 202-225-5836
   Fax: 202-226-1000

3. Contact your Senators and Representatives during spring recess at
their local district and  state offices.  (Congressional recess is from
April 2nd to April 20th)
   Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121
   Addresses can be found at www.congress.org.

1.  For Members of Congress: Let them know they cannot back away from
the commitment made to our children.

The message:

IDEA is a good law.  Let the recent amendments take effect and later
evaluate the regulatory changes.

Implement and fund IDEA now! Do not weaken the regulations.  If
anything, the regs dont provide enough guidance to ensure that the law
is appropriately implemented.

Dont destroy the consensus that was built during this unique
legislative process.

Dont let special interest groups reopen the debates that were resolved
by the passage of IDEA.

2.  For Secretary Riley:

Urge him to hold strong to the protections embodied in the IDEA 97
Reauthorization and existing policy letters.  Dont let special interest
groups undermine the new IDEA.

The message:

The US Department of Education was RIGHT to incorporate existing policy
letters into the proposed regulations; they did just what Congress told
them to do.

Issue a strong regulation and pay attention to the disability
communitys comments.

Background:

On June 4, 1997, the reauthorized IDEA was signed into law by President
Clinton. This law was developed through an unprecedented, bicameral,
bipartisan effort. It was carefully crafted to respond to the sometimes
conflicting concerns of parents and professionals.
The Department of Education published proposed regulations on October
22, 1997. The regulations followed the intent of Congress by
incorporating language directly from the statute. The regulations also
followed the instructions of Congress by incorporating existing Policy
Letters into the proposed regulations, to subject them to public review
and comment. The comments to the Notice of Proposed Rule-Making were due
January 20, 1998.
The Department of Education received over 2,000 comments. NAMI and other
organizations concerned with IDEA submitted timely responses.  All of
the other stakeholders had the same opportunity to submit their comments
within the regulatory timeframe.

Apparently influenced by heavy pressure from some "general education"
groups, key Republican leaders of the House and Senate submitted a joint
letter to Secretary Riley.
These Congressional leaders did not seek input from parents or other
disability leaders. In some cases, their recommendations included
removal of language that is actually in the legislation and supported by
the congressional intent.

We have now have learned that leaders of some "general education" groups
have been deluging Congressional leaders and the Secretary of Education
with the complaint that "the regulations have gone too far!"  Rumor has
it that the Secretary has received over 3,000 of these letters.  This
kind of pressure is a behind-the-scenes, back-door subversion of the
regulatory process.

GORTON ON THE ATTACK AGAIN
On Wednesday, March 18, Senator Gorton (R-WA) - a fierce opponent of the
rights of children with disabilities - presented his "photo opportunity"
about the new IDEA.  He had a roll of paper 40 feet long as an example
of the paperwork that will supposedly now be required of teachers. He
spouted hyperbole about knives and guns and students with disabilities
threatening other students with an electric saw in shop class. His
threats to IDEA, and the threats of the general educators special
interest groups, are real and we must respond NOW.

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