XXXX Opposed $801 Million in Funding for the Workforce Investment Act. On September 4, 2003, XXXX voted against an amendment that would have increased funding in the bill for programs under the Workforce Investment Act by $801 million. [Vote 325, 9/4/03] SPECIAL EDUCATION XXXX Voted Against $44.2 Billion for Special Education. In March 2007, XXXX voted against increasing special education funding by $44.2 billion over five years – starting with a $10.3 billion increase in 2008. The funding would have been paid for by eliminating George Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. [Mikulski Release, 3/22/07; Vote 94, 3/22/07] XXXX Voted Against $71.3 Billion for Special Education Funding. In March 2005, XXXX voted against an amendment that would have created a special education reserve fund of $71.3 billion in order to provide 40% of the additional cost of education children with special needs, the amount Congress had promised. It would have been offset by a $73.8 billion cut in the five-year tax cut reconciliation instruction figure. It also would reduce the deficit by $2.5 billion. [Vote 79, 3/17/05; AP, 3/18/05] XXXX Voted Against Increasing Special Ed Funding by $4 Billion. In October 2005, XXXX voted against an amendment to increase special education funding by $4 billion in fiscal year 2006 to a total of nearly $15 billion, which would have brought the federal share of special education costs to local school districts to about 19% of the level mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Act. [Vote 273, 10/26/05; Aberdeen American News, 10/30/05] XXXX Voted to Reauthorize IDEA. In May 2004, XXXX voted for a bill that would reauthorize the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It would authorize discretionary spending increases of $2.3 billion per year to provide for full federal funding by 2011 of 40 percent of the average per pupil expenditures for certain programs under IDEA. It would streamline student discipline measures, adding serious bodily injury to the offenses that could give rise to suspension. Parents who dispute a discipline decision would be granted an expedited hearing within 20 days. [HR 1350, Vote 94, 5/13/04]  XXXX Voted To Fully Fund IDEA. In 2004, XXXX voted to increase special education funding by $2 billion annually over six years to fully fund the Federal Government’s share of special education through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and make the new spending mandatory. [Vote 93, 5/12/04] XXXX Opposed $11 Billion Hike in Funding for IDEA. In 2003, XXXX voted against the Dayton amendment to H.R.2660, which would have increased funding for special education from $9.9 billion to $20.9 billion, to fully fund the Federal Government’s share of special education. [Vote 324, 9/3/03] XXXX Voted Against Fully Funding IDEA By Reducing Tax Cuts. On March 26, 2003, XXXX voted against fully funding the federal government’s commitment to pay for 40 percent of special education costs. The vote was an amendment to the FY 2004 budget resolution that increased spending in the resolution on provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (by $19.8 billion in fiscal 2004 and by $229 billion over 10 years. [Vote 103, 3/26/03] XXXX Voted To Increase Spending On Special Education By Over $3 Billion and Reduce Other Spending. On March 21, 2003, XXXX voted to increase spending on special education, and offset the spending by decreasing other spending. The vote was on the Gregg (R-NH) amendment, which would increase spending on provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by $970 million in 2004 and $2.3 billion in 2005. [S Con Res. 23, Vote 71, 3/21/03] XXXX Voted Against Increasing Special Education Funding By $73 Billion and Reduce in Proposed Tax Cuts. On March 21, 2003, XXXX voted against an amendment that increased funding for special education, and offset the new spending by reducing proposed tax cuts. The vote was an amendment to create a reserve fund to provide $73 billion in funding increases for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, allowing the program to reach full funding in 10 years. [Vote 70, 3/21/03] 71