To: NRA's Legislative Network
 
 From: Patricia Leahy, Director of Governmental Affairs
 
 Re: House Appoints Conferees to the IDEA bill
 
 Date: Tuesday, October 12, 2004
 
 On Friday, October 8, 2004, the Speaker of the House, Congressman Dennis Hastert (R.Ill.) appointed House Conferees to work with Senate Conferees on the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
 
 The House Conferees are comprised of the following Members of the House Education and the Workforce Committee:
 
 REPUBLICANS:
 
 Chairman John Boehner (R.OH.);
 Congressman Mike Castle (R.DE.);
 Congressman Vernon Ehlers (R.MI.);
 Congressman Ric Keller (R.FL.);
 Congressman Joe Wilson (R.S.C.);
 
 DEMOCRATS:
 
 Ranking Democratic full Committee Member George Miller (D.CA.);
 Education Reform Subcommittee Ranking Member Congresswoman
 Lynn Woolsey (D.CA.);
 Congressman Major Owens (D.N.Y.)
 
 As you are aware from a previous Washington Wire, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee had appointed its IDEA Conferees, which comprise all Members of the Senate HELP Committee.
 
 What immediately follows is the Committee on the Education and Workforce Committee's Press Release on the appointment of IDEA Conferees.
 
 COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE
 U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE           CONTACT: Alexa Marrero
 October 8, 2004                                  or David Schnittger  (202)225-4527
 
 House-Senate Conference to Begin on Special Education Reform Bill
 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Republican education leaders in the U.S. House today applauded Speaker Dennis Hastert for appointing conferees to work with the Senate in conference to produce a final special education reform bill that can be signed into law by President Bush before the end of the year.
 
 The House-Senate conference on special education reform will reconcile differing versions of legislation passed by the House and Senate to strengthen and renew the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the nation's special education law.
 
 "I believe the President will have the chance to sign legislation before the end of 2004 that will support special education teachers and improve academic results for children with disabilities," said Education & the Workforce Committee Chairman John Boehner (R-OH). "I look forward to working with Democrats and Republicans in the coming weeks to ensure this happens."
 
 In April 2003, the House passed special education reform legislation (H.R. 1350), authored by Education Reform Subcommittee Chairman Mike Castle (R-DE), that would refocus the IDEA to improve education results for students with disabilities and reduce the paperwork burden on special education teachers. That bill, which received bipartisan support, has been hailed by school administrators as "the best special education policy revisions we've seen in decades."
 
 "The Improving Education Results for Children with Disabilities Act aims to improve current law by focusing on improved education results, reducing the paperwork burden for special education teachers, and addressing the problem of over identification of minority students as disabled. In addition, this bill seeks to reduce litigation, and reform special education finance and funding," said Castle. "By appointing conferees, the House today is sending a strong signal that we intend to complete our work and send a final bill to the President for his signature this year. The reforms included in this bill are too important to wait."
 
 Education & the Workforce Committee members appointed as conferees today are:
 
 · Education & the Workforce Committee Chairman John Boehner (R-OH)
 · Education Reform Subcommittee Chairman Mike Castle (R-DE)
 · Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-MI)
 · Rep. Ric Keller (R-FL)
 · Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)
 · Education & the Workforce Committee Ranking Minority Member George Miller (D-  CA)
 · Education Reform Subcommittee Ranking Minority Member Lynn Woolsey (D-CA)
 · Rep. Major Owens (D-NY)
 # # # # #
 
 Patricia Leahy
 Director of Governmental Affairs
 National Rehabilitation Association
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