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National Coalition of Parent Centers Donna Fluke, Coordinator, 8615 Wandering Fox Trail #207, Odenton, MD 21113, (410) 695-1910 Richard Burden, Fiscal Agent, IN*SOURCE, 1703 S. Ironwood Drive, South Bend, IN 46613, (574) 234-7101
NCPC E-News April 1, 2011
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Hi to all!
Spring has arrived in D.C. and although the cherry blossoms are fading, it is still quite beautiful!
As you all are aware - the government did not shut down and we continue on to “Round 2: The Debt Ceiling” and then “Round 3: the 2012 Budget”!
Fiscal Year 2011 Budget
At this time, it does not appear that Part D programs under the IDEA (which include the parent centers) suffered any cuts under the budget compromise that funds the government through September 30, 2011. Always remember that we have good support in Congress because of our collective and continuing advocacy for persons with disabilities and their families.
Fiscal Year 2012 Budget
Lockridge Grindal Nauen reported in their Week of April 4th Update:
This week, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) unveiled his fiscal year 2012 budget blueprint which would call for about $6 trillion in total spending cuts over the next decade. Proponents of the plan suggest that the deficit would shrink by more than $4 trillion over the same period of time.
The proposal seeks to trim overall domestic discretionary spending to below 2008 levels and freeze it at that level for five years. This budget proposes an overhaul of agricultural subsidies, reflects some defense cuts suggested by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, reflects an overhaul of the tax code (including lowering top individual and corporate tax rates to 25 percent), and envisions a restructuring of federal entitlement programs (including Medicare and Medicaid).
On Wednesday, the House Budget Committee approved the blueprint by a margin of 22-16 after a day-long markup. This clears the way for the measure to receive consideration on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Budget resolutions do not carry the force of law, but they do set the parameters for considering tax and spending bills later in the year. One of the resolution’s most important functions is to set a ceiling on discretionary spending for the House Appropriations Committee to follow. In budgetary parlance, the discretionary cap is called a 302(a) total, named for the section of budget law where it appears.
You can read more about the House Republican Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Blueprint here.
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President Obama gave his framework for Fiscal Year 2012 budget and reducing the debt in a speech on April 13th that indicates a different approach than that offered by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI). You can watch the speech here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/04/13/president-obama-s-framework-4-trillion-deficit-reduction.
Education
Lockridge Grindal Nauen also reported:
Legislation to rewrite the elementary and secondary education law known as No Child Left Behind (PL 107-110) may move soon after Congress returns from its scheduled two-week spring recess. House Education and the Workforce Chairman John Kline (R-MN02) said Thursday that his panel will be ready to act on a bill as early as next month. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Tom Harkin has said he wants a bill on the floor in that chamber by late spring.
CQ Today Online News April 7th provides further details:
House Chairman Sees Action on ‘No Child’ Rewrite in May
By Lauren Smith, CQ Staff
The House Education and the Workforce panel will be ready to write an overhaul of federal education law as early as next month, its chairman said Thursday.
“This is our first of many opportunities to consider specific reforms to help fix what is broken in current law,” said John Kline, R-Minn., during his panel’s first hearing to discuss specific changes in the elementary and secondary education law (PL 107-110) known as No Child Left Behind. “We have a growing consensus in this committee that NCLB is failing in many ways and needs to be corrected and we need to move forward on legislation.”
Kline called current education programs a “bureaucratic maze” and said a top priority in rewriting the law will be to remove obstacles that prevent school systems from using funds the way they consider most effective. Increasing flexibility for states and school districts, while also creating a new accountability system to hold states and schools districts responsible for student achievement, should be a pillar of the new law, he said.
Kline underscored the importance of obtaining up-to-date data to guide decision-making at the state and district levels.
The committee’s top Democrat, George Miller of California, largely agreed that there is growing consensus among committee members that will allow legislation to move. “This hearing signals that a majority on this committee is ready to move forward in a meaningful way on the reauthorization,” he said.
The federal role in education, Miller said, should be to set high standards while providing local school districts the flexibility to reach those goals.
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, has set a goal of having a bill on the floor in that chamber by late spring. Bipartisan negotiations are continuing.
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Additionally, Congressman George Miller (D-Calif) introduced the Restraint and Seclusion Bill for this session of Congress as HR1381. More information, including text of the bill can be found here: http://thomas.gov/cgi-bin/thomas. We will follow the progress as it becomes available.
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If you have any questions please don't hesitate to call me or e-mail me at dkfluke@verizon.net
Thanks as always for all you do!
Donna
Paid for with private funds.