Thank you for contacting me to express your opposition to S. 1403, the IDEA Full Funding Act . Your opinion is very important to me, and I appreciate the opportunity to respond to you on this vital issue.
As you know, the IDEA Full Funding Act would force Congress to fulfill its promise to fully fund its share of the cost of special education. Specifically, this bill would authorize increasing amounts of mandatory funding in six year increments to reach full federal funding b y 2015. When Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 35 years ago, it made a commitment to help states provide all children with disabilities a quality public education. While the federal government agreed to pay 40 percent of the additional cost of educating these students, today it contributes less than 18 percent. This lack of federal support burdens our local school districts, often causing property taxes to rise, and more importantly, hinders the growth of our special needs students.
This bill is fully paid for by the Saving Lives by Lowering Tobacco Use Act, which would double the tax on cigarettes and small cigars. While I understand your concerns for this provision, unfortunately, not only does smoking cause significant health issues, it also cost s our nation $96 billion per year in public and private healthcare expenses . Indeed, t he estimated annual cost to the federal government is approximately $54.6 billion .
As we aim to reduce the gap between our commitments and our resources, we must continue investing in areas that will have the largest impact on those who need it most. H owever, on this, as with any issue, there are many different views. Please be assured that I will keep your thoughts in mind as I monitor this legislation.
Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. I invite you to visit my website ( http://menendez.senate.gov ) to learn more about how I am standing up for New Jersey families in the United States Senate.
Sincerely,
Robert Menendez
United States Senator
.
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