The Senate Bill Is Out!

IDEA ALERT

The Senate bill is out!

Read Senator Gregg's press release.

Read the Memo below from the Senate HELP Committee staff members inviting parent input. The time frame is short, so mark your calendars now and prepare to submit your Emails ASAP!

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TO: Interested Groups
FROM: Annie White and Connie Garner, Senate HELP Committee

SUBJECT: IDEA Feedback Meetings
DATE: June 12, 2003

The Senate version of the Reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act will be introduced today, June 12, 2003. We plan have the bill available for review in both PDF and WORD document formats on the HELP Committee website today. To access the bill, go to the HELP Committee homepage (http://health.senate.gov/) and select the "Schedule" page (http://health.senate.gov/calendars/all.html).

As promised, we will be conducting bipartisan feedback meetings to give groups and individuals the opportunity to comment on the bill. Meetings will be scheduled in 20-MINUTE INTERVALS, from 10:00 am - noon, and 1 pm - 6 pm on the following days:

Monday, June 16, 2003
Tuesday, June 17, 2003
Wednesday, June 18, 2003
Thursday, June 19, 2003

In the HELP Committee Conference room, 428 Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Please contact Aaron Bishop at: idea_feedback@labor.senate.gov, or 202-224-6770 to schedule a meeting. Please request a specific date and time, and provide the number of people attending, group/organization name, and contact information (email address and phone number) for the person scheduling the meeting (in the subject line of the email, type: "Aaron - IDEA Feedback Meeting." He will confirm the meeting via email/phone or to re-schedule.

We encourage groups with similar interests schedule meetings together, if possible. Meeting times will be scheduled on a first-come/first-serve basis, and the 20-minute time limit will be strictly enforced.

We will also receive responses to the bill via email at:
idea_feedback@labor.senate.gov, or fax at: 202-228-0929. Emailed and faxed responses should be sent to the attention of and titled "Annie and Connie – IDEA Reauthorization Feedback."

*Please note that the email address and fax number will only be available from Thursday, June 12, 2003 through Friday, June 20, 2003.