LTE from Congressman Steny Hoyer

Dear Constituents from Maryland’s Fifth Congressional District,

I wanted to inform you on some great news during the 114th session of Congress. On February 25th, my bill, “The Special Olympics Funding Act”, which increases funding for Special Olympics Programs across this nation, passed with unanimous bipartisan support in the House and was signed into law by our President this past Wednesday, March 4th. The Special Olympics Funding Act recognizes the great contributions of people with disabilities across the United States and is a necessary step in working to create opportunities for all people to be able to show off their abilities in their communities through sports competitions. Through this bill, I want to let the great people from my district and across the nation to know that I value all people, regardless of disabilities, and work tirelessly to make sure that they have the opportunities they deserve.

Along this same line, I am submitting a bill to address the important issue of special education funding. This bill, the “Special Education Empowerment Act of 2015,” seeks to increase federal funding to special education programs across the United States to equal forty percent of excess cost of education children with disabilities. This bill is critical to ensure that all children with disabilities have an opportunity to receive the quality education that they deserve. In addition, this bill is critical to help relieve local school districts across the nation from the financial burdens of special education. Through the ratification of this bill, not only will students with disabilities be able to have a greater opportunity to succeed in school, but local school districts will not have to make unnecessary cuts to other programs.

The Special Education Empowerment Act of 2015 is much needed in order to ensure equality of education for all people in this great nation. Therefore, those who do not support this bill are voting against allowing people with disabilities to receive the quality education that they need, something that is contrary to what the United States of America stands for. I will strive to encourage all members of Congress to support this bill in order to ensure that all people, regardless of disabilities, have the opportunity to receive the education that they deserve in this great nation.

Yours Truly,
Congressman Steny Hoyer