As federal lawmakers stare down a deadline to fund the government, they appear poised to reject a Trump administration effort to make big changes to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and defund some disability programs — but it’s far from a done deal.
Congress has until the end of this month to pass legislation funding the federal government’s next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, or risk a shutdown.
In his budget request, President Donald Trump called for eliminating funding for University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, or UCEDDs, as well as a program at protection and advocacy agencies that helps ensure people with disabilities have access to voting. He also sought to alter IDEA in an effort to consolidate funding and give states more control over where dollars go.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
So far, however, bills in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have spurned the proposals.
Appropriations committees in both chambers approved legislation continuing funding for UCEDDs, protection and advocacy agencies and many other disability programs. Both bills also maintain funding for IDEA and retain the existing funding structure.
“Overall, the House and Senate bills show support for disability programs despite a clear desire from the administration to enact substantial cuts and restructuring,” said Lillie Heigl, director of policy at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities, a national association for UCEDDs and other similar programs. “We believe this is a result of strong advocacy from our network, our DD partners and the broader disability community about the importance of the disability programs.”
Advocates had pushed back forcefully on the Trump proposals. More than three dozen organizations characterized the idea of ending funding for UCEDDs as “dangerous and misguided” in a letter to lawmakers organized by the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities over the summer. The centers, which provide early intervention programs, autism evaluations, training for families and more have existed in every state for more than 60 years.
Meanwhile, 14 former Education Department officials who were responsible for overseeing IDEA implementation under Republican and Democratic administrations dating back to President Richard Nixon called on Congress to forgo changes to the way that IDEA funding is handled.
“There is always a risk of parts of IDEA being block granted when the full House and Senate consider the appropriations bills, but it is much less likely now since the House and Senate appropriations committees agreed not to do this,” said Ricki Sabia, senior education policy advisor at the National Down Syndrome Congress.
Even as lawmakers have dismissed the proposed changes to IDEA and other disability programs so far, next steps remain uncertain. With time running short, lawmakers are already talking about the possibility of a short-term extension or a government shutdown.
“It’s encouraging that both the House and Senate have rejected some of the deepest proposed cuts to disability programs,” said Kim Musheno, senior director of Medicaid policy at The Arc of the United States. “People with disabilities need Congress to finish the job by passing full-year funding, avoiding another long continuing resolution, and protecting the services families rely on every day.”
