Funding Early Childhood is the Right IDEA Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 8465 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8465 To authorize funding for section 619 and part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 23, 2026 Mr. DeSaulnier (for himself and Mr. Huffman) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To authorize funding for section 619 and part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Funding Early Childhood is the Right IDEA Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) High-quality early intervention and preschool special education services can change a child's developmental trajectory and improve outcomes for children, families, and communities. (2) Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.) authorizes a grant program to aid each State in implementing a system of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. (3) Funding for such part C (20 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.) has eroded significantly in the last three decades, from a high of $3,902 per child in 1999 to $1,324 per child in 2023, adjusted for inflation. (4) Section 619 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419) authorizes grants to States for preschool programs serving children with disabilities ages three to five. (5) Funding for such section 619 (20 U.S.C. 1419) has eroded significantly in the last three decades, from a high of $1,883 per child in 1992, to $849 in 2023, adjusted for inflation. (6) Infants, toddlers, and pr