Commending The Tourette Syndrome Association

COMMENDING THE TOURETTE SYNDROME ASSOCIATION -- (Extensions of Remarks - September 14, 2006)

SPEECH OF HON. PETE SESSIONS OF TEXAS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2006

* Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the national Tourette Syndrome Association for their hard work to have Tourette Syndrome listed as a disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

* On August 4, 2006 Margaret Spellings, the Secretary of the Department of Education, announced the final regulations enforcing Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act which now lists Tourette Syndrome in the category of ``Other Health Impaired.'' This new classification means that students with Tourette Syndrome will no longer find themselves in limbo--knowing that they are legally entitled to receive the necessary educational accommodations but unable to point to specific language in the law that would protect their rights.

* For years, many students with Tourette Syndrome who sought accommodations were labeled as having behavioral or emotional problems and not a neurological disorder. This incorrect designation sometimes placed students with Tourette Syndrome into classrooms with behaviorally or emotionally disturbed children. By including Tourette Syndrome in the law, the Department of Education is sending a clear message to schools across the country that Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder. The category is no longer a subject of debate and one more hurdle has been cleared for students with Tourette Syndrome.

* The Tourette Syndrome Association and its members have been steadfast in working with Members of Congress and officials from the U.S. Department of Education for this designation in ``Other Health Impaired.'' Over the years, they have held hundreds of meetings with many of my colleagues in this body and have sent us thousands of letters explaining the necessity and value of having Tourette Syndrome listed in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This victory for the Tourette Syndrome Association and its members has been long overdue.

* Mr. Speaker, in closing I would personally like to thank my friend Jeremy Scott, the Tourette Syndrome Association's Director of Public Policy, for his dedication and leadership to ensuring that Tourette Syndrome be added to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This accomplishment will positively impact the educational experiences of hundreds of thousands of children with Tourette Syndrome.

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