Schumer, Clinton Announce Key Senate Panel Backs Over $57 Million For National Technical Institute For The Deaf At Rochester Instutte Of Technology

U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton today announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $57,279,000 under the FY06 LaborHHS Appropriations Act for the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) at Rochester Institute of Technology. The bill, which was approved by the Committee last week, must now be approved by the full Senate before being sent to a House and Senate Conference Committee and eventually being signed into law. Schumer had aggressively lobbied members of the Appropriations Committee to include funding for the project in this years spending bill.

"NTID is a worldrenowned college located right here in Rochester," said Schumer. "I will always fight for the funds that NTID needs to accomplish its important mission of providing a stateoftheart technical education for the deaf and hard of hearing.

"NTID is a model for technical education programs all around the world, providing unprecedented services and techniques that have proven successful in preparing deaf and hard of hearing students for the careers of their choosing. I am pleased that we can make these kinds of important investments in such a groundbreaking program, so that we can continue to give students the wonderful opportunity to learn in an environment designed to fulfill their needs and allow NTID to continue their important work, said Clinton.

The federal funds for the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) at Rochester Institute of Technology promote the employment of people who are deaf by providing technical and professional education assistance and training. In addition, NTID conducts applied research and offers training in occupational and employmentrelated aspects of hearing loss, including communication assessment and instruction, education and cognition. President Bush actually asked that Appropriations Committee for a slight decrease in funding for NTID, which would have prevented the Institute from expanding access service options for deaf students in mainstreamed classes and supporting other important outreach initiatives.

Last week, the Appropriations Committee included over $57 million in the LaborHHS spending bill. The bill was passed by the Appropriations Committee last week and now heads for a full vote before the full Senate. A vote is expected this summer, and after final passage a conference committee will reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions of the LaborHHS Appropriations Bill before sending it to the President to become law.