Political Quotes

“I strongly support H.R. 3616, the Impact Aid Reauthorization Act. In addition to its other important components, this legislation includes a critical provision that would help federally impacted schools in North Dakota and across the country meet their urgent repair needs. Since 1950, through the Impact Aid program, the federal government has recognized its responsibility to assist school districts and communities that are impacted by a federal presence such as a military base or Indian reservation. Today over 1 million children in over 1,600 school districts across the country depend on the Impact Aid program for a quality education. Until 1994, Congress provided substantial assistance to help federally impacted districts build and repair their schools. This assistance is particularly important to districts whose property tax circumstances make it almost impossible to pass school construction bonds. Since 1994, however, federal funding for the Impact Aid school construction account has fallen off and no longer meets the needs of the over two hundred qualifying schools. As a result, many of these school buildings have become run down, overcrowded, and in some cases, a danger to the health and safety of their students.”