Chuck Hagel: “Over several decades, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Impact Aid schools have suffered from neglect and disrepair, which…”

“Over several decades, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Impact Aid schools have suffered from neglect and disrepair, which has had a direct impact on student learning and safety. As of January 2001, the repair, rehabilitation, and renovation backlog for Bureau of Indian Affairs and heavily impacted Impact Aid education facilities and quarters was over $2,000,000,000. Notwithstanding any other provision of law (including the provisions of this Act), in administering any Federal program to provide assistance for school construction or renovation, the Secretary of Education shall ensure that assistance under such program is provided to meet the construction or renovation needs of schools receiving Impact Aid, schools under the jurisdiction of the Department of Defense, and Indian and Bureau of Indian Affairs funded schools prior to making any such assistance available under such program to other schools.”