Political Quotes

“much of the debate over H.R. 6 has centered around the role of the Federal Government in education. I am a firm believer that the primary responsibility for education lies with the States. However, when the Federal Government directly affects the ability of a school district to provide the best education it can for its students, the Federal Government must be involved--hence Congress established the Impact Aid Program. It is hypocrisy that as this House has moved toward a greater involvement in education policy--mandates, standards, and requirements--it has turned it's back on impact aid. Where is our responsibility to the children in the school districts in America which have suffered a loss of tax base either because a sizable number of students reside on military bases, or Indian land, or because the Federal Government has literally taken land from the school district. My amendment deals specifically with section 2 of the Impact Aid Program. Section 2 provides funds to school districts where tax roles have been reduced because of acquisition of property by the Federal Government after 1938. For several years section 2 has been funded at 55 to 60 percent of authorization levels. The result is impacted school districts have not been compensated with a payment in lieu of taxes needed to make up for the diminished tax base resulting from the loss of this land.”