Durbin Renews Fight For Impact Aid Funding Following President's Veto

Press Release

Durbin Renews Fight For Impact Aid Funding Following President's Veto

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited Forrestal Elementary School to provide an update on the status of Impact Aid funding, which was included in an appropriations bill passed by Congress but later vetoed by the President.

On November 1, the Senate approved the fiscal year 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education (LHHS) Appropriations bill which included a Durbin-authored amendment to allow the five public schools serving the Great Lakes Naval Training Base to pool their students to maximize federal education assistance through the Impact Aid program for one year. In addition to the Durbin provision, the bill also included a measure that increases Impact Aid funding nationwide by $20 million. On November 13, the President vetoed the bill.

Durbin, a member of the Senate Impact Aid Coalition, said he intends to keep fighting to ensure that the fix for North Chicago is included in the next LHHS Appropriations bill Congress sends to the President. He also applauded the efforts of the mayors, school district officials and state legislators affected by the impact aid provision who lobbied aggressively for swift enactment of the legislation and asked for their continued support.

"Changing the federal funding calculation will protect North Chicago schools from losing their heavily impacted status," Durbin said. "And it will help to assure that the children of Navy families have the best educational opportunities."

Many local school districts across the U.S. serve students affiliated with military families and include federally owned land exempt from local taxes which fund public schools. These school districts face special challenges — they must provide a quality education to the children in the area and meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, while often operating with less local revenue than is available to other school districts. Impact Aid supplements the cost of educating those students whose families are part of the U.S. military.

The Durbin provision will help bring the federal government closer to meeting an obligation it has failed for years--it's obligation to the children of members of our armed services. The federal government has never fully reimbursed schools for the cost of educating military-affiliated children, and the children and school districts who educate them suffer. This includes the over 1,500 children of Great Lakes personnel who attend public schools in the area.

"We need to make sure that school districts have the funds they need to provide each student with a quality public education," said Durbin. "Many local school districts across the U.S. cover areas that include federally owned land exempt from local taxes which fund public schools. Impact Aid fills this gap in funding to make sure that no student is left behind."

Senator Durbin has consistently supported higher funding for Impact Aid. Last month, he met with representatives from the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS) in order to discuss the pressing need for increased Impact Aid in schools serving the Great Lakes Naval Base, Scott Air Force Base and other federal lands.

Source