[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 75 (Thursday, June 15, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1026]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            IMPACT AID/TRIO

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. J.C. WATTS, JR.

                              of oklahoma

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 15, 2000

  Mr. WATTS. Mr. Speaker, today I support two very important federal 
education programs: the Impact Aid program and the TRIO program.
  Impact Aid is one of the oldest federal education programs, dating 
back to 1950. Impact Aid compensates local educational agencies (LEAs) 
for the substantial and continuing financial burden resulting from 
federal activities. These activities deprive LEAs of the ability to 
collect property or sales taxes from these individuals, for example 
members of the Armed Forces living on military bases, even though the 
LEAs are obligated to provide free public education to their children. 
Therefore, Impact Aid is a federal payment to a school district 
intended to make up for a loss of local tax revenue due to the presence 
of non-taxable federal property.
  Nationwide, there are approximately 1,500 federally impacted school 
districts that are educating 1.3 million federal children. In Oklahoma, 
there are 287 Oklahoma school districts with federal property. 
Considering the staggering number of federally impacted children, it is 
abundantly clear that the federal government has an obligation to 
federally impacted schools.
  Impact Aid is one of the only federal education programs where the 
funds are sent directly to the school district, and therefore, almost 
no bureaucracy. In addition, these funds go into the general fund, and 
may be used as the local school district decides. As a result, the 
funds are used for the education of all students, and there is no rake-
off by states or the federal government to fund bureaucrats.
  In addition, it is imperative that America's students not only 
receive a K-12 education, but also a secondary education. The TRIO 
programs provide services and incentives to increase students' 
secondary and post-secondary educational attainment. The support 
services offered by TRIO are primarily to low-income students, first 
generation college students, and disabled students. Students from low-
income families are significantly less likely than other students to 
persist in college once enrolled and to graduate. While access has been 
expanded and college campuses have grown more diverse, the problem of 
college attrition continues to contribute to the gap in educational 
attainment between disadvantaged students and their classmates.
  Because they offer a wide range of support services, the TRIO 
programs have an extensive history of success. Examples of support 
services include instruction in reading writing, study skills, math and 
other subjects; academic counseling; career options; assistance in the 
graduate admission and financial aid processes; and mentoring. TRIO has 
assisted countless numbers of students by helping them to succeed in 
obtaining undergraduate and graduate degrees from institutions of 
higher learning. A good education opens up doors of opportunity to 
thousands of students who otherwise would never have a chance at a 
productive future.
  By increasing its support, the federal government can assist schools 
everywhere in providing a quality education to thousands of children 
across the country. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting an increase in funding for the Impact Aid and TRIO Programs. 
Millions of students depend on these programs for a quality education. 
Let's not disappoint them.

                          ____________________