[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 60 (Tuesday, May 4, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H2500-H2505]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF MILITARY IMPACTED SCHOOLS,
TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATION, AND STAFF FOR THEIR ONGOING CONTRIBUTIONS TO
EDUCATION OF MILITARY CHILDREN
Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 598) recognizing the valuable contributions of
military impacted schools, teachers, administration, and staff for
their ongoing contributions to the education of military children.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 598
Whereas there are approximately 750,000 school-aged
children of members of the active duty Armed Forces in the
United States;
Whereas there are approximately 650,000 of these military
children served in public schools across the United States;
Whereas there are approximately 100,500 military children
served in Department of Defense Education Activity schools in
the United States and overseas;
Whereas schools serving military installations stress the
importance of being aware of what is happening in the world
and the impact of world events on the lives of military
families;
Whereas schools serving military installations can provide
students a sense of safety and reassurance;
Whereas schools serving military installations understand
the importance of providing a normal environment and regular
routine for children of parents in the military before
learning can ever take place;
Whereas such schools can offer increased counseling for
military children due to the deployment of family members;
Whereas such schools can offer additional counseling for
staff, many of whom are spouses, parents, brothers, and
sisters of deployed members of the Armed Forces;
Whereas schools serving military installations often have
additional security measures in place and are continually
looking at further security measures for their schools;
Whereas schools serving military installations serve
students whose parents can be deployed for long periods of
time and often with short notice;
Whereas teachers and counselors working in schools serving
military installations are trained to work with military
children and their classmates when there is a service-related
incident or death;
Whereas school districts surrounding military installations
can assist other school districts impacted by National Guard
and Reserve deployments with support for students; and
Whereas the Impact Aid program provides support for
military impacted schools in their efforts to serve students:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the contributions of the teachers,
administration, and staff of Military Impacted Schools and
the Department of Defense Education Activity schools world-
wide; and
(2) commends the teachers in military impacted communities
who work on the front lines at home to educate students
during times of peace and times of conflict.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
North Carolina (Mr. Hayes) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hayes).
General Leave
Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
on H. Res. 598.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from North Carolina?
There was no objection.
Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, let me begin by saying that on National Teachers Day,
we, all of us, at every time rise to honor our teachers for their
incredible contributions. Today we especially wanted to honor those
teachers, staff, administrators, and all the support personnel at
military impacted schools.
Mr. Speaker, I must add that you have been one of the champions of
the fight for military impacted schools and increasing that amount of
aid.
Mr. Speaker, the National Education Association agrees with our
resolution. May I quote them: ``In addition to providing the highest
quality of academic support, schools serving active duty military
dependents help provide students a sense of safety and reassurance by
creating a normal environment and regular routine. The schools also
offer increased counseling services to students and their families to
help them cope with the deployment of parents, other relatives and
friends. We thank you,'' myself and our cosponsors, ``for your efforts
to recognize the invaluable contributions of the thousands of teachers,
administrators and staff in military impacted schools.''
Mr. Speaker, I am immensely proud of the overwhelming bipartisan
support for our military impacted schools. Eighty-seven Members on both
sides of the aisle have cosponsored this resolution, and I have a
letter of support from the NEA, clearly demonstrating this body's
commitment to our military children and those that serve them. I
certainly urge our colleagues to pass this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr.
Schrock), a captain who serves eight bases and over 400 commands in
Hampton Roads, Virginia, a great military veteran and a tremendous
champion of education and our military children.
Mr. SCHROCK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H. Res. 598. Life for military
families is very complex, especially at times like these when one or
sometimes two of the parents are off serving in the global war on
terror. The burdens on caregivers, schools, and the community to
counsel these children and make them feel safe and secure are great.
Though the Department of Defense, with the help of Congress, is able
to compensate communities for these burdens, the sensitivity of
teachers, administrators, and other educators at military impacted
schools is not something we can simply write a check for and expect the
issues to be addressed. I cannot overstate the importance of supporting
these affected communities financially.
However, today I am here to recognize the valuable contributions the
schools have in the education, comfort, and care of our military
children. Children of military communities are subject to different
kinds of stress than
[[Page H2501]]
other children. Their fear that mom and dad may not return from war
cannot be comprehended by others in the community.
Educators in these areas have extra duties placed on them as they
work the front lines to educate these children during times of both
peace and conflict. Schools serving military installations must be
aware of world events and how that can impact the lives of the children
they teach.
The daily school routine helps provide military children with the
feeling of safety and security. The need for normalcy is great in these
communities; and educators, through their love and support of the
children, help to provide that normalcy.
Approximately 650,000 public school children around the United States
have parents serving in the military. The importance of supporting
military impact aid for schools that serve these children is essential.
Services such as increased counseling, security at the schools near
military installations, and all around support can make all the
difference in the lives of military children.
Today, I rise to support H. Res. 598 and to recognize the important
and valuable contributions of military impacted schools, teachers, and
administrations as they continue to care for our children; and I
encourage all of my colleagues to do the same.
Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I also rise in support of H. Res. 598. Today's
resolution honors the role that military impacted schools, teachers,
administrators, counselors, and other staff play in educating children
of military families. These individuals deserve our thanks, and they
deserve our support. Hard-working teachers, principals, and
superintendents across the country are doing all they can to help the
650,000 military children served in public schools. They are making a
difference in the lives of the children, helping them learn, helping
them succeed in school and in life.
In Congress today we commend them, the parents, the teachers, the
superintendents, the principals, for working on the front lines at home
to educate students during times of peace and times of conflict. We
should be doing all we can to support them in this important work.
Yet President Bush and the Republican Congress are not providing
these children and the families with the support they deserve. Why?
Because they are failing to provide adequate funding for schools
serving military children. These shortcomings are even more pronounced
while these children's parents, our soldiers, are defending us in Iraq,
Afghanistan and around the world.
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We need to be doing more, not less, for these children and their
families.
President Bush has shortchanged children and military families in
several ways. First, passing tax cuts that leave hundreds of thousands
of military children behind. While millionaires receive checks
averaging $93,500 from the government, the hard-working parents of 12
million children receive nothing because Congress refused to close the
loophole in the massive tax cut to the richest Americans. Even 260,000
children of active military parents were excluded from the child tax
credit that the President signed.
Second, flat-funding the Impact Aid program. The Impact Aid program
provides funds for schools which serve heavy concentrations of children
from military families. Unfortunately, the Bush administration has
failed to invest adequate resources in this program. First, by
proposing to cut the program last year, and then flat-funding it in the
fiscal year 2005 budget submitted only 3 months ago. Also by freezing
school construction funding.
Under the Impact Aid program, school construction funding is reserved
for the military school districts with the most pressing facility
needs. In his fiscal year 2005 budget, President Bush proposed to
freeze construction funding. Worse yet, the level of funding for school
construction has declined considerably and is less than one-third of
the level President Bush proposed when he entered office in 2001.
This President has also broken the promise to fund No Child Left
Behind. President Bush has underfunded No Child Left Behind by nearly
$27 billion since it was enacted. Schools serving military children
generally have high numbers of disadvantaged children. No Child Left
Behind's funding is targeted to school districts with high
concentrations of disadvantaged children.
This lack of commitment to funding hits military-impacted districts
especially hard. If this budget becomes law, military children across
the country will be shortchanged.
For instance, in my home State of Ohio, children in my district, the
17th congressional district, are being short-changed. Children in Title
I schools in are eligible for $574,200 in Title I funding, but the
President's budget provides only $399,000, for a shortfall of over 30
percent, nearly $175,000. Southeast school district children are
eligible for $351,000 in Title I funding, but would get only $241,000
under the President's budget, for a shortfall of over 31 percent.
Mr. Speaker, it is these programs and many more that are being cut by
this President's budget or frozen by this President's budget.
We are going to support this resolution. We are going to support our
teachers, the faculty, and the parents of these children.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I must express my disappointment in the loss of focus here today. The
purpose of H. Res. 598 is to honor teachers, staff, and administrators.
We are not here to criticize the administration, particularly when the
facts do not add up, and I will speak to that later. It is rather
ironic that the former administration cut Impact Aid 8 years in a row,
but we will speak about that in a minute.
Mr. Speaker, at this point, it is with great pleasure that I yield 3
minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones), my good
friend who represents Camp Lejeune and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from
North Carolina (Mr. Hayes), my colleague, for yielding me this time,
and I want to thank him for introducing this resolution 598. Again, I
appreciate the fact that we will come together and vote on this
resolution today as both Republicans and Democrats, because these
schools, these DOD schools are exceptional in many ways.
I want to just touch on my personal experience down at Camp Lejeune.
Mr. Speaker, I have the privilege, as the gentleman from North Carolina
(Mr. Hayes) said, to have Camp Lejeune, Cherry Point, Seymour Johnson
Air Force Base in my district. In Camp Lejeune, for the 10 years I have
been in office, I have had many occasions to go visit the schools at
Camp Lejeune, both elementary schools and senior high schools.
As fate would have it, shortly after the decision to go into Iraq, I
had the opportunity to speak to the seniors in the auditorium, and I
could tell that some of those young people, their faces, you could tell
that they had parents who had already been deployed overseas, and I
spoke to them and tried to encourage them to tell them how much we in
Congress on both sides of the aisle appreciate the commitment their
parents have made to this great Nation.
I mention that for this reason: I found when I was there that day
that there is a special bonding among the teachers and the
administration and the students at these DOD schools, this one in
particular at Camp Lejeune, that there is an environment there that is
cohesive to the situation that these young people are finding
themselves in because their parents have been deployed. One parent, in
some cases, it was 2 parents, quite frankly, who had been overseas
defending freedom in Iraq and also for the American people.
There is one thing that I always wonder, is why, when something is
working so well, why the Federal agency, in this case, the Department
of Defense, wants, to study and see what the future of the schools
needs to be? That is why I was so pleased that the gentleman from North
Carolina (Mr. Hayes) introduced this resolution, and again, both sides
are supporting the resolution.
These schools are exceptional. These young people, time after time,
when
[[Page H2502]]
they take national tests, the students at the DOD schools are really
doing as well, if not better, in most cases, than even the public
schools. I am not here to compare one school to another school, but the
record speaks for itself. These young kids at the DOD schools excel
when it comes to these national tests.
Also, I was touched that I had the privilege to visit the children at
Camp Lejeune with special needs. I never will forget a little girl that
met me in the hall when I was speaking to the teachers, and she held my
hand as we walked to her class. I had a chance to observe and to talk
to the teacher and to the assistant teacher as to the fine work they
are doing with children with special needs at our DOD schools, again,
this is Camp Lejeune.
So my friend, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hayes) and the
others, both Democrat and Republican who are on the floor today, to say
thank you to our teachers, to our principals, and to our administrators
at these DOD schools, we very much appreciate the great job they are
doing.
I do say, Mr. Speaker, God bless our men and women in uniform and
their families and God bless America.
Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I would also like to say to the gentleman from North Carolina, our
comments today in no way take away from our ability to thank these
teachers for all of their hard work. We just think that there are
opportunities here that this Congress and this President could move to
make this a better program, to help our children more. This is not a
criticism of the teachers or principals or the teachers who are active
in this program.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California
(Mrs. Davis).
Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of
House Resolution 598 honoring teachers in military-impacted schools.
Mr. Speaker, this is Teachers' Week, honoring all teachers, but we
especially thank those who work in our communities that have large
numbers of military families.
San Diego is the proud home of the largest number of Marine and Naval
personnel and their families in the country. And we are all very well
aware of the sacrifices of these families, including members of the
Reserves and the National Guard are making as their loved ones have
deployed to Iraq. Many have had their tours extended or have just
returned to Iraq for a second tour. To give these members of our armed
services peace of mind, it is important that they can count on their
children having a stable and caring school environment.
Every one of us can surely recall how difficult it is to concentrate
on our work when our lives are disrupted. For children, the anxiety of
a parent leaving for the battlefield for an indeterminate amount of
time is especially traumatic. Having a loving teacher who understands
that a child may be tense or anxious or unable to concentrate because
he has just said good-bye to a parent is important, not only to that
child, but also to the parents.
Nearly 40 percent of the students in Coronado, one of the communities
in my district, are related to the military, with many living in
housing on base. So we know that every day, teachers and administrators
in the district are seriously impacted by the fact that we have many,
many people serving overseas today, and they are there with loving hugs
and caring for the children. Sometimes, as it has been stated here
today, we undermine their efforts. Mr. Speaker, I think it is important
for us not to do that, because we need to salute their efforts so that
teachers, the administration, and staff in this district and every
other district in the country that receives Federal Impact Aid, we say
a special thank you today.
Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I do rise today to proudly support our Nation's
teachers, administrators, and staff of military-impacted schools. Just
like many of students' parents, teachers at military-impacted schools
across the country report for duty each day ready to serve, but with an
added mission: to keep each school day as normal as possible for
students who often have much more on their minds than learning. Every
day, approximately 750,000 school-age children of members of the active
duty Armed Forces are at school, tasked with concentrating on their
studies and faced with the reality that their mom or dad may be serving
in a danger zone.
Mr. Speaker, 650,000 of these students are served by talented and
caring teachers in our Nation's public schools near our military bases,
while an additional 100,500 military children are served in Department
of Defense education activity schools stateside and overseas.
In the 8th District of North Carolina, the school systems surrounding
Fort Bragg meet together regularly to discuss the common issues
affecting military children. Officials from the Department of Defense
schools at Fort Bragg work alongside public schools to facilitate
smooth transitions and to ensure that teachers and staff are trained
and sensitive to the military needs and culture. Dr. Bill Harrison,
superintendent of the Cumberland County schools, and also
superintendent Joel Hansen of the DOD school on post, are working
together constantly to meet the needs of these children.
Mr. Speaker, the teachers in my district do an outstanding job of
serving these students and their families. They not only provide a
quality education for all students, but they take the extra time and
energy needed to serve our military children.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, there are several other issues here that I wanted to
touch upon. One is the zeroing out of the counseling program; it was
$32 million, it has been zeroed out. Children of military families
struggle to deal with a lot of the issues that are brought forth during
times of war, during times of conflict. President Bush has zeroed out
the elementary and secondary school counseling program. The program
represents one of the few counseling efforts that the Federal
Government supports, and especially as children struggle with the
uncertainties facing their families in deployment during a time of war.
Also, another issue that must be touched upon here. I do not think we
can have a debate about the military schools or the military impact
program or any education program without looking at the whole picture.
We cannot ignore IDEA. We cannot ignore No Child Left Behind. We cannot
ignore construction for these facilities. We cannot ignore the
counseling programs. Education is an integrated process, and by
ignoring any of these, I do not think we fully touch upon the issues
that we want to talk about here today.
Military-impacted districts have, on average, dealing with IDEA, more
children with disabilities than nonmilitary-impacted districts. So they
are clearly going to be affected in a deeper manner than an average
school, and by failing to fully fund IDEA, President Bush is
exacerbating the challenges that military-impacted districts face.
These districts and these taxpayers get hit twice. The government comes
in, they buy the land up, they are not getting the proper amount of
reimbursement from this program and, at the same time, because you have
less land, you are getting an increase in your own property tax.
{time} 1430
So this hits these families in these communities that more often than
not need a lot of help. And I know Windham and Southeast and Maplewood
in my congressional district, they need this assistance. Ohio is a
State that has lost over 200,000 jobs. We need to begin to educate our
kids.
No Child Left Behind has been reported by the Ohio Department of
Education, a Republican-controlled general assembly, every Statewide
officeholder in Ohio is a Republican, and they have said that the No
Child Left Behind program is underfunded in the State of Ohio by $1.4
billion. We cannot talk about any kind of education programs without
looking at the whole pack.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, again, we have lost focus. This is about honoring our
[[Page H2503]]
teachers our administrators and our staff. I again would remind my
colleague that that is what this is about.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Tennessee
(Mrs. Blackburn) who is an outstanding Member and hard worker for our
military and for their children and dependents.
Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, as part of National Teachers Week, it is
so fitting that we commend our teachers for the work that they do. And
I think it is particularly appropriate that America take time to thank
the teachers and the school administrators at our military-impacted
schools.
The 101 Airborne Division of the U.S. Army is stationed at Ft.
Campbell in my district, in Montgomery County, Tennessee. There are
5,400 children who have at least one parent in the military and 1,700
children of civilian military employees attending the local
Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools.
These schools play a central role in the lives of children whose
needs are unique. As they adjust to their parents being deployed around
the world defending America, the sacrifice that these children and
their families make is enormous. And how fitting that we recognize that
and that we recognize the teachers and the administrators who work with
them teach and every day.
I know these children often have many things on their minds, many
important and pressing issues on their minds, and the teachers at our
military-impacted schools are important in providing a warm, friendly
environment for these students.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the teachers and the staff at our military-
impacted schools for their commitment to the children to their families
and to our service members.
Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, does my colleague have additional speakers
and do I have the right to close?
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Terry). The gentleman from North
Carolina (Mr. Hayes) has the right to close.
Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance
of my time.
Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, just one final closing point, and we do not need to beat
a dead horse here, but I do believe that we cannot have an honest
debate about this education program or any other education programs
without looking at the money, and we need to fund these education
programs.
Again, we commend the teachers. We commend the principles and the
people who were involved in this program. And there is no doubt about
the outstanding work that they provide, the outstanding leadership that
they provide for our young students who are there. We will support this
resolution. But, in the current fiscal year 2004 appropriations, $61.6
million, it would take $1.1 billion to fully fund this program.
When you look at that in the light of all the tax cuts that we have
given to the top one, 2 percent of the people in this country, the
wealthiest 1 and 2 percent of the people in this country, we just
believe on this side of the aisle that it is time for us to take this
responsibility seriously.
We are losing jobs left and right, and we want every single child to
have an opportunity to get a quality education with the new facility
with the proper education in these time of great need for these
children.
We are supportive of this resolution. I thank the gentleman for
bringing it up. It is a great idea to take time out of our busy
schedules here in Congress to commend these teachers and these people
who are leading the future youth of this country.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, let me point out again our appreciation for the
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry) who has a military-impacted school
association in your district and you have been a tremendous help.
I thank my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan) for his kind
remarks in support of the resolution. I take a moment to simply digress
to say that under No Child Left Behind, there has been a 42.5 percent
increase in funding for education over the past 4 years.
We had the entire State Board of Education from North Carolina here
to talk about No Child Left Behind. And ironically, Democrats and
Republicans, as they should, came together to pass No Child Left
Behind. What came out of this meeting was that it is very clear that
people who are concerned with the outcome are working together to make
sure that that destination is arrived at by all children and all
teachers. And if there are issues to be dealt with, we are willing,
able and eager to do that.
I also might point out as a result of No Child Left Behind, the
Federal Government is currently spending more money on K to 12 than at
any other time in history. Discretionary appropriations for the
Department of Education rose from $23 billion in 1996 to $55.7 billion,
142 percent increase.
Mr. Speaker, we are not here to talk about the administration, past
or present. We are here again to thank and honor those teachers and
administrators and staff. These are the teachers that plan and attend
Military Appreciation Days. They allow students the flexibility to
attend send off and welcome home ceremonies. They coordinate letter
writing campaigns for our troops and integrate academic studies with
the real world current events that impact their students. These
teachers celebrate with families when a parent returns from deployment,
and they weep with them when a loved one is lost. They recognize that
sometimes their students deserve an extra dose of patience, sympathy
and encouragement. They identify and meet those special needs.
Teachers in military impacted schools challenge students a demanding
curriculum and the toughest academic standards, yet they faithfully
provide the additional support that they need.
Studies show that military children move three times more than non-
military. They face unique challenges, including managing school
records, making new friends and adjusting to different school system
policies and calendars.
Most publicly-impacted school districts also rely on impact aid for
funding. Impact aid is not only the first education program, but also
one of the most efficient programs the Department of Education
administers. In public school, districts where the Federal Government
is a primary employer-land owner, a vital tax base is lost. Impact aid
payments step in to fill the gap.
I look forward to working with my colleagues to increase funding.
Over the years since we have been here, every year Democrats and
Republicans have worked to restore funding. Some folks do not have
military installations. They do not understand this need. But we are
working and we have improved it every year and that is what
bipartisanship is all about.
Because of compassionate post assignments such as Ft. Bragg and Camp
Lejeune, some military installations are home to substantially high
number of special needs children. Schools must adjust to meet these
needs and provide an appropriate education for every child.
Additionally, schools across the country that may not be near a
military installation, but are home to children of National Guard and
Reservists are caring for families as troops are deployed, join the
remaining parent or caretaker in supporting the academic and emotional
needs of students.
Military-impacted schools often employ teachers who themselves served
in the Armed Forces. Reservists often live near military installations
and when called to active duty, school districts must fill these
temporary vacancies with another qualified interim teacher.
Mr. Speaker, the teachers, administrators and staff of military-
impacted schools are some of the finest Americans I know. They serve
the ones who serve. They exemplify the same fine American values that
our armed services demonstrate each day, commitment, dedication and
patriotism.
[[Page H2504]]
Mr. Speaker, please allow me a moment to recognize several
organizations that play vital roles in supporting our military
families, specifically, the Military Impacted School Association,
National Association of Federally Impacted Schools, National Military
Family Association, and the Military Child Education Coalition. They
work every day to build partnerships that strengthen the educational
opportunities for children. I am proud of these organizations and am
dedicated to working with them to achieve our common goal.
Mr. Speaker, today, May 4, 2004, is National Teacher Day. This week
has been designated National Teacher Appreciation Week by the Parent
Teacher Association National Branch. Today we all tell our teachers
that we appreciate their service to America's children. But
specifically today, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring the
fine men and women in our military-impacted schools for their
dedication to our country's children, our Armed Forces and their
families.
Again, working together we have been able to raise the level of
funding, and we will continue in a bipartisan fashion to do that.
I thank my colleagues for their support, their co-sponsorship, and
their words of encouragement to their fine teachers and their staff. I
urge my colleagues to support the resolution.
Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.Res. 598 legislation
recognizing the valuable contributions of military impacted schools,
teachers, administration, and staff for their ongoing contributions to
the education of military children. I want to reiterate the importance
of supporting our military families through the Impact Aid program, and
I commend the teachers and school administrators for the outstanding
work they do. This program is vital to the education of millions of
children across the nation.
Impact Aid was created in 1950 when Congress recognized the
obligation of the Federal Government to assist school districts and
communities that experience a loss in their local property tax base due
to the presence of the Federal Government. Between 1950 and 1969, the
Impact Aid Program was fully funded by Congress. Since that time the
funding level has not kept pace with the amount required to cover the
Federal Government's tax obligation. Impact Aid funds are sent directly
to the school district. The funds go directly into the school
district's general fund for operations such as the purchase of
textbooks, computers, utilities, and payment of staff salaries. Over 90
percent of funding for education comes from local funds such as
property taxes. But what happens if that property is owned by the
Federal Government and is off the tax rolls? Kids report to class with
no property tax dollars needed for their school. In my district more
than 1,000 students at Monmouth Regional High School, more than 1,300
students in Eatontown, and more than 1,700 in Tinton Falls are affected
by impact aid. The teachers there work very hard to provide a quality
education to all their students. Teachers who teach students of
military families have the added burden of teaching students whose
parents are or may be going overseas.
The quickest way to take a soldier or sailor's mind off their mission
is to have them worrying about their children's education. Children
from military families come from some of the hardest working, most
patriotic families, but the schools they attend sometimes face
bankruptcy. This is because of the way we fund our nation's schools.
Impact Aid honors our commitment to military families. It guarantees
that those families who serve to protect our freedom are in turn
protected by the Federal Government. The hard working teachers of these
districts ensure that these children of military members will succeed.
The administrators, teachers, aids, guidance counselors, librarians,
bus drivers, janitors all need to be commended for their work.
Our constitution commands that the first job of the Federal
Government is to ``provide for the common defense.'' As we improve the
pay and benefits of men and women in uniform, we must also support
their kids, the local schools they attend, and the teachers who teach
them. The time is now to support schools that educate the children
whose parents wear our nation's uniform.
Mr. RUPPERSBERGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House
Resolution 598.
Tens of thousands of men and women in uniform are serving our country
around the world. I believe we owe it to them to make sure that their
children here at home have access to a quality education. Teachers,
staff, and administrators at schools serving our military communities
are a critical part of achieving this goal. These professionals work
hard to educate our youth as well as support families who are dealing
with a loved one serving overseas--very often in a dangerous, combat
area. That is why I am taking time today to honor these great educators
for the work they do every day. The commitment of the staff at these
schools is unwavering and I am proud to stand here today in support of
these great Americans.
In my district, the Maryland 2nd Congressional District, schools
around Fort Meade in Anne Arundel County, especially elementary
schools, are feeling the pinch. The military is funding the development
of 3200 new housing units on the base in the next few years. This is
welcome news for military families but this initiative coupled with the
fact that more military personnel are being called to duty is expected
to bring 700 new students to the Anne Arundel County School System.
These military families typically don't pay taxes in Anne Arundel
County because their home of record is in another state. This situation
is expected to overburden the school system and disrupt the system's
construction and modernization plan due to this influx of new students.
As the former Baltimore County Executive, I understand the financial
constraint situations like this put on local governments. I am doing
everything I can here on Capitol Hill to make sure that this situation
does not unfairly burden Anne Arundel County. I believe we need to
fully fund Impact Aid to counties serving military children like Anne
Arundel County. Impact Aid is federal assistance that helps offset the
costs of educating military children when their families don't pay
taxes in the area. Right now Impact Aid is only funded 60%. I believe
we should completely fund the program.
The teachers, staff, and administrators at these schools do their
part to educate and support these military families in this very
difficult time. We in Congress must do our part and give them the
resources they deserve.
Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in
recognizing the contributions of military impacted schools. My district
includes Camp Pendleton, the home of the First Marine Expeditionary
Force, which has deployed to Iraq and has recently conducted major
operations in cities throughout the Sunni Triangle, including Fallujah.
The 1 MEF has participated in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation
Iraqi Freedom and is now serving in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi
Freedom II.
The schools that care for and educate the children of Camp Pendleton
Marines provide vital educational and counseling services that have
helped ease the stresses associated with this latest deployment. They
provide military children with a normal daily routine--a critical need
in this age when news from the front lines is brought home almost
immediately.
They also have provided these children with an excellent education.
Mary Faye Pendleton and San Onofre Elementary Schools, both of which
are located on-base are the highest-performing schools in the entire
Fallbrook Elementary School district. In addition, Oceanside Unified's
three on-base schools were all recognized as California Distinguished
Schools this past year.
I am proud of the teachers, administrators, staff, and volunteers of
all the military impacted schools in my district. Oceanside Unified,
Vista Unified, Fallbrook Elementary, Fallbrook High School, Bonsall
Unified, Julian Unified, Valley Center Unified, and Warner Unified
School District have all provided a great service to our men and women
in uniform.
I am particularly proud of the way these schools have continued to
provide quality education to these military children despite major
shortfalls in federal funding for Impact Aid, which funds military
impacted schools. Every year we have a budget battle over Impact Aid.
We need to remind ourselves that military impacted schools are a
critical element in the support of our military families. If we are
going to recognize the importance of these schools to our military men
and women serving overseas, we must support them with the resources
they need to do their jobs well. I urge my colleagues to support this
resolution.
Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to join the other co-
sponsors of H. Res. 598 as we pay tribute to America's military
impacted schools. It is important that we take time to honor the
teachers, administrators, counselors, and other staff members of our
military schools. These are the quiet professionals who report for duty
each day, but carry the burden of an added mission: to provide the best
possible education to students who often have much more on their minds
than school work.
I extend my appreciation to Congressman Hayes for sponsoring this
resolution. Too often, our military schools and the educators who fill
them are taken for granted. This should never be the case. After all,
the education of a military child is directly connected to the
military's overall quality of life, as well as its retention and
readiness.
Today, approximately 650,000 military children are served by talented
and caring teachers in public schools near military bases. Another
100,500 military children attend Department of Defense Education
Activity schools
[[Page H2505]]
here in the states and overseas. Many of these students are facing the
reality that their father or mother--or both--are serving in a danger
zone.
Fortunately, one thing that American troops do not have to worry
about is whether their children are receiving a quality education. The
educators in our military impacted schools make certain that the
children of our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen have a first-
class educational experience--each and every school day.
This is our opportunity to thank the exceptional teachers,
administrators, and staff of America's military impacted schools. We
recognize the extra efforts they are making in these challenging times,
and we are grateful. Job well done.
Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution
598 offered by my colleague, the gentleman from North Carolina, Mr.
Hayes. House Resolution 598 recognizes the valuable contributions of
the administrators, teachers and staff who educate children of military
families.
There are approximately 650,000 school-aged children of members of
the Armed Forces enrolled in public schools across the United States.
Another 100,500 military children are served in Department of Defense
Education Activity schools in the U.S. and overseas.
While all children deserve a quality education in a stable learning
environment, children of military families often face unique and
stressful situations, especially in times of conflict when their
parents can be deployed for long periods of time and often with short
notice.
Schools serving military installations understand the importance of
providing a normal learning environment and regular routine for
children whose parents serve in the military. They can provide students
with a sense of safety and reassurance and, a place for them to thrive
academically.
Military impacted schools can also offer increased counseling for
military children due to the deployment of family members, and teachers
and counselors working in such schools are trained to work with
military children and their classmates when there is a service-related
incident or death.
I'd like to particularly recognize the Caesar Rodney School District
in my home State of Delaware, which serves the families of Dover Air
Force Base. The Caesar Rodney School District serves nearly 7,000
students and has a long history of academic excellence and service to
its community. I would like to thank them for their commitment to
serving the needs of our military children.
Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 598 is simple. It recognizes and
commends the valuable contributions of the teachers, administrators,
and staff of military impacted schools and the Department of Defense
Education Activity Schools.
This resolution is also timely as this is National Teacher
Appreciation Week. We not only would like to recognize the hard work
and accomplishments of our military impacted schools personnel, but all
elementary and secondary teachers across the country.
Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution
598 offered by the gentleman from North Carolina, Mr. Hayes. House
Resolution 598 recognizes the valuable contributions of the teachers,
administrators, and staff who work hard everyday to educate the
children of military families.
It's fitting that we are considering this resolution today, as this
week marks National Teacher Appreciation Week. This resolution reflects
our strong belief that every child in America, regardless of their
military connection, deserves the opportunity to receive a quality
education, and that every child should be taught by a highly qualified
teacher.
The success of education reform efforts is increasingly seen as
directly dependent on the quality of classroom instruction, and
ensuring the quality of America's 3.2 million teachers is an essential
part of providing an excellent education to all our children. A growing
number of studies provide conclusive evidence that teacher quality is
the primary school-related factor affecting student achievement.
Students who are taught by effective and competent teachers excel
quickly, while those who are assigned to the least effective teachers
lag behind and often never catch up.
House Resolution 598 focuses on schools that serve our military
children. These schools understand the importance of providing a normal
learning environment and regular routine for children whose parents
serve in the military so that they are able to learn in stressful
situations, especially in times of conflict. They can also provide
students with a sense of safety and reassurance while their parents are
defending our freedom.
Schools serving military installations can offer increased counseling
for military children when family members are deployed, and teachers
and counselors working in such schools are trained to work with
military children and their classmates when there is a service-related
incident or death. These schools can also offer additional counseling
for staff, many of whom are spouses, parents, brothers, and sisters of
deployed members of the Armed Forces.
I would particularly like to thank the schools serving the children
of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in my district. The Wright-Patterson
Air Force Base is the only active military base in Ohio and focuses on
aviation research and development. I would like to thank them for their
commitment to serving the needs of our military families.
Mr. Speaker, the teachers, administrators and staff of all our
schools are the true heroes of our communities. Every child deserves an
excellent education in order to gain the skills needed to continue on
to higher learning, compete in the marketplace, contribute to society,
and lead a fulfilling life.
This resolution rightly recognizes the contributions of the teachers,
administrators, and staff of military impacted schools, and Department
of Defense Education Activity schools world-wide and we praise the
teachers in military impacted communities who work on the front lines
at home to educate students during times of peace and times of
conflict.
I would like to thank Mr. Hayes for his leadership in bringing this
bipartisan resolution forward and urge my colleagues to vote in support
of this resolution.
Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute
to the basketball capital of the nation, Storrs CT home of the
University of Connecticut Huskies. For the first time in NCAA history,
one school has brought home both the Men's and Women's Division I
Basketball titles in the same year.
I would like to offer special congratulations to Head Coaches Jim
Calhoun and Geno Auriemma. This is Coach Calhoun's second National
Championship. For Coach Auriemma, this is his third consecutive
championship and fifth overall. Both men are outstanding coaches who
exemplify leadership and commitment to our young people.
Mr. Speaker, this is an extraordinary group of young men and women.
We could spend hours telling you about each one of these marvelous
student athletes. Since we don't have that much time, I want to take a
moment to tell you a little about All Americans Emeka Okafor and Diana
Taurasi.
Emeka Okafor the Co-National Player of the Year, is not only a
stellar shot blocker, he is graduating from UCONN as a Junior with his
degree in Finance and carries a 3.8 GPA. Earlier this year he was named
Kodak Academic Player of the Year. Emeka is a genuine role model for
our children.
Diana Taurasi was recently named the national women's Player of the
Year and the Final Four Most Outstanding Player. As a senior at UCONN,
she led the Huskies to three consecutive national titles--and finished
her college career with a team-high 17 points in the championship game.
Coach Auriemma told his team before the game that in the early 90's
the team played in its first championship game before a crowd of
roughly 1,500 people. On April 6th the Huskies defeated the University
of Tennessee Volunteers in front of a crowd of over 15,000. Mr. Speaker
I think its safe to say that Title IX is alive and doing well in Storrs
Connecticut.
Mr. Speaker, I ask you and all of our colleagues to join me in
honoring these two tremendous teams.
Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hayes) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 598.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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