[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 120 (Wednesday, September 29, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9931-S9932]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                REMEMBERING ED HENNESSEE FROM LAWTON, OK

 Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, earlier today, my State of 
Oklahoma, as well as the Nation, lost a true friend of education.
  Ed Hennessee, a longtime resident of Lawton, OK died doing what he 
loved best--advocating for children attending federally connected 
school districts.
  Ed served the Lawton Public Schools in a variety of capacities for 
many years retiring as assistant superintendent for business in 1995.
  While in that capacity he fought for a program that I have come to 
champion--Impact Aid.

[[Page S9932]]

  The program's origin was rooted in Oklahoma in the late 1940s and 
early 1950s, when Oscar Rose, superintendent of the Mid-Del Schools and 
others convinced Congress that the Federal Government had a 
responsibility and an obligation to provide assistance to school 
districts serving children whose parents were employed by the Federal 
Government or the military. Ed Hennessee continued that legacy right up 
to the time of his death this morning.
  During his long education career, Ed received many honors, including 
being named the State of Oklahoma Teacher of the Year.
  However, he was most proud of the fact that he was helping children.
  He truly understood that education is about giving children an 
opportunity to be successful. One of his most frequent statements was 
``Teach a child to love to learn, then you will be successful teaching 
them any school subject.'' Ed was a success because he loved learning.
  He also loved helping others have the opportunity to learn, and, 
thankfully, he taught many the importance of using their gifts and 
talents to help our children. Although he retired from the Lawton 
Public Schools in the mid-1990s, he continued serving federally 
connected schools. As executive director of the National Council of 
Impacted Schools, he continued to work for both Oklahoma federally 
connected schools, along with other schools throughout the nation.
  He visited my office at least twice a year to talk about ways to 
improve the program. He was an expert on the intricacies of the often 
complex and confusing details of Impact Aid and freely offered that 
expertise. When my staff or I needed information about how schools in 
Oklahoma and around the country would be affected by the level of 
funding appropriated for Impact Aid, Ed knew the answers. He was an 
innovator for Impact Aid.
  For example, S. 777 was a bill I developed from one of his ideas. Ed 
was in Washington this weekend to advocate for the Impact Aid program 
when he became ill. He was doing what he had been doing for more than a 
quarter of a century--- asking Congress to fulfill its obligation to 
school districts all across this country that are impacted by a federal 
presence.
  Prior to Ed's retirement, he served on the Board of Directors of the 
National Association of Federally Impacted Schools and served as its 
President from 1991 to 1993. He never stopped putting the needs of 
federally connected students at the top of his priority list. His 
presence will indeed be missed--not only by those who knew him well, 
such as his dear wife Edna who was always by his side--but also by 
those who enjoy the fruits of his labor.

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