[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 154 (Friday, November 18, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2434]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        IMPORTANCE OF IMPACT AID

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                         HON. JERRY F. COSTELLO

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 18, 2005

  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, as a co-chair of the Congressional Impact 
Aid Coalition, I rise today in strong support of the Impact Aid 
program.
  Impact Aid provides important resources to replace lost tax dollars 
to school districts that include a military base, Indian land, or any 
type of Federal presence or activity to assist with the basic 
educational needs of its students. These funds improve the quality of 
life for our military personnel by ensuring their children receive a 
quality education wherever they are stationed.
  Due to budget constraints, the Impact Aid program faces unique 
challenges. While most education programs contend with an increase in 
the cost per pupil each year, Impact Aid faces the additional challenge 
of an increasing number of military dependents within the program--
projected to dramatically increase over the next 10 years--causing the 
cost of fully funding Impact Aid to escalate sharply.
  For example, as a result of the BRAC recommendations, over the next 4 
to 5 years, the Department of Defense estimates that an additional 
32,000 dependent children of military families will enter stateside 
public schools due to overseas base closures and realignments. Without 
additional funding, this tremendous increase will cause a significant 
change to the level of assistance to the current and future school 
districts serving our military children and to the services and 
resources the districts will be able to offer our children.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my colleagues to pay attention to 
the critical situation our military children are facing and the further 
deterioration of their educational resources and services if we do not 
act soon. In a time of war, it is absolutely essential that we provide 
the necessary resources to ensure our military dependents' educational 
funding will be maintained.

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