[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 5969]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    DO NOT CUT IMPACT AID TO SCHOOLS

  (Mrs. DAVIS of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to strongly oppose the 
President's proposal to drastically cut Impact Aid to schools.
  The need has been clear for over half a century. Begun in 1950, 
Impact Aid compensates districts for the loss of taxes that support 
schools. Military land and the military homes located on that land do 
not pay property taxes.
  But the administration would cut funding for children living off 
base, even though the compensation rate is much lower. Yet taxes are 
also lost from these families. Over three-quarters of servicemembers 
living in my district claim residence in other States and do not pay 
State income or car registration taxes. Sales at commissaries or 
exchanges on bases are exempt from State sales taxes. Property, income, 
and sales taxes are all needed to pay for education.
  Today, Mr. Speaker, as members of our armed services are deploying in 
large numbers to prepare for a possible war, it is critical for them to 
know that their children's schools are being supported by the very 
country for whom they are prepared to give their lives.

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