WASHINGTON – On Friday, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) joined a bipartisan group of senators, led by Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) in a letter urging the relevant appropriations subcommittees to allow for strong and continued funding for the Impact Aid program for fiscal year 2016. Senator Fischer released the following statement this afternoon:

“The Omaha metro area is home to many federal employees, including U.S. military personnel stationed at Offutt Air Force Base and STRATCOM, who send their children to our taxpayer-funded schools. The tax relief historically provided to our school districts allows them to cover the costs of educating these children and ensures all our students have the resources they need. I’m proud to support our federally impacted schools in Nebraska and will continue to advocate on their behalf in the U.S. Senate.”

The Impact Aid program provides financial assistance to local school districts affected by federal activities. Such activities include federal ownership of certain lands (e.g., military bases or Indian land). Since the fund’s establishment in 1950, Congress has provided this compensation to school districts who have lost tax revenue. This program currently provides local tax relief to over 1,300 school districts across the nation. Absent this federal support, schools across the country could be forced to close. 

Click here to view the letter on impact aid.