April 15, 2009 – Today, Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson announced that the United States Department of Education (DOE) will provide almost one million dollars to Nebraska to repair and modernize local schools as a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).
 
“One of the pillars of Nebraska’s economy is a quality education for our children,” said Senator Nelson. “These funds will create and preserve jobs in the short term, but will also ensure that our children can compete in a global economy in the long term.”
 
The funds are coming in the form of Impact Aid Construction Formula Grants, and are divided between four recipients, with $591,370 going to Bellevue Public Schools, $45,621 to the Santee School District, $104,359 to the Umo Ho Nation District #16, and $109,491 to the Winnebago School District. While the primary purpose is to help repair and modernize schools, the funds can also be used to reduce overcrowding.
 
Impact Aid Grants target school districts with tracts of land within their borders either owned by the Federal Government, or that have been removed from local tax rolls by the Federal Government, such as Indian lands and military bases. These districts face a unique challenge because they must provide quality education and meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act like others schools, but often have less local revenue than other school districts because Federal property is exempt from local property taxes. By targeting these school districts that frequently operate at a disadvantage, Impact Aid Grants help fill this gap.
 
Senator Nelson played a key role in the passage of the $787 billion stimulus bill. He worked with a bipartisan group of nearly 20 Senators to better focus The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on tax cuts for the middle class and job creation for millions of Americans. Senator Nelson led the group through the initial bill line by line, dollar by dollar, to reduce spending and cut out $108 billion of inefficient or less-stimulative spending. The bipartisan group helped the improved bill win congressional approval. President Obama signed it into law February 17, 2009.
   
  Senator Nelson is posting information about the release of stimulus finds on his website as it becomes available.  Visit http://bennelson.senate.gov/issues/stimulus/index.cfm for more information. 

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