NAFIS/OASIS Collaboration Has Significant Impact in Washington
In April, Steven and I contacted Oklahoma representatives in Washington D.C., asking them to sign a "Dear Colleague," letter to the Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Appropriations subcommittee in support of additional Impact Aid Funding. Representatives Mullin and Lucas signed the letter. (Senator Inhofe co-sponsored the letter in the Senate and we have asked Senator Lankford to sign).
Additionally, we reached out to Congressman Cole, who serves on the appropriations committee, with a special request and as usual his response was outstanding! Please read the committee hearing summary below.
As a result, we received an email from Interim Director John Forkenbrock and NAFIS Consultant Jon Bernstein detailing Cole's statement and thanking us for our efforts in representing our OASIS members.
"On behalf of the NAFIS community I want to thank you for your outreach to Rep. Cole as he prepared questions for the Secretary.
Some times it’s the little things that have the most clout. Touching base with Rep. Cole brought Impact Aid to the attention of the Secretary. He never mentioned it in his prepared testimony, but Cole’s question provided a response from the Secretary that communicated to the members of the Subcommittee that the Administration supports the program which will help lift Impact Aid to a higher level of priority when the Subcommittee reports out a FY 2023 Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations bill hopefully sometime this summer."
Mr. Forkenbrock added, "Because of your follow through with Rep. Cole, Impact Aid was given recognition both within the subcommittee and the Department of Education. Thanks again, Billie. You folks at OASIS are the best."
Being able to represent as many districts as possible, to show that we represent all congressional districts and schools of all sizes, is vitally important when we advocate to Oklahoma legislators for support of Impact Aid!
Your membership in OASIS is important!
|