Arizona Politics

Gallego Cosponsors Bill to Fund Federally-Impacted School District Construction

Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) has cosponsored legislation for funding construction in federally impacted school districts.

"Federally impacted" means these school districts are on or near non-taxable federal lands, such as military bases, Indian treaty-held areas, Treaty and Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act lands, national parks, and other areas.

Thus, because these areas have a lower tax base, schools in them are funded via Impact Aid and the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS).

Sen. Gallego's Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act thus authorizes $1 billion over four years ($250 million per year) for Impact Aid Construction Grants. 3/4 of each $250 million will be in the form of competitive grants, prioritizing schools with acute emergencies. The remaining 25% will be available via formula funding for all eligible school districts.

After all, much of Arizona is federal land, be it military bases or Tribal reservations, and the Grand Canyon State alone receives over $200 million per year via Impact Aid.

"Investing in our schools is investing in the future of Arizona. Schools throughout the state rely on Impact Aid and need additional funding for long overdue repairs at their facilities," said Sen. Gallego in his press release, adding, "By securing this critical funding for construction and modernization, we ensure that every child has a safe, innovative, and inspiring place to learn while building a brighter future."

At the end of March, the Arizona Senator cosponsored the bipartisan Mining Schools Act of 2025 introduced by Senator John Barrasso (R-WY). The act establishes a grant program for mining schools at colleges and universities, such as the University of Arizona, one of the 14 institutions in the country, to offer mining engineering degrees to boost recruitment, research projects, and demonstrations of mineral production.

Similarly, in the House of Representatives, Representative Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) reintroduced the Creating Opportunities for New Skills Training at Rural and Underserved Colleges and Trade Schools (CONSTRUCTS) Act in February. This act creates a grant program to fund and develop residential construction education and certification programs in trade schools, junior colleges, and community colleges.

Grayson Bakich

Florida born and raised, Grayson Bakich is a recent recipient of a Master’s Degree in Political Science at the University of Central Florida. His thesis examined recent trends in political polarization and how this leads into justification of violence.

Recent Posts

Yassamin Ansari, Eli Crane Split on Trump Admin's Autism-Tylenol Claims

Arizona representatives offered contrasting responses to the White House announcement linking acetaminophen use during pregnancy…

3 hours ago

Court Of Appeals Declines Kris Mayes' Appeal in 2020 Electors Case

The Arizona Court of Appeals has declined to consider Attorney General Kris Mayes' petition regarding…

5 hours ago

Is Jimmy Kimmel Back? Rep. Yassamin Ansari Confirms

Disney announced Monday that "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" will return to the air less than a…

5 hours ago

Steve Montenegro and Warren Petersen Urge Supreme Court to Require Transparency in Election Manual

Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro and Senate President Warren Petersen filed a brief with the…

5 hours ago

Trump Declares Antifa A Terrorist Organization in Executive Order

President Donald Trump has officially declared Antifascist Action, better known as "Antifa," a domestic terrorist…

18 hours ago

Andy Biggs Condemns Democrats Who Voted Against Resolution Honoring Charlie Kirk

Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) has denounced the 58 Democrats who voted against the House's resolution…

1 day ago