Washington--Legislation to aid servicemen participating in Operation Desert Storm and their families, expected to win easy approval from the Congress, may include some funds for schools.
An aide to Senator Edward M. Kennedy, chairman of the Labor and Human Resources Committee, said last week that the Massachusetts Democrat was backing legislation that would provide school districts with a total of up to $20 million for counseling children who have a parent in the Persian Gulf, teacher training, or “other appropriate” services for military dependents.
John Forkenbrock, executive director of the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools, noted that schools on or near military bases are seeing their expenses rise due to tightened security.
Mr. Kennedy, who also sits on the Armed Services Committee, also plans to introduce legislation to provide child-care funds to military families and to allow servicemen on duty in the Gulf to defer repayment of their student loans.
Several Senate panels are drafting bills, which will be combined in an omnibus measure, related to Desert Storm.
A supplemental spending bill is also anticipated.--j.m.
