[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4766 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4766

    To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to 
    authorize the appropriation of funds to assist States and local 
 educational agencies with the expenses of Federal education statutory 
requirements and priorities relating to infrastructure, technology, and 
                               equipment.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 27, 2000

  Mr. Goodling (for himself, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Castle, Mr. McKeon, Mr. 
  Petri, Mr. Upton, and Mr. Fletcher) introduced the following bill; 
   which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to 
    authorize the appropriation of funds to assist States and local 
 educational agencies with the expenses of Federal education statutory 
requirements and priorities relating to infrastructure, technology, and 
                               equipment.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE AND EQUIPMENT IMPROVEMENT.

    Title XII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 8501 et seq.) is amended to read as follows:

                  ``TITLE XII--CLASSROOM MODERNIZATION

``SEC. 12001. SHORT TITLE.

    ``This title may be cited as the `Classroom Modernization Act of 
2000'.

``SEC. 12002. FINDINGS.

    ``The Congress finds as follows:
            ``(1) All children deserve a high-quality education in 
        safe, suitable classrooms with the necessary equipment. 
        Research shows that academic performance suffers if students 
        are in school buildings that are below par. Safety code 
        violations, outdated science and vocational education 
        laboratories and equipment, environmental hazards, structural 
        threats to personal safety, and facilities that are obstacle 
        courses for disabled students all can adversely affect 
        learning.
            ``(2) The primary responsibility for school construction is 
        and should remain at the State and local level. However, the 
        Federal Government can provide limited assistance without 
        usurping State and local decision making.
            ``(3) The limited role of the Federal Government should 
        focus on assistance to States and communities in complying with 
        Federal statutory and regulatory requirements that reduce the 
        ability of State and local governments to fund the construction 
        and renovation of school facilities.
            ``(4) Charter schools continue to grow in number. However, 
        while traditional public schools have access to special State 
        and local funding streams for capital improvements and school 
        construction, charter schools are often left to face the 
        difficulty of finding their own facilities and paying for the 
        cost of such facilities out of their regular operating funds. 
        By assisting charter schools in overcoming persistent 
        infrastructure obstacles, the Federal Government can assist the 
        increasing numbers of students attending and waiting to attend 
        charter schools in order to improve their academic achievement.
            ``(5) Often children living on Indian lands attend schools 
        that are in disrepair, unsafe, unhealthy, overcrowded, or in 
        need of extensive renovation. Despite the importance of 
        providing a high-quality education to these children, schools 
        on or near Indian lands often face an inability to access 
        funding sources available to schools in other geographic areas. 
        These schools rely heavily on Federal funds made available 
        under title VIII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
        of 1965 to make up for the lack of other revenues, but often 
        these funds, especially those earmarked for construction 
        purposes, do not come close to meeting the needs of the 
        schools. Federal construction and renovation assistance to 
        schools located on or near Indian lands will help fulfill the 
        Federal responsibility to assist with the provision of 
        educational services to children whose education is affected by 
        the Federal trust obligation to Indians and Indian tribes.

``SEC. 12003. PURPOSE.

    ``The purpose of this title is to assist public elementary and 
secondary schools, including charter schools and schools on or near 
Indian lands, with the expenses of Federal education statutory 
requirements and priorities relating to infrastructure, technology, and 
equipment needs.

``SEC. 12004. RESERVATION; FORMULA GRANTS TO STATES; STATE ALLOTMENTS.

    ``(a) Reservation.--From the amount made available under section 
12015 to carry out this title for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall 
reserve 3.5 percent of such amount to carry out section 12009.
    ``(b) Formula Grants to States.--In the case of each State that in 
accordance with section 12006 submits to the Secretary an application 
for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall make a grant for the year to the 
State. The grant shall consist of the allotment determined for the 
State under subsection (c).
    ``(c) Determination of Amount of State Allotments.--
            ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary 
        shall, for each fiscal year, allocate among the States the 
        amount made available under section 12015 to carry out this 
        title and not reserved under subsection (a) as follows:
                    ``(A) 50 percent of such amount shall be allotted 
                among States in proportion to the number of children 5 
                to 17 years of age, inclusive, who reside within the 
                State from families with incomes below the poverty line 
                (as defined by the Office of Management and Budget and 
                revised annually in accordance with section 673(2) of 
                the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 
                9902(2)) applicable to a family of the size involved 
                for the most recent fiscal year for which satisfactory 
data are available, compared to the number of such individuals who 
reside in all such States for that fiscal year.
                    ``(B) 50 percent of such amount shall be allotted 
                among States in proportion to the amount such State 
                received under part A of title I for the preceding 
                fiscal year.
            ``(2) Minimum.--For any fiscal year, no State shall be 
        allotted under this subsection an amount that is less than one-
        quarter of 1 percent of the total amount allotted to all the 
        States under this subsection.
            ``(3) Reallotment of unused funds.--If any State does not 
        apply for an allotment under this subsection for any fiscal 
        year, the Secretary shall reallot the amount of the State's 
        allotment to the remaining States in accordance with this 
        subsection.

``SEC. 12005. WITHIN-STATE DISTRIBUTION.

    ``(a) In General.--
            ``(1) Distribution.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
        of the funds that a State receives under section 12004 for a 
        fiscal year, the State shall distribute 100 percent of such 
        funds to local educational agencies in the State that, in 
        accordance with section 12006, submit to the State an 
        application for the fiscal year. Such distributions may also be 
        made to consortia of local educational agencies.
            ``(2) Special rule.--A State that establishes a State loan 
        guarantee program under section 12010 that includes a loan 
        guarantee for at least one charter school may retain not more 
        than 2 percent of the total funds received under section 12004 
        for use in administering the loan guarantee program.
    ``(b) Form of Distribution.--
            ``(1) In general.--Distributions under subsection (a) may 
        be in any form that is consistent with State law on school 
        infrastructure financing, such as--
                    ``(A) grants;
                    ``(B) loans; and
                    ``(C) aid to issue bonds or other obligations.
            ``(2) State loan guarantees.--For purposes of subsection 
        (a), amounts used to establish a reserve fund for a State loan 
        guarantee program under section 12010 shall be considered 
        amounts distributed in accordance with subsection (a).
            ``(3) Refunding or refinancing outstanding obligations.--
        Distributions under subsection (a) may also take the form of 
        aid to refund or refinance outstanding obligations, if such aid 
        is consistent with State law on school infrastructure 
        financing, is in the public interest, and alleviates the 
        financial hardship on the recipient.
    ``(c) Use of Objective Data.--In determining the distribution of 
such funds, the State may consider the following:
            ``(1) The percentage of children 5 to 17 years of age, 
        inclusive, in a local educational agency who are counted for 
        grants under section 1124(c).
            ``(2) The fiscal capacity of an applicant to carry out the 
        activities specified in its application without Federal 
        financial assistance, including the ability to raise funds 
        through the use of a local educational agency's bonding 
        capacity and otherwise.
            ``(3) The demonstrated need for such activities, based on 
        the condition of the school facility or facilities described in 
        the application.
            ``(4) The fiscal capacity of the applicant to maintain in 
        good condition any facility whose renovation is funded under 
        this title and any equipment purchased or repaired with funds 
        provided under this title.
            ``(5) In the case of an applicant who proposes to fund a 
        project for a charter school or schools, the degree of access 
        of such school or schools to funding for the infrastructure 
        project through the financing methods available to other public 
        schools or local educational agencies in the State.
            ``(6) The extent to which activities specified in the 
        application represent innovative or cost-effective approaches 
        to meeting public school infrastructure needs, such as--
                    ``(A) the employment of innovative educational 
                approaches;
                    ``(B) the use of partnerships with employers or 
                other organizations;
                    ``(C) the collocation of schools with other 
                community services; and
                    ``(D) the construction or renovation of school 
                facilities as part of a broader effort to revitalize 
                disadvantaged neighborhoods and communities.
    ``(d) Federal Share.--
            ``(1) Federal share for meeting federal requirements; 
        charter schools.--The Federal share of the total cost of any of 
        the following projects may be 100 percent:
                    ``(A) A project described in paragraph (1), (2), 
                (3), or (8) of section 12007 (and section 12007(9), to 
                the extent that it relates to ancillary renovation 
                necessary to complete such a project).
                    ``(B) A project described in subparagraph (A), (B), 
                (C), or (H) of section 12009(c)(1) (and section 
                12009(c)(1)(I), to the extent that it relates to 
                ancillary renovation necessary to complete such a 
                project).
            ``(2) Federal share for other situations.--The Federal 
        share of the total cost of any of the following projects may 
        not exceed 50 percent:
                    ``(A) A project described in paragraph (4), (5), 
                (6), or (7) of section 12007 (and section 12007(9), to 
                the extent that it relates to ancillary renovation 
                necessary to complete such a project).
                    ``(B) A project described in subparagraph (D), (E), 
                (F), or (G) of section 12009(c)(1) (and section 
                12009(c)(1)(I), to the extent that it relates to 
                ancillary renovation necessary to complete such a 
                project).
            ``(3) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of the cost 
        of a project described in paragraph (2) may be provided in cash 
        or in kind, fairly evaluated and may be obtained from any 
        source, including funds from State or local governments, 
        nonprofit organizations, private sector businesses, and private 
        individuals.
            ``(4) Application of federal share limitations to loans.--
                    ``(A) Construction.--Nothing in this subsection 
                shall be construed as permitting any person or agency 
                to fail to pay principal or interest on any loan made 
                pursuant to this title.
                    ``(B) State loan guarantee program.--The limitation 
                in paragraph (2) shall not be construed as applying to 
                the use of amounts in a reserve fund established under 
                section 12010(b) to make payments to financial 
                institutions in accordance with section 12010(d).

``SEC. 12006. APPLICATIONS.

    ``(a) State Application.--
            ``(1) In general.--In order to receive a grant under this 
        title for a fiscal year, a State shall submit to the Secretary 
        an application for such year. Such application shall specify 
        and describe the method by which the State will distribute 
        funds to local educational agencies in accordance with section 
        12005, including a description of the loan guarantee criteria 
        established by the State for any State loan guarantee program 
        operating with funds received under this title.
            ``(2) Assurances.--Such State applications shall contain 
        assurances that--
                    ``(A) funds will be provided to a local educational 
                agency only if the State finds that projects undertaken 
                with funds received under this title will be undertaken 
                in an economical manner; and
                    ``(B) the State will comply with the requirements 
                in section 12005(d).
            ``(3) General approval.--A State application submitted to 
        the Secretary under this title shall be deemed to be approved 
        by the Secretary unless the Secretary makes a written 
        determination, prior to the expiration of the 90-day period 
        beginning on the date that the Secretary receives the 
        application, that the application is in violation of this 
        title.
            ``(4) Disapproval.--The Secretary shall not finally 
        disapprove a State application, except after giving the State 
        notice and opportunity for a hearing.
    ``(b) Local Applications.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each local educational agency desiring 
        to receive assistance under this title for a fiscal year shall 
        submit an application to the State for such year.
            ``(2) Contents.--Each application described in paragraph 
        (1) shall contain--
                    ``(A) an assurance that the application was 
                developed in consultation with parents, students, 
                classroom teachers, principals, school administrators, 
                and other interested community members;
                    ``(B) an assurance that the project will attract 
                the maximum number of qualified bidders, including 
                small, minority, and women-owned businesses, through 
                full and open competition;
                    ``(C) a description of the renovation, technology, 
                or equipment acquisition project, to be supported with 
                funds provided under this title and how it will 
                significantly impact the condition of a school facility 
                or facilities;
                    ``(D) a cost estimate for the proposed project;
                    ``(E) an identification of other resources, such as 
                unused bonding capacity, that are available to carry 
                out the project for which funds are requested under 
                this title;
                    ``(F) an assurance that the local educational 
                agency shall comply with the requirements in section 
                12005(d) and the limitations in section 12008; and
                    ``(G) such other information and assurances as the 
                State may reasonably require.

``SEC. 12007. AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.

    ``(a) In General.--Each local educational agency receiving funds 
under this title shall use the funds for one or more of the following:
            ``(1) Renovation, construction, acquisition, and start-up 
        needs related to the building infrastructure of a charter 
        school.
            ``(2) School facilities modifications necessary to comply 
        with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
            ``(3) To purchase, lease, or otherwise provide for the 
        acquisition, of assistive technology devices for children with 
        disabilities.
            ``(4) School facility wiring and associated infrastructure 
        improvements that enhance students' academic experiences and--
                    ``(A) are necessary for use of the Internet or 
                related emerging technologies; or
                    ``(B) that better equip schools for modern 
                educational technologies.
            ``(5) Science laboratories and equipment, and vocational 
        education laboratories and equipment, that are of significant 
        cost or are related to emerging technologies.
            ``(6) School facility renovations undertaken for compliance 
        with fire and safety codes.
            ``(7) School facilities renovations to prevent traumatic 
        crisis events on school property that would disrupt the 
        learning environment, such as school shootings or other major 
        acts of violence, if the renovations are undertaken in direct 
        response to, or in anticipation of, such events.
            ``(8) Asbestos abatement or removal from school facilities.
            ``(9) Any ancillary renovation necessary to complete any of 
        the projects described in paragraphs (1) through (8).
    ``(b) Clarification With Respect to Charter Schools.--In a case in 
which a local educational agency is not a charter school, the agency 
may use funds received under this title to carry out one or more of the 
authorized projects described in subsection (a) for the benefit of a 
charter school.

``SEC. 12008. LIMITATIONS.

    ``No funds received under this title may be used for--
            ``(1) payment of maintenance costs in connection with any 
        projects constructed in whole or in part with Federal funds 
        provided under this title;
            ``(2) the construction of new school facilities, except 
        facilities for charter schools and facilities for an impacted 
        local educational agency under section 12009; or
            ``(3) stadiums or other facilities primarily used for 
        athletic contests or exhibitions or other events for which 
        admission is charged to the general public.

``SEC. 12009. GRANTS TO ACCOUNT FOR CHILDREN RESIDING ON INDIAN LANDS.

    ``(a) Grants for Local Educational Agencies Impacted by Children 
Who Reside on Indian Lands.--Of the funds reserved under section 
12004(a), the Secretary shall distribute 100 percent of such funds as 
grants to impacted local educational agencies.
    ``(b) Determination of Grant Amount.--
            ``(1) Determination of weighted student units.--For 
        purposes of computing the grant amounts under this section for 
        any fiscal year, the Secretary shall determine the results 
        obtained by the computation made under section 8003(a)(2)(B) 
        for such year--
                    ``(A) for each impacted local educational agency 
                whose application under subsection (d) is approved by 
                the Secretary; and
                    ``(B) for all such agencies together.
            ``(2) Computation of payment.--For any fiscal year, the 
        Secretary shall calculate the amount of a grant to an impacted 
        local educational agency whose application under subsection (d) 
        is approved for the year by--
                    ``(A) dividing the amount reserved under section 
                12004(a) for such fiscal year by the results of the 
                computation described in paragraph (1)(B); and
                    ``(B) multiplying the number derived under 
                subparagraph (A) by the results of the computation 
                described in paragraph (1)(A) for such agency.
    ``(c) Use of Funds.--
            ``(1) In general.--An impacted local educational agency 
        that receives funds under this section shall use such funds for 
        one or more of the following:
                    ``(A) Renovation and construction needs related to 
                building infrastructure.
                    ``(B) Facilities modifications necessary to comply 
                with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
                    ``(C) Purchase of assistive technology devices for 
                students with disabilities.
                    ``(D) School facility wiring and associated 
                infrastructure improvements that enhance students' 
                academic experiences and--
                            ``(i) are necessary for use of the Internet 
                        or related emerging technologies; or
                            ``(ii) that better equip schools for modern 
                        educational technologies.
                    ``(E) Science laboratories and equipment, and 
                vocational education laboratories and equipment, that 
                are of significant cost or are related to emerging 
                technologies.
                    ``(F) School facility renovations undertaken for 
                compliance with fire and safety codes.
                    ``(G) School facilities renovations to prevent 
                traumatic crisis events on school property that would 
                disrupt the learning environment, such as school 
                shootings or other major acts of violence, if the 
                renovations are undertaken in direct response to, or in 
                anticipation of, such events.
                    ``(H) Asbestos abatement or removal.
                    ``(I) Any ancillary renovation necessary to 
                complete any of the projects described in subparagraphs 
                (A) through (H).
            ``(2) Clarification with respect to charter schools.--In a 
        case in which an impacted local educational agency is not a 
        charter school, the agency may use funds received under this 
        title to carry out one or more of the authorized projects 
        described in paragraph (1) for the benefit of a charter school.
    ``(d) Local Educational Agency Application.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each impacted local educational agency 
        desiring to receive Federal financial assistance under this 
        section for a fiscal year shall submit an application to the 
        Secretary for such year.
            ``(2) Contents.--Each application described in paragraph 
        (1) shall contain--
                    ``(A) an assurance that the application was 
                developed in consultation with parents, students, 
                classroom teachers, principals, school administrators, 
                and other interested community members;
                    ``(B) an assurance that the project will attract 
                the maximum number of qualified bidders, including 
                small, minority, and women-owned businesses, through 
                full and open competition.
                    ``(C) a description of the renovation, technology, 
                or equipment acquisition project to be supported with 
                funds provided under this section and how it will 
                significantly impact the condition of a school 
                facility;
                    ``(D) a cost estimate for the proposed project;
                    ``(E) an identification of other resources, such as 
                unused bonding capacity, that are available to carry 
                out the project for which funds are requested under 
                this section;
                    ``(F) an assurance that the impacted local 
                educational agency shall comply with the requirements 
                in section 12005(d) and the limitations in section 
                12008; and
                    ``(G) such other information and assurances as the 
                Secretary may reasonably require.
    ``(e) Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term `impacted 
local educational agency' means, for any fiscal year--
            ``(1) a local educational agency that receives a basic 
        support payment under section 8003(b) for the fiscal year; and
            ``(2) with respect to which the number of children 
        determined under section 8003(a)(1)(C) for the agency for the 
        preceding school year constituted at least 50 percent of the 
        total student enrollment in the schools of the agency during 
        such preceding year.

``SEC. 12010. LOAN GUARANTEE PROGRAM.

    ``(a) In General.--From the amount a State is allocated under 
section 12004 for any fiscal year, the State may use, consistent with 
subsections (a)(2) and (b)(2) of section 12005, some or all of such 
amount for carrying out a State loan guarantee program that may include 
the provision of loan guarantees for charter schools.
    ``(b) Establishment of Reserve Fund for Loan Guarantees.--A State 
desiring to establish a loan guarantee program under this section shall 
establish a reserve fund from amounts received from such State's 
allotment under section 12004 for the purpose of making commitments to 
guarantee the payment of principal and interest on loans made by 
financial institutions to local educational agencies.
    ``(c) Minimum Criteria for Loan Guarantees.--Such a State, in 
conjunction with appropriate financial institutions, shall establish 
and publish criteria for providing State loan guarantees to local 
educational agencies. Such criteria shall include, at a minimum, the 
requirement that a State loan guarantee may be issued under the program 
only if, at the time of such issuance, the beneficiary to whom the 
guarantee is provided agrees to pay an insurance premium on the loan to 
the State's reserve fund established under subsection (b).
    ``(d) Payment by State to Financial Institutions in Cases of 
Default.--In accordance with criteria developed by the State, the State 
shall make payments from the reserve fund established under subsection 
(b) to financial institutions that have provided loans to local 
educational agencies that have defaulted on such loans for the purpose 
of reimbursing such institutions, in accordance with State-developed 
criteria, for the amount of principal and interest remaining unpaid to 
the institutions by reason of such default.

``SEC. 12011. NO FULL FAITH AND CREDIT FOR LOANS.

    ``A loan provided by a State or a financial institution under this 
title shall not be an obligation of, or guaranteed in any respect by, 
the United States. The full faith and credit of the United States is 
not pledged to the payment of funds which may be required to be paid 
under any loan made pursuant to any provision of this title.

``SEC. 12012. SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.

    ``A local educational agency shall use funds received under this 
title only to supplement the amount of funds that would, in the absence 
of such Federal funds, be made available from non-Federal sources for 
the projects described in sections 12007 and 12009, and not to supplant 
such funds.

``SEC. 12013. REPORT ON OPERATIONS AND ACTIVITIES.

    ``A State shall, as soon as practicable after the end of each 
fiscal year, transmit to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the United States Senate a report of the State's 
operations and activities funded under this title.

``SEC. 12014. DEFINITIONS.

    ``For the purpose of this title:
            ``(1) Assistive technology device.--The term `assistive 
        technology device' has the meaning given such term in section 
        602(1) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 
        U.S.C. 1401(1)).
            ``(2) Authorized public chartering agency.--The term 
        `authorized public chartering agency' means a State educational 
        agency, local educational agency, or other public entity that 
        has the authority pursuant to State law and is approved by the 
        Secretary to authorize or approve a charter school.
            ``(3) Charter school.--The term `charter school' means a 
        public school that--
                    ``(A) in accordance with a specific State statute 
                authorizing the granting of charters to schools, is 
                exempted from significant State or local rules that 
                inhibit the flexible operation and management of public 
                schools, but not from any rules relating to the other 
                requirements of this paragraph;
                    ``(B) is created by a developer as a public school, 
                or is adapted by a developer from an existing public 
                school, and is operated under public supervision and 
                direction;
                    ``(C) operates in pursuit of a specific set of 
                educational objectives determined by the school's 
                developer and agreed to by the authorized public 
                chartering agency;
                    ``(D) provides a program of elementary or secondary 
                education, or both;
                    ``(E) is nonsectarian in its programs, admissions 
                policies, employment practices, and all other 
                operations, and is not affiliated with a sectarian 
                school or religious institution;
                    ``(F) does not charge tuition;
                    ``(G) complies with the Age Discrimination Act of 
                1975, title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, title 
                IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, section 504 of 
                the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and part B of the 
                Individuals with Disabilities Education Act;
                    ``(H) is a school to which parents choose to send 
                their children, and that admits students on the basis 
                of a lottery, or in another nondiscriminatory manner 
                consistent with State law, if more students apply for 
                admission than can be accommodated;
                    ``(I) agrees to comply with the same Federal and 
                State audit requirements as do other elementary and 
                secondary schools in the State, unless such 
                requirements are specifically waived for the purpose of 
                this program;
                    ``(J) meets all applicable Federal, State, and 
                local health and safety requirements;
                    ``(K) operates in accordance with State law; and
                    ``(L) has a written performance contract with the 
                authorized public chartering agency in the State that 
                includes a description of how student performance will 
                be measured in charter schools pursuant to State 
                assessments that are required of other schools and 
                pursuant to any other assessments mutually agreeable to 
                the authorized public chartering agency and the charter 
                school.
            ``(4) Developer.--The term `developer' means an individual 
        or group of individuals (including a public or private 
        nonprofit organization), which may include teachers, 
        administrators and other school staff, parents, or other 
        members of the local community in which a charter school 
        project will be carried out.
            ``(5) Local educational agency.--The term `local 
        educational agency' includes--
                    ``(A) a local educational agency (as defined in 
                section 14101(18)); and
                    ``(B) a charter school constituted as a local 
                educational agency under State law.
            ``(6) Renovation.--The term `renovation' means the 
        alteration or restoration of a building, structure, or 
        facility, including--
                    ``(A) the return of the existing facility to good 
                condition through repair; and
                    ``(B) the concurrent installation of equipment.

``SEC. 12015. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title 
$1,500,000,000 for fiscal year 2001 and each of the 4 succeeding fiscal 
years.''.

SEC. 2. REPORT OF FEDERAL CONDITIONS OF AID ON SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION 
              PROJECTS.

    Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall transmit to the 
Congress a report containing a description of the impact of Federal 
conditions of aid on school construction projects. The report shall 
contain an analysis of how such Federal conditions of aid, including 
regulatory restrictions, might inflate the cost of construction, with 
the goal of identifying and achieving potential savings or improved 
efficiencies to maximize the impact of Federal funding of school 
construction. Information for the report shall be gathered from 15 
States selected to represent a variety of regional, population, and 
demographic profiles.

SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect on 
October 1, 2000, or the date of the enactment of this Act, whichever 
occurs later.
                                 <all>