[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 105 (Thursday, July 28, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S9299]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. ROCKEFELLER:
  S. 1538. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand 
the incentives for the construction and renovation of public schools; 
to the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. ROCKFELLER. Mr. President, today, I am reintroducing America's 
Better Classroom Act, an important incentive to support school 
construction and renovations. I believe that this bill is a wise 
investment in education and economic development. It creates jobs as we 
build and renovate our schools.
  America's Better Classroom Act of 2005 is designed to respond to the 
overwhelming need for school construction. The Department of Education 
reports that the average public school building is 42 years old. In 
1995, GAO estimated that we needed $112 billion for school construction 
and renovations. A more recent survey in 2001 in the Journal of 
Education Finance indicates that the need is increasing, and the unmet 
need for school infrastructure over the next decade is over $200 
billion. My State, West Virginia, will need as much as $2 billion for 
school construction and renovations, and the cost of construction 
increases as the cost of building materials continues to escalate.
  America's Better Classroom Act provides the financial tools to help 
build and renovate our schools. It will continue the Qualified Zone 
Academy Bonding, (QZAB) Program that has helped economically 
disadvantaged communities. This provision would provide $2.8 billion to 
continue and expand the successful QZAB Program. In recent years, this 
program has provided $4.2 million for support school construction and 
renovations in disadvantaged communities. Effective programs deserve 
continued support.
  But we should more broadly expand investment in school construction 
because so many school districts need help with school construction and 
renovations but cannot qualify for the QZAB program. This is why the 
America's Better Classroom Act creates a $22 billion Qualified School 
Bonding Program. Funding will be allocated to states based on the Title 
1 formula so it is targeted, but the states will have flexibility in 
allocating support among school districts.
  When I visit schools in West Virginia, I am often stunned by the 
aging buildings and compelling needs. In our fast-growing Eastern 
Panhandle, we need new schools to deal with a growing population. In 
other parts of the State, older school building need renovations to be 
safe and conducive learning environments for our students. Also as 
technology plays an increasingly important role in education, 
classrooms need to be updated.
  States and communities need the America's Better Classroom Act so 
that we can make needed investments. Also, school construction can play 
a positive role in helping to stimulate our economy and create needed 
jobs. School construction is a reliable economic stimulus, and an 
important investment in our children's education.
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