[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 148 (Wednesday, November 9, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12609-S12611]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. MURKOWSKI:
  S. 1980. A bill to provide habitable living quarters for teachers, 
administrators, and other school staff, and their households, in rural 
areas of Alaska located in or near Alaska Native villages; to the 
Committee on Indian Affairs.
  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I rise to introduce a bill that will 
have a profound effect on the retention of teachers, administrators, 
and other school staff in remote and rural areas of Alaska.
  In rural areas of Alaska, school districts face the challenge of 
recruiting and retaining teachers, administrators and other school 
staff due to the lack of housing. In one particular year in the Lower 
Kuskokwim School District in western Alaska, they hired one teacher for 
every six who decided not to accept job offers. Half of the applicants 
who did not accept a teaching position in that district indicated that 
their decision was related to the lack of housing.
  In 2003, I traveled through rural Alaska with then-Education 
Secretary Rod Paige. I wanted him to see the challenges of educating 
children in such a remote and rural environment. At the village school 
in Savoonga, the principal slept in a broom closet in the school due to 
the lack of housing in that village. The special education teacher 
slept in her classroom, bringing a mattress out each evening to sleep 
on the floor. The other teachers shared housing in a single home. 
Needless to say, there is not enough room for the teachers' spouses. 
Unfortunately, Savoonga is not an isolated example of the teacher 
housing situation in rural Alaska.
  Rural Alaskan school districts experience a high rate of teacher 
turnover due to the lack of housing. Turnover is as high as 30 percent 
each year in some rural areas with housing issues being a major factor. 
How can we expect our

[[Page S12610]]

children to receive a quality education when the good teachers don't 
stay? How can we meet the mandates of No Child Left Behind in such an 
educational environment? Clearly, the lack of teacher housing in rural 
Alaska is an issue that must be addressed in order to ensure that 
children in rural Alaska receive the same level of education as their 
peers in more urban settings.
  My bill authorizes the Department of Housing and Urban Development to 
provide teacher housing funds to the Alaska Housing Finance 
Corporation, which is a State agency. In turn, the corporation is 
authorized to provide grant and loan funds to rural school districts in 
Alaska for teacher housing projects.
  This legislation will allow school districts in rural Alaska to 
address the housing shortage in the following ways: construct housing 
units; purchase housing units; lease housing units; rehabilitate 
housing units; purchase or lease property on which housing units will 
be constructed, purchased or rehabilitated; repay loans secured for 
teacher housing projects; and conduct any other activities normally 
related to the construction, purchase, or rehabilitation of teacher 
housing projects.
  Eligible school districts that accept funds under this legislation 
will be required to provide the housing to teachers, administrators, 
other school staff, and members of their households.
  It is imperative that we address this important issue and allow the 
disbursement of funds to be handled at the State level. The quality of 
education of our rural students is at stake.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1980

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Teacher Housing Act of 
     2005''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) housing for teachers, administrators, other school 
     staff, and the households of such staff in remote and rural 
     areas of the State of Alaska is often substandard, if 
     available at all;
       (2) teachers, administrators, other school staff, and the 
     households of such staff are often forced to find alternate 
     shelter, sometimes even in school buildings; and
       (3) rural school districts in the State of Alaska face 
     increased challenges, including meeting the requirements of 
     the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     6301 et seq.), in recruiting employees due to the lack of 
     affordable, quality housing.
       (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to provide 
     habitable living quarters for teachers, administrators, other 
     school staff, and the households of such staff in rural areas 
     of the State of Alaska located in or near Alaska Native 
     villages.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Alaska housing finance corporation.--The term ``Alaska 
     Housing Finance Corporation'' means the State housing 
     authority for the State of Alaska created under the laws of 
     the State of Alaska (or a successor authority).
       (2) Elementary school.--The term ``elementary school'' has 
     the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the Elementary 
     and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
       (3) Eligible school district.--The term ``eligible school 
     district'' means a public school district (as defined under 
     the laws of the State of Alaska) located in the State of 
     Alaska that operates 1 or more schools in a qualified 
     community.
       (4) Native village.--
       (A) In general.--The term ``Native village'' has the 
     meaning given the term in section 3 of the Alaska Native 
     Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602).
       (B) Inclusion.--The term ``Native village'' includes the 
     Metlakatla Indian Community of the Annette Islands Reserve.
       (5) Other school staff.--The term ``other school staff'' 
     means--
       (A) pupil services personnel;
       (B) librarians;
       (C) career guidance and counseling personnel;
       (D) education aides; and
       (E) other instructional and administrative school 
     personnel.
       (6) Qualified community.--The term ``qualified community'' 
     means a home rule city or a general law city incorporated 
     under the laws of the State of Alaska, or an unincorporated 
     community (as defined under the laws of the State of Alaska) 
     in the State of Alaska located outside the boundaries of such 
     a city, that, as determined by the Alaska Housing Finance 
     Corporation--
       (A) has a population of not greater than 6,500 individuals;
       (B) is located in or near a Native village; and
       (C) is not connected by road or railroad to the 
     municipality of Anchorage, Alaska, excluding any connection--
       (i) by the Alaska Marine Highway System created under the 
     laws of the State of Alaska; or
       (ii) that requires travel by road through Canada.
       (7) Secondary school.--The term ``secondary school'' has 
     the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the Elementary 
     and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
       (8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Housing and Urban Development.
       (9) Teacher.--The term ``teacher'' means an individual 
     who--
       (A) is employed as a teacher in a public elementary school 
     or secondary school; and
       (B) meets the teaching certification or licensure 
     requirements of the State of Alaska.
       (10) Tribally designated housing entity.--The term 
     ``tribally designated housing entity'' has the meaning given 
     the term in section 4 of the Native American Housing 
     Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 
     4103).
       (11) Village corporation.--
       (A) In general.--The term ``Village Corporation'' has the 
     meaning given the term in section 3 of the Alaska Native 
     Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602).
       (B) Inclusions.--The term ``Village Corporation'' includes, 
     as defined in section 3 of that Act (43 U.S.C. 1602)--
       (i) Urban Corporations; and
       (ii) Group Corporations.

     SEC. 4. RURAL TEACHER HOUSING PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary shall provide funds to the 
     Alaska Housing Finance Corporation in accordance with 
     regulations promulgated under section 5 for use in accordance 
     with subsection (b).
       (b) Use of Funds.--
       (1) In general.--The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation 
     shall use funds provided under subsection (a) to provide 
     grants and loans to eligible school districts for use in 
     accordance with paragraph (2).
       (2) Use of funds by eligible school districts.--An eligible 
     school district shall use a grant or loan under paragraph (1) 
     for--
       (A) the construction of new housing units in a qualified 
     community;
       (B) the purchase and rehabilitation of existing structures 
     to be used as housing units in a qualified community;
       (C) the rehabilitation of housing units in a qualified 
     community;
       (D) the leasing of housing units in a qualified community;
       (E) purchasing or leasing real property on which housing 
     units will be constructed, purchased, or rehabilitated in a 
     qualified community;
       (F) the repayment of a loan to--
       (i) construct, purchase, or rehabilitate housing units;
       (ii) purchase real property on which housing units will be 
     constructed, purchased, or rehabilitated in a qualified 
     community; or
       (iii) carry out an activity described in subparagraph (G); 
     and
       (G) any other activity normally associated with the 
     construction, purchase, or rehabilitation of housing units, 
     or the purchase or lease of real property on which housing 
     units will be constructed, purchased, or rehabilitated, in a 
     qualified community, including--
       (i) connecting housing units to a utility;
       (ii) preparing construction sites;
       (iii) transporting any equipment or material necessary for 
     the construction or rehabilitation of housing units to and 
     from the site on which the housing units are or will be 
     constructed; and
       (iv) carrying out an environmental assessment and 
     remediation of a construction site or a site on which housing 
     units are located.
       (c) Ownership of Housing and Land.--
       (1) In general.--Any housing unit constructed, purchased, 
     or rehabilitated, and any real property purchased, using a 
     grant or loan provided under this section shall be considered 
     to be owned, as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, 
     by--
       (A) the affected eligible school district;
       (B) the affected municipality, as defined under the laws of 
     the State of Alaska;
       (C) the affected Village Corporation;
       (D) the Metlakatla Indian Community of the Annette Islands 
     Reserve; or
       (E) a tribally designated housing entity.
       (2) Transfer of ownership.--Ownership of a housing unit or 
     real property under paragraph (1) may be transferred between 
     the entities described in that paragraph.
       (d) Occupancy of Housing Units.--
       (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and 
     (3), each housing unit constructed, purchased, rehabilitated, 
     or leased using a grant or loan under this section shall be 
     occupied by--
       (A)(i) a teacher;
       (ii) an administrator; or
       (iii) other school staff; and
       (B) the household of an individual described in 
     subparagraph (A), if any.
       (2) Nonsession months.--A housing unit constructed, 
     purchased, rehabilitated, or leased using a grant or loan 
     under this section may be occupied by an individual other an 
     individual described in paragraph (1) only during a period in 
     which school is not in session.

[[Page S12611]]

       (3) Temporary occupants.--A vacant housing unit 
     constructed, purchased, rehabilitated, or leased using a 
     grant or loan under this section may be occupied by a 
     contractor or guest of an eligible school district for a 
     period to be determined by the Alaska Housing Finance 
     Corporation, by regulation.
       (e) Compliance With Law.--An eligible school district that 
     receives a grant or loan under this section shall ensure that 
     each housing unit constructed, purchased, rehabilitated, or 
     leased using the grant or loan complies with applicable laws 
     (including regulations and ordinances).
       (f) Program Policies.--
       (1) In general.--The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, in 
     consultation with any appropriate eligible school district, 
     shall establish policies governing the administration of 
     grants and loans under this section, including a method of 
     ensuring that funds are made available on an equitable basis 
     to eligible school districts.
       (2) Revisions.--Not less frequently than once every 3 
     years, the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, in 
     consultation with any appropriate eligible school district, 
     shall take into consideration revisions to the policies 
     established under paragraph (1).

     SEC. 5. REGULATIONS.

       Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this 
     Act, the Secretary shall promulgate such regulations as are 
     necessary to carry out this Act.

     SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
     the Secretary such sums as are necessary to carry out this 
     Act for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2016.
       (b) Administrative Expenses.--Each of the Secretary and the 
     Alaska Housing Finance Corporation shall use not more than 5 
     percent of funds appropriated during a fiscal year to pay 
     administrative expenses incurred in carrying out this Act.
                                 ______