[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 154 (Friday, November 18, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13366-S13367]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. CLINTON (for herself, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Durbin, Mr. 
        Kennedy, Mr. Kerry, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Lautenberg, and Mr. 
        Inouye):
  S. 2057. A bill to establish State infrastructure banks for 
education, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation 
co-sponsored with Senator Harkin that would begin to rebuild America's 
schools. If approved, the Investing for Tomorrow's Schools Act would 
enable states to develop State Infrastructure Banks--a flexible and 
inexpensive way to finance school construction and renovation. This 
approach offers an innovative solution to the urgent problem of fixing 
deteriorating schools. Every dollar invested to create State 
Infrastructure Banks would be reused to support project after project 
in the form of loans and credit support.
  According to the National Center for Education Statistics, three in 
four schools in America need assistance to come into ``good overall 
condition.'' Repairs and modernizations will cost, according to the 
National Education Association, $322 billion. New York State has a 
greater need than any other state--estimated at $51 billion. Just in 
New York City, schools are estimated to need $21 billion. The city's 
schools are so old that they would nearly qualify for social security, 
averaging 61-years-old.
  Acute need for school repair and modernization exists nationwide. 
Need is estimated at $33 billion in California, $25 billion in Ohio, 
$22 billion in New Jersey, $13 billion in Texas, and $10 billion each 
in Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Utah. Nation-
wide costs add up to $322 billion.
  In 2005, an estimated $19.6 billion was spent nation-wide on school 
construction. At that rate, it will take more than 16 years to 
modernize school buildings. Last year in New York, $984 million was 
spent on school construction. At that rate, it will take more than 50 
years to modernize New York's schools--and that's assuming that in the 
meantime we don't need to build more new schools and that no schools 
fall apart!
  When students attend schools in disrepair, the consequences are all 
too clear.
  An article from 2004 in the Poughkeepsie Journal described how, in 
Hyde Park, New York along the Hudson River, ventilation problems at the 
45-year-old Franklin D. Roosevelt High School sickened students and 
staff causing watery eyes, headaches, nausea, and dizziness. I would 
like to include this article in the Congressional Record. State 
Infrastructure Banks would make funding available to address 
environmental hazards including poor ventilation and bad air quality. 
They would help more schools become healthy and high-performing.
  An article in Newsday newspaper described how, in Hempstead New York, 
on Long Island, Prospect Elementary, a 100-year-old school, was closed 
in the fall of 2003 after administrators discovered a rodent problem, 
mold in the cafeteria, and a crumbling chimney in a classroom.
  The Marguerite Golden Rhodes Elementary School was closed after state 
education officials found a gap between where the paint on the walls 
ended and where the ceiling began--an indication that either the wall 
or the ceiling was moving.
  Hempstead High School was closed for a week, after a blackboard fell 
off a wall exposing asbestos left over from a botched cleanup in 1990. 
1'd like to include this article in the Congressional Record.
  The school closures worsened overcrowding, as parents Celia Ridely 
and Olive Warner pointed out to Newsday and the New York Times. With 
schools in such poor condition, is it surprising that just 38 percent 
of students in Hempstead graduate from high school?
  In Washingtonville, 54 miles north of New York City, the roof over a 
classroom in 44-year-old Taft Elementary collapsed. Fortunately the 
catastrophic collapse occurred in August of 2004, before the school 
year began, and no one was injured.
  Unfortunately, the U-shaped joist which contributed to the collapse 
was popular in school construction across New York and throughout 
America from 1900 to the early 1970s. Many of these schools are still 
in operation. New York's Department of Education took the precaution of 
advising school districts to check similar joists to make sure they are 
in good condition.
  The lack of funding for school construction can lead school districts 
to put off maintenance. Paul Abramson, a consultant based in 
Westchester County, New York told a school construction website, ``What 
happens, unfortunately, is [that] school districts cut down on 
maintenance.''
  Barbara Knisely-Michelman of the American Association of School 
Administrators said, ``It comes down to the issue of resource. If 
school administrators had unlimited resources, [maintenance] would be 
at the top of the agenda.''
  We can do better. Schoolchildren should not have to contend with 
falling-down schools. The lack of adequate school buildings hampers 
today' s most promising and innovative efforts to boost student 
achievement.
  Charter schools hold the promise of expanding the supply of high-
quality public schools, especially in disadvantaged communities. But 
most charter schools have limited credit histories and lack access to 
public school facilities or traditional funding streams such as bonds. 
One in three charter school operators report that school construction 
costs are a major obstacle to their schools' success.
  The No Child Left Behind Act promised that children in 
underperforming schools would have the opportunity to transfer to 
better public schools. But in many communities, more students seek 
transfers than are spaces available. In New York City last year, 33,000 
students applied to transfer out of underperforming schools but only 
7,000 could be accommodated.
  Charter school operators should have access to affordable financing 
for school construction. Schoolchildren promised public school choice 
should be able to exercise that right. Innovative reforms should not be 
blocked by inadequate school buildings.
  In 2004, an editorialist for Newsday newspaper on Long Island wrote, 
``School construction is one area where the federal government could do 
more. Little . . . has been heard on the subject since the late 90s--
that's a shame. . . . Money must be found to keep schools safe, 
functional, and welcoming places.''
  Senator Harkin and I agree. That's why today we are introducing the 
Investing for Tomorrow's Schools Act. At the heart of our proposal is 
the creation of State Infrastructure Banks, which would improve 
financing for school construction. This financing mechanism has been 
used since the Reagan Administration to help local communities fund 
water treatment and clean water facilities and transportation projects. 
For example, my own State of New York received $2.48 billion in Federal 
support for its Clean Water State Revolving Fund between 1989 and 2004. 
It leveraged that money into more than $10 billion of loans to local 
communities.
  For example, State Infrastructure Banks would offer school districts 
a flexible menu of loan and credit enhancement assistance, such as low 
interest loans, bond-financing security, loan guarantees, and credit 
support for financing projects, which result in lower interest rates.
  State Infrastructure Banks would not strain Federal Treasury or the 
American taxpayer. After initial funding, they would require no ongoing 
federal appropriations. As each loan is repaid, the money can be 
offered as a new loan.
  Passage of this bill would lay the groundwork for a robust system of 
State Infrastructure Banks that provide immediate aid to the neediest 
schools and help local communities

[[Page S13367]]

fund affordable construction far into the future.
  This modest proposal is one piece of the school construction 
solution. I ask my Senate colleagues to join me today to pass this 
legislation without delay.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 2 articles be printed in 
the Record.
  There being no objection, the articles were ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

               [From Poughkeepsie Journal, Dec. 9, 2004.]

               Ventilation Blamed for FDR High Illnesses

                            (By John Davis)

       Ventilation problems were the cause of a rash of complaints 
     about the air at Franklin D. Roosevelt High School in October 
     and November, according to health officials.
       After weeks of testing and monitoring conditions at the 
     Hyde Park high school, Dutchess County Health Commissioner 
     Dr. Michael Caldwell recently relayed his findings in a 
     letter to Hyde Park schools Superintendent Carole Pickering.
       ``The reported symptoms and effects among students and 
     staff in the school are consistent with those reported in a 
     building with inadequate ventilation,'' Caldwell wrote.
       In response to the complaints by students and staff 
     reporting headaches, dizziness and watery eyes, the county 
     health department considered a number of factors as being the 
     source of the problem.
       The health department has ruled out mold, toxic agents or 
     germs as being the culprit.
       ``Recent modifications made to the school's ventilation 
     system appear to have had a beneficial effect upon the FDR 
     high school community,'' Caldwell noted in his letter.
       Pickering expressed sympathy Wednesday for those who 
     suffered during the period of the air problem.
       ``I regret that even one single person was ill due to the 
     air quality problems over the last seven weeks,'' Pickering 
     said in a prepared statement Wednesday. ``We will continue to 
     monitor FDR and to proactively assess heating and ventilation 
     systems in all our buildings.''
                                  ____


              [From Daily News (New York), Nov. 21, 2004.]

   It's a Foul School Stew--Firings, Probes and Lawsuits in Hempstead

                          (By Laura Williams)

       It already seemed more than the Hempstead School District 
     could bear. Asbestos and mold forced school closings. The 
     school board abruptly fired the superintendent. Board members 
     were suing each other amid accusations of corruption.
       Then last week came word that the State Education 
     Department is launching an investigation into financial 
     hanky-panky by school board members. That revelation, in 
     fact, was welcome news to fed-up parents.
       Board members ``cannot get through a school board meeting 
     without arguing about which friend is going to benefit and 
     how they're going to get money back from the district,'' said 
     Ron Mazile, co-chairman of Hempstead Parents Community 
     United.
       The investigation will be conducted in addition to an in-
     depth audit of the district's books being done by State 
     Controller Alan Hevesi.
       As if all that weren't enough, a Hempstead High student was 
     stabbed to death near the school Tuesday. A former gang 
     member was arrested, and cops were seeking two more suspects 
     last week.
       And there's still more: the school district is facing $100 
     million worth of lawsuits, included in these are suits filed 
     by school employees making charges of sexual harassment and 
     discrimination. In addition, school board member Thomas 
     Parsley is suing colleague Ralph Schneider over something 
     personal.
       Parsley himself was charged in September with stealing an 
     ATM card from a principal, though he has said the charge was 
     politically motivated.
       Neither the district superintendent nor any of the five 
     board members returned repeated calls.
       The 6,800-student district is struggling with the problems 
     that plague so many financially-strapped communities. Almost 
     three-quarters of the Hempstead district's students qualify 
     for free lunch.
       Less than 40% of its high school students graduate, 
     compared to wealthy next-door neighbor Garden City, where 99% 
     graduate. Reading and math scores continue to lag behind the 
     county average.
       And school buildings have not been properly maintained.
       Prospect Elementary was closed last year after mold was 
     discovered in the cafeteria. Marguerite Golden Rhodes 
     Elementary School also was closed after it appeared the 
     building was shifting dangerously. Both schools' students are 
     attending classes held in trailers.
       Last year, a problem with the hot water heater sickened 
     staffers and students at Alverta Bray Schultz Middle School, 
     which also was found to be serving spoiled food in its 
     cafeteria. And Hempstead High was shut down for a week last 
     year after a chalkboard fell, exposing asbestos.
       Amid all these problems, the school board last month fired 
     Superintendent Nathaniel Clay, replacing him with Susan 
     Johnson.
       Johnson, who was fired as the district's director of 
     personnel just two months before getting the top job, had 
     launched her own lawsuit against the district, charging 
     wrongful termination.
       Parents are planning a Dec. 4 rally and march--from Village 
     Hall to school district offices--in an attempt to get local 
     school leaders to perform dutifully.
       ``Taxpayers, parents and students are fuming,'' Mazile 
     said. ``We're going to hold their feet to fire.''
                                 ______