[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 129 (Monday, July 31, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4621-S4622]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REED (for himself, Mr. Brown, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. 
        Hassan, Ms. Warren, Mr. Whitehouse, Ms. Hirono, and Mr. 
        Cardin):
  S. 1674. A bill to provide grants for the repair, renovation, and 
construction of public elementary schools and secondary schools, to 
establish a school infrastructure bond program, and for other purposes; 
to the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, our public schools are critical National 
infrastructure. They play a central role in our Democracy--educating 
the next generation, serving as polling places for our elections, 
hosting community meetings and events, and so much more. As we consider 
the components of a new major Federal investment in infrastructure, we 
cannot afford to leave our public schools behind. That is why I am 
proud to be introducing the School Building Improvement Act with my 
colleagues Senators Brown, Cortez Masto, Hassan, Warren, Whitehouse, 
Hirono, and Cardin.
  Safe, healthy, modern, well-equipped schools are essential for 
advancing student achievement and ensuring that the next generation is 
prepared to meet the economic, social, environmental, and global 
challenges our Nation faces. Yet, too many of the over 50 million 
students and six million staff who learn and work in our public 
schools, spend their days in facilities that fail to make the grade. A 
2014 Department of Education study estimated that it would cost $197 
billion to bring all public schools into ``good'' condition. 
Nationally, there is also a $38 billion funding gap in annual capital 
construction and new facility funding, as reported in the 2016 State of 
Our Schools report. Despite the benefits and need, however, Federal 
funding accounts for 0.2% of the total current capital investment in 
our schools.
  Addressing this need is the right thing to do for our students and 
our communities. Moreover, it will give a needed boost to our economy, 
putting people to work in family sustaining jobs. According to an 
analysis by the Economic Policy Institute, every $1 billion spent on 
construction generates 17,785 jobs.
  There are plenty of examples in Rhode Island of the urgent need for 
additional investment in school facilities. My hometown of Cranston 
recently reported $190 million in school facility deficiencies--a 
startling figure. In the weeks ahead, the Rhode Island Department of 
Education will publish a report detailing the infrastructure shortfalls 
in school districts across the state. Our students and community 
members do not have to be convinced about the need for investing in 
school facilities. This spring, students, educators, and community 
leaders gathered in Providence to talk about our schools. One 
participant said, ``The condition of the buildings is a value statement 
about how we feel about our students. We must have buildings that are 
warm, safe, and dry.'' The Federal government needs to be a partner in 
helping Rhode Island and other States in closing school infrastructure 
funding gaps.
  The School Building Improvement Act of 2017 will create a Federal-
State partnership for school infrastructure. It will provide, over ten 
years, a total of $100 billion in direct grants and school construction 
bonds to help fill the annual gap in school facility capital needs, 
while creating nearly two million jobs.
  Specifically, the School Building Improvement Act will provide $7 
billion per year in formula funds to States for local competitive 
grants for school repair, renovation, and construction. States will 
focus assistance on communities with the greatest financial need,

[[Page S4622]]

encourage green construction practices, and ensure equitable access for 
public charter schools. Our legislation would also provide $30 billion 
for qualified school infrastructure bonds (QSIBs), $10 billion each 
year from FY 2018 through FY 2020 and expand the bond authority of and 
eligible purposes for Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZABS) to allow 
local education agencies to construct, rehabilitate, retrofit, or 
repair school facilities. The School Building Improvement Act also 
supports American workers by ensuring that projects use American-made 
iron, steel, and manufactured products.
  I would like to thank the broad coalition of educators, community 
organizations, and unions that have provided feedback and support for 
this legislation, including Rebuild America's Schools, American 
Federation of Teachers, Californians for School Facilities, Council of 
the Great City Schools, International Union of Operating Engineers, 
National Association of Elementary School Principals., National 
Association of Federally Impacted Schools, National Association of 
Secondary School Principals, National Education Association, National 
Parent Teacher Association, and North America's Building Trades Unions. 
We look forward to expanding this coalition in the weeks and months 
ahead.
  We have no time to waste in fixing our deteriorating school 
infrastructure. In the words of a student activist in Providence, 
``Students cannot learn in a crumbling building, a school that isn't 
fit to uplift our minds.'' We need to listen to our students, 
strengthen our communities, and improve our school buildings. I urge 
all of my colleagues to cosponsor the School Building Improvement Act.

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