[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 29, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S743-S744]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REED (for himself, Mr. Brown, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Casey, 
        Mr. Cardin, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Merkley, Ms. Harris, Ms. Warren, 
        Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. Hirono, Ms. Hassan, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. 
        Van Hollen, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Sanders, Ms. 
        Klobuchar, and Mr. Jones):
  S. 266. A bill to provide for the long-term improvement of public 
school facilities, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, public schools play a vital role in every 
community across the Nation. 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. 
When there is a natural disaster or an emergency, people often gather 
at their public schools for shelter, information, and resources. They 
are essential facilities and must be included in any new major federal 
investment in infrastructure. That is why I am proud to partner with 
Chairman Scott in the House of Representatives in introducing the 
Rebuild America's Schools Act to fix our schools. I would like to thank 
my Senate colleagues who are joining in this effort, including Senators 
Brown, Cortez Masto, Hassan, Warren, Whitehouse, Casey, Cardin, 
Duckworth, Merkley, Harris, Hirono, Gillibrand, Van Hollen, Rosen, 
Blumenthal, and Sanders.
  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.
  State and local communities cannot bridge this gap alone. Last 
November,

[[Page S744]]

Rhode Island voters approved a general obligation bond of $250 million 
dollars--the largest statewide bond ever--to upgrade our public school 
facilities. However, the State had identified over $2.2 billion in 
needed improvements to school infrastructure. Rhode Island is not the 
only State facing a school infrastructure crisis. In fact, the American 
Society of Civil Engineers gave public school buildings across the 
country an overall grade of D+ in their 2017 report card. The scope of 
the school infrastructure crisis is more than many, States or 
communities can address on their own. The Federal government can and 
should be a partner in upgrading our public school facilities.
  Addressing this need is not only the right thing to do for our 
students; it will also 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.
  The Rebuild America's Schools Act of 2019 will create 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 Rebuild America's Schools 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, 
encourage green construction practices, and expand access to high-speed 
broadband to ensure that all students have access to digital learning. 
Our legislation would also provide $30 billion for qualified school 
infrastructure bonds (QSIBs), $10 billion each year from FY 2020 
through FY 2022, and restore the Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZABS) 
that were eliminated in the Republican Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The 
legislation also eases the matching requirements and expands the 
authority and eligible purposes of QZABS to allow local education 
agencies to construct, rehabilitate, retrofit, or repair school 
facilities. The Rebuild America's Schools Act also supports American 
workers by ensuring that projects use American-made iron, steel, and 
manufactured products and meet labor standards.
  I would like to thank the broad coalition of educators, community 
organizations, unions, civil rights advocates, and employers that have 
provided feedback and support for this legislation, including the 
American Federation of Teachers, Association of Educational Service 
Agencies, Association of School Building Administrators International, 
Brick Industry Association, Californians for School Facilities, Council 
of Great City Schools, Healthy Schools Network, International Union of 
Operating Engineers, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, 
National Association of Elementary School Principals, National 
Association of Federally Impacted Schools, National Association of 
Secondary School Principals, National Concrete Masonry Association, 
National Education Association, National PTA, National Rural Education 
Advocacy Consortium, National Rural Education Association, National 
Urban League, North America's Building Trades Unions, Organizations 
Concerned About Rural Education, Public Advocacy for Kids, Rebuild 
America's Schools, Rural School and Community Trust, Secure Schools 
Alliance, Teach Plus, Twenty-First Century Schools Fund, and U.S. Green 
Building Council. 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 our colleagues to support the Rebuild America's Schools Act and 
press for its passage.

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