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Rebuild America’s Schools Act of 2022
4/17/2024, 11:45 PM
Summary of Bill HR 604
Key provisions of the bill include allocating funding for school construction, renovation, and modernization projects, with a focus on schools serving low-income communities. The bill also includes provisions for ensuring that schools are energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable, in line with current efforts to combat climate change.
Additionally, the Rebuild America's Schools Act of 2022 seeks to create jobs in the construction and education sectors, as well as to provide students with safe and healthy learning environments. The bill emphasizes the importance of investing in education infrastructure as a means of supporting student success and closing the achievement gap. Overall, Bill 117 HR 604 represents a bipartisan effort to address the pressing need for school infrastructure improvements in the United States, with a focus on equity and sustainability. If passed, the bill has the potential to positively impact millions of students and educators across the country.
Congressional Summary of HR 604
Rebuild America's Schools Act of 2022
This bill provides support for long-term improvements to public elementary and secondary school facilities.
First, the bill sets forth allocations to states and establishes a need-based grant program for local educational agencies (LEAs) to improve school facilities. Further, the bill specifies allowable uses of grant funds, including carrying out major repairs, improving indoor air quality, and making facilities accessible to disabled individuals.
Additionally, the bill requires LEAs that receive funds for new construction, modernization, or renovation projects to comply with hazard-resistance building codes and performance criteria under the WaterSense program of the Environmental Protection Agency. Further, the bill requires such LEAs to adopt certain green practices (environmental standards) and requires the use of iron, steel, and manufactured products that are made in the United States (Buy America).
The bill restores school infrastructure tax credit bonds.
The bill also sets forth reporting requirements, including annual reports on grant program projects and a report by the Government Accountability Office that requires a study of the geographic distribution of projects, the impact of selected projects on student and staff health and safety, and the accessibility of projects to high-poverty schools.
The bill also establishes the Office of School Infrastructure and Sustainability within the Department of Education.
Next, the bill extends through FY2027 the Impact Aid Construction program.
Finally, the bill establishes a grant program to assist LEAs with repairing or replacing concrete foundations affected by pyrrhotite (an iron sulfide material linked to crumbling foundations).
