As Ohio Schools Close Due To Excessive Heat, Lack of Air Conditioning, Brown Calls For Consideration of His School Building Improvement Act

Brown’s Bill Would Invest in School Upgrades, Create Jobs, and Apply ‘Buy America’ to School Construction Projects

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) called for Senate consideration of his School Building Improvement Act as schools across Ohio are forced to close or shorten school days due to excessive heat and lack of air conditioning. Brown’s bill would provide $100 billion in direct grants and school construction bonds over 10 years to update schools and create an estimated 1.9 million jobs nationally. School repair, renovation, and construction would be completed with American-made products.

“Ohio teachers and students shouldn’t have to miss out on valuable time in the classroom because our school districts don’t have the resources they need to upgrade aging schools,” said Brown. “It’s time to invest in our students, create jobs, and invest in 21st century classrooms.” 

Brown’s School Building Improvement Act:

  • Provides $70 billion in competitive grants for school repair, renovation, and construction. These grants focus assistance on states and communities with the greatest financial need, encourage green construction practices, establish equitable access for public charter schools, contain state matching criteria, and outline permissible criteria for spending.
  • Provides $30 billion for Qualified School Infrastructure Bonds (QSIBs), $10 billion each for FY 2018 through FY 2020.
  • Requires the use of American-made iron, steel, and manufactured products.

The legislation would also requires the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to provide a report on projects funded by the legislation within two years of enactment and creates a comprehensive study of the state of public schools’ physical condition at least once every five years.

Brown’s bill, co-sponsored by Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), has been endorsed by 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.

 

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