WASHINGTON - Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-5) joined Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-3), Congressman Donald Norcross, (NJ-1), and national education leaders to address the drastic need for investment in the infrastructure of our schools.
“I have worked in schools where the physical structures did not support the growing student populations or have the necessary technology or security upgrades. I have worked in classrooms where temperatures reached nearly 100 degrees in the warmer months or where students had to wear coats in class during winter months. I have taught in schools where the water fountains had signs saying to not drink the water because the failed plumbing is compromising the drinking water,” said Congresswoman Hayes. “An investment in public school infrastructure would finally signal that education matters. Teachers don’t hesitate or complain when we see that students need more resources to thrive. We reach into our own wallets to buy classroom materials, supplies, or fund a field trip or extracurricular activities. We are just asking that Congress and our federal government do the same.”
The Rebuild America’s Schools Act, provides $100 billion to help repair and improve the physical and digital infrastructure of public schools across the nation.
This bill:
- Creates a $70 billion grant program and $30 billion tax credit bond program targeted at high-poverty schools with facilities that pose health and safety risks to students and staff
- Leverages federal, state, and local resources for an overall investment of $107 billion, creating over 1.9 million jobs based on an Economic Policy Institute analysis that each $1 billion spent on construction creates 17,785 job
- Develops a comprehensive national database on the condition of public-school facilities; such a national database currently does not exist and would provide much-needed insight into the condition of our public schools
- Expand access to high-speed broadband to ensure that public schools have the reliable and high-speed Internet access they need for digital learning
To watch the press event, click here.
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Rep. Jahana Hayes has been a public school teacher in Connecticut for more than 15 years and was recognized in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year.
Currently serving her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Hayes sits on the Committees on Education & Labor and Agriculture and proudly represents Connecticut’s 5th District.