[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7340 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7340
To provide for the long-term improvement of public school facilities,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 4, 2026
Mr. Scott of Virginia (for himself, Mr. Norcross, Mr. Smith of
Washington, Mr. Panetta, Ms. Sanchez, Ms. Tokuda, Ms. Wilson of
Florida, Ms. Strickland, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Beyer, Ms. Plaskett, Mr.
Horsford, Mr. Morelle, Ms. Ross, Mr. Magaziner, Mr. Casten, Ms. Lee of
Pennsylvania, Mr. Takano, Ms. Norton, Mr. McGarvey, Ms. McClellan, Ms.
Barragan, Ms. Pingree, Mr. Mannion, Mr. Landsman, Mr. Bishop, Mrs.
McBath, Mr. Swalwell, Ms. Elfreth, Mr. Goldman of New York, Mrs.
Cherfilus-McCormick, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Carson, Mr. Mrvan, Mrs. Beatty,
Ms. Simon, Mr. Foster, Mr. David Scott of Georgia, Mr. Lieu, Mr. Davis
of Illinois, Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania, Mrs. Trahan, Ms. Craig, Mr.
Deluzio, Ms. Scanlon, Ms. Castor of Florida, Ms. Jacobs, Mr. Mfume,
Mrs. Hayes, Ms. Budzinski, Ms. Salinas, Ms. Brownley, Ms. Lois Frankel
of Florida, Mr. Latimer, Mrs. McClain Delaney, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin,
Ms. Stansbury, Mr. Moulton, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Courtney, Mr. Vargas, Ms.
Omar, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Ms.
DeGette, Ms. Lofgren, Ms. Escobar, Mr. Mullin, Mrs. Grijalva, Mr.
Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Casar, Mr. Boyle of
Pennsylvania, Mr. Green of Texas, Mr. Quigley, Mr. Thanedar, Mr.
DeSaulnier, Ms. Chu, Mr. Bell, Ms. Titus, Mr. Cisneros, and Mr. Raskin)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and
Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for the long-term improvement of public school facilities,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Rebuild America's
Schools Act of 2026''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
TITLE I--GRANTS FOR THE LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENT OF PUBLIC SCHOOL
FACILITIES
Sec. 101. Purpose and reservation.
Sec. 102. Allocations to States.
Sec. 103. Need-based grants to qualified local educational agencies.
Sec. 104. Annual report on grant program.
Sec. 105. Authorization of appropriations.
TITLE II--SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE BONDS
Sec. 201. Restoration of certain qualified tax credit bonds.
Sec. 202. School infrastructure bonds.
Sec. 203. Annual report on bond program.
TITLE III--USES OF FUNDS
Sec. 301. Allowable uses of funds.
Sec. 302. Prohibited uses.
Sec. 303. Requirements for hazard-resistance and energy and water
conservation.
Sec. 304. Green practices.
Sec. 305. Use of American iron, steel, and manufactured products.
TITLE IV--REPORTS AND OTHER MATTERS
Sec. 401. Comptroller General report.
Sec. 402. Study and report on physical condition of public schools.
Sec. 403. Office of School Infrastructure and Sustainability.
Sec. 404. Development of data standards.
Sec. 405. Information clearinghouse.
Sec. 406. Sense of Congress on opportunity zones.
TITLE V--IMPACT AID CONSTRUCTION
Sec. 501. Temporary increase in funding for impact aid construction.
TITLE VI--ASSISTANCE FOR REPAIR OF SCHOOL FOUNDATIONS AFFECTED BY
PYRRHOTITE
Sec. 601. Allocations to States.
Sec. 602. Grants to local educational agencies.
Sec. 603. Definitions.
Sec. 604. Authorization of appropriations.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee on
Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the
Senate.
(2) Bureau-funded school.--The term ``Bureau-funded
school'' has the meaning given that term in section 1141 of the
Education Amendments of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 2021).
(3) Covered funds.--The term ``covered funds'' means funds
received--
(A) under title I of this Act;
(B) from a school infrastructure bond; or
(C) from a qualified zone academy bond (as such
term is defined in section 54E of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 (as restored by section 201)).
(4) ESEA terms.--The terms ``elementary school'',
``outlying area'', and ``secondary school'' have the meanings
given those terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(5) Local educational agency.--The term ``local educational
agency'' has the meaning given that term in section 8101 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)
except that such term does not include a Bureau-funded school.
(6) Net zero energy school.--The term ``net zero energy
school'' means a public elementary school or public secondary
school that--
(A) generates renewable energy on-site; and
(B) produces enough renewable energy to meet its
own annual energy consumption requirements.
(7) Public school facilities.--The term ``public school
facilities'' means the facilities and grounds of a public
elementary school or a public secondary school.
(8) Qualified local educational agency.--The term
``qualified local educational agency'' means a local
educational agency that receives funds under part A of title I
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 6311 et seq.).
(9) School infrastructure bond.--The term ``school
infrastructure bond'' has the meaning given such term in
section 54BB of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as added by
section 202).
(10) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Education.
(11) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the 50
States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico.
TITLE I--GRANTS FOR THE LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENT OF PUBLIC SCHOOL
FACILITIES
SEC. 101. PURPOSE AND RESERVATION.
(a) Purpose.--Funds made available under this title shall be for
the purpose of supporting long-term improvements to public school
facilities in accordance with this Act.
(b) Reservation for Outlying Areas and Bureau-Funded Schools.--
(1) In general.--For each of fiscal years 2027 through
2031, the Secretary shall reserve, from the amount appropriated
to carry out this title--
(A) one-half of 1 percent, to make allocations to
the outlying areas in accordance with paragraph (3);
and
(B) one-half of 1 percent, for payments to the
Secretary of the Interior to provide assistance to
Bureau-funded schools.
(2) Use of reserved funds.--
(A) In general.--Funds reserved under paragraph (1)
shall be used in accordance with title III.
(B) Special rules for bureau-funded schools.--
(i) Applicability.--The provisions of title
III shall apply to a Bureau-funded school that
receives assistance under paragraph (1)(B) in
the same manner that such provisions apply to a
qualified local educational agency that
receives covered funds. The facilities of a
Bureau-funded school shall be treated as public
school facilities for purposes of the
application of such provisions.
(ii) Treatment of tribally operated
schools.--The Secretary of the Interior shall
provide assistance to Bureau-funded schools
under paragraph (1)(B) without regard to
whether such schools are operated by the Bureau
of Indian Education or by an Indian Tribe. In
the case of a Bureau-funded school that is a
contract or grant school (as that term is
defined in section 1141 of the Education
Amendments of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 2021)) operated
by an Indian Tribe, the Secretary of the
Interior shall provide assistance under such
paragraph to the Indian Tribe concerned.
(3) Allocation to outlying areas.--From the amount reserved
under paragraph (1)(A) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall
allocate to each outlying area an amount in proportion to the
amount received by the outlying area under part A of title I of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
6311 et seq.) for the previous fiscal year relative to the
total such amount received by all outlying areas for such
previous fiscal year.
SEC. 102. ALLOCATION TO STATES.
(a) Allocation to States.--
(1) State-by-state allocation.--
(A) Fiscal year 2027.--Of the amount appropriated
to carry out this title for fiscal year 2027 and not
reserved under section 101(b), not later than 30 days
after such funds are appropriated, each State that
provides an assurance to the Secretary that the State
will comply with the requirements of section 103(c)
shall be allocated an amount in proportion to the
amount received by all local educational agencies in
the State under part A of title I of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311 et
seq.) for the previous fiscal year relative to the
total amount received under such part for such fiscal
year by all local educational agencies in every State
that provides such an assurance to the Secretary.
(B) Other fiscal years.--Of the amount appropriated
to carry out this title for each fiscal year other than
fiscal year 2027 and not reserved under section 101(b),
each State that has a plan approved by the Secretary
under subsection (b) shall be allocated an amount in
proportion to the amount received by all local
educational agencies in the State under part A of title
I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 6311 et seq.) for the previous fiscal year
relative to the total amount received under such part
for such fiscal year by all local educational agencies
in every State that has a plan approved by the
Secretary under subsection (b).
(2) State reservation.--A State may reserve not more than 5
percent of its allocation under paragraph (1) to carry out its
responsibilities under this Act, which shall include--
(A) providing technical assistance to local
educational agencies, including by--
(i) identifying which State agencies have
programs, resources, and expertise relevant to
the activities supported by the allocation
under this section; and
(ii) coordinating the provision of
technical assistance across such agencies;
(B) in accordance with the guidance issued by the
Secretary under section 404, developing an online,
publicly searchable database that contains an inventory
of the infrastructure of all public school facilities
in the State (including the facilities of Bureau-funded
schools, as appropriate), including, with respect to
each such facility, an identification of--
(i) the information described in clauses
(i) through (vii) of subparagraph (F);
(ii) the age (including an identification
of the date of any retrofits or recent
renovations) of--
(I) the facility;
(II) its roof;
(III) its electrical panels and
lighting system;
(IV) its windows and any skylights;
(V) its cooking equipment and major
appliances;
(VI) its plumbing; and
(VII) its heating, ventilation, and
air conditioning system, including any
energy management controls and systems;
(iii) fire safety inspection results;
(iv) the proximity of the facilities to
toxic sites, including sites contaminated by
per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or the
vulnerability of the facilities to natural
disasters, including the extent to which
facilities that are vulnerable to seismic
natural disasters are seismically retrofitted;
(v) any previous inspections showing the
presence of toxic substances, including per-
and polyfluoroalkyl substances;
(vi) any improvements that are needed to
support indoor and outdoor social distancing,
personal hygiene, and building hygiene
(including with respect to heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning usage) in
school facilities, consistent with guidance
issued by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention; and
(vii) any improvements that are needed to
support energy and water efficiency,
resilience, and climate mitigation;
(C) updating the database developed under
subparagraph (B) not less frequently than once every 3
years;
(D) ensuring that the information in the database
developed under subparagraph (B)--
(i) is posted on a publicly accessible
State website; and
(ii) is regularly distributed to local
educational agencies and Tribal governments in
the State;
(E) issuing and reviewing regulations to ensure the
health and safety of students and staff during
construction or renovation projects;
(F) issuing or reviewing regulations to ensure
safe, healthy, and high-performing school buildings,
including regulations governing--
(i) indoor environmental quality and
ventilation, including exposure to carbon
monoxide, carbon dioxide, lead-based paint, and
other combustion by-products such as oxides of
nitrogen;
(ii) mold, mildew, and moisture control;
(iii) the safety of drinking water at the
tap and water used for meal preparation,
including regulations that--
(I) address the presence of lead
and other contaminants, including per-
and polyfluoroalkyl substances, in such
water; and
(II) require the regular testing of
the potability of water at the tap and
testing for contaminants, including
per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances;
(iv) energy and water efficiency;
(v) excessive classroom noise due to
activities allowable under section 301;
(vi) the levels of maintenance work,
operational spending, and capital investment
needed to maintain the quality of public school
facilities; and
(vii) the construction or renovation of
such facilities, including applicable building
codes;
(G) creating a plan to reduce or eliminate exposure
to toxic substances, including mercury, radon, PCBs,
lead, vapor intrusions, per- and polyfluoroalkyl
substances, and asbestos; and
(H) creating a plan to increase the number of net
zero energy schools in the State, including
professional development opportunities for State and
local educational agency staff involved in maintenance,
operations, and school facilities capital outlay
projects related to energy and water efficiency,
resilience, climate mitigation, renewable energy,
energy storage, and building electrification.
(b) State Plan.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), to be
eligible to receive an allocation under this section, a State
shall submit to the Secretary a plan that--
(A) describes how the State will use the allocation
to make long-term improvements to public school
facilities;
(B) explains how the State will carry out each of
its responsibilities under subsection (a)(2);