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Witnesses urge federal investment in school buildings; Rebuild America Schools Act cited as model
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Summary
Witnesses told the House subcommittee that aging school buildings harm student health and learning and urged federal funding, citing the Rebuild America Schools Act and large‑scale federal partnerships as possible solutions.
Witnesses told the House Education and Labor subcommittee that many U.S. public school buildings are aging and in need of federal help, and they urged Congress to fund modernization efforts such as the Rebuild America Schools Act (RASA).
Brian Kennedy, director of legislative affairs at the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craft Workers and a board member of the Build America Schools Infrastructure Coalition, told the panel that the "average age of the main instructional building of our nation's public schools was 47 years" and cited a 2020 Government Accountability Office finding that about 54% of schools need significant upgrades to HVAC and other major systems. He estimated a multi‑billion dollar annual need and said the Build America Coalition has endorsed RASA. "That is why the BAC has endorsed the Rebuild America Schools Act ... that invests $130,000,000,000 in our nation's school infrastructure, improves students' academic performance, and creates more than 2,000,000 jobs," Kennedy said.
Why it matters: Witnesses and several members tied facility conditions to student health, academic outcomes and equity. Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici and other Democrats urged federal investments because local revenue models based on property taxes, they said, leave high‑poverty districts with fewer resources to rebuild or modernize schools.
The testimony included specific data points and policy proposals. Kennedy cited Department of Education and GAO data on building age and system failures; he argued federal funding would create jobs and improve academic outcomes. He proposed at least an additional $50 billion per year over 15 years as one approach and noted that the RASA proposal would provide a large, targeted federal investment. Members pressed for immediate action: Representative Glenn Thompson and others urged Congress to consider funding mechanisms and to meet existing obligations for special education.
Other panel references included the federal role in past recovery funding and labor standards. Representative Desaulnier asked about Davis‑Bacon provisions and local hiring; Kennedy described Davis‑Bacon's role in protecting local wage standards during construction projects. Representative Thompson and Ranking Member Bobby Scott called for a federal‑state‑local partnership rather than a solely local solution.
No legislative votes were held during the hearing. Witnesses recommended a range of policy options, including RASA, stronger federal funding partnerships, and maintained labor standards for construction projects.
