Legislative Updates
and
Congressional Action
on School Construction

(3/28/2000) - Representatives Johnson and Rangel Introduced H.R. 4094 -- America's Better Classrooms Act, a bi-partisan bill to provide tax-credit bonds for school construction.

• Fact Sheet on H.R. 4094
• Secretary Riley's Statement on H.R. 4094, the bipartisan Johnson-Rangel Compromise.
• School House Chart : This chart illustrates the number of schools that could be built or modernized under the Senate proposal (S. 1134) compared to the President's plan.
• School House Chart Explanation : Explains the methodology of the School House Chart.
• State by State Numbers : The allocations to each state under H.R. 4094.

(3/22/2000) -- The House Ways and Means Committee passed H.R. 7 which includes provisions to expand arbitrage benefits on school construction bonds. Representatives Johnson and Rangel offered their compromise agreement as a substitute for the Education Savings Account and arbitrage provisions; it was rejected by a voice vote.

(3/2/2000): S. 1134 was passed by the Senate by a vote of 61-37. This bill did not contain the Administration's school modernization package of tax-credit bonds, loans and grants for school construction and renovation. The bill would expand support for arbitrage and would allow private activity bonds to be used for school construction.

• Senate School House Chart . This chart illustrates the number of schools that could be built or modernized under the Johnson-Rangel Compromise, H.R. 4094, compared to the House Ways and Means plan, S.1134

• Senate School House Chart Explanation. Explains the methodology of the School House Chart.

(3/2/2000) - Senator Robb offered an amendment to S. 1134 on the Senate floor to strike education savings accounts provisions and instead provide $25 billion for school modernization bonds and authorize $1.3 billion for no-interest loans and grants each year for 5 years for repair and renovation. The amendment was rejected by a vote of 57-42.

(2/29/2000) -- Senator Harkin introduced S. 2124, which would authorize grants and loans to provide financial assistance for the urgent repair and renovation of public elementary and secondary schools in high-need areas.

(2/29/2000) -- Representative Clay Introduced H.R. 3705 - Public Renovation and Repair Act of 2000- which would authorize grants and loans to provide financial assistance for the urgent repair and renovation of public elementary and secondary schools in high-need areas.

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