March 31, 2021

Duckworth Joins Hirono in Reintroducing Impact Aid Bill to Fund School Infrastructure Projects

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tina Smith (D-MN) and their colleagues last week in introducing legislation to support school infrastructure projects. The Impact Aid Infrastructure Act (IAIA) would provide $1 billion in supplemental funding for school infrastructure construction grants in Fiscal Year 2022 through the Impact Aid program. Similar legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives.

“It’s critical that students, teachers and schools across Illinois have the resources and protections they need to navigate and recover from this public health and economic crisis,” Duckworth said. “Being able to send our kids back to school means making sure our education facilities are safe, and I’m proud to help introduce this legislation to provide much-needed funding to improve school infrastructure across our state and country.”

IAIA builds upon the American Rescue Plan by providing additional funding for K-12 schools for necessary improvements to respond to COVID-19. Specifically, the bill would provide funding for improving school infrastructure through competitive and formula grants for school districts to design, build, improve, renovate and repair school buildings and facilities. Grants would be awarded to school districts with high percentages of military-connected students or students living on Indian lands.

With this funding, IAIA would provide school districts with flexibility to focus on their specific renovation and repair needs, which could include changes to protect the health, safety and well-being of students, teachers, school leaders, and school personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

In addition to Duckworth, Hirono, Gillibrand and Smith, the bill was cosponsored by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Jon Tester (D-MT) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

-30-