U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and Ranking Member of the House Education and Workforce Committee Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) reintroduced the Rebuild America’s Schools Act, a bill designed to repair, rebuild, and modernize the physical and digital infrastructure of the nation’s school facilities and grounds.

The bill—which is estimated to create 2 million jobs—would specifically:

• Invest $130 billion into schools, targeting low-income communities with facilities that pose health and safety risks to faculty and students;

• Develop a much-needed database on the condition of public school facilities; and

• Address the digital divide by improving high-speed broadband access that public schools need for digital learning.

Following the announcement, the BlueGreen Alliance issued a statement from Executive Director Jason Walsh:

“Students and staff deserve a safe environment to learn and work. This bill prioritizes health and safety in our school facilities and will help with badly needed upgrades that communities need to thrive. These improvements will also create millions of good jobs after a year of unimpressive employment numbers. We urge Congress to swiftly pass this bill.”