S. 96: Reopen and Rebuild America’s Schools Act of 2021

117th Congress · introduced 2021-01-28 · Education · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S200-201)

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2021-01-28 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S200-201) Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Reopen and Rebuild America’s Schools Act of 2021

Plain summary

Reopen and Rebuild America's Schools Act of 2021 This bill provides support for long-term improvements to public elementary and secondary school facilities. First, the bill sets forth allocations to states and establishes a need-based grant program for local educational agencies (LEAs) to improve school facilities. Further, the bill specifies allowable uses of grant funds, including carrying out major repairs, improving indoor air quality, and making facilities accessible to disabled individuals. Additionally, the bill requires LEAs that receive funds for new construction, modernization, or renovation projects to comply with hazard-resistance building codes and performance criteria under the WaterSense program of the Environmental Protection Agency. Further, the bill requires LEAs to adopt certain green practices (environmental standards) and requires the use of iron, steel, and manufactured products that are made in the United States (Buy America). The bill restores school infrastructure tax credit bonds. The bill also sets forth reporting requirements, including annual reports on grant program projects and a report by the Government Accountability Office that requires a study of the geographic distribution of projects, the impact of projects on student and staff health and safety, and the accessibility of projects to high-poverty schools. Next, the bill extends through FY2026 the Impact Aid Construction program. Finally, the bill establishes a grant program to assist LEAs with repairing or replacing concrete foundations affected by pyrrhotite (an iron sulfide material linked to crumbling foundations).

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Reopen and Rebuild America’s Schools Act of 2021

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI] · 33 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tina Smith (D-MN), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Margaret Wood Hassan (D-NH), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Raphael G. Warnock (D-GA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI] reported raising $3.7 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Bond: A way to borrow money. A government sells bonds to raise money now and promises to pay it back with interest over time. Bonds repaid from taxes often need voter approval.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117s96.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/s>

Record fed-us-cong117-s96 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117