Call-to-Action: Schools Belong in Upcoming Infrastructure Package

June 4, 2021

Negotiations on an infrastructure package are rapidly progressing in the Senate, as last week Republicans unveiled a $1 trillion counterproposal to the recently released $1.7 trillion scaled-back infrastructure proposal from the Biden-Harris administration. The Republican proposal does not contain funding for school construction, remediating lead in schools or electrifying school buses while the Democratic proposals do.

In light of the possibility that schools could be left out of the forthcoming infrastructure proposal, AASA needs your help to ensure that public schools receive the funding they need to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for all students. To join us in advocating for public schools to be included in the forthcoming infrastructure package, please follow the directions below. 

Action Steps: 

1. See if your Senators support S.96, the Rebuild and Reopen America Schools Act (RRASA). You can access a list of cosponsors by clicking here. If they are not on the list, then ask them to support public school infrastructure needs by cosponsoring the bill. If they are already a cosponsor of the legislation, then thank those who have signed on in support and urge them to tell leadership that they must include Rebuild America’s Schools Act in the nation’s infrastructure package and keep advocating for public school facilities infrastructure funding. 
2. If you prefer to connect with your senators via phone, you can either (1) lookup their numbers located on your senators’ websites, or (2) call the Capitol Switchboard operator at (202) 224-3121, so they can directly connect you with your Senate office..
3. Alternatively, if you prefer to contact your congressional member via email, here is a template your school district or association can edit and send to advocate for public schools. 

We need all-hands-on-deck to ensure schools are not left out from the upcoming infrastructure proposal. Infrastructure is a non-partisan issue on the local level, and our students' and communities' needs should not become a partisan compromise in the upcoming negotiation. As always, we are grateful for your continued support and look forward to getting RRASA across the finish line!