School Infrastructure Modernization Act of 2023

Madam President, I rise today to introduce the Reach Every Mother and Child Act of 2023, known as the Reach Act. This bipartisan legislation would strengthen the United States' efforts to end preventable deaths of mothers, newborns, and young children in developing countries by 2030. I want to thank Senator Coons for his partnership on this important bill, and I also appreciate the cosponsorship of Senator Durbin and Senator Wicker.

Senator Coons and I have led efforts to ensure robust funding for the U.S. Agency for International Development's maternal and child health programming. These programs have been the backbone of the United States'' commitment to helping to end preventable child and maternal deaths globally.

Due in part to American leadership and generosity, many lives have already been saved. While progress has been made in reducing maternal mortality rates, recent data suggest that these improvements are slowing. Far too many mothers, newborns, and young children under the age 5 continue to succumb to disease and malnutrition that could easily be prevented.

Nearly 300,000 women die annually from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, with 99 percent of maternal deaths occurring in developing nations. In addition, a significant proportion of the deaths of children under the age of 5 occur in the first 28 days after birth, with newborns accounting for nearly 50 percent of all under 5 deaths. In 2021, 5 million children under the age of 5 died from mainly preventable and treatable diseases.

The Reach Act aims to help these mothers and children with simple, proven, costeffective interventions that we know will help them survive. A concentrated effort could end preventable maternal and child deaths worldwide by the year 2030, but continued U.S. leadership and support from the international community are critical to achieve this goal.

To advance this cause, our bill would require the implementation of a strategy focused on bringing to scale the highest impact, evidence- based interventions, with a focus on country and

community ownership. These interventions would be specific to each country's needs and include support for the most vulnerable populations. We do not have to guess what interventions will work--the reality is that thousands of children die each day of conditions we know how to treat.

These lifesaving interventions include clean birthing practices, vaccines, nutritional supplements, handwashing with soap, and other basic needs that remain elusive for far too many women and children in developing countries. This must change.

Our bill would require the establishment of a Maternal and Child Survival Coordinator at 1USAID who would focus on implementing the 5- year strategy and verifying that the most effective interventions are being scaled up in key countries. The Coordinator would identify and promote the most effective interventions to end preventable maternal and child deaths globally, which would improve the efficiency of the programs operating across several Agencies.

To promote transparency and greater accountability, our bill would also require detailed public reporting on progress toward implementing the strategy.

The Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations recently heard testimony from USAID Administrator Samantha Power. During that hearing, asked Administrator Power about the Reach Act and emphasized the critical reforms needed to increase the success and impact of USAID's maternal and child survival programs.

Administrator Power testified to sharing the goals that motivate this important legislation.

She agreed about the importance of resourcing key U.S. investments, scaling them up, and getting them to mothers and children living in remote areas.

Other bipartisan initiatives, such as the successful President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, which was started by President George W. Bush, demonstrate that results-driven interventions can turn the tide for global health challenges. Applying lessons learned from past initiatives, our bill would provide the focus and tools necessary to accelerate progress toward ending preventable maternal and child deaths.

I urge my colleagues to join Senator Coons, Senator Durbin, Senator Wicker, and me in supporting this legislation that will save the lives of mothers and children around the world.

Madam President, today I am introducing the Rhode Island Fishermen's Fairness Act along with my colleague Senator Whitehouse. I am also pleased that my colleague Representative Magaziner will be introducing a companion measure in the House of Representatives.

Our legislation will give Rhode Island a voice and voting representation on the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, MAFMC, which manages some of the most important fish stocks for our State's commercial fishing industry--chief among them squid. Indeed, the National Marine Fisheries Service reported that Rhode Island led Atlantic States in the harvest of squid in 2022, bringing in 31.5 million pounds and helping make Point Judith, RI, one of the most productive and valuable commercial fishing ports in the United States. For years now, Rhode Island's landings of stocks managed by the MAFMC have outpaced the landings of those managed by the New England Fishery Management Council, where Rhode Island is represented. Moreover, Rhode Island has a larger stake in the Mid-Atlantic fishery than many of the States that currently hold seats on the MAFMC.

Because so much is at stake for our State in every decision the MAFMC makes, our bill would expand the MAFMC by two seats in order to ensure that Rhode Island will have the minimum number of seats guaranteed to other States on the council. It will allow Rhode Island to continue to have representation on the New England Fishery Management Council, where it still has significant interests.

This proposal is not unprecedented. In fact, it is modeled on a provision of the 1996 Sustainable Fisheries Act that added North Carolina to the MAFMC in 1996 while allowing it to retain its membership on the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Moreover, it will join States like Florida

and Washington which all have representation on more than one fisheries management council.

This is a commonsense proposal and one that my colleagues and I will be working to advance either on its own or as part of the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

Madam President, today I want to discuss legislation I am introducing, the School Infrastructure Modernization Act, with my colleague Senator Warner.

To claim the Federal tax credit for historic preservation, a building renovation must be for a different purpose than that for which the building was previously used, a requirement known as the prior use rule. This bill waives that requirement for renovations of K-12 public school buildings. This will make it easier to restore historic-but- dilapidated school buildings across the country so our children have safe, modern spaces in which to learn.

As a Richmond City Council member and later mayor, I faced challenges familiar to many municipalities--overcrowded schools, aging buildings, and limited dollars in the budget. But in one particular case, I and a group of local stakeholders identified a creative solution. On one hand, we had an overcrowded Thomas Jefferson High School with in-zone and magnet students. On the other hand, we had a closed Maggie Walker High School that needed renovations. We put together a financing package that made use of Federal and State historic tax credits to renovate Maggie Walker High School and satisfied the prior use rule by consolidating the magnet program from Thomas Jefferson into a new Maggie Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies. Today, some 30 years later, this is one of America's highest performing public high schools. Without the Federal historic tax credit, this would have been too expensive to make happen.

This bill will make it easier to do similar projects around the country. More modern school buildings will bolster the quality of public education, and carrying out these projects will generate private sector infrastructure investment and jobs. In Virginia alone, according to a 2021 study, more than 1,000 K-12 schools are at least 50 years old, representing more than half of all the K-12 schools in the Commonwealth.

I encourage my colleagues to support this commonsense incentive that is good for education, good for infrastructure, and good for jobs.

Madam President, today I want to discuss legislation I am introducing, the School Infrastructure Modernization Act, with my colleague Senator Warner.

To claim the Federal tax credit for historic preservation, a building renovation must be for a different purpose than that for which the building was previously used, a requirement known as the prior use rule. This bill waives that requirement for renovations of K-12 public school buildings. This will make it easier to restore historic-but- dilapidated school buildings across the country so our children have safe, modern spaces in which to learn.

As a Richmond City Council member and later mayor, I faced challenges familiar to many municipalities--overcrowded schools, aging buildings, and limited dollars in the budget. But in one particular case, I and a group of local stakeholders identified a creative solution. On one hand, we had an overcrowded Thomas Jefferson High School with in-zone and magnet students. On the other hand, we had a closed Maggie Walker High School that needed renovations. We put together a financing package that made use of Federal and State historic tax credits to renovate Maggie Walker High School and satisfied the prior use rule by consolidating the magnet program from Thomas Jefferson into a new Maggie Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies. Today, some 30 years later, this is one of America's highest performing public high schools. Without the Federal historic tax credit, this would have been too expensive to make happen.

This bill will make it easier to do similar projects around the country. More modern school buildings will bolster the quality of public education, and carrying out these projects will generate private sector infrastructure investment and jobs. In Virginia alone, according to a 2021 study, more than 1,000 K-12 schools are at least 50 years old, representing more than half of all the K-12 schools in the Commonwealth.

I encourage my colleagues to support this commonsense incentive that is good for education, good for infrastructure, and good for jobs.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.