Evans Reintroduces School-Repair Bill
Plan would use federal tax code to aid school-rehab projects and help address America’s $85 billion funding gap
PHILADELPHIA (April 27, 2026) – Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA-3) is reintroducing legislation that would use the federal tax code to help finance repairs to older public schools.
“The top priority for our nation's students and their teachers should be education. They should not be worrying about becoming ill from lead, mold, or asbestos, or concerned that lessons will be postponed due to malfunctioning heating and air conditioning systems,” Evans said.
Evans serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees tax laws. His Rehabilitation of Historic Schools Act would allow for the federal historic rehabilitation tax credit to include public-school buildings.
“Allowing rehabilitation expenditures for public school buildings to qualify for the rehabilitation credit would increase federal investments -- and leverage private funding for -- public-school infrastructure. Poor school facility conditions are concentrated in high-poverty schools that serve minority students. Our children deserve an equal shot at the future, regardless of their zip code. This bill is based on a successful state-level program from Virginia that passed with bipartisan support and can be duplicated nationwide,” Evans said.
The bill is co-sponsored by Reps. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5), Danny Davis (D-IL), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL).
The 2025 State of Our Schools report from the 21st Century School Fund shows continued increases in the nation’s annual funding gap for elementary and secondary public-school buildings and grounds, projected to persist in the range of $85 billion each year. State-by-state estimates are available here.
The bill’s text is the same as in the 118th Congress.
Evans represents the 3rd Congressional District, which includes Northwest and West Philadelphia and parts of North, South, Southwest and Center City Philadelphia. Evans’ website is evans.house.gov and his social media handle is @RepDwightEvans on Youtube, Bluesky, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Threads.
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