{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://bell.house.gov/media/press-releases/bell-introduces-reinvest-public-schools-act-cut-costs-districts-and-support", "Bell Introduces Reinvest in Public Schools Act to Cut Costs for Districts and Support Safer, Modern Schools", "2026-02-18", "2026", "2026-02", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Wesley Bell", "B001324", "bell.house.gov", "bell", "https://bell.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.\u2014Today, Representative Wesley Bell (D-Mo.) introduced the Reinvest in Public Schools Act of 2026, legislation to restore a critical financing tool that allows public school districts to refinance bonds at lower interest rates and reinvest the savings directly into classrooms and facilities.\n\n\u201cStrong public schools are one of the clearest paths to opportunity in this country,\u201d said Rep. Bell. \u201cWhen classrooms are outdated or buildings are in disrepair, it\u2019s our kids who pay the price. This bill helps school districts lower their borrowing costs so they can reinvest in safer facilities, modern classrooms, and the kind of learning environments every child deserves. If we\u2019re serious about expanding opportunity, we have to be serious about investing in our public schools.\u201d\n\n\u201cOne of the core responsibilities of every school district is to be a good steward of local resources. Restoring tax\u2011exempt advance refunding would allow districts to refinance bonds at lower interest rates, which directly benefits taxpayers and helps us invest more in students and safe, well\u2011maintained schools. We appreciate efforts that reflect the real needs we hear from our communities,\u201d said Dr. Mark Penny, Executive Director of the Missouri Association of School Administrators.\n\nThe Reinvest in Public Schools Act reinstates the use of tax-exempt advance refunding bonds for public school infrastructure projects, reversing a provision in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that eliminated this option. By allowing school districts to refinance debt under better terms, the legislation will help free up resources for construction, rehabilitation, repair of school facilities, and acquisition of land for future projects.\n\nThe Reinvest in Public Schools Act is supported by the National Education Association and Missouri Association of School Administrators.\n\nRead the full bill text here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-23T06:08:46Z", "2026-05-23T06:10:20Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://bell.house.gov/media/press-releases/bell-introduces-reinvest-public-schools-act-cut-costs-districts-and-support"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.6944590713828802, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}