Message From: Congressman Ted Deutch

Rep. Deutch: Modernize America's Schools 

Rep. Deutch joins local officials to discuss the American Jobs Act at Melaleuca Elementary School.

The average public school building in America is over 40 years and badly in need of repair – an unfortunate reality Rep. Deutch sought to highlight during a recent visit to Melaleuca Elementary in West Palm Beach, a local school that has not been renovated since it was built in 1966. Across the country, schools spend $6 billion annually on energy bills, far surpassing investments in new textbooks and technology. In addition, many of them lack modern laboratory science equipment, putting millions of American children at a competitive disadvantage in the global economy. All told, school districts have an estimated backblog of $270 billion in deferred maintenance.

At Melaleuca Elementary, Rep. Deutch highlighted the American Job Act’s initiative to renovate 35,000 outdated schools across the country, from repairing leaky roofs and installing insulation to upgrading science labs and replacing inefficient appliances. In Florida, where for the first time in decades the state budget provided no funding to school districts for maintenance and repair, the American Jobs Act would mean desperately needed improvements for outdated schools like Melaleuca Elementary.

“We have 35,000 schools across the country in need of repair, and 14 million Americans out of work. Passing the American Jobs Act should be a no brainer,” Rep. Deutch said. See a video clip of Rep. Deutch’s visit to Melaleuca to the right.

Deutch Efforts on Behalf of Veterans Succeeding in South Florida and in Washington 

The House of Representatives recently passed portions of the Helping Homeless Heroes Act of 2011, legislation introduced by Rep. Ted Deutch aimed at strengthening federal efforts to end homelessness among America’s veterans. Over the last decade, the number of homeless servicemen and women on the street every night has dropped from over 300,000 in 2003 to less than 150,000 in 2009. The measures introduced by Rep. Deutch bolster federal programs with a track record of success helping homeless veterans receive counseling, find employment, and acquire affordable housing.

Rep. Deutch with soldiers at his veterans job fair in West Palm Beach.

“I am pleased to have my colleagues join me in support of federal initiatives that have successfully helped thousands of homeless veterans get off the streets and back on their feet,” said Rep. Deutch. “As more and more of our troops return from Iraq and Afghanistan and encounter a challenging economy at home, we must ensure that the federal programs responsible for providing job-counseling, housing assistance, health care, and other services are fully funded. We have an obligation to ensure that no veteran becomes a forgotten hero after their mission is complete.”

At the local level, Rep. Deutch is also working to help returning servicemen and women successfully transition into civilian life. He recently hosted a job fair for veterans at the West Palm Beach Armory to encourage local businesses to consider hiring a hero. Hundreds of reservists and veterans attended the event and took advantage of the opportunity to mingle with dozens of employers.