110 HR 6809 IH: To award grants to assist public schools with the rising U.S. House of Representatives 2008-08-01 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 110th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 6809 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES August 1, 2008 Mr. Hodes introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor A BILL To award grants to assist public schools with the rising costs of fuel for school buses and energy for school buildings.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Energy for Schools Act.

2.

Grants to State educational agencies

(a)

Grants to State educational agencies

From the amounts appropriated under section 8, the Secretary of Education shall award grants to State educational agencies for the purpose of awarding subgrants to local educational agencies to assist public schools with the increased costs of fuel for school buses and energy for public school buildings in accordance with sections 5 and 6. (b)

Grant Application

To receive a grant under subsection (a), a State educational agency shall submit an application to the Secretary in such form, manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

3.

Subgrants to Local Educational agencies

(a)

Subgrants to local educational agencies

(1)

In general

A State educational agency that receives a grant under section 2 shall award subgrants to local educational agencies to assist public schools with the increased costs of fuel for school buses and energy for public school buildings in accordance with sections 5 and 6. (2)

Administrative Costs

A State educational agency that receives a grant under section 2 shall use not more than 5 percent of such grant for the administrative costs of carrying out the subgrant program. (b)

Subgrant Application

To receive a subgrant under subsection (a), a local educational agency shall submit an application to the State educational agency serving such local educational agency in such form, manner, and containing such information as such State educational agency may require.

4.

Grants to Local educational agencies

(a)

Grants to local educational agencies

From the amounts appropriated under section 8, the Secretary shall award grants to local educational agencies that did not receive a subgrant under section 3 to assist public schools with the increased costs of fuel for school buses and energy for public school buildings in accordance with sections 5 and 6. (b)

Application

To receive a grant under subsection (a), a local educational agency shall submit an application to the Secretary in such form, manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

5.

Uses of funds

A local educational agency that receives a subgrant under section 3 or a grant under section 4, shall use such funds to assist public schools within the jurisdiction of such local educational agency— (1)to pay for the increase in the cost of fuel for school buses that serve such public schools; and (2)to pay for the increase in the cost of energy to heat, to cool, or to provide electricity to the buildings of such public schools.

6.

Distribution of funds

To the extent practicable, a local educational agency that receives a subgrant under section 3 or a grant under section 4 shall distribute the funds allotted to cover the increase in the cost of fuel for school buses to the public schools within the jurisdiction of such local educational agency proportionally, based on such local educational agency’s estimate of the total miles traveled by school buses that serve such public schools.

7.

Regulations

The Secretary is authorized to prescribed regulations necessary to implement this Act.

8.

Authorization of Appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.

9.

Definitions

In this Act: (1)

In general

The terms local educational agency and State educational agency have the meanings given the terms in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). (2)

Increase in the cost of fuel for school buses

The phrase increase in the cost of fuel for school buses means the amount of increase in the cost of fuel for school buses from the date one calendar year prior to the date of the enactment of this Act to the date of the enactment of this Act. (3)

Increase in the cost of energy

The phrase increase in the cost of energy means the amount of increase in energy prices from the date one calendar year prior to the date of the enactment of this Act to the date of the enactment of this Act. (4)

Public school

The term public school has the meaning given the term in section 5145 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7217d). (5)

School bus

The term school bus means a bus or any other vehicle used to transport students to and from their homes to school, or to and from school-related activities and events. (6)

Secretary

The term Secretary means Secretary of Education.