[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 359 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 359

    Supporting the goals and ideals of National Healthy Schools Day.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 7, 2019

   Mr. Evans (for himself and Mr. Grijalva) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Supporting the goals and ideals of National Healthy Schools Day.

Whereas children spend up to half of their day in schools and their environs;
Whereas schools have the potential to expose children to a broad array of 
        hazards, including air and drinking water contaminants, toxic substances 
        in the soil, synthetic turf and other media, lead-based paints, 
        pesticides, and other toxins within and outside of schools, asthma-
        causing pollutants, molds, radon, and asbestos;
Whereas, despite the need to address unsafe levels of lead in school drinking 
        water across the country, in 2019, the Healthy Schools Network reported 
        that as of November 2018 only 9 States required public schools to test 
        at the tap for lead; and further, the T.H. Chan School of Public Health 
        at Harvard University and the Nutrition Policy Institute at the 
        University of California also reported that only 25 States had school 
        drinking water initiatives between January 1, 2016, and February 28, 
        2018;
Whereas a 1995 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on Condition of 
        America's Schools--the only GAO study on this issue--determined that 
        poor school facility conditions were concentrated in high-poverty 
        schools serving students of color, placing millions of children at risk;
Whereas, according to a 2014 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey, 
        only 46.5 percent of schools had a program in place to address indoor 
        air quality issues; and further, that fewer States and districts in 2014 
        than in 2010 were addressing indoor air;
Whereas children may also be exposed to toxic contaminants when schools are 
        sited near environmental hazards such as hazardous waste disposal sites, 
        or when schools are renovated or expanded while school is in session;
Whereas the T.H. Chan School of Public Health ``Schools for Health'' study 
        reported that the environmental conditions of schools affect children's 
        ``health, thinking, and learning'';
Whereas environmental contaminants can affect children quite differently than 
        adults, both because children may be more highly exposed to contaminants 
        and they may be more vulnerable to the toxic effects of contaminants; 
        and further, environmental contaminants can affect children 
        disproportionately since their immune defenses are not fully developed 
        and their growing organs are more easily harmed;
Whereas these environmental problems contribute to absenteeism, child medication 
        use, learning difficulties, sick building syndrome, staff turnover, and 
        greater liability for school districts;
Whereas there has been a significant rise in the incidence of childhood asthma, 
        learning disabilities, and cancer;
Whereas a 2018 study, ``Heat and Learning'', by the National Bureau of Economic 
        Research found that in schools without air conditioning, for every 1 
        Fahrenheit degree increase in school year temperature, the amount 
        learned by students that year goes down by 1 percent;
Whereas a 2016 report by the 21st Century School Fund found that, between 2012 
        and 2013, the average age of the main building of a public school was 44 
        years old;
Whereas, in 2017, the American Society of Civil Engineers infrastructure report 
        card stated 53 percent of schools needed to make investments for 
        repairs, renovations, and modernizations to be considered to be in 
        ``good'' condition;
Whereas environmental, public health, and education laws must reflect a 
        heightened sensitivity to the more susceptible nature of children and 
        the mechanisms by which exposures and impacts affect children;
Whereas providing for the rights of children, parents, teachers and other 
        educators, and the public to access information about known hazards in 
        schools will allow these persons to make informed choices about 
        environmental exposures for their children and themselves;
Whereas healthy and high-performance schools are designed to reduce energy and 
        maintenance costs, while providing cleaner indoor air and environmental 
        quality, improved lighting, reduced exposures to toxic substances, 
        materials and supplies, thereby providing a healthier and safer learning 
        environment for children and work environment for personnel, fostering 
        attendance, achievement, and productivity;
Whereas the House of Representatives has been a consistent and powerful advocate 
        for the protection of our children and a strong supporter of public 
        education;
Whereas the House of Representatives seeks to promote healthy learning places 
        for all children and workplaces for school personnel;
Whereas Federal, State, local, and private sector entities should work together 
        to ensure that resources are used effectively and efficiently to address 
        environmental health and safety conditions of schools; and
Whereas May 1, 2019, is recognized as ``National Healthy Schools Day'': Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Healthy 
        Schools Day;
            (2) recognizes the importance of improving our children's 
        aging school buildings;
            (3) encourages State and local governments, including their 
        public health, education, environment, energy, and labor 
        agencies, to coordinate their efforts to assist local schools, 
        and to publicize the importance of healthful learning 
        environments in their communities; and
            (4) supports a national commitment to preventing the 
        deterioration of our schools and to fixing our crumbling school 
        facilities.
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