[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2822 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2822

   To strengthen and expand the Green Ribbon Schools Program at the 
   Department of Education by boosting the capacity of participating 
   States to expand the number of schools, applicants, and nominees 
engaged around environmental, environmental literacy, and environmental 
                 health goals, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 14, 2023

 Mr. Booker (for himself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Markey, and Mr. 
  Whitehouse) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To strengthen and expand the Green Ribbon Schools Program at the 
   Department of Education by boosting the capacity of participating 
   States to expand the number of schools, applicants, and nominees 
engaged around environmental, environmental literacy, and environmental 
                 health goals, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Green Ribbon Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. GREEN RIBBON SCHOOLS PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) ESEA definitions.--The terms ``elementary school'', 
        ``local educational agency'', ``secondary school'', 
        ``Secretary'', and ``State educational agency'' have the 
        meanings given the terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means an 
        elementary school, secondary school, school funded or operated 
        by the Bureau of Indian Education, local educational agency, or 
        institution of higher education.
            (3) Environmentally literate.--The term ``environmentally 
        literate'', when used with respect to an individual, means the 
        capacity to--
                    (A) perceive and interpret the relative health of 
                environmental systems and the interrelationships 
                between natural, economic, and social systems and 
                technology; and
                    (B) assess options and take appropriate action to 
                maintain, restore, or improve the health of the 
                environmental systems and promote sustainable 
                development.
            (4) Green ribbon pillars.--The term ``Green Ribbon 
        pillars'' means the following 3 interrelated aspirational 
        goals:
                    (A) 100 percent of the graduates of the eligible 
                entity or the schools served by the eligible entity are 
                environmentally literate.
                    (B) The environmental impacts of the eligible 
                entity's buildings, grounds, and operations are 
                targeting significant emission reductions with a long-
                term goal of 100 percent reduction.
                    (C) The eligible entity has a net positive impact 
                on the environmental health of its students and staff.
            (5) Green ribbon school award winner.--The term ``Green 
        Ribbon School award winner'' means an eligible entity that has 
        received an award of recognition from the Department of 
        Education for high performance in making progress toward all 3 
        of the Green Ribbon pillars, in accordance with subsection 
        (b)(4).
            (6) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001).
    (b) Green Ribbon School Program of the Department of Education.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct a program, 
        which shall be known as the ``Green Ribbon Schools Program'', 
        to reach and engage more schools by--
                    (A) encouraging eligible entities to implement the 
                Green Ribbon pillars;
                    (B) recognizing high performance in the Green 
                Ribbon pillars by eligible entities, through voluntary 
                partnership with States;
                    (C) increasing the number of participating local 
                educational agencies and schools that are receiving 
                resources from the program, including those not 
                pursuing an award on the date of enactment of this Act;
                    (D) engaging with public and private stakeholders 
                to maximize positive impact; and
                    (E) supporting schools in implementing measures to 
                reduce energy and water use and costs, increase 
                resilience, increase environmental literacy, and 
                improve indoor air and other conditions for health and 
                wellness.
            (2) Update.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the 
                date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
                conduct a review and update the criteria for the Green 
                Ribbon school award winner program, including scoring, 
                which shall include--
                            (i) ensuring that health and wellness 
                        criteria align with programs of the 
                        Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers 
                        for Disease Control and Prevention and are 
                        associated with benefitting student health, 
                        thinking, and the ability to learn;
                            (ii) ensuring that environmental criteria 
                        emphasize the role of schools in mitigating and 
                        adapting to climate change, including school 
                        resiliency to natural disasters; and
                            (iii) ensuring that environmental and 
                        sustainability literacy criteria encourage 
                        applicants to identify methods of assessment of 
                        student knowledge and skills and set goals for 
                        literacy among graduates.
                    (B) Federal register.--The Secretary shall publish 
                in the Federal Register the final updated criteria for 
                the Green Ribbon school award winner program and shall 
                allow for, and address, any public comments related to 
                the updated criteria.
            (3) Grants and awards.--In conducting the Green Ribbon 
        Schools Program, the Secretary shall, from the amounts made 
        available to carry out this Act--
                    (A) reserve not less than $250,000 for the 
                Secretary of the Interior to carry out the activities 
                under subsection (c)(7) with respect to schools 
                operated or funded by the Bureau of Indian Education;
                    (B) award grants to State educational agencies 
                under subsection (c); and
                    (C) provide an honorarium to each Green Ribbon 
                School award winner in an amount equal to $10,000, 
                subject to appropriations.
            (4) Studies, research, and surveys.--The Secretary may 
        conduct studies, research, and surveys to inform the Green 
        Ribbon Schools Program.
            (5) Green ribbon school awards.--Each year, regardless of 
        whether funds are available for the honoraria described in 
        paragraph (2)(C), the Secretary shall--
                    (A) establish a process through which--
                            (i) State educational agencies may nominate 
                        eligible entities for recognition of high 
                        performance in making progress toward all 3 of 
                        the Green Ribbon pillars; and
                            (ii) the Secretary of the Interior, 
                        operating through the Bureau of Indian 
                        Education, may nominate eligible entities that 
                        are schools operated or funded by the Bureau 
                        for such recognition; and
                    (B) award the Green Ribbon School award to 
                nominated eligible entities that the Secretary 
                determines have shown high performance in making 
                progress toward all 3 of the Green Ribbon pillars.
            (6) Consultation.--The Secretary shall consult with the 
        Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the 
        Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to 
        align the Green Ribbon Schools Program with the science on 
        school environments and school health cited by the 
        Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease 
        Control and Prevention.
            (7) Reports.--
                    (A) Annual reports.--
                            (i) In general.--Not later than November 1, 
                        2023, and annually thereafter, the Secretary 
                        shall publish a report describing the Green 
                        Ribbon Schools Program of the prior fiscal 
                        year.
                            (ii) Content of annual reports.--Each 
                        annual report described in clause (i) shall--
                                    (I) describe the activities and 
                                outcomes of the Department of Education 
                                and State grant award winners, 
                                including the uses of grant funds to 
                                reach and engage additional schools, 
                                and the successes and challenges of the 
                                Green Ribbon Schools Program;
                                    (II) describe the plan of State 
                                grant award winners to extend 
                                opportunities to become a Green Ribbon 
                                School award winner to schools that are 
                                eligible to receive funds under part A 
                                of title I of the Elementary and 
                                Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
                                U.S.C. 6311 et seq.) or other schools 
                                that are low-income schools, schools in 
                                disadvantaged or rural or remote 
                                communities, or schools that serve a 
                                significant number of students with 
                                disabilities; and
                                    (III) provide a proposed plan for 
                                the following year.
                    (B) Biannual reports.--Not later than November 1, 
                2024, and biannually thereafter, the Secretary shall 
                publish a report describing key programs and policies 
                of each State in supporting its schools in making 
                progress toward all 3 of the Green Ribbon pillars.
    (c) State Grant Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants to State 
        educational agencies, on a competitive basis, for the purpose 
        of supporting and engaging eligible entities as green schools.
            (2) Applications.--A State educational agency that desires 
        to receive a grant under this subsection shall submit an 
        application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
        accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require, 
        including an assurance that the agency will--
                    (A) expend not less than 40 percent of the grant 
                funds to support underresourced schools; and
                    (B) provide documentation to the Secretary 
                demonstrating compliance with the requirement under 
                subparagraph (A).
            (3) Criteria.--In selecting grant recipients under this 
        subsection, the Secretary shall consider the State educational 
        agency's proposed program or program expansion in terms of--
                    (A) the projected impact and proposed impact 
                metrics;
                    (B) the incorporation of specific activities to 
                ensure underresourced eligible entities benefit and 
                have opportunities to participate;
                    (C) the extent to which stakeholders and 
                partnerships are included;
                    (D) innovative approaches to scaling green school 
                practices and learning;
                    (E) the engagement of past award winners in the 
                program, including as mentors or advisors to other 
                eligible entities; and
                    (F) other criteria as may be identified by the 
                Secretary.
            (4) Amount of grants.--In carrying out this subsection, the 
        Secretary may determine the amount of each grant award, except 
        that no grant award shall be for an amount that is less than 
        $250,000 nor more than $1,000,000.
            (5) Time period.--Grant funds awarded under this subsection 
        shall be available for use by the grant awardee for not more 
        than 3 years.
            (6) Allowed uses.--A State educational agency that receives 
        a grant under this subsection shall use the grant funds to 
        increase and support eligible entities in becoming Green Ribbon 
        School award winners, including by--
                    (A) establishing State-level Green Ribbon awards 
                and recognition events;
                    (B) working in partnership with nonprofit green 
                school organizations and other organizations, 
                utilities, businesses, and other State and local 
                governmental entities to inform, educate, and support 
                eligible entities regarding actions to make progress 
                toward all 3 of the Green Ribbon pillars;
                    (C) using resources from the Department of 
                Education and its green schools partners, as 
                appropriate, to curate and disseminate resources about 
                best green school practices and provide statewide 
                training and professional development in the Green 
                Ribbon pillars;
                    (D) utilizing innovative ways to promote--
                            (i) the implementation of green school 
                        practices; and
                            (ii) the Green Ribbon Schools Program and 
                        any State-level Green Ribbon schools program; 
                        and
                    (E) providing statewide training and professional 
                development in the Green Ribbon pillars.

SEC. 3. INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES GREEN RIBBON AWARD 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to develop and 
implement a Green Ribbon award program for nonformal learning 
institutions at the Institute of Museum and Library Services in order 
to recognize and help advance excellence in the greening of nonformal 
learning institutions.
    (b) Definition.--In this section, the term ``nonformal learning 
institutions'' includes public and private libraries, museums, 
arboretums, botanical gardens, nature centers, historical societies, 
historic preservation organizations, history museums, science and 
technology centers, planetariums, children's museums, art museums, 
general museums, natural history museums, natural science museums, 
zoos, aquariums, and wildlife conservation centers.
    (c) Establishment.--Consistent with section 209 of the Museum and 
Library Services Act (20 U.S.C. 9107), the Director of the Institute of 
Museum and Library Services shall establish an award program for 
nonformal learning institutions modeled on the Department of 
Education's Green Ribbon Schools Program. The award program shall 
recognize and honor nonformal learning institutions that demonstrate 
high achievement in all 3 of the following goals:
            (1) Ensuring that their visitors are exposed through 
        multiple learning modes to locally relevant information to 
        advance understanding of the interconnection of the natural 
        environment, built environment, and quality of life.
            (2) Significantly reducing their net environmental and 
        carbon footprints, while using their own built and natural 
        environment as a learning laboratory and a model of best 
        practice for their host community.
            (3) Ensuring their institution has a net positive 
        environmental impact on visitor and staff health.
    (d) Award.--The Director of the Institute of Museum and Library 
Services shall provide each national award winner under this section 
with an honorarium of $10,000.
    (e) Consultation.--The Director of the Institute of Museum and 
Library Services shall consult with the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency and the Director of the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention to align the award program under this 
section with the science on school health studied by the Environmental 
Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SEC. 4. OFFICE OF SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY WITHIN THE 
              OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established within the Office of the 
Secretary of Education, the Office of School Infrastructure and 
Sustainability that shall be composed of 3 full-time employees.
    (b) Purpose.--The Office of School Infrastructure and 
Sustainability shall--
            (1) direct content and programming of a technical 
        assistance center for school infrastructure;
            (2) liaise with partner Federal agencies that have 
        programs, grants, and equities in school facilities, promote 
        the National Clearinghouse's resources to schools, provide 
        robust technical assistance to partner Federal agencies, local 
        educational agencies, and State educational agencies, and 
        oversee, promote, and expand the recognition award for the 
        Green Ribbon Schools Program;
            (3) provide technical assistance, training, and, subject to 
        appropriations, grants to State educational agencies and local 
        educational agencies on issues related to educational facility 
        planning, design, financing, construction, improvement, 
        operation, and maintenance, including green building design and 
        operation practices consistent with a commitment to tackling 
        the climate crisis;
            (4) develop resources and assemble best practices on issues 
        related to ensuring equitable access to healthy, educationally 
        adequate, and environmentally and fiscally sustainable public 
        school facilities and grounds;
            (5) recommend revisions to regulations of the Department of 
        Education that pertain to school construction and renovation; 
        and
            (6) consult with Federal agencies to ensure peer-reviewed 
        recommendations and resources are incorporated into the work of 
        the Office of School Infrastructure and Sustainability.
    (c) Appropriation.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this section $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2024.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this Act (except for section 4) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2024 
and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2025 through 
2029.
    (b) Reservations.--The Secretary--
            (1) shall reserve 10 percent of the amount appropriated 
        under subsection (a) to carry out section 3; and
            (2) may reserve not more than 5 percent of the amount 
        appropriated to carry out this Act for a fiscal year for 
        administrative expenses.
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