[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 91 (Wednesday, June 4, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H4937-H4961]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
21ST CENTURY GREEN HIGH-PERFORMING PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES ACT
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 1234 and rule
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House
on the State of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 3021.
{time} 1645
In the Committee of the Whole
Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the
Whole House on the State of the Union for the consideration of the bill
(H.R. 3021) to direct the Secretary of Education to make grants and
low-interest loans to local educational agencies for the construction,
modernization, or repair of public kindergarten, elementary, and
secondary educational facilities, and for other purposes, with Ms.
Bordallo in the chair.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read the
first time.
The gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) and the gentleman
from California (Mr. McKeon) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. George
Miller).
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Madam Chairman, I yield myself 2
minutes.
I rise in very strong support of H.R. 3021, the 21st Century Green
High-Performing Public Schools Facility Act, legislation that would
invest in modernizing public schools across the country.
This legislation is an example of how well-crafted public policy can
address a number of key challenges all at the same time. This bill has
something in it for improving the education of our children, improving
our economy, and improving the environment.
First, this legislation will help improve student achievement by
providing more children and teachers with a modern, safe, healthy,
clean, place for learning. Second, this legislation will give a boost
to our economy by injecting demand into a faltering U.S. construction
industry. And, third, this legislation will make our schools part of
the solution to the global warming crisis by encouraging more energy
efficiency as well as the use of renewable energy resources.
Any one of these three reasons alone would be enough to support this
bill; but when you put all three of them together, this is a clear win
for our children, for our communities, for workers, and for our planet.
For children and teachers, unfortunately, the reality is that in too
many of our communities the schools are literally crumbling. In 2000,
The National Center of Education Statistics said it would take $127
billion to bring schools into good condition, including that 75 percent
of the schools were in various stages of disrepair. The American
Society of Civil Engineers gave U.S. schools a D for national
infrastructure report card. Just last month, the 21st Century School
Fund called for a $140 billion Federal investment in school facilities
to bring all school districts up to the level of the highest income
districts followed by ongoing annual Federal investment.
The fact of the matter is that those children who have the most
difficult time receiving an education are receiving that education in
some of the worst schools in this Nation. This is an effort for us
simply to partner with local school districts on a formula basis so
that they can then carry out their plans to renovate, to repair, to
remodel existing schools so that they can save energy, they can provide
better lighting and a better atmosphere for the schools to learn.
Madam Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McKEON. Madam Chairman, I stand in opposition to H.R. 3021, and I
yield myself such time as I may consume.
The name of this bill is a mouthful but seems harmless enough, the
21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act. It
sounds like a program to ensure good schools, safe schools,
environmentally friendly schools. It sounds pretty good to me. It is
when we look a little closer that the real goal becomes clear. This is
a bill that puts us on a path toward Federalizing the building and
maintenance of our Nation's schools. It is about feeding bigger
government and giving Washington more control over what happens in
States and local communities. We are talking about an estimated $20
billion over the next 5 years handed out to States and schools so that
we can exercise control over how they build their schools.
Maybe a school has a leaky roof. The Federal Government is happy to
pay to get it fixed; but instead of spending $1,000 on a repair, we
tell the school it has to spend $100,000 on a new roof that meets our
hand-picked environmental standards. And Big Brother doesn't stop
there. We also link this funding to the Depression-era Davis-Bacon Act,
meaning that construction projects under this bill must pay so-called
prevailing wages. The problem is, prevailing wage calculations are
critically and fundamentally flawed. Sometimes they are higher than
market rates and other times they are lower.
Take plumbers, for instance. I have a chart here that shows in a
sampling of cities plumbers paid Davis-Bacon wages could be paid
anywhere from 70 percent below the market rate to 77 percent above the
market rate. Davis-Bacon requirements drive up the cost of Federal
projects by 10, 15, 20 percent,
[[Page H4938]]
and sometimes more. These are costs that get passed on to the
taxpayers. Moreover, these requirements force private companies to do
hundreds of millions of dollars of excess administrative work each
year.
So already we are talking about a new $20 billion program to fund an
inefficient construction mandate that allows bureaucrats here in
Washington to tell our neighborhoods and small towns and big cities
exactly how their school buildings should be built, from the materials
they use to the contractors they hire.
Madam Chairman, I would like to know where that $20 billion is going
to come from. When we were in the majority, we heard no end to the
complaints from the other side of the aisle that we were underfunding
No Child Left Behind and the Individuals With Disabilities Education
Act. I am proud of our record of strong support for these programs, but
it is true that they are not funded at their authorized level. It was
true when Democrats were in the majority up until 1995, it was true
when we were in the majority even though we doubled the payments there,
and it is still true today with Democrats back at the helm. The reality
is that neither party has funded these programs at their authorized
maximum.
If we have $20 billion to spend on our schools, shouldn't we invest
that in keeping the promises we have already made? We are looking at
$6.4 billion authorized for this program next year alone. Do you know
what that could do for title I or IDEA? We could increase special
education funding by almost 60 percent in 1 year. We could bring title
I funding to more than $20 billion.
I don't know whether we have the money to spend on this program; in
fact, I think we probably don't. But if we have it, we have a duty to
spend it on programs that help improve academic achievement for
disadvantaged children.
I also think it is ironic that we are here today proposing a program
to build more schools when districts around the country are struggling
just to pay for the fuel it takes to transport children and operate,
heat, and cool the schools we already have. Like the rest of the
country, our schools are being squeezed by the high price of gasoline.
Rising fuel prices are taking a real toll on our Nation's schools, just
as on our Nation's families and individuals.
Beyond diesel fuel and heating oil, schools are faced with higher
supply costs, fewer field trips, and costlier school lunches. First it
was community colleges forced to move to a 4-day school week; now, even
K-12 school systems are reducing the number of school days because of
the pain at the pump. Unfortunately, that is a problem for which the
Democrats are offering no answers.
Madam Chairman, this is a bad program created based on a flawed
premise. Yes, there is a need for school construction and
modernization. It is a need that is best handled at the State and local
level where they can be responsive to each community's unique needs.
The Federal role in education has been limited to target interventions
that help provide a more level playing field for children who might
otherwise be left behind. That is where our focus should remain.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Madam Chairman, I yield myself 30
seconds to say that it is interesting that again they talk about the
increased energy costs for schools. And at the same time that we are
considering legislation which is designed to lower those energy costs
for schools, they are arguing against the passage of this legislation.
This is a modest effort by the Federal Government to help these
schools get on with the refurbishing, the repair, and the renovation of
these schools so that they will lower their energy costs, whether it is
heating or air conditioning, so that they can then put that money back
into the educational program.
Madam Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr.
Chandler), the author of this legislation who understands the
importance of this contribution to the education of our children at the
local level.
Mr. CHANDLER. Madam Chairman, I am very proud to be here today to
introduce the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School
Facilities Act, authorizing almost $7 billion for our struggling
schools.
I would like to express my sincere appreciation to our cosponsors on
this bill, in particular Mr. Kildee and Mr. Loebsack, but especially
Chairman Miller who has done an incredible job as chairman of the
Education and Labor Committee and I very much appreciate what the
gentleman from California has done on this bill.
Where children learn has a large impact on what they learn, and the
evidence is undeniable. The U.S. Department of Education tells us that
modern, functional school facilities are truly important for effective
student learning. Consequently, it is unacceptable that some of our
children spend their days in buildings with faulty wiring, leaking
roofs, lead paint, and asbestos.
In 1995, the GAO found that schools were in desperate need of repairs
totaling $112 billion. Over a decade later, the need is even greater.
Each day we are competing on a global stage and not always winning that
competition, and investing in the education of our children at home is
the key to staying in the game. We are spending hundreds of billions of
dollars in Iraq. Surely, surely we can invest less than $7 billion in
the future of our children and the future of our country.
This bill is a home run. It will give much needed money to our
schools struggling with huge budget deficits, while encouraging energy
efficiency and creating jobs for Americans that cannot be shipped
overseas. Today, I urge you, Democrats and Republicans alike, make this
important investment in our schools, in our children, and in our
future.
Mr. McKEON. Madam Chairman, I am privileged now to yield to the
gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), the ranking member on the
subcommittee over K-12 education, 3 minutes.
Mr. CASTLE. I thank the distinguished gentleman from California for
yielding. Let me try to put this in perspective.
We are talking about Federal dollars here. We have never at the
Federal Government level funded school construction. Perhaps in
emergency situations, but other than that, we have not.
{time} 1700
We do have certain responsibilities that we do need to fund, and one
of those is clearly under the No Child Left Behind. The Elementary and
Secondary Education Act is title I. The ranking member from California
has already pointed this out.
But the bottom line is that when you look at the funding which we
have here, which fundamentally is $6.4 billion in title I. There's
another $100 million in title II of this legislation. But if you take
that $6.4 billion and you add it to title I, you get very close to that
amount of money that we have already authorized in our committee under
the jurisdiction of all of us involved with this committee.
I think we clearly recognize the importance of title I. It brings in
the teachers, it brings in the help. It brings in the people who are
going to help our children in schools which are most in need of money.
And we would get at least a lot closer to the $25 billion. Right now we
only have $13.9 billion appropriated.
And then you look at IDEA. Everybody here, Republicans and Democrats
alike have fought hard in recent years to increase IDEA to help our
children with disabilities, the Individual Disabilities Education Act,
and with that extra $6.4 billion, as this chart shows, IDEA could be
funded at $7.3 billion, getting very close to the 40 percent
requirement in the statute with respect to where we should be with
helping those children with disabilities.
My concern is, where are we spending our Federal money?
My other concern is, and I hope my friends in the Blue Dogs are
listening to all of this, but my other concern is we are opening a door
here. We are opening a door which is very large, and we're opening it
somewhat wide. You haven't even begun to see where we're going to go.
The $6.4 billion for fiscal year 2009 is followed by whatever sums
thereafter, that's going to go up dramatically very, very quickly, in
my judgment. And when all of the local entities realize that perhaps
they can
[[Page H4939]]
come to the Federal Government and get money, maybe they'll try to
whittle down the title III of this so they don't have to worry about
the green aspect of it quite as much, and they're going to go for more
money. That's going to be the key to it and you're going to see huge
increases. I think the 6.4 is merely a beginning. And all this is going
to, in my judgment, take away from whatever money is needed for
education.
Yes, we can argue that the money could come from war or this or
whatever it may be. It's not that simple. The bottom line is that
people are going to look at education, and I'm afraid they're going to
say, we're putting it in construction, therefore we can't put it in
title I, we can't put it in IDEA, and I think that would be a mistake.
I believe that this bill is well-intended, and I agree with
everything that's being said on the other side about the good it can do
as far as schools are concerned. But I have a strong disagreement with
where the Federal Government should be in this. I think it should be a
local and State issue in terms of construction, and we need to fund
those things that we have agreed to fund. We need to fund title I. We
need to fund IDEA. We do not need to open up a whole new source of
funding that we simply cannot afford at this time.
So I would encourage defeat of the legislation and, hopefully, we can
make sure that we're funding programs we should be funding in
education.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Madam Chairman, I am pleased to
yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee), the
chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and
Secondary Education, and an incredible advocate for the Federal role in
school construction for many, many years, and a coauthor of this
legislation.
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Chairman, I rise in strong support of this
legislation.
I was pleased to join Mr. Chandler and Chairman Miller in introducing
H.R. 3021, and to work with my chairman and Representatives Loebsack,
Andrews, Hare, Holt and McCarthy to introduce the committee substitute.
I especially acknowledge Mr. Loebsack's great depth of knowledge and
the perseverance he has brought to this bill.
This legislation will bring critically needed resources to schools
around the country to provide students, teachers, principals and others
with safe, healthy, modern, energy efficient and environmentally
friendly learning spaces, and will help our local, State and national
economies by creating jobs for thousands of workers to build these
improvements.
Some years ago, Madam Chairman, in my district, a Federal judge
ordered a jail to be torn down because it was unfit for human
habitation. Yet, many local educators told me that jail was in better
shape than some of the schools where they work so hard every day on
behalf of their students. By providing the resources to ensure that
situation never happens again, this bill would send children the
message that we truly value every one of them.
I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. McKEON. I yield now to the gentleman from Utah, a member of the
committee, Mr. Bishop, 3 minutes.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. When this bill was originally introduced by the
gentleman from Kentucky, it would have required the Department of
Energy to conduct a study of needs nationwide and then provided grants
to meet those needs.
This doesn't quite do it. There have been no studies. NCE did one
about 8 years ago which talked on a regional basis but not anything
more specific. Another study was done about 3 years ago, and instead of
trying to identify construction needs, this bill tracks money based on
title I spending, which simply asks the question, is there a connection
between construction needs and the distribution formula in this
particular bill? If not, and this bill escapes, we will be coming back
repeatedly with ideas that we need to tweak this or that in the effort
to create some kind of fairness for the future.
At the committee I raised the question, because my State has an
equalization formula, not just for maintenance and operation which is
programmed, but also for capital outlay. And I asked how this bill
would impact my State and I was told we would find that out; get back
with you. That still has yet to happen.
So let me try and tell you what this particular bill would do in my
State as it relates to how we fund construction needs within a State.
The State of Utah has two different categories, historically. First of
all, we have continuing school building aid which basically went for
areas that were overcrowded, where there was a surge of students
creating crowded school conditions.
We also had a category that we funded which was continuing. I'm
sorry. Let me switch that around. Continuing was for overcrowded.
Critical school building aid was for those districts that happened to
have all their buildings coming of age at the same time and needed an
infusion of cash.
We then equalized the formula so that districts in the State of Utah
were given State money, in addition to what they could raise locally,
to meet these particular needs.
So I simply went through the formula that this bill would equate, and
what would it do in the State of Utah. This is the bottom line. The
districts that have continuing school building needs, overcrowded,
would not get money from this formula. The districts that have critical
school building needs, which simply means the age of their buildings
are all coming together at the same time, would not get money from this
formula.
Indeed, the districts that get money from this formula are the ones
in the State of Utah that do not have the construction needs. And
that's a simple problem with this bill.
If we had gone along with what Congressman Chandler had originally
established and tried to establish a criteria of where this money would
go, there would be some logic to it. There is no logic. We are simply
throwing money at a target that is constantly on the move.
Satchel Paige used to talk to young pitchers and say, ``Just throw
strikes. Home plate don't move.''
Well, in this particular bill, we can't throw strikes because not
only is home plate moving, it doesn't even exist. And that is a key
problem with what we are trying to accomplish in this.
The CHAIRMAN. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. McKEON. I yield the gentleman 1 additional minute.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. I have one other issue as well. We have talked,
both in committee, the Rules Committee and I'm going to bring it up
here on the floor, of the issue of charter schools. The committee has
stated as their policy they wish to have charter schools treated fairly
in this particular bill.
If a charter school is, of itself, a local education agency, the
language in this bill covers charter schools and they will be treated
fairly. Unfortunately, if a charter school is part of a different local
education agency it does not guarantee in the language of the bill that
that charter school will be treated fairly.
We have examples, anecdotal I admit, but anecdotal from coast to
coast in this Nation, of charter schools who were not treated fairly by
local education agencies. And unless specific language is placed in
this bill, it does not guarantee that will happen.
I appreciate the chairman of the committee adding new language in a
manager's amendment that will try and make a study of this to see if
they can report back. But the bottom line is simply this. Despite our
statement that we want charter schools to be treated fairly, the
language of our bill is a gaping loophole that does not meet that if
the charter school is not part of the LEA, and I would hope, I would
certainly hope that the chairman or the sponsors would guarantee that
they would continue to work on this issue to make sure that this is
given out in a fair and equitable manner because we want fairness and
logic. It doesn't exist in the distribution formula in this particular
bill.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Madam Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to
the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Loebsack), a member of our committee and a
primary sponsor of this legislation.
[[Page H4940]]
Mr. LOEBSACK. Madam Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Miller for his
really great work on this legislation. I also want to thank Mr.
Chandler for his commitment to this issue, and Mr. Kildee, of course,
for his longstanding work on this issue, and for his partnership in
offering the substitute amendment to this bill during committee mark-
up.
Mr. Kildee's and my amendment combined important provisions from Mr.
Chandler's legislation and provisions from my own legislation, the
Public School Repair and Renovation Improvement Act and the Green
School Improvement Act, and it also contained suggestions from many
members, many other members of our committee who have prioritized green
school construction over the years.
Schools across this country are deteriorating. Problems vary region
by region, State by State and even district by district. I can see the
problems in my own district in Iowa, especially in our rural schools.
In Iowa, these schools serve close to 170,000 students.
This bill will help Iowa by directing over $35 million to the State.
This Federal investment will help leverage additional local dollars and
create over 560 new jobs.
This bill also focuses on the importance of ``greening'' schools.
Research demonstrates that green school technology can lead to
increased health, learning ability and productivity. This includes
improved test scores, attendance, teacher retention and satisfaction.
This legislation is a much needed investment in the education and
safety of our students. Today, when we pass this bill, Congress will
tell our students they matter. Congress will tell the American people
that our economy and good jobs and good wages matter. And Congress will
tell all of us that maintaining a healthy environment for all matters.
Madam Chairman, I urge the bill's passage.
Mr. McKEON. Madam Chairman, may I inquire as to how much time is
left.
The CHAIRMAN. Mr. McKeon has 17 minutes. Mr. Miller has 22 minutes.
Mr. McKEON. I am privileged to yield at this time to the gentlelady
from Illinois, a member of the committee, Mrs. Biggert, 4 minutes.
Mrs. BIGGERT. Madam Chairman, I rise in reluctant opposition to H.R.
3021. I support giving schools some Federal assistance when it comes to
school construction. In fact, I've sponsored legislation in the past
that would provide interest-free and low-interest loans to States and
localities to support school construction, renovation and repair.
I represent some of the fastest growing communities in the country,
and I know how school districts are constantly struggling to meet the
growing demand for space and resources.
I also support the greening of our schools. I'm a cosponsor of H.R.
6065, which will provide schools with small grants to make green and
energy efficient improvements for their schools.
Much as I would like to join the supporters of H.R. 3021, let me
remind them of the promises that we've already made to schools, but yet
not met. In 1975, in passing the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act, or IDEA, Congress made a commitment to fund 40 percent
of the cost of educating children with disabilities. Yet for fiscal
year 2008, Congress appropriated only $11.3 billion for this purpose, a
mere 17 percent of the funds originally promised.
{time} 1715
Is this an anomaly? Not at all. Congress has never delivered more
than 18.5 percent of the money we promised for IDEA.
What I hear over and over again from teachers and school boards and
administrators in my district is, When are you going to meet your
commitments on IDEA and NCLB? How about meeting our commitments under
No Child Left Behind? NCLB was authorized at $25 billion, but Congress
has just provided less than $14 billion.
Despite these unmet commitments, Congress is positioned today to make
another Federal commitment on school spending. The Congressional Budget
Office estimates that H.R. 3021 would increase discretionary spending
by $20.3 over a 5-year period. With this funding, we could meet our
commitments to IDEA and increase funding for NCLB by $5 billion over
the next 5 years. I realize this is a back-of-the-envelope calculation.
But I think it gives Members a better idea of what we could be
accomplishing with this money.
As a former school board president, I well know that school
construction is the responsibility of State and local governments. I
support fiscally responsible proposals to facilitate State and local
government investments in school infrastructure, but I cannot support
authorizing billions of dollars in new spending when we cannot fulfill
our current commitments to schools and children.
When Congress has fully funded IDEA and NCLB, I will be very happy to
revisit this issue with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle.
But until then, I think the top Federal priorities should be meeting
our commitments and improving student achievement.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Madam Chairman, I am pleased to
yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. McCarthy), a
member of our committee and a sponsor of this legislation.
Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Madam Chairman, I think there are
obviously many of us that support H.R. 3021, the 21st Century Green
High-Performing Public School Facilities Act. In listening to the
debate, I can only talk about a number of the schools that are in my
district. I'm certainly someone who supports school funding for IDEA,
but if I have my children in the classrooms--or most of them are
actually being taught in the hallways because they don't have the
facilities to be able to do the teaching that they need to do. I know a
number of my schools--if that was a business, you wouldn't be able to
get anybody to work into that particular business.
What we're trying to do--and you have to look at things holistically.
If we don't have good school facilities, how do we expect our teachers
and certainly our students to learn, and what kind of message are we
sending that we don't care enough about our children that we give them
safe environments?
I can go into my schools in my district during the winter, and every
window is wide open because the way the energy for the heating system
is, it makes the classrooms too hot. The children can't concentrate.
You go into one of my schools during the summertime when they're taking
their final exams, and the classrooms are 110 degrees. How are our
students supposed to be able to pass those tests and concentrate? None
of us would work under those conditions. And yet we are asking our
children to survive under those conditions.
We must look at how we're going to work to be able to educate our
children for the global economy that we're looking forward to. But I
believe very, very strongly we have to have a clean, safe environment.
Go into our city schools. Come into my schools. Look at the amount of
children that have asthma because the quality of the air is subnormal.
A number of my schools in the last year had to be closed. So now we're
putting our children in little trailers.
I don't understand this debate. This is something that many of our
schools need, and as far as having Davis-Bacon, why should not we have
prevailing wage for those that work in the community, pay the wages,
and also have good construction done?
With that, I hope that we pass overwhelmingly this bill.
Mr. McKEON. I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to
the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey), a member of the
committee and subcommittee Chair.
Ms. WOOLSEY. Thank you, Chairman Miller.
Madam Chairman, I'm pleased to rise in support of H.R. 3021, the 21st
Century High-Performing Public School Facilities Act.
No child should be expected to learn in a crumbling school building.
And this bill will give our Nation's schools the funds needed to repair
and renovate their school building. That's very important because our
children deserve the best opportunities in life, and that starts with a
quality education in a safe building where students can focus on
learning and teachers can focus on teaching.
[[Page H4941]]
This bill also encourages schools to make environmentally--green
repairs. Schools in my district are making their facilities more
environmentally friendly lately, and it's encouraging other schools to
follow their lead because as our States face budget shortfalls and
school districts deal with budget cuts, savings on energy costs will
make a huge difference.
And it's a win-win. As a school shifts towards greening their school,
students will learn about the process and the importance of preserving
our environment. If you value our children, if you value our students,
if you value their education and their educators, then show them;
ensure their schools are the very best possible.
Support H.R. 3021.
Mr. McKEON. Madam Chairman, I continue to reserve.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Madam Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to
a member of the committee, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hare).
Mr. HARE. Madam Chairman, I rise in strong support today of H.R.
3021.
School districts around the country are struggling to find the money
to pay for the most basic school repairs, let alone funding to upgrade
school facilities to meet the needs of 21st century learners.
While school construction funding has traditionally been a State and
local responsibility, the magnitude of the challenge warrants an
increased Federal role, a role that could help schools such as
Lewistown High in my district repair a leaky roof and replace World War
II-era equipment that students are using for machine shop.
Madam Chairman, the bill before us authorizes $6.4 billion to address
unmet school construction needs. Additionally, the bill guarantees
schools with the greatest need receive a minimum of $5,000 for school
construction projects.
As a member of the Green Schools Caucus, I'm pleased that this bill
encourages schools to make energy-efficient improvements. By dedicating
the majority of funds to green projects, H.R. 3021 will save schools an
average of $100,000 each year in energy costs alone--enough to hire two
additional full-time teachers, purchase 5,000 new textbooks, or buy 500
new computers.
The deteriorating physical condition of public schools also presents
an opportunity to stimulate our failing economy. A direct Federal
investment in school construction will provide an immediate boost to
our economy and create an estimated 100,000 jobs in the building trades
hit hard in recent months.
Madam Chairman, H.R. 3021 comes as a much-needed response to
crumbling school infrastructure, skyrocketing energy prices, and our
declining economy. I strongly urge all of my colleagues to support this
vital piece of legislation.
Mr. McKEON. I am privileged to yield at this time to the gentleman
from California (Mr. Daniel E. Lungren) 3 minutes.
Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. Madam Chairman, I apologize. I'm
not a member of the committee involved. I was not really that alert to
what this bill is, but listening to some of the debate, it just caused
me some pause to reflect on maybe we found the answer to the question I
keep being asked at my town hall meetings which is, How do you folks
back there allow the budget to get so large? How do you get such
deficit spending? What is going on back there?
Well, let's see. I just heard Members on the other side of the aisle
say this is a Federal responsibility. In fact, I just heard this argued
as a jobs program. This will stimulate the economy. Well, if that's the
case, let's multiply it by 10. If this is going to create that many
more jobs, let's ten 100 times. We will take care of all of the
unemployment in America.
The idea that somehow we have the responsibility on the Federal level
to now fund the programs for construction and air-conditioning and
heating and so forth in schools, what is left for local taxpayers to
do? Oh, I'm sorry. Local taxpayers are also the Federal taxpayers and
the State taxpayers. I forgot that because we forget that here.
I just heard the gentleman previously on the other side say his
school districts are strapped. They can't pay for it. But magically, we
can pay for it here because I guess when my constituents get up in the
morning they say, Well, this morning I'm a local taxpayer but at noon I
will be a State taxpayer, tonight I will be a Federal taxpayer. I can't
afford to pay for it in the morning; I'm not sure I can pay for it yet,
but magically I can pay for it tonight because--well, I don't know. I
guess this money comes from nowhere.
I mean, does anybody understand we're talking about a new program
that's never existed before? But now, now the very future of the
Republic depends on this program.
I heard another Member on the other side of the aisle say students
can't learn when they're sweating, I guess. Well, I confess. I went to
Catholic school. We didn't have air-conditioning in Southern California
when it was 103, and it was hot. I remember sweating through my shirts,
and it was uncomfortable. But give me a break. You're telling me that
there's a Federal responsibility to put air-conditioning in every
building that school kids are going to?
I would just ask the American people is this what they think the
Federal Government is supposed to be doing? We should go around and
find every single wrong thing or something that is not perfectly right
and then the Federal Government is going to take care of it? Now, if
that is the case, we will never come close to fiscal responsibility,
and we're going to do this on top of the fact that we have mandatory
spending programs that, if you look at the payout, by the year 2042--
and I know that's a long way away, but my grandkids will probably be
concerned about it--as was stated not too long ago in testimony before
one of our committees, if we continue spending the way it is, we will
have no room for discretionary spending----
The CHAIRMAN. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. McKEON. I yield the gentleman an additional minute.
Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. As the head of OMB said at that
time, including defense. That's the first time I ever heard of defense
called discretionary.
But the point is there are certain responsibilities that are the
Federal Government's. And I remember when we started the--I am old
enough to remember that. I happened to be in Congress shortly after
that when President Carter was elected and we established the
Department of Education because we said the Federal Government ought to
play a small role, small but important role in education.
Well, now if we're going to be responsible for construction for air-
conditioning, for heating, for environmentally friendly construction,
where does it end? I guess it ends at the taxpayers' pocketbook. But we
just pretend that we're not taking from the pocketbook here because it
is the Federal Government that doesn't cost anybody anything, but we
are here to
rescue everybody on the Federal level because they can't afford to pay
for it at the local or State level.
Maybe that makes sense here in Washington, but I don't think it makes
sense anywhere else. Maybe this is ``Alice in Wonderland,'' but where I
come from, people know that when you take a dollar out of their pocket,
it's one less dollar they have.
The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman's time has again expired.
Mr. McKEON. Madam Chairman, I yield the gentleman an additional 2
minutes, and I want to ask him a question.
Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. You have to understand I'm not
on the committee. So I'm not an expert on that. I'm just a regular
Member of Congress who heard the debate as I was walking by.
Mr. McKEON. Let's talk about the things we deal with when we're not
here in Congress. You have children. I have children. We have
grandchildren. And I try to think about our children and grandchildren
sitting at the kitchen table, and they have a little different rules
that they have to operate under.
{time} 1730
You know, we have a Federal responsibility that we have taken upon
ourselves, and we will fund 40 percent of IDEA. We're up to about 17
percent. We said that we'll fund title I. We're way short of where we
should be on that.
[[Page H4942]]
If, say, you have a grandson or granddaughter, maybe they've bought a
motorcycle and they have a commitment to pay $100 a month on a
motorcycle. And maybe the daughter is going to school and has a
commitment to pay a couple hundred dollars a month on that.
Family is sitting around and they say, you know, we're a little
short, we don't have quite enough to pay the motorcycle bill this
month, we don't have quite enough to pay the school bill this month,
but why don't we go out and buy a motor home, because the family would
benefit from that; it would be a good thing. We could have good quality
time that we could spend together, and we don't have the money for
that.
That's kind of what we're talking about here, isn't it?
Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. Well, I would think so. I would
think that it's certainly a greater priority to help that program, the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, that we assume that as a
responsibility, and I can argue back home that that is a shared Federal
responsibility.
I don't think this bill rises to that level, and it seems to me if we
use money for this and not for disabilities, aren't we shortchanging a
program which really has a Federal responsibility for this? I know it
sounds good because it's a new program.
I just noticed this. Maybe it's because I came back after 16 years. I
find it's awfully easy to say billions and trillions.
The CHAIRMAN. The time of the gentleman has again expired.
Mr. McKEON. I yield the gentleman 1 additional minute.
Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. I found when I was gone for 16
years, I couldn't find billion and trillion so easy to say. But once
we're here, it's awfully easy to say, and then it kind of masks the
costs to the local taxpayer because the average person can't figure out
what $1 trillion is or $1 billion because that's not within their area
of experience.
But what it means, I would hope that folks back home would
understand, if we were ever to talk to them about this, that this is
coming out of their pocket. And if they believe they can't afford it
back home, how can they afford it here, first?
Secondly, we have a commitment to programs like those for children
with disabilities. Shouldn't we try and fund that to a higher level
first before we start on this path to a new program?
Again, I'm not a member of the committee, and I know the gentleman
has served on the committee. But that's a simple question.
Mr. McKEON. We would love to have you on the committee, and I think
that you're asking the right questions.
Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. I'm not sure the chairman of the
committee shares that sentiment, but I appreciate that, and I thank the
gentleman for the time.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Madam Chairman, I yield myself 30
seconds.
It's wonderful to listen to this conversation among two people
talking about fiscal responsibility back and forth to one another. When
the Bush administration came into office, they were given a $5 trillion
surplus. Now, 8 years later, it's a $9 trillion deficit. And in that
time, they never found the way to fund title I. They never found the
way to fund IDEA. And yet, somehow, they were fiscally responsible, and
now they've run this economy and this country into a ditch, with $9
trillion of debt in 8 short years, and they inherited a $5 trillion
surplus.
Madam Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from
Connecticut (Mr. Courtney), a member of the committee.
Mr. COURTNEY. Just to follow up on the chairman's remarks, it sounds
like crocodile tears to hear people talking about underfunding IDEA and
title I when last December we had a chance to override the President's
veto of the education spending bill, which would have put a serious
commitment by this Chamber towards those programs which, indeed, have
been underfunded for far too long, but unfortunately, too many Members
on the other side of the aisle upheld the President's veto and broke,
again, the promises to local communities to pay for Federal mandates.
We have a national challenge facing this country, a national energy
challenge, national education challenge, and that's what this national
bill is focusing on.
In Connecticut, the Eastern Connecticut State University Institute
for Sustainable Energy did an inventory of school buildings a couple of
years ago. They found that 90 percent of the buildings were constructed
before 1978, completely energy inefficient. If we could get to an
Energy Star rating of 50, which is a very modest rating, we would save
40 percent, not 20 percent, but 40 percent energy costs, which is
precious dollars for local communities that are distressed and don't
have a property tax base to pay for that kind of investment.
This program is focused with a title I formula to needy school
districts. We're not just taking dollars and throwing them up in the
air across the United States of America. We are helping the communities
that need the help and can't afford to invest in green technology.
We have districts in my part of Connecticut, Quaker Hill Elementary
School, that are making that type of investment, but we need to help
the districts that can't afford to do it.
That's why, with a title I-based formula, this legislation will
accomplish that task. I urge the Chamber's full support.
Mr. McKEON. I notice the chairman has left, but I wanted to just
correct the record a little bit.
I've been here 16 years. I know he's been here over 30 years. But
when we won the majority in 1994, at that point IDEA was funded at
about $2 billion. It was passed in 1976.
At the time, we made a commitment, those who were in the Congress at
the time made a commitment, that the Federal level would be funded at
40 percent. At that time in 1976, $2 billion would have funded at 40
percent. The Democrats were in charge from 1976 to 1994. They got it
from a few hundred million up to $2 billion in that time.
We won the majority in 1994, and we increased the funding from $2
billion up to over $10 billion in the following 12 years.
Now, to go back to talk about the surplus and the deficit. In 1994,
we ran on the Contract With America, and we made a pledge to the
American people that if we were given a chance, given the majority, we
would balance the Federal budget in 7 years. Actually, we did it in 4
years. That's how we got that surplus.
But then in 2000, President Bush came in. There was a recession when
he took office. We had 9/11 in 2001, which took us into a war footing,
and you know, when you're at war, you spend more money, and that's how
we've gotten the deficit.
But all of that aside, back to the basic premise of why we should be
working to fully fund IDEA. What a problem that is to not provide fully
funding for these children that need help with their special
disabilities. We made a strong commitment. We took it from the 7
percent that they were funding it when they were in the majority, and
they had been there for 18 years prior to that. We had 12 years. We got
it up to over 17, 18 percent in that period of time.
So I don't think if you want to talk about commitment and who was
putting the money where, we were doing it. All we're saying now is if
they can find another $6 billion, why not put it to the children with
disabilities rather than fund a brand new program that really is the
State and local responsibility.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Chairman, we're all concerned with fiscal
responsibility, but I can recall a tough political vote I took the
first year of President George W. Bush. That was on about a $2 trillion
tax cut, $2 trillion. That's $2,000 billion. This bill will cost $6.5
billion a year. That tax cut was $2 trillion.
There's various ways we have to be fiscally responsible, and I submit
that tax cut, in my humble opinion--and I voted ``no'' on it and went
back home and faced some wrath, not that much, though--I voted ``no''
on that because I also have a sense of fiscal responsibility.
Now you talk about IDEA. I think you will concede that no one's been
a stronger advocate of full funding for IDEA than myself.
[[Page H4943]]
Mr. McKEON. Would the gentleman yield?
Mr. KILDEE. I would be glad to yield.
Mr. McKEON. I would be happy to yield that. You're a man of
conviction and I think you are a strong supporter of IDEA, and we've
worked together well on these things in the past.
I just think right now we have kind of a divergence where we're
talking about a new program that could be used to fully fund IDEA, and
we just have a difference then on that opinion.
Mr. KILDEE. On that, let me indicate I have a list of groups here who
support both full funding of IDEA and support this bill. I will just
read a few of them: the American Federation of Teachers, the American
Association of School Administrators, the Council of Great City
Schools, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the
National Association of Secondary School Principals, the Parent-Teacher
Association. So these are groups who support both full funding of IDEA
and full funding of this.
With that, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey
(Mr. Holt), a member of our committee. I thank the gentleman from
California for his kind words.
Mr. HOLT. Madam Chairman, I thank Mr. Kildee.
And to my friend from California, I would say if we wanted to use
this time for a discussion of both fiscal responsibility and which side
of the aisle has done better with respect to individuals with
disabilities and title I, boy, that's an argument that we would gladly
take on.
But that's not the topic here. The topic here is the green schools
program, and energy costs are the second highest operating expenditure
for schools after personnel costs.
The two gentlemen from California were talking about how this is
wasteful spending. I'll tell you what's wasteful. About a third of
those $8 billion annually that schools spend on energy could be saved.
What this legislation does, it provides help for local schools and
States to invest in energy-saving design and technology, which will
provide not only better learning conditions but save billions of
dollars.
So this actually is beneficial from a fiscal point of view, as well
as an educational point of view.
Mr. McKEON. I yield myself 1 minute.
I just want to say that I don't think either of the two gentlemen
from California used the term ``wasteful'' spending. We never meant for
that. We never inferred that.
What we were talking about is it's a new program that is going to
divert limited resources. The list that Mr. Kildee read, all of those
people that supported it, yeah, you know, a lot of people want to have
more and more and more spending. The problem is, we do have limited
resources. I could probably read you a list of people that say we
should not have additional spending that's going to carry us more and
more into deficit for new programs before we fund the programs that
we've already committed to, and the gentleman said he would like to
have the debate on that issue.
I had an amendment on that issue that was not given to me. I wasn't
given the ability to discuss it on the floor because the Rules
Committee, I guess, felt that it wasn't an important issue.
The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman's time has expired.
Mr. McKEON. I yield myself an additional minute.
I did have an amendment saying that we should first spend the money
for the title I. That was where the Federal Government first got
involved, helping underprivileged children, close the gap between the
minorities and those that were doing better in their school, 14 percent
gap. And we have spent billions of dollars, over $85 billion, to try to
close that gap, and we haven't done it, and we're still short on that
funding.
And then the disabilities, the students that we all feel need more
help, why, if we can come up with another $6 billion, don't we put the
money for these children that need the help the most?
I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1745
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Chairman, may I inquire as to how much time remains
on each side.
The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Michigan has 11 minutes remaining.
The gentleman from California has 2\1/2\ minutes remaining.
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Lee).
Ms. LEE. I thank the gentleman for yielding and for your leadership
and your commitment to our country's children.
I rise today in strong support of this bill. Not only does it provide
for the modernization and repair of our schools, but it also employs
green building standards and encourages States to adopt forward-
thinking, energy-efficient strategies.
And I must thank Chairman Miller for this bill, and the committee,
but also for including in the manager's amendment language that I
authored that requires local education agencies to report on the number
and amount of contracts awarded to small minority and women-owned and
veteran-owned businesses.
As a longtime advocate of green jobs that will be fundamental to
America's future economic competitiveness, I believe everyone must have
the opportunity to benefit from the green economy supported by this
language.
Let me just say that I firmly believe the American people would
rather invest in their school children. And in listening to this
debate, it's mind boggling to hear the other side talk about resource
allocation and priorities. I think the American people would rather
send our children to decent schools rather than fund a war and an
occupation in Iraq that did not have to be fought. Here we're talking
about now another $180 something billion plus as another down payment
of this occupation that the President wants. This could lead us up to,
what, $3 trillion in terms of the occupation.
The CHAIRMAN. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. KILDEE. I yield the gentlelady 30 additional seconds.
Ms. LEE. I just wanted to make this one point because I listened very
closely to what the fiscal arguments were on this bill. And it's hard
to believe that you continue to fund this occupation in Iraq, yet you
talk about the fact that we don't have the resources to create schools
worthy of our children.
So I think this is about priorities. And I hope that everyone on both
sides will vote for this bill in a bipartisan fashion.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thank you for yielding. I support this
bill and hope we all vote for it.
Mr. KILDEE. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr.
Holt), a member of the committee.
Mr. HOLT. I thank the gentleman. And I thank him and Chairman Miller
for incorporating parts of my ``Green Schools'' bill in this
legislation.
I just wanted to make two more points, that under this bill States
must develop a database of energy usage in public school facilities.
I'm really pleased that this includes language that requires schools to
report on their carbon footprints.
Also, we've included a provision to ensure that veteran-owned
businesses receive the same contracting preferences as minority and
women-owned businesses. As the war continues to swell the veteran
population, it's our duty to help to ensure that returning soldiers
have jobs to return to.
This is good legislation. I urge its passage. I thank the gentleman
for putting together such good legislation.
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to
the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Mitchell).
Mr. MITCHELL. Madam Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 3021, the
21st Century Green High-Performing Public Schools Facilities Act, which
would authorize funding for modernization, renovation and repair
projects in schools with poor building quality.
Students and teachers deserve a clean and safe environment to go to
school. However, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, one-
third of schools, which serve approximately 14 million students, are
desperately in need of extensive repairs.
As a former high school teacher, I believe that it is crucial to
ensure that the grants authorized under this legislation be available
for schools in which
[[Page H4944]]
existing building conditions are putting the health and safety of
students and faculty at risk.
Many schools suffer from inadequate ventilation. When combined with
toxic substances, such as mold, asbestos and lead, this lack of
ventilation can cause significant health problems. Students and
teachers in schools with indoor air quality problems suffer from a
range of health problems from headaches, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, to
respiratory illness. Even more troubling, when indoor air pollutants
accumulate in inadequately ventilated schools, the air can become
carcinogenic.
In Arizona's Tempe Union High School District, where I taught for
almost 30 years, Corona del Sol High School has an HVAC system in
desperate need of replacement. According to the Arizona Republic, some
within the Corona del Sol community have expressed illnesses ranging
from allergies and asthma to tumors and cancers. The high school
district is struggling to find funds to replace HVAC systems, and as a
result the problems continue to persist.
The CHAIRMAN. The time of the gentleman from Arizona has expired.
Mr. KILDEE. I yield the gentleman 30 additional seconds.
Mr. MITCHELL. I would like to thank Chairman Miller for working with
me to ensure that the grants pursuant to this legislation can be used
to help schools make critical repairs to protect the health and safety
of students and teachers due to building conditions. Students and
teachers should never have to compromise their health and safety to
attend school, and this legislation will help prevent this from
happening.
I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Chairman, could I ask again how much time each side
has remaining.
The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Michigan has 6\1/2\ minutes
remaining. The gentleman from California has 2\1/2\ minutes remaining.
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to
the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Patrick J. Murphy).
Mr. PATRICK J. MURPHY of Pennsylvania. Madam Chairman, I rise today
in support of the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School
Facilities Act.
I want to thank Chairman Miller and the gentleman from Washington
(Mr. Baird) for his efforts to modernize technical schools.
Madam Chairman, faced with record gas prices and a dangerous
dependence on foreign oil, we must harness new technology to meet our
energy needs. To do this, we must prepare students of today to power
the green collar workforce of tomorrow.
I am honored to have worked with Chairman Miller and Mr. Baird to
ensure funding for this act goes toward modernizing career and
technical schools, especially for the renewable energy industries. By
giving technical schools a chance to modernize, we will help even more
students become innovators, work together to end global warming, and
bring green energy jobs to the American economy.
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to
the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott).
Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for giving me this
opportunity. I want to speak very briefly about this bill. This is a
very, very important bill. It is critical to the future of education of
our young people.
Let me start out by letting you know how important this is to my
State of Georgia, and especially the metro Atlanta area. The metro
Atlanta area is the third fastest growing child population in this
country. Some 120,000 school children will enter area schools over the
next 5 years. They need additional space. They're meeting in trailers.
They're meeting in broken down buildings. They need help.
Now, Madam Chairman, I just came from a trip from Afghanistan and
Iraq, and I'm very proud to say our soldiers are doing a wonderful job
and all of our contractors are doing a wonderful job. They come to tell
us, oh, we're doing great, we're building these many schools, we're
building these many hospitals, which is wonderful, but then to come
back here and to see us crawling and falling back instead of going
forward to do the same thing for our own people. Not since 2001, 7
years ago, was the last time we even gave direct Federal aid to the
States and the counties of our Nation to build schools, to help repair
schools.
This bill is important because not only does it build schools, it
builds them in a way that helps our environment, it builds them in a
way that preserves our energy, cuts down on emissions that help global
warming. It is an effective measure, Madam Chairman. It is a bill we
must pass, and the time to do it is now.
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to
the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Etheridge).
(Mr. ETHERIDGE asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. ETHERIDGE. Madam Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3021,
the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act.
Madam Chairman, as the only former State schools chief serving in
Congress, I have always worked to be a voice for children and their
schools.
One of the biggest challenges we face in my home State of North
Carolina--and really across this country--is a lack of adequate
facilities for learning to take place. We simply must make a commitment
to get our children out of trailers and into quality classrooms.
You just heard my colleague talk about what we're doing overseas in
Iraq and Afghanistan building schools. If we can build them overseas,
we certainly can build them here in the United States. This bill is an
important first step toward improving our children's education.
We will need to follow the authorization of these grants with full
funding in appropriations. And we need to ensure that local and State
authorities can raise money in other ways, as would be provided by in
the America's Better Classroom Act through interest-free bonds to build
more schools. There really is no substitute for bricks and mortar when
it comes to quality schools and meeting the educational goals of our
community.
I applaud Chairman Miller and Congressman Chandler for their
leadership on this issue, and urge my colleagues to join me in support
of H.R. 3021, to improve the quality of where our children go to school
and help them to learn and to be able to compete in the 21st century.
The CHAIRMAN. Both sides now have 2\1/2\ minutes remaining.
Mr. McKEON. Madam Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Chairman, for our Nation's schools, the spike in energy prices
means that it costs more to fuel the buses that carry children to and
from school. It costs more to heat and cool their facilities. It costs
more to buy books and supplies. It costs more to provide school lunches
and snacks. The list goes on.
School budgets are being overwhelmed by rising energy costs, and they
need relief. The majority refuses to unveil its commonsense plan to
bring down skyrocketing gas prices. On January 4, 2007, when the
Democrats took charge of this House, gas prices stood at $2.33 a
gallon. Seventeen months later, gas costs 71 percent more, and yet
their plan remains a secret.
We're turning a blind eye to the burden of high energy costs in our
Nation's schools, and instead taking up a bill that usurps State and
local rights and responsibilities, undermines efforts to fund programs
for disadvantaged children, imposes complex and costly requirements,
and offers little more than a Band-Aid for the very real need for
school construction and modernization.
Madam Chairman, I strongly oppose this legislation. Just yesterday we
received a Statement of Administration Policy indicating that if this
legislation were presented to the President, his advisers would
recommend that it be vetoed.
The Federal Government has a role to play in education. That role is
to provide support and assistance to ensure that all children are
provided a quality education. It's to support the academic achievement
for disadvantaged children, children with disabilities, and other at-
risk students who might otherwise be left behind.
We all want our communities to have safe, modern, environmentally
friendly
[[Page H4945]]
schools in which our children can live and thrive, but this bill is the
wrong way to achieve that goal. States, local communities and the
private sector are all actively engaged in the construction and
maintenance of school facilities all around the country. At least $20
billion is being spent by the States each year to build new schools and
modernize those already in use.
If we have $6.4 billion to invest in education next year, let's put
it into programs that serve underprivileged and disadvantaged children.
Programs are already there. Whether it's title I or IDEA or even Pell
Grants to help low-income students attend college, there are existing
programs that could use these resources to improve academic achievement
and directly benefit those who need help most.
I strongly urge a ``no'' vote on this legislation.
Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. KILDEE. May I inquire as to how much time is remaining.
The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Michigan has 2\1/2\ minutes
remaining.
{time} 1800
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Madam Chairman, in my congressional district, I have a wide range of
schools. I have some schools that were built before I was born, and you
can guess maybe how old those schools are. Some of them are in
deplorable condition. Then I have some school districts which, thanks
to the voters because they are a little better off, they bond and they
have really up-to-date school buildings. I have been happy to have been
at the ground breaking or the ribbon cutting for those buildings, and
the people have certainly done well to bond themselves for that. But
there are other school districts that are abjectly poor, their tax base
is miserable, and the school buildings are miserable.
Children learn better in decent buildings. And human nature being
what it is, good teachers to a great extent are more likely to stay in
better buildings.
This bill was wisely based upon the title I formula so those schools
that are really stricken in my district now would be able to apply for
these grants and, under the title I formula, would be able to receive
some Federal dollars to help them replace buildings which I say are
worse off than a jail that was torn down in my district because a judge
declared it unfit for human habitation.
This is a good bill. It will put dollars where they are most needed
to help children learn better. We know they learn better in a better
building. I urge support for this bill.
Mr. SPACE. Madam Chairman, the steel industry has a proud tradition
in this country. For over 150 years, steel production has been an
important symbol of American strength and a critical source of American
jobs.
In recent decades, the American steel industry has faced an
increasingly difficult landscape. Short-sighted free-trade agreements
and illegal dumping policies set in place by foreign countries have
placed American steel on an uneven playing field with foreign
competitors. Facilities have been forced to close, at the expense of
countless American jobs.
In no place is this change in the industry more apparent than in my
home of Ohio. Both my father and my grandfather found gainful
employment in steel mills that now lie vacant and unused. Without
question, Appalachian Ohio has felt the burden of global shifts in the
economy, and I worry about the future of the jobs that remain.
This amendment will ensure that American taxpayer dollars are used to
support American industries and jobs. At a time when other countries
like China are using questionable policies to develop an unfair
advantage, there must be a mandate to use American steel with any
federal funds. I am proud to lend my support to this amendment and the
American steel industry.
Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3021,
the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public Schools Act.
It is high time that we include public schools on the list of
critical infrastructure that requires significant Federal investment
and support.
I would like to commend Congressman Ben Chandler of Kentucky and
Chairmen Miller and Kildee for their leadership on this vital
legislation.
Our public schools educate roughly 90 percent of children in the
United States.
We are counting on our public schools to prepare the leaders and
workforce of tomorrow. Yet according to several estimates the need for
school construction and renovation is in the hundreds of billions of
dollars--as much as $322 billion according to analysis from the
National Education Association.
Worse, the students in the areas where the need for school
modernization is most acute are minority students who now represent 43
percent of the total student population. Improving school facilities is
also about improving educational opportunities and equality.
I am especially pleased that the manager's substitute includes
specific language regarding the renovation and improvement of science
and engineering laboratories in our schools. 52 percent of school
principals reported having no science laboratory facilities in a
National Center for Education Statistics survey. Simply put, we can
never succeed in our national imperative to improve our competitiveness
in the STEM fields if our children do not have the opportunity to
experience and practice science and engineering. I would like to thank
Chairman Miller and Chairman Kildee for working with me and my
colleague from Vermont, Congressman Peter Welch to include the
important provision in the bill before us today.
I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3021.
Mr. CONYERS. Madam Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 3021,
the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act.
The bill authorizes $6.4 billion for school construction projects for
fiscal year 2009, and ensures that school districts will quickly
receive funds for school modernization, renovation, and repairs. A
majority of these funds must be used for projects that meet green
building standards for energy efficiency and carbon footprint
reduction.
This important bill will improve the health of our Nation on a
variety of levels. As an economic stimulus, it will create jobs all
across the Nation as local citizens join together to build and repair
schools. The bill also improves the teaching and learning climate in
America's schools by combating overcrowding, decreasing student and
teacher sick days, and improving school air quality for our nation's 60
million school children. This legislation also improves energy
efficiency by mandating the use of renewable resources in our schools.
These same energy efficiencies will also play a positive role in
combating global climate change by limiting the carbon emissions
emitted by school buildings. Finally, the inclusion of Davis-Bacon
protections ensures that workers will receive a fair and prevailing
wage.
At a time when our economy is reeling, with unemployment and
inflation on the rise, this bill will infuse our faltering job market
with the resources it needs to flourish. This $6.4 billion investment
in our Nation's infrastructure will create 100,000 new design and
construction jobs--4,041 of which will be located in Michigan. Citizens
working in other sectors will also see an improvement in their
financial stability, as property values improve in communities with
these new schools.
The bill will also dramatically improve the teaching and learning
climate for America's school children. We all know that children can't
learn if they're sick. The average American school was built half a
century ago. As a result, too many of our children attend overcrowded
schools housed in buildings with leaky roofs, faulty electrical
systems, and outdated technology. This tremendous investment in
physical facilities would help alleviate these problems by repairing
and removing infrastructure rife will black mold and asbestos.
Some may decry the spending associated with this bill. I however, see
it as a smart investment that will pay out cost-saving dividends in the
very near future. Green schools created by this bill will cost, on
average, 2% more than conventional schools but provide financial
benefits that are 20 times as large. This is enough savings to hire two
additional full-time teachers in most communities.
Although not obvious at first, the bill will also play a substantial
role in our nation's multifaceted response to the threat posed by
global climate change. When one thinks about the causes of global
warming, images of exhaust spewing SUVs and coal plants billowing out
black smoke spring to mind. In fact, 39 percent of all green house gas
emissions come from buildings--including many of our country's school
buildings. The energy efficiency improvements that will be built into
our schools will have an immediate impact on this front. Each green and
energy efficient school will lead to annual emission reductions of
585,000 pounds of carbon dioxide.
Finally, I am happy to see that the bill will include Davis-Bacon
protections to all grants for school modernization, renovation, and
repair projects. The inclusion of these protections exemplifies the
tremendous differences between the two major parties on issues of
worker's rights. I am continually reminded that during the aftermath of
Hurricane Katrina, our President attempted to rescind Davis-Bacon
protections at a time when local workers could least afford to have
their living standards depressed. In contrast, with this bill, this
Democratic Congress emphasizes its commitment to
[[Page H4946]]
the belief that the government has a responsibility to provide workers
with a living wage as they work to improve their communities.
I applaud Representative Chandler and the rest of the Leadership for
this bill. As I noted two weeks ago in the Congressional Record, one of
the hallmarks of this Congress has been its attempt to provide
comprehensive solutions to complicated problems. I believe that this
bill is a proud example of this trend. In a bill aimed at decreasing
class sizes, the Congress has also chosen to attack climate change,
promote worker's rights, and improve air quality.
I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill and send a clear message
to the American people: This Congress is committed to smart solutions
to the real problems that this country will face in the 21st Century.
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Chairman, I rise today as a member of the Green
Schools Caucus to strongly support the 21st Century Green High-
Performing Public School Facilities Act.
Our Nation needs new schools. The average American school is 50 years
old and almost two-thirds need extensive repair. According the GAO, 14
million students attend schools considered below standard or dangerous.
But in a time of state budget deficits, fewer dollars are going to
school construction projects.
Today's bill will assist local school districts with the initial
costs of construction and modernization and, by investing in energy
efficient technology, will result in significant long term savings.
Building green costs about 2 percent more than conventional
construction, but can save 20 times that amount over the life of the
school.
Moreover, green school construction yields substantial environmental
benefits. Green schools use on average 33 percent less energy and
produce less carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and coarse
particulate matter emissions.
With its investment in infrastructure, this bill provides an
important economic stimulus. School districts have many projects ready
to go. When this bill is passed, we will see additional jobs in the
construction industry, including suppliers, architects, contractors,
and engineers.
Madam Chairman, this legislation is a good, long-term investment that
will improve education, reduce our energy consumption, and create jobs
in local communities. I urge my colleagues to join me and support this
important bill.
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The CHAIRMAN. All time for general debate has expired.
Pursuant to the rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute
printed in the bill shall be considered as an original bill for the
purpose of amendment under the 5-minute rule and shall be considered
read.
The text of the committee amendment is as follows:
H.R. 3021
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``21st
Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act
is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
TITLE I--GRANTS FOR MODERNIZATION, RENOVATION, OR REPAIR OF SCHOOL
FACILITIES
Sec. 101. Purpose.
Sec. 102. Allocation of funds.
Sec. 103. Allowable uses of funds.
TITLE II--SUPPLEMENTAL GRANTS FOR LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, AND ALABAMA
Sec. 201. Purpose.
Sec. 202. Allocation to States.
Sec. 203. Allowable uses of funds.
TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 301. Impermissible uses of funds.
Sec. 302. Supplement, not supplant.
Sec. 303. Maintenance of effort.
Sec. 304. Special rule on contracting.
Sec. 305. Application of GEPA.
Sec. 306. Green Schools.
Sec. 307. Reporting.
Sec. 308. Authorization of appropriations.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) The term ``Bureau-funded school'' has the meaning given
to such term in section 1141 of the Education Amendments of
1978 (25 U.S.C. 2021).
(2) The term ``charter school'' has the meaning given such
term in section 5210 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965.
(3) The term ``local educational agency''--
(A) has the meaning given to that term in section 9101 of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and shall
also include the Recovery School District of Louisiana and
the New Orleans Public Schools; and
(B) includes any public charter school that constitutes a
local educational agency under State law.
(4) The term ``outlying area''--
(A) means the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American
Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands;
and
(B) includes the freely associated states of the Republic
of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia,
and the Republic of Palau.
(5) The term ``State'' means each of the 50 States, the
District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(6) The term ``LEED Green Building Rating System'' means
the United States Green Building Council Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design green building rating standard
referred to as LEED Green Building Rating System.
(7) The term ``Energy Star'' means the Energy Star program
of the United States Department of Energy and the United
States Environmental Protection Agency.
(8) The term ``CHPS Criteria'' means the green building
rating program developed by the Collaborative for High
Performance Schools.
TITLE I--GRANTS FOR MODERNIZATION, RENOVATION, OR REPAIR OF SCHOOL
FACILITIES
SEC. 101. PURPOSE.
Grants under this title shall be for the purpose of
modernizing, renovating, or repairing public kindergarten,
elementary, and secondary educational facilities that are
safe, healthy, high-performing, and up-to-date
technologically.
SEC. 102. ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.
(a) Reservation.--From the amount appropriated to carry out
this title for each fiscal year pursuant to section 308(a),
the Secretary shall reserve 1 percent of such amount,
consistent with the purpose described in section 101--
(1) to provide assistance to the outlying areas; and
(2) for payments to the Secretary of the Interior to
provide assistance to Bureau-funded schools.
(b) Allocation to States.--
(1) State-by-state allocation.--Of the amount appropriated
to carry out this title for each fiscal year pursuant to
section 308(a), and not reserved under subsection (a), each
State shall be allocated an amount in proportion to the
amount received by all local educational agencies in the
State under part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 for the previous fiscal year relative
to the total amount received by all local educational
agencies in every State under such part for such fiscal year.
(2) State administration.--A State may reserve up to 1
percent of its allocation under paragraph (1) to carry out
its responsibilities under this title, including--
(A) providing technical assistance to local educational
agencies;
(B) developing within 6 months of receiving its allocation
under paragraph (1) a plan to develop a database that
includes an inventory of public school facilities in the
State and the modernization, renovation, and repair needs of,
energy use by, and the carbon footprint of such schools; and
(C) developing a school energy efficiency quality plan.
(3) Grants to local educational agencies.--From the amount
allocated to a State under paragraph (1), each local
educational agency in the State that meets the requirements
of section 1112(a) of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 shall receive an amount in proportion to the
amount received by such local educational agency under part A
of title I of that Act for the previous fiscal year relative
to the total amount received by all local educational
agencies in the State under such part for such fiscal year,
except that no local educational agency that received funds
under part A of title I of that Act for such fiscal year
shall receive a grant of less than $5,000 in any fiscal year
under this title.
(4) Special rule.--Section 1122(c)(3) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 shall not apply to paragraphs
(1) or (3).
(c) Special Rules.--
(1) Distributions by secretary.--The Secretary shall make
and distribute the reservations and allocations described in
subsections (a) and (b) not later than 30 days after an
appropriation of funds for this title is made.
(2) Distributions by states.--A State shall make and
distribute the allocations described in subsection (b)(3)
within 30 days of receiving such funds from the Secretary.
SEC. 103. ALLOWABLE USES OF FUNDS.
A local educational agency receiving a grant under this
title may use the grant for modernization, renovation, or
repair of public school facilities, including--
(1) repairing, replacing, or installing roofs, electrical
wiring, plumbing systems, sewage systems, lighting systems,
or components of such systems, windows, or doors;
(2) repairing, replacing, or installing heating,
ventilation, air conditioning systems, or components of such
systems (including insulation), including indoor air quality
assessments;
(3) bringing public schools into compliance with fire and
safety codes, including modernizations, renovations, and
repairs that ensure that schools are prepared for
emergencies;
(4) modifications necessary to make public school
facilities accessible to comply with the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) and
section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C.
794), except that such modifications shall not be the primary
use of the grant;
(5) asbestos abatement or removal from public school
facilities;
(6) implementation of measures designed to reduce or
eliminate human exposure to lead-based paint hazards though
methods including interim controls, abatement, or a
combination of each;
[[Page H4947]]
(7) upgrading or installing educational technology
infrastructure to ensure that students have access to up-to-
date educational technology;
(8) other modernization, renovation, or repair of public
school facilities to--
(A) improve teachers' ability to teach and students'
ability to learn;
(B) ensure the health and safety of students and staff; or
(C) make them more energy efficient; and
(9) required environmental remediation related to school
modernization, renovation, or repair described in paragraphs
(1) though (8).
TITLE II--SUPPLEMENTAL GRANTS FOR LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, AND ALABAMA
SEC. 201. PURPOSE.
Grants under this title shall be for the purpose of
modernizing, renovating, repairing or constructing public
kindergarten, elementary, and secondary educational
facilities that are safe, healthy, high-performing, and up-
to-date technologically in order to address such needs caused
by damage resulting from Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita.
SEC. 202. ALLOCATION TO STATES.
(a) State-by-State Allocation.--Of the amount appropriated
to carry out this title for each fiscal year pursuant to
section 308(b), the Secretary shall allocate to Louisiana,
Mississippi, and Alabama an amount equal to the number of
schools in each of those States that were closed for 60 days
or more during the period beginning on August 29, 2005, and
ending on December 31, 2005, due to Hurricane Katrina or
Hurricane Rita, relative to the number of schools in all of
those States combined that were so closed.
(b) State Administration.--A State that receives funds
under this title may reserve one-half of one percent of such
funds for administrative purposes related to this title.
(c) Grants to Local Educational Agencies.--States receiving
funds under subsection (a) shall allocate such funds to local
educational agencies within the State according to the
criteria described in subsection (a).
(d) Special Rules.--
(1) Distributions by secretary.--The Secretary shall make
and distribute the allocations described in subsection (a)
not later than 30 days after an appropriation of funds for
this title is made.
(2) Distributions by states.--A State shall make and
distribute the allocations described in subsection (c) within
30 days of receiving such funds from the Secretary.
SEC. 203. ALLOWABLE USES OF FUNDS.
A local educational agency receiving a grant under this
title may use the grant for any of the activities described
in section 103, except that an agency receiving a grant under
this title also may use such grant for such activities for
the construction of new public kindergarten, elementary, and
secondary school facilities.
TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISIONS
SEC. 301. IMPERMISSIBLE USES OF FUNDS.
No funds received under this Act may be used for--
(1) payment of maintenance costs; or
(2) stadiums or other facilities primarily used for
athletic contests or exhibitions or other events for which
admission is charged to the general public.
SEC. 302. SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT.
A local educational agency receiving a grant under this Act
shall use such Federal funds only to supplement and not
supplant the amount of funds that would, in the absence of
such Federal funds, be available for modernization,
renovation, and repair of public kindergarten, elementary,
and secondary educational facilities.
SEC. 303. MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.
A local educational agency may receive a grant under this
Act for any fiscal year only if either the combined fiscal
effort per student or the aggregate expenditures of the
agency and the State involved with respect to the provision
of free public education by the agency for the preceding
fiscal year was not less than 90 percent of the combined
fiscal effort or aggregate expenditures for the second
preceding fiscal year.
SEC. 304. SPECIAL RULE ON CONTRACTING.
Each local educational agency receiving a grant under this
Act shall ensure that, if the agency carries out
modernization, renovation, or repair through a contract, the
process for any such contract ensures the maximum number of
qualified bidders, including local, small, minority, and
women- and veteran-owned businesses, through full and open
competition.
SEC. 305. APPLICATION OF GEPA.
The grant programs under this Act are applicable programs
(as that term is defined in section 400 of the General
Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1221)) subject to section
439 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1232b).
SEC. 306. GREEN SCHOOLS.
(a) In General.--In a given fiscal year, a local
educational agency shall use not less than the applicable
percentage of funds received under this Act described in
subsection (b) for public school modernization, renovation,
or repairs that are--
(1) LEED Green Building Rating System-certified or
consistent with any applicable provisions of the LEED Green
Building Rating System;
(2) Energy Star-certified or consistent with any applicable
provisions of Energy Star; or
(3) certified, designed, or verified under or meet any
applicable provisions of an equivalent program to the LEED
Green Building Rating System or Energy Star adopted by the
State or another jurisdiction with authority over the local
educational agency, such as the CHPS Criteria.
(b) Applicable Percentages.--The applicable percentages
described in subsection (a) are--
(1) in fiscal year 2009, 50 percent;
(2) in fiscal year 2010, 60 percent;
(3) in fiscal year 2011, 70 percent;
(4) in fiscal year 2012, 80 percent; and
(5) in fiscal year 2013, 90 percent.
(c) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary, in consultation
with the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency, shall provide outreach and
technical assistance to States and school districts
concerning the best practices in school modernization,
renovation, and repair, including those related to student
academic achievement and student and staff health, energy
efficiency, and environmental protection.
SEC. 307. REPORTING.
(a) Reports by Local Educational Agencies.--Local
educational agencies receiving a grant under this Act shall
annually compile a report describing the projects for which
such funds were used, including--
(1) the number of public schools in the agency;
(2) the number of schools in the agency with a metro-
centric locale code of 41, 42, or 43 as determined by the
National Center for Education Statistics and the percentage
of funds received by the agency under title I or title II of
this Act that were used for projects at such schools;
(3) the number of schools in the agency that are eligible
for schoolwide programs under section 1114 of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the percentage of
funds received by the agency under title I or title II of
this Act that were used for projects at such schools; and
(4) for each project--
(A) the cost;
(B) the standard described in section 306(a) with which the
use of the funds complied or if the use of funds did not
comply with a standard described in section 306(a), the
reason such funds were not able to be used in compliance with
such standards and the agency's efforts to use such funds in
an environmentally sound manner; and
(C) any demonstrable or expected benefits as a result of
the project (such as energy savings, improved indoor
environmental quality, improved climate for teaching and
learning, etc.).
(b) Availability of Reports.--A local educational agency
shall--
(1) submit the report described in subsection (a) to the
State educational agency, which shall compile such
information and report it annually to the Secretary; and
(2) make the report described in subsection (a) publicly
available, including on the agency's website.
(c) Reports by Secretary.--Not later than December 31 of
each fiscal year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee
on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of
the Senate a report on grants made under this Act, including
the information described in subsection (b)(1), the types of
modernization, renovation, and repair funded, and the number
of students impacted, including the number of students
counted under section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965.
SEC. 308. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Title I.--To carry out title I, there are authorized to
be appropriated $6,400,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 and such
sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2010
through 2013.
(b) Title II.--To carry out title II, there are authorized
to be appropriated $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009
through 2013.
The CHAIRMAN. No amendment to the committee amendment is in order
except those printed in House Report 110-678. Each amendment may be
offered only in the order printed in the report; by a Member designated
in the report; shall be considered read; shall be debatable for the
time specified in the report, equally divided and controlled by the
proponent and an opponent of the amendment; shall not be subject to
amendment; and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the
question.
Amendment No. 1 Offered by Mr. Kildee
The CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 1 printed
in House Report 110-678.
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Chairman, as the designee of the chairman of the
committee, I offer a manager's amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 1 offered by Mr. Kildee:
Page 5, after line 5, insert the following:
(9) The term ``public school facilities'' includes charter
schools.
(10) The term ``Green Globes'' means the Green Building
Initiative environmental design and rating system referred to
as Green Globes.
Page 5, line 8, insert ``PUBLIC'' before ``SCHOOL''.
Page 5, beginning on line 12, strike ``kindergarten'' and
all that follows through ``that are'' and insert ``school
facilities, based on their need for such improvements, to
be''.
Page 8, line 9, strike ``may'' and insert ``shall''.
Page 8, line 11, insert ``including extensive, intensive or
semi-intensive green roofs,'' after ``roofs,''.
[[Page H4948]]
Page 8, line 14, before the semicolon insert ``, including
security doors.''
Page 8, strike lines 19 through 22, and insert the
following:
(3) bringing public schools into compliance with fire,
health, and safety codes, including professional installation
of fire/life safety alarms, including modernizations,
renovations, and repairs that ensure that schools are
prepared for emergencies, such as improving building
infrastructure to accommodate security measures;
Page 9, line 4, insert ``or polychlorinated biphenyls''
after ``asbestos''.
Page 9, after line 9, insert the following:
(7) implementation of measures designed to reduce or
eliminate human exposure to mold or mildew.
Page 9, line 10, strike ``(7)'' and insert ``(8)''.
Page 9, after line 12, insert the following:
(9) modernization, renovation, or repair of science and
engineering laboratory facilities, libraries, and career and
technical education facilities, including those related to
energy efficiency and renewable energy, and improvements to
building infrastructure to accommodate bicycle and pedestrian
access;
Page 9, line 13, strike ``(8)'' and insert ``(10)''.
Page 9, line 20, strike ``(9)'' and insert ``(11)''.
Page 9, line 21, insert ``public'' before ``school''.
Page 9, line 22, strike ``(8).'' and insert ``(10).''.
Page 10, beginning on line 6, strike ``kindergarten'' and
all that follows through ``that are'' and insert ``school
facilities, based on their need for such improvements, to
be''.
Page 10, beginning on line 9, strike ``in order'' and all
that follows through ``Rita'' on line 10.
Page 11, line 16, strike ``may use the grant for any'' and
insert ``shall use the grant for one or more''.
Page 11, line 19, strike ``kindergarten, elementary, and
secondary''.
Page 12, beginning on line 9, strike ``and repair'' and all
that follows through ``educational'' and insert ``repair, and
construction of public school''.
Page 12, after line 10, insert the following (and amend the
table of contents accordingly):
SEC. 302A. PROHIBITION REGARDING STATE AID.
A State shall not take into consideration payments under
this Act in determining the eligibility of any local
educational agency in that State for State aid, or the amount
of State aid, with respect to free public education of
children.
Page 12, line 12, insert ``(a) In General.--'' before ``A
local''.
Page 12, after line 19, insert the following:
(b) Reduction in Case of Failure to Meet.--
(1) In general.--The State educational agency shall reduce
the amount of a local educational agency's grant in any
fiscal year in the exact proportion by which a local
educational agency fails to meet the requirement of
subsection (a) of this section by falling below 90 percent of
both the combined fiscal effort per student and aggregate
expenditures (using the measure most favorable to the local
agency).
(2) Special rule.--No such lesser amount shall be used for
computing the effort required under subsection (a) of this
section for subsequent years.
(c) Waiver.--The Secretary shall waive the requirements of
this section if the Secretary determines that a waiver would
be equitable due to--
(1) exceptional or uncontrollable circumstances, such as a
natural disaster; or
(2) a precipitous decline in the financial resources of the
local educational agency.
Page 12, line 23, strike ``or repair'' and insert ``repair,
or construction''.
Page 13, beginning on line 12, strike ``or repairs'' and
insert ``repairs, or construction''.
Page 13, line 13, insert ``certified, verified, or
consistent with any applicable provisions of'' after ``are''.
Page 13, strike lines 14 through 24 and insert the
following:
(1) the LEED Green Building Rating System;
(2) Energy Star;
(3) the CHPS Criteria;
(4) Green Globes; or
(5) an equivalent program adopted by the State or another
jurisdiction with authority over the local educational
agency.
Page 14, line 13, strike ``and repair,'' and insert
``repair, and construction,''.
Page 14, line 21, before the semicolon insert ``, including
the number of charter schools''
Page 14, after line 21, insert the following:
(2) the total amount of funds received by the local
educational agency under this Act and the amount of such
funds expended, including the amount expended for
modernization, renovation, repair, or construction of charter
schools;
Page 14, line 22, strike ``(2)'' and insert ``(3)''.
Page 14, line 22, insert ``public'' before ``schools''.
Page 15, line 3, strike ``(3)'' and insert ``(4)''.
Page 15, line 3, insert ``public'' before ``schools''.
Page 15, line 9, strike ``(4)'' and insert ``(5)''.
Page 15, line 8, strike ``and''.
Page 15, line 22, strike the period at the end and insert
``; and''.
Page 15, after line 22, insert the following:
(6) the total number and amount of contracts awarded, and
the number and amount of contracts awarded to local, small,
minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses.
Page 16, beginning on line 13, strike ``and repair'' and
insert ``repair, and construction''.
Page 16, after line 25, insert the following (and amend the
table of contents accordingly):
SEC. 309. SPECIAL RULES.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, none of
the funds authorized by this Act may be--
(1) used to employ workers in violation of section 274A of
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1324a); or
(2) distributed to a local educational agency that does not
have a policy that requires a criminal background check on
all employees of the agency.
Page 17, strike the title amendment and insert the
following:
Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to direct the
Secretary of Education to make grants to State educational
agencies for the modernization, renovation, or repair of
public school facilities, and for other purposes.''.
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 1234, the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Kildee) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.
Mr. KILDEE. I thank Chairwoman Slaughter and the Rules Committee for
their work and for making this amendment in order.
Madam Chairman, this bill would address three critical issues facing
our country: closing the achievement gap, boosting the economy by
creating thousands of construction jobs, and reducing school energy
costs and protecting the environment. This bill provides long overdue
investment in public school facilities around the country. And this
amendment would improve the bill by ensuring that schools could use
these funds for modernizations, renovations, and repairs including
green roofs; abatement of polychlorinated biphenyls and mold and
mildew; and various security measures.
Highlighting the need for improvements to science and engineering
laboratories, libraries, career and technical education facilities,
especially those related to energy efficiency and renewable energy, and
to facilitate access to schools by different modes of transportation;
strengthening language ensuring charter schools' eligibility for these
funds, which was asked for from the other side; expanding local
flexibility by adding ``Green Globes'' to the list of green rating
systems; adding reporting requirements to ensure local accountability;
and clarifying that no funds may be used to employ undocumented workers
and requiring that school districts receiving these funds have a policy
requiring a criminal background check on their employees.
I want to thank the many Members whose input is reflected in this
amendment: Representatives Arcuri, Baird, Crowley, Hastings of Florida,
Hooley, Klein of Florida, Lee, Matheson, McCarthy, Mitchell, Patrick
Murphy, Richardson, Sutton, Welch, and Wu.
I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment.
Madam Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McKEON. Madam Chairman, I claim time in opposition to the
amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from California is recognized for 5
minutes.
Mr. McKEON. Madam Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I oppose this amendment, Madam Chairman, for the same reason I oppose
the underlying bill.
This proposal radically shifts the Federal role in education. This
new school construction program will compete for funding with other
critical priorities like title I and IDEA. And no matter what the other
side tries to tell you, every dollar spent under this legislation is a
dollar that won't be spent improving academic achievement for
disadvantaged children.
Here in Congress our job is to set priorities. Are we really saying
that it's more important to fund bicycle racks, as this substitute
would do, than it is to provide funds for schools to serve children
with disabilities? I don't deny that schools can use bicycle racks, but
I challenge anyone to explain why that's a priority for scarce Federal
dollars when title I and IDEA continue to be funded below their
authorized level.
[[Page H4949]]
I also think this entire debate is a distraction from the most
immediate financial concern facing many school systems and every family
in this Nation: That's the high price of gasoline. School districts are
struggling just to fill the tanks on their school buses. They're
scaling back field trips and activities. And some schools are even
moving to a 4-day school week to save on energy costs. Just like the
rest of the country, our schools need energy relief and they need it
now.
But we're not here today to discuss how we can produce more American-
made energy. We're not here to promote new clean and reliable sources
of energy like advanced nuclear and next-generation coal. We're not
even here to encourage greater energy efficiency by offering
conservation tax incentives to Americans who make their home, car, and
businesses more energy efficient. Instead, we are proposing a big
government program to exert Federal control over how States and local
communities build their schools. It's the classic Washington approach
to problem solving: If we just kick in a little bit of money, we'll be
able to wield our power and influence over the decisions that used to
be made by individual citizens and local leaders. Surely Washington
must know best when it comes to where our children learn.
Madam Chairman, I oppose this amendment, I oppose this legislation,
and I oppose the fact that Congress has yet to do anything to address
the skyrocketing cost of energy.
Madam Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Klein).
Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Madam Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 3021,
the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public Schools Facilities Act.
I was proud to work with the chairman and Mr. Blumenauer to authorize
the use of funds to improve building infrastructure to facilitate bike
and pedestrian access. This could include bike storage facilities,
safety lighting, lockers, safe travel routes on school grounds for
bicyclists and pedestrians, and more.
Alternative modes of transportation and storage facilities for
bicycles are recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council as criteria
for obtaining certification as a green school and are critical to
reducing emissions and the carbon footprint of our Nation's schools.
With skyrocketing gas prices, American families are feeling the pain
at the pump. It's my hope that this amendment will help ease that
burden by encouraging students, just as we did, to walk and bike to
school rather than catch a ride with their parents or drive themselves.
I would like to thank my friend Representative Blumenauer for working
with me on this important provision and commend him for his tireless
work on this issue.
Additionally, I would like to thank the distinguished chairman of the
Education and Labor Committee, along with his staff, for their work to
bring this legislation to the floor today.
Mr. McKEON. Madam Chairman, I continue to reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Richardson).
Ms. RICHARDSON. Madam Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Miller for
putting this important legislation together, and I applaud his
resourcefulness for including my provision within this amendment that
solidifies the eligibility for grants to be used in the construction of
green roofs at public schools.
Throughout the past decade, green roofs have proven to be a cost-
effective and an environmentally conscious way of lowering utility
costs by insulating buildings from extreme temperatures and reducing
the sewer system and wastewater treatment costs. In addition, green
roofs diminish air pollution by using plants to collect airborne
particles and produce oxygen through photosynthesis. Green roofs also
decrease costs associated with roofing maintenance by lengthening the
lifespan and durability of the roofs. And, also, more importantly, it
gives young people an opportunity to see real learning experiences
work.
I ask my colleagues to seriously evaluate this legislation and pass
this amendment and pass H.R. 3021.
Mr. McKEON. Madam Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time.
We have been kind of talking about supply and demand in energy. Today
we are also talking supply and demand of money. There's unlimited
demand for resources, but there is somewhat limited supply. And what
we're talking about in this bill is that the demand is for the Federal
Government to get involved in local school construction.
I served on a local school board, and I met with a lot of other
people that served on local school boards, and I know what they're
going to want to do. They are going to want to turn to the Federal
Government and take all the money that's available, and then they will
use that to build the schools, and then they'll find other ways to
spend the money that they've been spending on schools for other things.
That's how supply and demand works. You kind of take what's available
and fill up the gap.
I was home last week, as most of us were, for the break, and I hadn't
been home for a couple of weeks. I was shocked at what the gas prices
were, and they went up about 20 cents during the week while I was home.
And it's all based on supply and demand.
We have had several votes over the last 16 years that I have been
here in Congress. We voted to explore for more oil in the ANWR. House
Republicans, 91 percent supported increasing supply; House Democrats,
86 percent opposed increasing supply.
Coal to liquid is another thing that should increase the supply,
which would then meet the demand and help lower gasoline prices. House
Republicans voted 97 percent to support coal to liquid; House
Democrats, 78 percent opposed that.
Oil shale exploration, which again would increase supply and meet the
demand and lower prices. House Republicans, 90 percent supported it;
House Democrats, 86 percent opposed.
This goes on and on and on. What we are saying on our side is we will
support exploration, conservation, renewable, all sources of increasing
supply to get energy independent. The other side says we can't do this,
we can't do this, we can't do this; let's keep buying oil from Iraq and
Iran and Saudi Arabia and Venezuela and not become independent.
{time} 1815
I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment.
Mr. KILDEE. The gentleman from California suggested that this bill
would impose Federal control over local decisions. But, again,
representatives of local parents, teachers, principals and
superintendents are in strong support of this bill. The Counsel of
Great City Schools says it gets these funds to schools with a minimum
of red tape. Now they are the ones that are really on the front line.
We have our level of expertise here in this Congress on education, but
the groups I have mentioned are really on the front lines every day and
they see the need out there, and they feel that this bill would
distribute these funds for this purpose with a minimum of red tape. I
believe that to be the case.
Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee).
The question was taken; and the Chairman announced that the ayes
appeared to have it.
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, proceedings on the
amendment offered by the gentleman from Michigan will be postponed.
Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. Ehlers
The CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 2 printed
in House Report 110-678.
Mr. EHLERS. I have an amendment at the desk.
The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 2 offered by Mr. Ehlers:
Page 11, line 25, strike ``or''.
Page 12, line 3, strike the period at the end and insert
``; or''.
Page 12, after line 3, insert the following new paragraph:
(3) purchasing carbon offsets.
[[Page H4950]]
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 1234, the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.
Mr. EHLERS. One part about this bill that is probably worthwhile is
the effort to reduce energy use, and in particular to reduce the carbon
footprint, as it has come to be called, although I have always joked
that I prefer ``carbon tire tracks'' because we produce a lot more
carbon dioxide with our cars than from other common sources.
Nevertheless, this bill allows schools to use funds to reduce the
carbon footprint of their schools.
As I perused this bill, I realized that it was entirely possible that
the schools might decide to use the Federal funds to purchase carbon
offsets or carbon credits. To me, that would make absolutely no sense
whatsoever. Because schools are small, they do not emit huge amounts of
carbon dioxide, and the money that they might want to use for that can
much better be used to improve insulation in the schools, improve the
insulation in the walls, improve the type of windows so that there's
less energy escaping. There are many modifications that can be made
that would reduce energy use, and by reducing energy use, you reduce
the carbon footprint.
I would also maintain that it is much more effective to reduce the
energy use, whether it's by better insulation or by sealing the
windows, or putting in the appropriate type of glass. It's much more
cost-effective in reducing the carbon footprint than it would be to buy
carbon offsets. So it seems to me that we should make certain that no
school would ever attempt to use Federal funds, if this bill passes,
for the purpose of buying carbon credits.
This is not because I oppose carbon credits. I think this is
something that in fact we will be facing shortly because the Senate is
working on a bill on that issue, but I am simply for efficiency, not
wasting money, making certain that the money that is in this bill, if
this bill passes, will be used wisely and will be used to conserve
energy, not to purchase carbon offsets.
With that in mind, I offer this bill to make certain that money is
not improperly used and to make sure that we use the funds efficiently.
With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Chairman, I rise to claim time in opposition,
although I do not intend to oppose the amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the gentleman from Michigan is
recognized for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. KILDEE. We have looked at the amendment and we feel we can accept
it on this side. I would urge a ``yes'' vote.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. EHLERS. I just wish to state that I appreciate the gentleman from
Michigan, the other gentleman from Michigan accepting this amendment.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers).
The question was taken; and the Chairman announced that the ayes
appeared to have it.
Mr. McKEON. Madam Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings
on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Michigan will be
postponed.
Amendment No. 3 Offered by Mr. Welch of Vermont
The CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 3 printed
in House Report 110-678.
Mr. WELCH of Vermont. As the designee of Ms. Shea-Porter of New
Hampshire, I call up an amendment made in order by the rule.
The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 3 offered by Mr. Welch of Vermont:
Page 9, after line 12, insert the following:
(8) renewable energy generation and heating systems,
including solar, photovoltaic, wind, geothermal, or biomass,
including wood pellet, systems or components of such systems;
Page 9, line 13, strike ``(8)'' and insert ``(9)''.
Page 9, line 20, strike ``(9)'' and insert ``(10)''.
Page 9, line 22, strike ``(8).'' and insert ``(9).''.
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 1234, the gentleman from
Vermont (Mr. Welch) and a Member opposed each will control 15 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Vermont.
Mr. WELCH of Vermont. At this time I recognize the principal author
of this amendment, Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter of New Hampshire.
Ms. SHEA-PORTER. I am proud to offer this amendment alongside my
colleagues, Representatives Welch, Arcuri, and Hodes, and I thank them
for their hard work on this amendment. I would also like to thank
Chairman Miller, Subcommittee Chairman Kildee, and Representatives
Chandler and Loebsack for their hard work on this legislation.
Madam Chairman, energy and heating costs are on the rise and
communities across the country are feeling the pinch. Now more than
ever, it's important to focus on sustainable forms of energy and
heating production. Going green is not only the right thing to do for
our environment and for national security reasons, but it's the
financially responsible thing to do as well.
The Shea-Porter/Welch/Acuri/Hodes amendment builds on the positive
steps taken in H.R. 3021 by specifying that the funds authorized by
this act may be used to invest in sustainable solutions that meet the
energy and heating needs of our Nation's school facilities. Sustainable
solutions such as geothermal, solar, wind, and biomass technologies
will help to mitigate the costs of the increasing traditional energy
sources on our schools by reducing the schools' dependence on
traditional sources. This amendment makes a simple change, but it is an
important one, as it serves to provide school districts with greater
flexibility in the use of these dollars.
Madam Chairman, 82 percent of the 475 public schools in my home State
of New Hampshire were built prior to 1981, and 36 were built prior to
1951. Just think of all the advances that have been made in heating and
energy efficiency technologies since then. The underlying legislation
will certainly help modernize these schools, and with our amendment,
H.R. 3021, will do even more by allowing school districts to make
critical investments in sustainable heating and energy solutions.
Madam Chairman, the Shea-Porter/Welch/Arcuri/Hodes amendment is
supported by the National Education Association, and it deserves the
support of our colleagues as well. I urge a ``yea'' vote on this
amendment and the underlying legislation. Let's invest in our school
infrastructure in an environmentally and economically sound way.
Mr. McKEON. Madam Chairman, I claim time in opposition to the
amendment, although I don't expect to oppose its passage.
The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the gentleman from California is
recognized for 15 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. McKEON. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
This amendment allows funding under the massive new program to be
used for renewable energy generation and heating systems in schools.
Clearly, this amendment recognizes that schools are grappling with the
high cost of energy, and they need help. I couldn't agree more. But we
are acknowledging that schools, like the rest of the country, are being
burdened by the skyrocketing costs of gasoline, diesel fuel, and other
energy sources. I'd like to know why we are not having a real debate
about energy solutions.
Giving schools a little bit of money for renewable energy generation
and heating systems, while ignoring the problem of rising gasoline,
diesel, and other energy costs, will not solve the problems our schools
are facing. In the Northeast, for instance, we know that many schools
rely on home heating oil during the winter months. Clearly, a one-size-
fits-all approach isn't going to work.
What we need are comprehensive energy solutions. We need to expand
production here at home, something my friends on the other side of the
aisle have historically opposed 86 percent of the time. We need to
encourage innovation and invest in new fuel alternatives, and we need
to promote conservation. Only by embracing meaningful energy reforms
will we finally be
[[Page H4951]]
able to move toward energy independence and provide our schools,
especially those impacted by the skyrocketing costs of heating oil,
much needed relief. That is why I am so disappointed in this
legislation. It's quite simply the wrong solution to the wrong problem.
If the question is how should the Federal Government help our
schools, the answer is by funding programs that promote academic
achievement for disadvantaged children. If the question is how should
the Federal Government help schools burdened by high energy costs, the
answer is by taking decisive action to increase energy production here
at home, and red tape and regulations encourage next generation energy
sources and promote conservation.
The bill achieves none of these goals. I won't oppose passage of this
amendment, but I strongly oppose passage of this legislation.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WELCH of Vermont. I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Arcuri).
Mr. ARCURI. I thank my colleague from Vermont for yielding. I would
like to also thank the chairman, Chairman Miller, and Subcommittee
Chairman Kildee for this wonderful piece of legislation.
Madam Chairman, I rise today in strong support of this amendment,
which would allow schools to purchase and install renewable energy
generation systems. Our amendment would allow schools to choose from a
diverse selection of renewable energy sources. But I would like to
specifically highlight two that pose significant potential: Geothermal
and biomass wood pellet systems.
Just last week during the Memorial Day District Work Period, I had an
opportunity to tour the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES in Auburn, New York, and
received a firsthand look at a geothermal heating and cooling system in
action. The Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES completed installation last July of a
closed-loop geothermal system. The system includes 200 wells around the
campus, 330 feet deep, that tap into the earth's constant ground
temperature at a level of 55 degrees. The system circulates that 55-
degree air temperature year round throughout the buildings on the
campus.
{time} 1830
In the winter, the system relies on a boiler to slightly increase the
air temperature on the campus to a comfortable level of 68 degrees,
requiring substantially less energy than normal, and in the warm summer
months, the system needs no additional energy whatsoever to cool the
buildings on campus.
The New York State Energy Research Development Authority recently
conducted a study that found the system to be a remarkable 43 percent
more energy efficient than a building built to standard code. While it
might be too soon to qualify the actual monthly cost savings, I think
it is safe to say that a building 43 percent more energy efficient will
realize significant cost savings in the future and allow a school
district to spend resources where they are most needed, on better
educating our students, hiring more teachers, and to fund underfunded
programs like the IDEA.
The second component of this amendment I wish to highlight is wood
pellet energy. Wood has the potential to meet our Nation's energy needs
in a safe and environmentally responsible way. Studies show that
commodities can save significant taxpayer funds by switching to wood
energy for heating schools. For example, communities can save as much
as 50 percent over natural gas, 80 percent over propane, 80 percent
over electric heat and 50 percent over oil by switching to wood energy.
Especially in the upstate New York district that I represent, with
its bountiful forest resources, wood energy such as biomass offers an
array of economic environmental benefits compared to traditional fossil
fuels. Both geothermal and wood energy systems can be fueled by
renewable local resources. This keeps energy dollars circulating in the
local and regional economy, instead of flowing to other nations. These
systems also aid local budgets by providing lower and more stable fuel
costs for our schools. Investments like this benefit the whole
community by relieving pressure on local budgets and associated tax
rates, leading to healthier communities. Unlike some other renewable
energy systems, both geothermal and biomass systems can run
continuously and provide a constant level of power throughout the day.
Beyond the amendment my colleagues and I are offering today, it is
also worth noting the overall benefits of the underlying legislation.
Everyone in this Chamber, Republican and Democrat, understands the
importance of lowering energy prices.
The 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act
represents a trifecta of sound public policy. It improves the education
system for our children, it does so in an environmentally friendly way
that decreases our dependence on finite fossil fuels, and it creates
jobs for hardworking middle class families. I urge my colleagues to
support this amendment and the underlying legislation.
Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Madam Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Hodes).
Mr. HODES. Madam Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
I want to first thank my colleagues, Ms. Shea-Porter, Mr. Welch and
Mr. Arcuri, for their work on this important amendment. This amendment
will help schools in my district in New Hampshire to power their
classrooms with alternative energy sources, including wood pellets and
wood biomass, sources that are plentiful throughout New Hampshire. For
example, under this new program, the program would help invest more
than half a million dollars for Concord, New Hampshire's school
district, and almost $1.5 million for Nashua, New Hampshire's schools.
These dollars will allow our schools to reinvest in cost-effective and
clean alternative energy.
Schools throughout New Hampshire are already investing to a limited
extent in renewable energy and saving money. For example, Merrimack
Valley High School and Middle School recently switched to wood biomass
to heat their school facilities. In just one winter, the school
district saved $80,000 in heating costs, and that was before the recent
steep rise in the price of a barrel of oil. From March to March, that
is $1.50 a gallon for heating oil that the costs have gone up, so we
can only imagine what they will save in the coming winter.
As you can see, the alternative energies we promote here will help
save money for our Nation's school districts in power and heating
costs. That means schools will have more dollars to invest in improving
our children's education. It means our school districts can afford more
teachers in the classroom, more computers for our students and smaller
class sizes to give our kids more individual attention. It means that
our wise investments in this bill will pay huge dividends.
Energy efficiency, conservation and renewable energy are the key to a
secure energy future for the United States of America. We can't drill
our way out of the energy crisis we face. Green is the new red, white
and blue.
To create a 21st century energy policy, we must all collectively make
changes in how we power our buildings in both the private and public
sector. This amendment will help our schools become leaders in an
energy plan for the 21st century and give our school districts more
resources to invest in our children's education. I am proud to support
this amendment. I urge its passage.
Mr. McKEON. Madam Chairman, I yield myself 1 minute.
As the gentleman that just spoke said, we cannot drill our way into
energy independence. I agree, because over the past 12 years, every
time we have had a vote to give us an opportunity to explore and find
more oil to get us past the gap to where all these other things that
they are talking about will work, 91 percent of House Republicans have
historically supported the increase of production of American-made oil
and gas, while 86 percent of House Democrats have historically voted
against increasing the production of American-made oil and gas.
Ten years ago when we passed an energy bill that would let us drill
in the ANWR which would reduce gas prices now 70 cents to $1.60 a
gallon, and that would be in production now and we
[[Page H4952]]
would be receiving that benefit, President Clinton vetoed that bill.
So, yes, we can't drill our way out of it. We have to sit here and
buy oil from countries around the globe that want to see us destroyed,
and I don't see how we possibly can continue to go on putting ourselves
in that position. We need to find new energy, and we need to do it now.
Madam Chairman, as I said, I will not oppose this amendment. I oppose
the underlying bill for many, many reasons.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Madam Chairman, I yield myself such time as I
may consume to just briefly close.
Madam Chairman, there are two issues that have been debated during
the course of this proposed amendment. One is what is the proper way to
try to provide new supplies of oil.
There is a debate here, as Mr. McKeon has outlined it, and it has
been carried on in many other bills relating to energy, about the
possibility of the United States drilling and capturing more oil and
natural gas here in our own territorial boundaries. The premise, of
course, is if we did that, we would be able significantly to address
the problem, and it also has as a premise that the obstacles to
drilling are what is causing us not to drill.
In fact, that simply is not true. There are tens of millions of acres
of federally owned land that are leased to the oil and gas companies,
and only 28 percent of acres on shore and only 20 percent of the acres
offshore where there actually are leases left are producing oil and
gas. So there is an enormous capacity already that is out there for oil
and gas companies to do the drilling. Why they don't, I guess we would
have to ask them. But it is hard to imagine that there is a
disincentive for them to take these leases that they have, giving them
the opportunity to drill, when we have got oil that hovers around $130
a barrel. So the suggestion that that is the problem I think is
incorrect.
Secondly, the United States, and we have got to face this, we have 2
percent of the world's oil supply. That is it. Yet we consume 24
percent of the oil. So if we think that it is going to be a long-term
approach to dealing with the increasing cost of oil when we are using
24 percent and we only have 2 percent of the known reserves, I think
that is going to fall on its own weight.
The second issue really is putting aside that debate about what is
the long-term, shall we be drilling or not, it begs the question of
whether shouldn't we be doing everything that is within our capacity
right now to give tools to local communities to save money on their
energy costs and don't make the policy argument about whether we should
or shouldn't be drilling be an impediment to taking the concrete step
that this bill proposes to give our schools the tools they need to save
money.
Let me just give you a couple of examples in Vermont. We have 32
schools that have transitioned to wood biomass. These are small
schools, but they have saved over 1 million gallons of home heating
oil. Home heating oil now in Vermont, the last bill I paid was $4.30 a
gallon. That is over $4 million. That also, as my colleague Mr. Arcuri
said, is a trifecta, because it reduced carbon emissions by 11,000
tons. It also provided jobs to local Vermonters who are providing the
basic material that provided the energy to these schools.
So this is an extraordinary incentive for our local schools to try to
save money. That is a burden that is immense on the property taxpayers,
and this is a practical piece of legislation that allows our
communities and our schools to take positive steps to reduce the bottom
line.
I urge, along with my colleagues who have offered this amendment, led
by Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter, a ``yes'' vote on this amendment.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch).
The question was taken; and the Chairman announced that the ayes
appeared to have it.
Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Madam Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings
on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Vermont will be
postponed.
Amendment No. 4 Offered by Mr. Davis of Virginia
The CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 4 printed
in House Report 110-678.
Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Chairman, I have an amendment made in
order under the rule.
The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 4 offered by Mr. Davis of Virginia:
Page 8, after line 6, insert the following:
(3) Distributions by local educational agencies.--A local
educational agency receiving a grant under this title may
give priority, in using the grant, to projects to be carried
out in a public secondary school recognized as a Science and
Technology High School or as a secondary school with a
science and technology program.
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 1234, the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Davis) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Chairman, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
I rise today to offer an amendment to H.R. 3021 that would allow
local education priority consideration for science and technology
schools once grant funds reach their State's local educational
agencies.
I have traditionally opposed the concept of the Federal Government
directly funding school construction and renovation. However, I believe
the legislation today provides an excellent opportunity to advance what
should be an increasingly prominent component of Federal education
policy, active promotion and assistance for rigorous science, math and
technology programs at the secondary level.
Science, math and technology schools throughout the country enable
students to cultivate a spirit of discovery and innovation. More
importantly, they give some of our best and our very brightest the
ability to compete with similarly talented students from other
countries around the world.
In my district, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and
Technology is a perfect example of the type of institution we should be
promoting nationwide. TJ, as we call it, is part of the Fairfax County
public school system, but draws applicants from across five counties
and two cities in Northern Virginia, selecting 500 students from a pool
of several thousand applicants. While TJ tops the list of U.S. News and
World Report's list of America's best high schools, its building and
infrastructure is deteriorating and in need of repair. It also needs
access to increasingly advanced laboratory facilities to provide
cutting edge programs and study.
I appreciate the concerns of my colleagues regarding an expanded
Federal role in school construction. I want to note, however, that
there can be a role for Congress to play.
{time} 1845
One of our congressional accomplishments was closing the Lorton
Prison and putting some of that land into the public school system in
Fairfax County in which South County High School was built, a public-
private partnership.
As we debate added Federal participation in school construction
maintenance, I am ready to set aside preexisting qualms to make sure
that schools focused on science, math, and technology receive the focus
they merit. Make no mistake, these individuals and skills that these
students possess will be the foundation of our economy in the coming
years. It is in our interest to give them the foundation they will need
to excel in a world that is quickly catching up with us.
In closing, I want to thank Chairman Miller and his staff for their
willingness to work with me on this issue. I look forward to continuing
this effort as this legislation moves forward, and I urge my colleagues
to support the amendment.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Chairman, I rise to claim the time in opposition,
although I do not intend to oppose the amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the gentleman from Michigan is
recognized for 5 minutes.
[[Page H4953]]
There was no objection.
Mr. KILDEE. First of all, I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia
(Mr. Davis) for his work on this bill and for all his work here in the
Congress. He has been a distinguished Member of this Congress, one who
loves this institution. And as he goes off in other pursuits, I
certainly wish him well.
I look around this Congress, and you see on both sides of the aisle
people for whom you have great respect, and he certainly has my
respect. His interest in science and technology makes him the natural
one to have the expertise in this and apply that to our K-12 schools.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. I just want to thank the gentleman for making
this amendment in order. I appreciate his support as the legislation
moves forward.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Davis).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 5 Offered by Mr. Visclosky
The CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 5 printed
in House Report 110-678.
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Madam Chairman, I rise as the designee for Mr. Stupak
to claim time in support of the amendment offered.
The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 5 offered by Mr. Visclosky:
Page 6, line 3, strike ``308(a)'' and insert ``309(a)''.
Page 10, line 14, strike ``308(b)'' and insert ``309(b)''.
Page 13, after line 2, insert the following (and
redesignate provisions and conform the table of contents
accordingly):
SEC. 305. SPECIAL RULE ON USE OF IRON AND STEEL PRODUCED IN
THE UNITED STATES.
(a) In General.--A local educational agency shall not
obligate or expend funds received under this Act for a
project for the modernization, renovation, or repair of
public school facility unless all of the iron and steel used
in such project is produced in the United States.
(b) Exceptions.--The provisions of subsection (a) shall not
apply in any case in which the local educational agency finds
that--
(1) their application would be inconsistent with the public
interest;
(2) iron and steel are not produced in the United States in
sufficient and reasonably available quantities and of a
satisfactory quality;
(3) inclusion of iron and steel produced in the United
States will increase the cost of the overall project contract
by more than 25 percent.
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 1234, the gentleman from
Indiana (Mr. Visclosky) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Indiana.
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Madam Chairman, I first of all would like to express
my appreciation to Mr. Stupak for all of his hard work on this
initiative, but also would like to thank the chairman of the full
committee as well as the ranking member for their work on this
important bill, as well as the chairwoman of the Rules Committee for
making this amendment in order.
The amendment would require all iron and steel purchased with funds
authorized by this act to use only American-made steel. This stems from
a Steel Caucus hearing that was held in April, where we learned that
the government does not have an established process to monitor the
safety of steel imports. We also learned that foreign imports from
China, for example, do not adhere to international standards and
guidelines when they manufacture steel.
If the school construction projects provided under this act are to be
truly safe for our children, then we must ensure that the steel used is
American. If we buy only American steel for our schools, we will know
that it adheres to our safety and quality standards, and would
encourage my colleagues to support the Stupak-Visclosky amendment to
keep our schools safe and to vote for passage of the underlying
measure.
Madam Chairman, I recognize the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Wilson) for
1\1/2\ minutes.
Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Madam Chairman, I rise today in support of the
Stupak-Visclosky amendment, calling for all iron and steel used under
this act to be produced here in our United States.
Since 1892, my home State of Ohio has been a leading steel producer,
and today remains among the top three steel producing States in our
country.
In April, I had the opportunity to attend a hearing held by the
Congressional Steel Caucus examining the dangers of standardized
substandard Chinese steel. What I learned was that these products are
not being inspected in China and the products are not being inspected
at our ports when they enter our country. And again, today, the steel
is not inspected as it is used to build some of our Nation's most
critical infrastructure, like our children's schools.
In the last year we have seen China's iron and steel production
increase by more than 50 percent. Today, Chinese steel is being used to
make everything from our schools to our hospitals to our bridges, and I
have serious concerns about whether or not this Chinese steel is strong
enough to keep our families and our Nation safe.
This amendment will ensure that the steel used is from American
companies that will follow the proper safety and quality standards in
our products. Our children deserve safe schools. A strong and viable
U.S. steel industry is critical to America's infrastructure and the
national economic security and homeland security.
In conclusion, I urge my colleagues to join me and to support the
Stupak-Visclosky amendment, and encourage my fellow Members to vote for
final passage of this important bill.
Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania. Madam Chairman, I rise the claim the
time on this side in favor of this amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for 5
minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania. Madam Chairman, I rise today in strong
support of this amendment, which would require local education agencies
to use American steel and iron for modernization, renovation, or repair
projects, such as at a public school facility. As the past chairman of
the Congressional Steel Caucus and as the current vice chairman of that
body, I have been working for some time on a bipartisan basis to
promote policies to provide for the use of American steel precisely in
these sorts of settings.
Madam Chairman, you may recall one of my favorite books which was
Robert Penn Warren's remarkable novel, All the King's Men, in which the
anti-hero Willie Stark is thrust into prominence because he takes on
the local political machine, the local political machine which is
building a schoolhouse with cheap materials at risk to students. He
raises this issue; he is ignored, but in the end he is vindicated
because once the schoolhouse is built, because of cheap steel
ultimately many children are hurt and killed in a terrible accident.
Today, we are contemplating a similar set of circumstances and the
same risk. Just a few months ago, our Steel Caucus held a hearing to
examine the dangers with imported Chinese steel products. What we
discovered is that there are serious and legitimate concerns regarding
the quality of these imports and whether they are adequately monitored.
We currently have no mechanism for evaluating or for stopping steel
that does not meet specifications at the border. And once it is inside
our market, this steel is used on bridges, buildings, power plants, and
even schools. In fact, in the fall of 2007, the California Department
of General Services posted an alert on Chinese steel tubing fabricated
for school construction projects that had been found to be defective.
Through independent tests and studies we know that there are
frequently deficiencies in Chinese steel, yet we also know that
American steel consistently has met the highest standards.
Madam Chairman, if the goal of the 21st Century Green High-Performing
Public Schools Facilities Act is to provide a safe and healthy learning
environment for children, we should be insisting that we are using
steel of a clearly determined quality; and, we would be doing a
disservice to the parents and to the children of our country by not
ensuring that the school's infrastructure is built with steel of a
guaranteed quality. The difference between
[[Page H4954]]
steel that makes the grade and steel that doesn't meet required
standards could very well be a matter of life and death.
The use of deficient or structurally inefficient steel for
renovations or repair projects is a clear public safety hazard. Such a
blunder could increase the overall cost of projects and increase
construction time. If the school construction projects provided under
this legislation are truly going to meet the high standards that we
expect of any structure for our children, we must ensure that the steel
used is from American companies that will follow the proper safety and
quality standards in its products.
Madam Chairman, this is a commonsense amendment that mirrors
legislation that I have introduced with the gentleman from Indiana (Mr.
Visclosky) earlier this year. I am delighted that the author has seen
fit to offer it as part of this legislation. I would strongly urge all
of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this amendment.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Madam Chairman, it is my privilege to recognize Mr.
Stupak, the principal author of the amendment, for 1\1/2\ minutes. He
is the leader on this issue.
Mr. STUPAK. I thank the gentleman. I thank him for his assistance and
for pinch hitting for me tonight until I could get here.
Madam Chairman, the Stupak-Visclosky amendment would require that all
steel and iron used under the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public
Schools Facilities Act be produced in the United States. Cheap imported
steel is a danger to our children and is compromising their safety.
In April, during the Congressional Steel Caucus hearing, U.S. Customs
and Border Protection Assistant Commissioner David Baldwin testified
that Customs and Border Protection does not conduct compliance tests to
monitor the strength, durability, or hardness of the steel imported
into the United States.
Until the Federal Government can make sure imported steel from China
and other countries meet safety and quality standards, we should not
let any of it be used in our schools, or in any other buildings, as a
matter of fact.
We must make sure that the steel used in these projects meets the
proper standards in the first place. The Stupak-Visclosky amendment
would require educational agencies to use American steel and iron for
modernization, renovation, or repair projects at a public school
facility.
The amendment also includes a provision that will ensure that schools
can comply with these standards. If steel and iron produced in the U.S.
will increase the cost of a project by more than 25 percent, and iron
and steel from elsewhere is proven safe, then agencies can use steel
and iron from other sources as long as it is safe.
To protect our children, we must ensure that the steel used in our
schools is from American companies that meet proper safety and quality
standards. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the Stupak-Visclosky amendment.
{time} 1900
Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania. Madam Chairman, at this time, if the
gentleman has no other speakers, we would be delighted to yield back.
Mr. VISCLOSKY. I believe, Madam Chairman, I have 1 minute left. I
would yield that to Mr. Kucinich, the gentleman from Ohio.
Mr. KUCINICH. The Visclosky/Stupak amendment will boost our steel
industry and protect American jobs by requiring that steel and iron
used in school buildings funded by this act be made in the USA.
Concerns about substandard steel imports are well taken. At a recent
hearing sponsored by the Congressional Steel Caucus, it was revealed
that independent testing of imported Chinese steel found a 60 percent
failure rate for steel rods used for such applications as securing
bridges.
This amendment will ensure that the substandard steel will not be
used to construct vital infrastructure or schools for those of us who
are truly concerned about the safety of our children. China's going to
have to go a way to be able to develop quality testing standards to
assure that the products that are sent here are going to be up to the
standards that we expect should be obtained for infrastructure and for
schools.
This initiative maintains our commitment to securing a strong
domestic steel industry, and I ask for the Members to support it.
Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Madam Chairman, I rise in strong support of
the Stupak/Visclosky amendment.
Madam Chairman, in order to build state of the art schools, you need
sound state of the art materials. This amendment ensures that our
schools will be constructed with strong and durable resources by
mandating that our schools be built with American steel.
I would like to thank Congressman Stupak and Congressman Visclosky
for offering this worthwhile amendment. There is nothing more important
than ensuring that our children have safe and productive environments
in which to learn.
I encourage my colleagues to support the Stupak/Visclosky amendment
and the underlining bill.
The CHAIRMAN. All time for debate has expired.
The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from
Indiana (Mr. Visclosky).
The amendment was agreed to.
The CHAIRMAN. The Chair understands that amendment No. 6 will not be
offered at this time.
Amendment No. 7 Offered by Mr. Matheson
The CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 7 printed
in House Report 110-678.
Mr. MATHESON. Madam Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 7 offered by Mr. Matheson:
Page 15, line 18, strike ``and''.
Page 15, after line 18, insert the following (and
redesignate provisions accordingly):
(C) if flooring was installed, whether--
(i) it was low- or no-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds)
flooring;
(ii) it was made from sustainable materials; and
(iii) use of flooring described in clause (i) or (ii) was
cost-effective; and
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 1234, the gentleman from
Utah (Mr. Matheson) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah.
Mr. MATHESON. Madam Chairman, this amendment is an effort to refine
the reporting of requirements in the legislation for schools that
receive grants under this program relative to the flooring that is
installed in these schools.
Schools and local educational agencies receiving grants under this
bill would report if they install flooring, whether it was low or no
volatile organic compounds flooring; whether it was made from
sustainable materials, and report on the cost effective nature of that
decision to install that type of flooring.
I just want to be clear though. This amendment is not a mandate. It
doesn't require schools to install any particular type of flooring. It
really is a purpose just to gather information to find out if or not
this material has been used in the installation process.
One of the motivations behind this amendment is to ensure that we
raise this issue about the opportunity for both children and teachers
who are in schools, that they are put in the best learning and teaching
environment possible. The reason for that is because materials such as
flooring in some schools can contain potentially unhealthy levels of
volatile organic compounds that can lead to unsafe indoor air quality
for both students and teachers.
Again, I think this is a relatively straightforward amendment just to
increase the reporting requirements to say what happened in terms of
how the flooring was required. It does not require any particular type
of flooring to be installed, but it helps us gather information and
raise awareness about the benefits of using low or no volatile organic
compound flooring.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McKEON. I claim time in opposition to the amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from California is recognized for 5
minutes.
Mr. McKEON. I yield myself such time as I may consume, Madam
Chairman.
The purpose of this amendment is to gather information about the
types of
[[Page H4955]]
floors that schools may be installing with funds provided under this
massive new federally funded school construction program. Like the rest
of the bill, it simply misses the point.
If our goal today is to address the problems facing our Nation's
schools, we shouldn't be talking about floors or bicycle racks. We
should be talking about how to bring down the price of gas.
High gas prices are hitting schools hard. They're driving up costs
for nearly every aspect of a school's budget, from transportation to
school lunches and from utilities to supplies.
What we should be debating is how to address the skyrocketing cost of
energy. Instead, we're talking about creating a $20 billion program
that allows bureaucrats in Washington to tell our communities how to
build their schools.
The Federal Government has had a history of investing in our Nation's
schools, but it's not the floors and the walls and the plumbing and the
light bulbs where we focus our investment. Rather, it's the students
themselves. Our role, the role of the Federal Government, is to support
programs that help improve student academic achievement.
We know that disadvantaged children, children with disabilities,
English language learners and our vulnerable populations have too often
been left behind by our educational system. Our job is to ensure all
children are given the opportunity to receive a high quality education.
That means learning from a highly qualified teacher and being held to
the same high academic standards.
I know how important safe and healthy schools are, and that's why
States are spending some $20 billion each year on the building and
modernization of schools facilities.
If we really want to meet the needs of our schools, we should be
doing two things: We should be maintaining the Federal focus on student
achievement, and we should be talking about how to bring down the cost
of energy to help schools, families, businesses and our economy.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MATHESON. Just very briefly, Madam Chairman.
Last week, I had the opportunity to visit Daybreak Elementary School
in West Jordan, Utah, the first LEED-certified school in our State. In
that location this school used low VOC paint and carpet.
I think that there are a number of issues we need to be talking about
in this Congress today. But I do think the notion of having a safe
indoor environment for teachers and students has merit, and actually
collecting data and reporting what type of materials are used in school
construction makes sense.
I urge adoption of my amendment.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. McKEON. I agree with the gentleman. I just don't think it should
be the Federal Government's responsibility to go into the local
communities and tell them what type and how to build their schools, who
should build their schools and how much they should spend.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Matheson).
The question was taken; and the Chairman announced that the ayes
appeared to have it.
Mr. MATHESON. Madam Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings
on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Utah will be postponed.
Amendment No. 8 Offered by Mr. Reichert
The CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 8 printed
in House Report 110-678.
Mr. REICHERT. Madam Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 8 offered by Mr. Reichert:
Page 9, line 18, strike ``or''.
Page 9, line 19, strike ``and'' and insert ``or''.
Page 9, after line 19, insert the following new
subparagraph:
(D) reduce class size; and
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 1234, the gentleman from
Washington (Mr. Reichert) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.
Mr. REICHERT. Madam Chairman, today we are considering legislation to
improve the conditions of our elementary and secondary schools. Yet
nothing in this bill addresses the issue of class size and the
overcrowding that plagues our schools and hinders the learning
environment of our children.
There are 50 million students in our public elementary and secondary
schools, and enrollment is expected to continue to increase. By the
year 2100, our public and private institutions, from pre-kindergarten,
through college, will accommodate an estimated 94 million American
children and young adults, an increase of over 40 million over the
current school population.
Our schools are already severely overcrowded, with many forced to
accept twice their capacity and open portable classrooms. According to
a 2000 report from the National Center for Educational Statistics, 36
percent of schools had to use portable classrooms to accommodate
growing student populations.
I've also heard reports that some schools are requiring and asking
students to actually sit on desks and on teachers desks due to the
overcrowding in classrooms. This is not an environment for learning for
our children, and they deserve much better.
Since students in overcrowded classrooms lack quality one-on-one time
with their teachers, their academic skills suffer. Research shows that
smaller class sizes significantly increase the amount of learning that
takes place, reducing disciplinary problems and improving teacher
productivity.
Smaller classes also particularly benefit students from low-income or
disadvantaged backgrounds. For example, lowering class sizes in
Tennessee closed the achievement gap between black students and white
students by 38 percent.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, ``A growing body of
research demonstrates that students attending small classes in early
grades make more rapid educational progress than students in larger
classes, and that these achievement gains persist well after the
students move on to larger classes in later grades.''
One of the most well known conclusive studies on class size is
Project STAR, the only large-scale controlled study of the effects of
reduced class size that was conducted in 79 elementary schools in the
State of Tennessee. According to the results from this study, 72
percent of students graduate on time in smaller class sizes, versus 66
percent from regular class sizes. Children in smaller class sizes
complete more advanced math and English courses, and the drop-out rate
is at least 4 percent lower in schools with smaller classes.
Our children deserve the individualized attention and instruction
afforded by small class sizes. As we consider legislation today to
usher our schools into the 21st Century, we should, at the very least,
consider how new technologies and building designs can accommodate
smaller class sizes, which is what my amendment would do.
My amendment is very simple. It provides that local education
agencies may use a grant for modernization, renovation or repair of
public school facilities to help reduce class sizes. Students and
teachers deserve better than shared and portable classrooms. It's time
we do something to help ensure our students receive the individualized
attention they need, to help teachers in maintaining an orderly
classroom.
In addition to building new modern schools with minimal environmental
impact, we should build schools for the 21st Century equipped with
technology and modern equipment that accommodates small class sizes
that are safe for teaching and encourage learning.
Madam Chairman, this amendment is simple. It is straightforward, and
has been endorsed by the National Education Association. I urge my
colleagues to support this commonsense amendment.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KILDEE. Madam Chairman, I claim time in opposition, but I do not
intend to oppose the amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the gentleman from Michigan is
recognized for 5 minutes.
[[Page H4956]]
There was no objection.
Mr. KILDEE. We've looked over the Reichert amendment and we accept
the amendment.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. REICHERT. I thank the gentleman for his support, and I yield back
my time.
The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Reichert).
The amendment was agreed to.
{time} 1915
Announcement by the Chairman
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, proceedings will
now resume on those amendments printed in House Report 110-678 on which
further proceedings were postponed, in the following order:
Amendment No. 1 by Mr. Kildee of Michigan.
Amendment No. 2 by Mr. Ehlers of Michigan.
Amendment No. 3 by Mr. Welch of Vermont.
Amendment No. 7 by Mr. Matheson of Utah.
The first electronic vote will be conducted as a 15-minute vote.
Remaining electronic votes will be conducted as 5-minute votes.
Amendment No. 1 Offered by Mr. Kildee
The CHAIRMAN. The unfinished business is the demand for a recorded
vote on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr.
Kildee) on which further proceedings were postponed and on which the
ayes prevailed by voice vote.
The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
The Clerk redesignated the amendment.
Recorded Vote
The CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote has been demanded.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 260,
noes 151, not voting 27, as follows:
[Roll No. 374]
AYES--260
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Allen
Altmire
Arcuri
Baca
Baird
Baldwin
Barrow
Bean
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Blumenauer
Bordallo
Boren
Boswell
Boyd (FL)
Boyda (KS)
Brady (PA)
Braley (IA)
Brown, Corrine
Buchanan
Butterfield
Capito
Capps
Capuano
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carson
Castor
Cazayoux
Chandler
Childers
Christensen
Clarke
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Courtney
Cramer
Crowley
Cuellar
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (IL)
Davis, Lincoln
Davis, Tom
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Donnelly
Doyle
Edwards
Ehlers
Ellison
Ellsworth
Emanuel
Engel
English (PA)
Eshoo
Etheridge
Farr
Fattah
Fortenberry
Fortuno
Fossella
Foster
Frank (MA)
Gerlach
Giffords
Gonzalez
Gordon
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Gutierrez
Hall (NY)
Hare
Harman
Hastings (FL)
Herseth Sandlin
Higgins
Hill
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hirono
Hobson
Hodes
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hooley
Hoyer
Inslee
Israel
Jackson (IL)
Jefferson
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, E. B.
Jones (OH)
Kagen
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Kennedy
Kildee
Kind
King (NY)
Kirk
Klein (FL)
Kuhl (NY)
LaHood
Lampson
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
LaTourette
Lee
Levin
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Loebsack
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lynch
Mahoney (FL)
Maloney (NY)
Markey
Marshall
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy (NY)
McCaul (TX)
McCollum (MN)
McDermott
McGovern
McHugh
McIntyre
McNerney
McNulty
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Melancon
Michaud
Miller (MI)
Miller (NC)
Miller, George
Mitchell
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Murphy (CT)
Murphy, Patrick
Murphy, Tim
Murtha
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Payne
Perlmutter
Peterson (MN)
Peterson (PA)
Platts
Porter
Price (NC)
Rahall
Ramstad
Rangel
Reichert
Reyes
Richardson
Rodriguez
Ros-Lehtinen
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Royce
Ruppersberger
Ryan (OH)
Salazar
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schwartz
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Sestak
Shays
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Shimkus
Sires
Skelton
Slaughter
Smith (NJ)
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Solis
Space
Speier
Spratt
Stark
Stearns
Stupak
Sutton
Tanner
Tauscher
Taylor
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Tierney
Towns
Tsongas
Turner
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Upton
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walsh (NY)
Walz (MN)
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson
Watt
Waxman
Weiner
Welch (VT)
Weller
Wexler
Whitfield (KY)
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (OH)
Woolsey
Wu
Yarmuth
NOES--151
Akin
Alexander
Bachmann
Bachus
Barrett (SC)
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Biggert
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Blackburn
Blunt
Boehner
Bonner
Bono Mack
Boozman
Boustany
Brady (TX)
Broun (GA)
Brown (SC)
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Buyer
Calvert
Camp (MI)
Cannon
Cantor
Carter
Castle
Coble
Cole (OK)
Conaway
Crenshaw
Cubin
Culberson
Davis (KY)
Davis, David
Deal (GA)
Doolittle
Drake
Dreier
Duncan
Emerson
Everett
Fallin
Feeney
Ferguson
Flake
Forbes
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Garrett (NJ)
Gingrey
Gohmert
Goode
Goodlatte
Granger
Graves
Hall (TX)
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Heller
Hensarling
Herger
Hoekstra
Hulshof
Inglis (SC)
Issa
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Jordan
Keller
King (IA)
Kingston
Kline (MN)
Knollenberg
Kucinich
Lamborn
Latham
Latta
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
Lucas
Lungren, Daniel E.
Mack
Manzullo
Marchant
McCarthy (CA)
McCotter
McHenry
McKeon
McMorris Rodgers
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller, Gary
Moran (KS)
Musgrave
Myrick
Neugebauer
Nunes
Paul
Pearce
Pence
Petri
Pickering
Pitts
Poe
Price (GA)
Putnam
Radanovich
Regula
Rehberg
Renzi
Reynolds
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Roskam
Ryan (WI)
Sali
Saxton
Scalise
Schmidt
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shadegg
Shuster
Simpson
Smith (NE)
Smith (TX)
Souder
Sullivan
Tancredo
Terry
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Walberg
Walden (OR)
Wamp
Weldon (FL)
Westmoreland
Wilson (SC)
Wittman (VA)
Wolf
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
NOT VOTING--27
Aderholt
Andrews
Bishop (UT)
Boucher
Campbell (CA)
Carney
Chabot
Cummings
Faleomavaega
Filner
Gallegly
Gilchrest
Gillibrand
Grijalva
Hunter
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Kilpatrick
Larson (CT)
Lewis (GA)
McCrery
Moran (VA)
Norton
Pomeroy
Pryce (OH)
Rush
Shuler
Van Hollen
{time} 1941
Messrs. DAVIS of Illinois, ENGLISH of Pennsylvania, LINCOLN DIAZ-
BALART of Florida, MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida, SHIMKUS and Mrs.
CAPITO changed their vote from ``no'' to ``aye.''
So the amendment was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Stated for:
Mr. FILNER. Madam Chairman, on rollcall 374, I was unable to vote
because of delays in my air travel. Had I been present, I would have
voted ``aye.''
Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. Ehlers
The CHAIRMAN. The unfinished business is the demand for a recorded
vote on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr.
Ehlers) on which further proceedings were postponed and on which the
ayes prevailed by voice vote.
The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
The Clerk redesignated the amendment.
Recorded Vote
The CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote has been demanded.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The CHAIRMAN. This will be a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 397,
noes 17, not voting 24, as follows:
[Roll No. 375]
AYES--397
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Allen
Altmire
Arcuri
Baca
Bachmann
Bachus
Baird
Barrett (SC)
Barrow
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Bean
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Biggert
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Bishop (UT)
Blackburn
Blunt
Boehner
Bonner
Bono Mack
Boozman
Bordallo
Boren
Boswell
Boustany
Boyd (FL)
Boyda (KS)
Brady (PA)
Brady (TX)
Braley (IA)
Broun (GA)
Brown (SC)
Brown, Corrine
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Buchanan
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Butterfield
Buyer
Calvert
Camp (MI)
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Capps
Capuano
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carson
Carter
Castle
Castor
Cazayoux
[[Page H4957]]
Chandler
Childers
Christensen
Cleaver
Clyburn
Coble
Cohen
Cole (OK)
Conaway
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Courtney
Cramer
Crenshaw
Crowley
Cubin
Cuellar
Culberson
Cummings
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (IL)
Davis (KY)
Davis, David
Davis, Lincoln
Davis, Tom
Deal (GA)
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Donnelly
Doolittle
Doyle
Drake
Dreier
Duncan
Edwards
Ehlers
Ellison
Ellsworth
Emerson
Engel
English (PA)
Eshoo
Etheridge
Everett
Fallin
Farr
Fattah
Feeney
Ferguson
Flake
Forbes
Fortenberry
Fortuno
Fossella
Foster
Foxx
Frank (MA)
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Garrett (NJ)
Gerlach
Giffords
Gingrey
Gohmert
Goode
Goodlatte
Gordon
Granger
Graves
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Hall (NY)
Hall (TX)
Hare
Harman
Hastings (FL)
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Heller
Hensarling
Herger
Herseth Sandlin
Higgins
Hill
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hirono
Hobson
Hodes
Hoekstra
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hooley
Hoyer
Hulshof
Inglis (SC)
Inslee
Israel
Issa
Jefferson
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Jones (OH)
Jordan
Kagen
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Keller
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilpatrick
Kind
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Klein (FL)
Kline (MN)
Knollenberg
Kucinich
Kuhl (NY)
LaHood
Lamborn
Lampson
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Latham
LaTourette
Latta
Lee
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
LoBiondo
Loebsack
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lucas
Lungren, Daniel E.
Lynch
Mack
Mahoney (FL)
Maloney (NY)
Manzullo
Marchant
Markey
Marshall
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy (CA)
McCarthy (NY)
McCaul (TX)
McCollum (MN)
McCotter
McDermott
McGovern
McHenry
McHugh
McIntyre
McKeon
McMorris Rodgers
McNerney
McNulty
Meek (FL)
Melancon
Mica
Michaud
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller (NC)
Miller, Gary
Miller, George
Mitchell
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moran (KS)
Murphy (CT)
Murphy, Patrick
Murphy, Tim
Murtha
Musgrave
Myrick
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Neugebauer
Nunes
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Paul
Payne
Pearce
Pence
Perlmutter
Peterson (MN)
Peterson (PA)
Petri
Pickering
Pitts
Platts
Poe
Pomeroy
Porter
Price (GA)
Price (NC)
Putnam
Radanovich
Rahall
Ramstad
Regula
Rehberg
Reichert
Renzi
Reyes
Reynolds
Richardson
Rodriguez
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Roskam
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Royce
Ruppersberger
Ryan (OH)
Ryan (WI)
Salazar
Sali
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Saxton
Scalise
Schiff
Schmidt
Schwartz
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Sensenbrenner
Serrano
Sessions
Sestak
Shadegg
Shays
Shea-Porter
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Sires
Skelton
Slaughter
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Solis
Souder
Space
Spratt
Stearns
Stupak
Sullivan
Sutton
Tancredo
Tanner
Tauscher
Taylor
Terry
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Tierney
Towns
Tsongas
Turner
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Upton
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walberg
Walden (OR)
Walsh (NY)
Walz (MN)
Wamp
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson
Watt
Waxman
Welch (VT)
Weldon (FL)
Weller
Westmoreland
Wexler
Whitfield (KY)
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (OH)
Wilson (SC)
Wittman (VA)
Wolf
Wu
Yarmuth
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
NOES--17
Baldwin
Blumenauer
Clay
Emanuel
Gonzalez
Jackson (IL)
Johnson, E. B.
Kirk
Lipinski
Moore (WI)
Ros-Lehtinen
Schakowsky
Sherman
Speier
Stark
Weiner
Woolsey
NOT VOTING--24
Andrews
Boucher
Campbell (CA)
Carney
Chabot
Clarke
Faleomavaega
Filner
Gallegly
Gilchrest
Gillibrand
Gutierrez
Hunter
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Lewis (GA)
McCrery
Meeks (NY)
Moran (VA)
Norton
Pryce (OH)
Rangel
Rush
Shuler
Van Hollen
Announcement by the Chairman
The CHAIRMAN (during the vote). Two minutes remain on this vote.
{time} 1949
Ms. BALDWIN changed her vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
Mr. BARROW changed his vote from ``no'' to ``aye.''
So the amendment was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Stated for:
Mr. FILNER. Madam Chairman, on rollcall 375, I was unable to vote
because of delays in my air travel. Had I been present, I would have
voted ``aye.''
Amendment No. 3 Offered by Mr. Welch of Vermont
The CHAIRMAN. The unfinished business is the demand for a recorded
vote on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch)
on which further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes
prevailed by voice vote.
The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
The Clerk redesignated the amendment.
Recorded Vote
The CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote has been demanded.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The CHAIRMAN. This will be a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 409,
noes 5, not voting 24, as follows:
[Roll No. 376]
AYES--409
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Allen
Altmire
Arcuri
Baca
Bachmann
Bachus
Baird
Baldwin
Barrett (SC)
Barrow
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Bean
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Biggert
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Blackburn
Blumenauer
Blunt
Boehner
Bonner
Bono Mack
Boozman
Bordallo
Boren
Boswell
Boustany
Boyd (FL)
Boyda (KS)
Brady (PA)
Brady (TX)
Braley (IA)
Broun (GA)
Brown (SC)
Brown, Corrine
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Buchanan
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Butterfield
Buyer
Calvert
Camp (MI)
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Capps
Capuano
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carson
Carter
Castle
Castor
Cazayoux
Chandler
Childers
Christensen
Clarke
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Coble
Cohen
Cole (OK)
Conaway
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Courtney
Cramer
Crenshaw
Crowley
Cubin
Cuellar
Culberson
Cummings
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (IL)
Davis (KY)
Davis, David
Davis, Lincoln
Davis, Tom
Deal (GA)
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Donnelly
Doolittle
Doyle
Drake
Dreier
Duncan
Edwards
Ehlers
Ellison
Ellsworth
Emanuel
Emerson
Engel
English (PA)
Eshoo
Etheridge
Everett
Fallin
Farr
Fattah
Feeney
Ferguson
Forbes
Fortenberry
Fortuno
Fossella
Foster
Foxx
Frank (MA)
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Garrett (NJ)
Gerlach
Giffords
Gingrey
Gohmert
Gonzalez
Goode
Goodlatte
Gordon
Granger
Graves
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Gutierrez
Hall (NY)
Hall (TX)
Hare
Harman
Hastings (FL)
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Heller
Hensarling
Herger
Herseth Sandlin
Higgins
Hill
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hirono
Hobson
Hodes
Hoekstra
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hooley
Hoyer
Hulshof
Inglis (SC)
Inslee
Israel
Issa
Jackson (IL)
Jefferson
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, E. B.
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Jones (OH)
Jordan
Kagen
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Keller
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilpatrick
Kind
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kirk
Klein (FL)
Kline (MN)
Knollenberg
Kucinich
Kuhl (NY)
LaHood
Lamborn
Lampson
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Latham
LaTourette
Latta
Lee
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (KY)
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Loebsack
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lucas
Lungren, Daniel E.
Lynch
Mack
Mahoney (FL)
Maloney (NY)
Manzullo
Markey
Marshall
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy (CA)
McCaul (TX)
McCollum (MN)
McCotter
McDermott
McGovern
McHenry
McHugh
McIntyre
McKeon
McMorris Rodgers
McNerney
McNulty
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Melancon
Mica
Michaud
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller (NC)
Miller, Gary
Miller, George
Mitchell
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (KS)
Moran (VA)
Murphy (CT)
Murphy, Patrick
Murphy, Tim
Murtha
Musgrave
Myrick
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Neugebauer
Nunes
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Payne
Pearce
Pence
Perlmutter
Peterson (MN)
Peterson (PA)
Petri
Pickering
Pitts
Platts
Poe
Pomeroy
Porter
Price (GA)
Price (NC)
Putnam
Radanovich
Rahall
Ramstad
Rangel
Regula
Rehberg
Reichert
Renzi
Reyes
Reynolds
Richardson
Rodriguez
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Royce
Ruppersberger
Ryan (OH)
Ryan (WI)
Salazar
Sali
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Saxton
Scalise
Schakowsky
[[Page H4958]]
Schiff
Schmidt
Schwartz
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Sensenbrenner
Serrano
Sessions
Sestak
Shadegg
Shays
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Sires
Skelton
Slaughter
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Solis
Souder
Space
Speier
Spratt
Stark
Stearns
Stupak
Sullivan
Sutton
Tancredo
Tanner
Tauscher
Taylor
Terry
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Tierney
Towns
Tsongas
Turner
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Upton
Visclosky
Walberg
Walden (OR)
Walsh (NY)
Walz (MN)
Wamp
Wasserman Schultz
Watson
Watt
Waxman
Weiner
Welch (VT)
Weldon (FL)
Weller
Westmoreland
Wexler
Whitfield (KY)
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (OH)
Wilson (SC)
Wittman (VA)
Wolf
Woolsey
Wu
Yarmuth
Young (FL)
NOES--5
Flake
Linder
Marchant
Paul
Young (AK)
NOT VOTING--24
Andrews
Bishop (UT)
Boucher
Campbell (CA)
Carney
Chabot
Faleomavaega
Filner
Gallegly
Gilchrest
Gillibrand
Grijalva
Hunter
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Lewis (GA)
McCarthy (NY)
McCrery
Norton
Pryce (OH)
Rush
Shuler
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Waters
Announcement by the Chairman
The CHAIRMAN (during the vote). There are 2 minutes remaining on this
vote.
{time} 1957
Messrs. ROYCE and WELDON of Florida changed their vote from ``no'' to
``aye.''
So the amendment was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Stated for:
Mr. FILNER. Madam Chairman, on rollcall 376, I was unable to vote
because of delays in my air travel. Had I been present, I would have
voted ``aye.''
Amendment No. 7 Offered by Mr. Matheson
The CHAIRMAN. The unfinished business is the demand for a recorded
vote on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Matheson)
on which further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes
prevailed by voice vote.
The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
The Clerk redesignated the amendment.
Recorded Vote
The CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote has been demanded.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The CHAIRMAN. This will be a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 266,
noes 153, not voting 19, as follows:
[Roll No. 377]
AYES--266
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Allen
Altmire
Arcuri
Baca
Baird
Baldwin
Barrow
Bean
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Biggert
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Bishop (UT)
Blumenauer
Bordallo
Boren
Boswell
Boyd (FL)
Boyda (KS)
Brady (PA)
Braley (IA)
Brown, Corrine
Buchanan
Butterfield
Capito
Capps
Capuano
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carson
Castle
Castor
Cazayoux
Chandler
Childers
Christensen
Clarke
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Courtney
Cramer
Crowley
Cuellar
Culberson
Cummings
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (IL)
Davis, Lincoln
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
Dent
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Donnelly
Doyle
Edwards
Ehlers
Ellison
Ellsworth
Emanuel
Engel
English (PA)
Eshoo
Etheridge
Farr
Fattah
Ferguson
Fortenberry
Fortuno
Foster
Frank (MA)
Frelinghuysen
Gerlach
Giffords
Gonzalez
Gordon
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hall (NY)
Hare
Harman
Hastings (FL)
Hayes
Herseth Sandlin
Higgins
Hill
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hirono
Hodes
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hooley
Hoyer
Inslee
Israel
Jackson (IL)
Jefferson
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, E. B.
Johnson, Sam
Jones (OH)
Kagen
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilpatrick
Kind
Kirk
Klein (FL)
Kucinich
Kuhl (NY)
LaHood
Lampson
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
LaTourette
Lee
Levin
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Loebsack
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lynch
Mahoney (FL)
Maloney (NY)
Markey
Marshall
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy (NY)
McCaul (TX)
McCollum (MN)
McDermott
McGovern
McHenry
McIntyre
McNerney
McNulty
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Melancon
Michaud
Miller (MI)
Miller (NC)
Miller, George
Mitchell
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (VA)
Murphy (CT)
Murphy, Patrick
Murphy, Tim
Murtha
Musgrave
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Payne
Pearce
Perlmutter
Peterson (MN)
Platts
Pomeroy
Porter
Price (NC)
Rahall
Ramstad
Rangel
Reichert
Renzi
Reyes
Richardson
Rodriguez
Ros-Lehtinen
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Ruppersberger
Ryan (OH)
Salazar
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Saxton
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schwartz
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Sestak
Shays
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Sires
Skelton
Slaughter
Smith (NJ)
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Solis
Space
Speier
Spratt
Stark
Stupak
Sutton
Tanner
Tauscher
Taylor
Terry
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Tierney
Towns
Tsongas
Turner
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walz (MN)
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson
Watt
Waxman
Weiner
Welch (VT)
Weller
Wexler
Wilson (OH)
Woolsey
Wu
Yarmuth
NOES--153
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Bachmann
Bachus
Barrett (SC)
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Blackburn
Blunt
Boehner
Bonner
Bono Mack
Boozman
Boustany
Brady (TX)
Broun (GA)
Brown (SC)
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Buyer
Calvert
Camp (MI)
Cannon
Cantor
Carter
Coble
Cole (OK)
Conaway
Crenshaw
Cubin
Davis (KY)
Davis, David
Davis, Tom
Deal (GA)
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Doolittle
Drake
Dreier
Duncan
Emerson
Everett
Fallin
Feeney
Flake
Forbes
Fossella
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Garrett (NJ)
Gingrey
Gohmert
Goode
Goodlatte
Granger
Graves
Hall (TX)
Hastings (WA)
Heller
Hensarling
Herger
Hobson
Hoekstra
Hulshof
Inglis (SC)
Issa
Jones (NC)
Jordan
Keller
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kline (MN)
Knollenberg
Lamborn
Latham
Latta
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
Lucas
Lungren, Daniel E.
Mack
Manzullo
Marchant
McCarthy (CA)
McCotter
McHugh
McKeon
McMorris Rodgers
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller, Gary
Moran (KS)
Myrick
Neugebauer
Nunes
Paul
Pence
Peterson (PA)
Petri
Pickering
Pitts
Poe
Price (GA)
Putnam
Radanovich
Regula
Rehberg
Reynolds
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Roskam
Royce
Ryan (WI)
Sali
Scalise
Schmidt
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shadegg
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Smith (NE)
Smith (TX)
Souder
Stearns
Sullivan
Tancredo
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Upton
Walberg
Walden (OR)
Walsh (NY)
Wamp
Weldon (FL)
Westmoreland
Whitfield (KY)
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (SC)
Wittman (VA)
Wolf
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
NOT VOTING--19
Andrews
Boucher
Campbell (CA)
Carney
Chabot
Faleomavaega
Filner
Gallegly
Gilchrest
Gillibrand
Hunter
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Lewis (GA)
McCrery
Norton
Pryce (OH)
Rush
Shuler
Van Hollen
Announcement by the Chairman
The CHAIRMAN (during the vote). There are 2 minutes left in this
vote.
{time} 2004
Mrs. CAPITO and Mr. CULBERSON changed their vote from ``no'' to
``aye.''
So the amendment was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Stated for:
Mr. FILNER. Madam Chairman, on rollcall 377, I was unable to vote
because of delays in my air travel. Had I been present, I would have
voted ``aye.''
The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the committee amendment in the
nature of a substitute, as amended.
The committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, as amended,
was agreed to.
Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr.
Pomeroy) having assumed the chair, Ms. Bordallo, Chairman of the
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, reported that
that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 3021) to
direct the Secretary of Education to make grants and low-interest loans
to local educational agencies for the construction, modernization, or
repair of public kindergarten, elementary, and secondary educational
facilities, and for other purposes, pursuant to House Resolution 1234,
she reported the bill back to the House with an amendment adopted by
the Committee of the Whole.
[[Page H4959]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the rule, the previous question is
ordered.
Is a separate vote demanded on any amendment to the amendment
reported from the Committee of the Whole? If not, the question is on
the amendment.
The amendment was agreed to.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the engrossment and third
reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was
read the third time.
Motion to Recommit Offered by Mrs. Mc Morris Rodgers
Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to recommit.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the gentlewoman opposed to the bill?
Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. I am, in its present form, sir.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to
recommit.
The Clerk read as follows:
Mrs. McMorris Rodgers of Washington moves to recommit the
bill H.R. 3021 to the Committee on Education and Labor with
instructions to report the same back to the House promptly in
the form to which perfected at the time of this motion, with
the following amendment:
Page 11, line 25, before the semicolon, insert the
following: ``, except that a local educational agency whose
energy expenditures have increased by at least 50 percent
since January 4, 2007, may pay maintenance costs for any of
the activities described in section 103''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Washington is
recognized for 5 minutes.
=========================== NOTE ===========================
June 4, 2008--On Page H4959 the following appeared: The
CHAIRMAN. The gentlewoman
The online version should be corrected to read: The SPEAKER pro
tempore. The gentlewoman
========================= END NOTE =========================
Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. Ladies and gentlemen of the House, schools,
like everyone in America, are facing an immediate financial crunch, not
because schools don't have enough funding for green maintenance, but,
rather, they can't afford the rising cost of energy.
The high cost of energy is affecting schools in many ways. Some
schools are moving to a 4-day school week to save fuel and energy
costs. Busing service is being cut back because it's so costly to fuel
school buses. Field trips, sporting events, and after-school activities
are being limited. School lunches cost more. School supplies cost more.
Yet the bill before us does nothing to reduce the cost of gasoline,
diesel, heating oil, electricity, or any other energy cost. That's
because the Democrats refuse to unveil their ``commonsense plan'' for
bringing down energy costs.
What the motion to recommit proposes is simple: We want to let
schools use these funds where they are needed. For many schools they
need help with their energy costs.
Currently, schools are prohibited from using funds under this bill
for ``maintenance.'' Instead, these taxpayer dollars are supposed to go
exclusively for renovation and modernization.
The motion to recommit says that any school whose energy costs have
risen by 50 percent since the 110th Congress gaveled into session,
these funds can be used for school maintenance in addition to other
initiatives.
At the start of this school year, the Reardan-Edwall School District,
in Eastern Washington, was paying $2.88 per gallon for diesel. They are
now paying almost double, $4.93 per gallon. So what are they doing?
They are trying to decide between additional teachers, textbooks, and
supplies or the diesel needed to get the kids to school.
School budgets are being squeezed and stretched like never before.
Instead of reducing flexibility for schools to use this money as they
see fit, this bill imposes a heavy-handed big government approach that
limits local control.
Schools, like all of us, need energy relief. Americans are concerned
about energy costs, and they want us to unleash American ingenuity. The
vast majority, 70 percent now, say we should develop gas and oil in
America.
In addition, the United States is rich in oil shale with deposits
located in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming. These reserves
contain energy equivalent to 2 to 3 trillion barrels of oil. To put
this into perspective, the world has used 1 trillion barrels of oil
since the first well was successfully drilled in Pennsylvania in 1859.
Developing our energy resources is an important step in the long-term
strategy of reducing our dependence on foreign oil. We can and we must
start meeting America's energy needs with American resources.
Join me in giving schools energy relief. The motion to recommit will
ensure this bill gives it to them.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to
the motion to recommit.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker and Members of the
House, all day long we have had an interesting double argument here
from my colleagues on the other side. All day long they have insisted
that school districts are in trouble because of increased energy costs,
because of the increased cost of electricity, natural gas, air
conditioning, heating, fuel for the buses, and all the rest of it. And
they have spent all day long arguing against a bill that's designed
exactly to deal with the energy costs of those schools, by helping
those districts to refurbish, to rebuild, to remodel, to reconstruct
old facilities that do not use energy efficiently, that do not have
state-of-the-art facilities for the conservation of energy, for the
better use of energy.
We are giving out tax cuts and have for many years in a very sensible
program to help businesses come into the modern age in energy.
Businesses, homeowners, and others are reaping huge savings. But
schools aren't.
So this bill simply says that the Federal Government will join in a
partnership with local districts who have already set out their
priorities to provide for energy efficiency, to provide for new
technologies so that they can provide the best learning environment for
the children in those school districts. And when they do that, what
we're seeing across the country is those schools that are fortunate
enough to have the money are dramatically reducing the amount of their
budgets that go to energy and they can use that on curriculum or
extracurricular activities or teacher pay or whatever else it is.
{time} 2015
But most schools can't afford to do that. And so what we are saying
is we will simply partner up with those districts most in need and see
if we can help them reduce their energy budgets over the years so they
can put it into education. That is the bill that Mr. Chandler
introduced. That is the bill that is designed and has been voted on on
this floor today, because that is the need of the school districts.
That is why the school districts, the State Superintendents of Schools,
local school districts, are supporting this legislation, because it
meets the need they have.
Now somehow after arguing all day long that this is too heavy of a
hand, we now see an amendment that we've never see in committee, we
didn't see on the floor, we didn't see in Rules Committee, that is
suggesting somehow we just pay the ongoing maintenance cost of the
districts. I don't know if that is what you wanted to sign up for. We
thought we'd sign up to be a partner in district priorities to
refurbish and rehab schools and improve the energy efficiency of those
based upon the district policies. I didn't know we were going to sign
up for a long-term grant for the maintenance of school districts.
I would like to yield now to the author of the bill, the gentleman
from Kentucky (Mr. Chandler).
Mr. CHANDLER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
This motion to recommit has absolutely nothing to do with this bill,
nothing at all to do with this bill. This bill is about school
construction. This bill allows our children to compete in a global
economy. It helps them to compete. It is about energy efficiency. But
it's about energy efficiency in our schools. It's about ``green''
schools. It's a very, very good bill. Plus, in addition to that, it
creates at least 100,000 jobs, and they are jobs that will not and
cannot be exported, like so many of our jobs have seen happen.
This bill is supported by almost every education body in the country.
It's supported by the National School Board Association, it's supported
by the PTA, it's supported by the NEA, the Principals' Associations
throughout this country, it's supported by the
[[Page H4960]]
American Federation of Teachers, and the National School
Administrators.
If the minority were really serious about this motion to recommit and
about improving this bill, if they were serious about the cost of
gasoline, if they were serious about doing something for the American
people, and if they wanted to help the kids of this country, they
wouldn't have made it a bill that would be reported back promptly. That
is what they have done. They intend to kill the bill.
Please vote against the motion to recommit.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. I thank my colleague.
All day long in this Chamber we have had amendment after amendment
saying that if we weren't putting money into school construction to
refurbish these schools in need, they would put it in IDEA, they would
put it in title I, they would put it in after-school care, they would
put it in monitoring. You know what? When they had the money and they
were in control, they didn't put it anywhere.
They inherited a $5 trillion surplus, a $5 trillion surplus, and when
they had the money, they didn't put it anywhere. Now we have a $9
trillion debt and they still can't fund education. That is why we have
got to stop it. We should reject this motion to recommit. This is
enough to kill the bill. What we need is in fact more money for our
schools.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman's time has expired.
Parliamentary Inquiry
Mr. WESTMORELAND. Parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Speaker.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. State your parliamentary inquiry.
Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, isn't it true if this motion were to
pass, that this House could put the bill back into the committee from
which it came and it could be brought out the next legislative day?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. As the Chair reaffirmed on November 15,
2007, at some subsequent time, the committee could meet and report the
bill back to the House.
Without objection, the previous question is ordered on the motion to
recommit.
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to recommit.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the noes appeared to have it.
Recorded Vote
Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. This 15-minute vote will be followed by a 5-
minute vote on passage, if ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 187,
noes 230, not voting 16, as follows:
[Roll No. 378]
AYES--187
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Bachmann
Bachus
Barrett (SC)
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Biggert
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bishop (UT)
Blackburn
Blunt
Boehner
Bonner
Bono Mack
Boozman
Boustany
Brady (TX)
Broun (GA)
Brown (SC)
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Buchanan
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Buyer
Calvert
Camp (MI)
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Carter
Castle
Coble
Cole (OK)
Conaway
Crenshaw
Cubin
Culberson
Davis (KY)
Davis, David
Davis, Tom
Deal (GA)
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Drake
Dreier
Duncan
Ehlers
Emerson
Everett
Fallin
Feeney
Ferguson
Flake
Forbes
Fossella
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Gerlach
Gingrey
Gohmert
Goode
Goodlatte
Granger
Graves
Hall (TX)
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Heller
Hensarling
Herger
Hobson
Hoekstra
Hulshof
Hunter
Inglis (SC)
Issa
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Jordan
Keller
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kirk
Kline (MN)
Knollenberg
Kuhl (NY)
LaHood
Lamborn
Latham
LaTourette
Latta
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
LoBiondo
Lucas
Lungren, Daniel E.
Mack
Manzullo
Marchant
McCarthy (CA)
McCaul (TX)
McCotter
McHenry
McHugh
McKeon
McMorris Rodgers
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller, Gary
Moran (KS)
Murphy, Tim
Musgrave
Myrick
Neugebauer
Nunes
Paul
Pearce
Pence
Peterson (PA)
Petri
Pickering
Pitts
Poe
Porter
Price (GA)
Putnam
Radanovich
Ramstad
Regula
Rehberg
Reichert
Renzi
Reynolds
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Royce
Ryan (WI)
Sali
Saxton
Scalise
Schmidt
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shadegg
Shays
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Stearns
Sullivan
Tancredo
Terry
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Turner
Upton
Walberg
Walden (OR)
Walsh (NY)
Wamp
Weldon (FL)
Weller
Westmoreland
Whitfield (KY)
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (SC)
Wittman (VA)
Wolf
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
NOES--230
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Allen
Altmire
Arcuri
Baca
Baird
Baldwin
Barrow
Bean
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Blumenauer
Boren
Boswell
Boyd (FL)
Boyda (KS)
Brady (PA)
Braley (IA)
Brown, Corrine
Butterfield
Capps
Capuano
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carney
Carson
Castor
Cazayoux
Chandler
Childers
Clarke
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Courtney
Cramer
Crowley
Cuellar
Cummings
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (IL)
Davis, Lincoln
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Donnelly
Doyle
Edwards
Ellison
Ellsworth
Emanuel
Engel
English (PA)
Eshoo
Etheridge
Farr
Fattah
Fortenberry
Foster
Frank (MA)
Garrett (NJ)
Giffords
Gonzalez
Gordon
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hall (NY)
Hare
Harman
Hastings (FL)
Herseth Sandlin
Higgins
Hill
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hirono
Hodes
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hooley
Hoyer
Inslee
Israel
Jackson (IL)
Jefferson
Johnson (GA)
Johnson, E. B.
Jones (OH)
Kagen
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilpatrick
Kind
Klein (FL)
Kucinich
Lampson
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lee
Levin
Lipinski
Loebsack
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lynch
Mahoney (FL)
Maloney (NY)
Markey
Marshall
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy (NY)
McCollum (MN)
McDermott
McGovern
McIntyre
McNerney
McNulty
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Melancon
Michaud
Miller (NC)
Miller, George
Mitchell
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (VA)
Murphy (CT)
Murphy, Patrick
Murtha
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Payne
Perlmutter
Peterson (MN)
Platts
Pomeroy
Price (NC)
Rahall
Rangel
Reyes
Richardson
Rodriguez
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Ruppersberger
Ryan (OH)
Salazar
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schwartz
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Sestak
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Sires
Skelton
Slaughter
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Solis
Souder
Space
Speier
Spratt
Stark
Stupak
Sutton
Tanner
Tauscher
Taylor
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Tierney
Towns
Tsongas
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walz (MN)
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson
Watt
Waxman
Weiner
Welch (VT)
Wexler
Wilson (OH)
Woolsey
Wu
Yarmuth
NOT VOTING--16
Andrews
Boucher
Campbell (CA)
Chabot
Doolittle
Filner
Gallegly
Gilchrest
Gillibrand
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Lewis (GA)
McCrery
Pryce (OH)
Rush
Shuler
Van Hollen
Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore
The SPEAKER pro tempore (during the vote). There are 2 minutes
remaining in this vote.
{time} 2037
Mr. ISRAEL changed his vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
So the motion to recommit was rejected.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Stated against:
Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall 378, I was unable to vote
because of delays in my air travel. Had I been present, I would have
voted ``no.''
(By unanimous consent, Mr. Braley of Iowa was allowed to speak out of
order.)
Moment of Silence for Victims of Iowa Tornadoes
Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, May 25, when many of us
were enjoying the Memorial Day holiday, my district was hit with an F5
tornado that left a path of death and devastation in its wake. The
cities of Parkersburg, New Hartford, Dunkerton, Hazleton and Lamont
were the cities that were hit hardest. Eight people were killed, 350
people lost their homes, thousands more had their
[[Page H4961]]
homes severely damaged, and 50 businesses were destroyed, including 21
in the small town of Parkersburg alone.
I would ask at this time for a moment of silence for those who lost
their lives and to remember the sacrifice that is being made right now.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members will rise and observe a moment of
silence.
Announcement By the Speaker Pro Tempore
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, 5-minute voting will
continue.
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the
yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. This will be a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 250,
nays 164, not voting 19, as follows:
[Roll No. 379]
YEAS--250
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Allen
Altmire
Arcuri
Baca
Baird
Baldwin
Barrow
Bean
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Blumenauer
Boren
Boswell
Boyd (FL)
Boyda (KS)
Brady (PA)
Brown, Corrine
Butterfield
Capps
Capuano
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carney
Carson
Castor
Cazayoux
Chandler
Childers
Clarke
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Courtney
Cramer
Crowley
Cuellar
Cummings
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (IL)
Davis, Lincoln
Davis, Tom
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Donnelly
Doyle
Edwards
Ellsworth
Emanuel
Engel
English (PA)
Eshoo
Etheridge
Farr
Fattah
Foster
Frank (MA)
Gerlach
Giffords
Gonzalez
Gordon
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hall (NY)
Hare
Harman
Hastings (FL)
Hayes
Herseth Sandlin
Higgins
Hill
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hirono
Hodes
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hooley
Hoyer
Inslee
Israel
Jackson (IL)
Jefferson
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, E. B.
Jones (OH)
Kagen
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Keller
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilpatrick
Kind
Kirk
Klein (FL)
Kucinich
Lampson
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
LaTourette
Lee
Levin
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Loebsack
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lynch
Mahoney (FL)
Maloney (NY)
Markey
Marshall
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy (NY)
McCaul (TX)
McCollum (MN)
McDermott
McGovern
McHugh
McIntyre
McNerney
McNulty
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Melancon
Michaud
Miller (MI)
Miller (NC)
Miller, George
Mitchell
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (VA)
Murphy (CT)
Murphy, Patrick
Murphy, Tim
Murtha
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Payne
Perlmutter
Peterson (MN)
Platts
Pomeroy
Porter
Price (NC)
Rahall
Ramstad
Rangel
Reichert
Renzi
Reyes
Richardson
Rodriguez
Ros-Lehtinen
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Ruppersberger
Ryan (OH)
Salazar
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Saxton
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schwartz
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Sestak
Shays
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Sires
Skelton
Slaughter
Smith (NJ)
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Solis
Space
Speier
Spratt
Stark
Stupak
Sutton
Tanner
Tauscher
Taylor
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Tierney
Towns
Tsongas
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walz (MN)
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson
Watt
Waxman
Weiner
Welch (VT)
Weller
Wexler
Whitfield (KY)
Wilson (OH)
Woolsey
Wu
Yarmuth
NAYS--164
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Bachmann
Bachus
Barrett (SC)
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Biggert
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bishop (UT)
Blackburn
Blunt
Boehner
Bonner
Bono Mack
Boozman
Boustany
Brady (TX)
Broun (GA)
Brown (SC)
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Buchanan
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Buyer
Calvert
Camp (MI)
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Carter
Castle
Coble
Cole (OK)
Conaway
Crenshaw
Cubin
Culberson
Davis (KY)
Davis, David
Deal (GA)
Drake
Dreier
Duncan
Ehlers
Emerson
Everett
Fallin
Feeney
Ferguson
Flake
Forbes
Fortenberry
Fossella
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Garrett (NJ)
Gingrey
Gohmert
Goode
Goodlatte
Granger
Graves
Hall (TX)
Hastings (WA)
Heller
Hensarling
Herger
Hobson
Hoekstra
Hulshof
Hunter
Inglis (SC)
Issa
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Jordan
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kline (MN)
Knollenberg
Kuhl (NY)
LaHood
Lamborn
Latham
Latta
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
Lucas
Lungren, Daniel E.
Mack
Manzullo
McCarthy (CA)
McCotter
McHenry
McKeon
McMorris Rodgers
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller, Gary
Moran (KS)
Musgrave
Myrick
Neugebauer
Nunes
Paul
Pearce
Pence
Peterson (PA)
Petri
Pickering
Pitts
Poe
Price (GA)
Putnam
Radanovich
Regula
Rehberg
Reynolds
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Roskam
Royce
Ryan (WI)
Sali
Scalise
Schmidt
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shadegg
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Smith (NE)
Smith (TX)
Souder
Stearns
Sullivan
Tancredo
Terry
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Turner
Upton
Walberg
Walden (OR)
Walsh (NY)
Wamp
Weldon (FL)
Westmoreland
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (SC)
Wittman (VA)
Wolf
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
NOT VOTING--19
Andrews
Boucher
Braley (IA)
Campbell (CA)
Chabot
Doolittle
Ellison
Filner
Gallegly
Gilchrest
Gillibrand
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Lewis (GA)
Marchant
McCrery
Pryce (OH)
Rush
Shuler
Van Hollen
{time} 2046
Mrs. MUSGRAVE changed her vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
So the bill was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
The title was amended so as to read:
``A bill to direct the Secretary of Education to make grants to State
educational agencies for the modernization, renovation, or repair of
public kindergarten, elementary, and secondary educational facilities,
and for other purposes.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Stated for:
Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall 379, I was unable to vote
because of delays in my air travel. Had I been present, I would have
voted ``yea.''
____________________