[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 12, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H5433-H5434]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      NATIONAL HEALTHY SCHOOLS DAY

  Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 370) expressing support for designation of 
April 27, 2009, as ``National Healthy Schools Day,'' as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 370

       Whereas there are approximately 54,000,000 children and 
     7,000,000 adults who spend their days in the Nation's 120,000 
     public and private schools;
       Whereas over half of schools in the United States have 
     problems linked to indoor air quality;
       Whereas children are more vulnerable to environmental 
     hazards as they breathe in more air per pound of body weight 
     due to their developing systems;
       Whereas children spend an average of 30 to 50 hours per 
     week in school;
       Whereas poor indoor environmental quality is associated 
     with a wide range of problems that include poor 
     concentration, respiratory illnesses, learning difficulties, 
     and cancer;
       Whereas an average of 1 out of every 13 school-age children 
     has asthma, the leading cause of school absenteeism, 
     accounting for approximately 14,700,000 missed school days 
     each year;
       Whereas the Nation's schools spend approximately 
     $8,000,000,000 a year on energy costs, causing officials to 
     make very difficult decisions on cutting back much needed 
     academic programs in efforts to maintain heat and 
     electricity;
       Whereas healthy and high performance schools designed to 
     reduce energy and maintenance costs, provide cleaner air, 
     improve lighting, and reduce exposures to toxic substances 
     provide a healthier and safer learning environment for 
     children and improved academic achievement and well-being;
       Whereas new building construction, especially new school 
     buildings, should be designed to optimize energy efficiency, 
     lower energy costs, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions;
       Whereas Congress has demonstrated its interest in this 
     compelling issue by including the Healthy High-Performance 
     Schools Program in the No Child Left Behind Act and the 
     Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007;
       Whereas our schools have the great responsibility of 
     guiding the future of our children and our Nation; and
       Whereas April 27, 2009, would be an appropriate date to 
     designate as ``National Healthy Schools Day'': Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports the 
     goals and ideals of National Healthy Schools Day.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) and the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. 
Fortenberry) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LYNCH. I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, in the coming months we will address critical problems 
in the areas of education, energy and health care. National Healthy 
Schools Day promotes positive changes in all three areas.
  I'm pleased to present the amended version of House Resolution 370 
for consideration. This legislation expresses the support of Congress 
for the goals and ideals of National Healthy Schools Day.
  House Resolution 370 was introduced by my colleague and friend 
Representative Paul Tonko from the Empire State of New York on April 
27, which is actually the day that National Healthy Schools Day is 
annually commemorated.
  The measure has the support of over 50 Members of Congress and has 
met requisite criteria for approval by the Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform.
  Madam Speaker, I am sure you will agree that it is important to 
ensure that our public schools are places that advance intellectual 
growth and provide healthy environments for our children to learn and 
to thrive.
  The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that only 22 percent of 
public schools in America have effective indoor air quality management 
programs. More stringent regulation of indoor air quality in public 
schools would protect students against dangerous environmental hazards 
such as carbon dioxide, radon and even asbestos.
  The National Healthy Schools Day initiative encourages new efforts to 
combat these hazards and limits the prevalence of indoor environmental 
asthma triggers that have been reported to account for more than 14 
million missed school days each year.
  Steps to improve the indoor air quality of our public schools should 
work in conjunction with efforts to make our schools more energy 
efficient. Through the use of new ventilation systems and the 
construction of high-performance so-called green schools, we can make 
certain that our educational facilities are using less energy while 
providing a healthier environment for our students.
  Through efforts to enhance healthy environments within our school 
systems, we can improve educational environments as well. Improved 
energy efficiency in our schools will reduce energy costs and allow 
more resources to be devoted to other areas, such as hiring new 
teachers and the acquisition of new educational tools.
  Madam Speaker, the health and well-being of all American students is 
paramount. Therefore, let us take one step forward in providing a high-
quality learning environment for our children by expressing our support 
for the goals and ideals of National Healthy Schools Day.
  I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of House Resolution 370, as 
amended.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FORTENBERRY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Some 54 million children and 7 million adults, Madam Speaker, spend a 
large part of their day in our 120,000 public and private schools. 
These hardworking teachers and students deserve a healthy school 
environment.
  We share a great responsibility in shaping the future for our 
children, and it is critical that it is done in a clean and safe 
environment.
  When these elements are in place, everyone's performance improves, 
test scores rise, and attendance levels increase. Our Nation's 
children, parents and educators deserve to know that their schools 
provide the safest and healthiest environment possible.
  A National Healthy Schools Day will help promote school environments 
that are conducive to learning and protect student health.
  In order to express support for the goals and ideals of National 
Healthy Schools Day, I also urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 370.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. I appreciate the gentleman's words.
  At this time I would like to yield 5 minutes to the chief sponsor of 
this resolution, the one who has brought it to the floor, the gentleman 
from New York (Mr. Tonko).
  Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Massachusetts.
  I rise today in support of House Resolution 370, a resolution I was 
proud to introduce to recognize National Healthy Schools Day.
  National Healthy Schools Day recognizes the importance of having a 
clean, healthy and safe indoor environment for our Nation's schools.
  Fifty-four million children, Madam Speaker, and 6 million adults 
spend their days in our Nation's schools. The EPA estimates that up to 
one-half of those schools have problems, problems with indoor air 
quality. Some 32 million students attend schools that have self-
reported environmental problems with their facilities that can affect 
students' health and certainly students' learning.
  Some of the hazards common to schools include overcrowding, indoor 
air pollution, mold infestation, airborne fiberglass particles, lead 
and copper-contaminated drinking water, playgrounds and classrooms with 
high levels of pesticides, unchecked furnaces and buses leaking carbon 
monoxide, chemical spills, renovation fumes, demolition dust, exhaust 
from gasoline-powered equipment and emissions

[[Page H5434]]

from hazardous facilities next door to their school campus.
  These problems can contribute to absenteeism, the need for medication 
use amongst students and can contribute also to learning difficulties, 
sick building syndrome, staff turnover and liability issues for our 
school districts across this great country.
  Children are more vulnerable than adults to environmental hazards in 
their schools simply because of their developing immune systems and 
small bodies. Poor indoor environmental quality has been linked to 
asthma and other illnesses in our children. With one out of every 13 
children suffering from asthma, the number one cause of missed school 
days, it is very important that we address these issues and address 
them boldly.
  Research shows that simple steps can be taken to make our Nation's 
schools healthier. Heating and ventilation equipment can be improved 
upon to enhance indoor air quality. New schools can be built with a 
healthy design and can be located at nonpolluted sites. Nontoxic 
products can be used for cleaning, for maintenance and for teaching. 
The use of natural light should be encouraged. Certainly we can improve 
on that dynamic heavily.
  Many States have adopted guidelines for building healthy high-
performing schools that incorporate these steps and more. H.R. 2187, 
the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public Schools Facilities Act, 
which we will be considering in this body later this week, would do 
just that. It would require States to adopt similar guidelines.
  I was very proud to work with my colleagues at the New York State 
Energy Research and Development Authority to develop New York State's 
High Performance Schools Guidelines. I would suggest that they are some 
of the most effective and most rigid guidelines in the country and will 
score wonderful opportunities for our students.
  National Healthy Schools Day draws attention to the importance of 
having a safe and a healthy school environment for all of our Nation's 
children.
  National Healthy Schools Day is supported by the Healthy Schools 
Network, the EPA, the National Educational Association and many more 
organizations.
  I am proud to be counted as a supporter of National Healthy Schools 
Day and look forward to working with my colleagues here to ensure that 
every student has a healthy environment in which to learn. Our students 
require that, and our students deserve that.
  Mr. FORTENBERRY. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, again, let us join with the gentleman from 
New York (Mr. Tonko) and send a strong message to the public that we 
are committed to ensuring the development and growth of healthy 
learning environments and schools for our children by supporting House 
Resolution 370.
  With that, I ask my colleagues to join us.
  I yield back the balance of our time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 370, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  The title was amended so as to read: ``Resolution expressing the 
support of the House of Representatives for the goals and ideals of 
National Healthy Schools Day.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________