[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 74 (Thursday, May 14, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1154]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    21ST CENTURY GREEN HIGH-PERFORMING PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES ACT

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                               speech of

                          HON. JOHN D. DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 13, 2009

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2187) 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:

  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Chair, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2187, 
the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act. I 
joined a cosponsor of this legislation because I believe our children 
are our greatest hope and their success determines the future success 
of our nation. To best prepare them for their future, we have a 
responsibility to provide them with the best education possible.
  Today's legislation helps to further that goal by ensuring that our 
school districts have the funding they need to provide safe and healthy 
learning environments for our children. We know that America's schools 
are millions of dollars short of the funding needed to renovate and 
equip our schools for the 21st Century. H.R. 2187 would authorize $6.4 
billion for school facilities projects for fiscal year 2010, providing 
a down payment for work to modernize our schools, while at the same 
time greening our schools. This legislation also requires school 
improvement projects to meet green building standards, as well as 
provides funds to help schools to track the energy needs and use of 
their facilities. Under this bill, Michigan would receive over $244 
million for school facilities projects.
  As father and a grandfather, nothing is more important to me than 
ensuring that the schools in the 15th and Michigan are safe and well-
constructed. However, with state budgets in peril, many schools are 
struggling to maintain their payrolls, let alone make the improvements 
necessary to their schools. We know that green schools reduce pollution 
by using about 30 percent less water and energy than conventional 
schools. By providing funding for green building and renovation, we 
will help relieve some of the burden on the school budgets by helping 
our schools to save on energy expenses. This will result in savings 
that schools can dedicate to modernization, equipment, or reform.
  At the same time we are improving the buildings our children and 
grandchildren learn in, we are also creating much needed new jobs. An 
estimate by the Economic Policy Institute finds that this legislation 
would support as many as 136,000 new green jobs. This will put some of 
the thousands of unemployed in Michigan back to work, while also 
teaching them new skills in the clean energy sector.
  In the 110th Congress the House passed this legislation, but 
unfortunately it was not considered by the Senate before adjournment. 
As the school year comes to a close, I urge my colleagues in the Senate 
to consider this legislation quickly so that this summer school 
districts across the country can begin greening their schools.

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