Congressman John D. Dingell

June 5, 2008

Washington, DC - Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI15) joined with his House colleagues and fellow cosponsors to pass HR 3021, the “21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act.” An effort to create a safe and healthy learning environment for America’s children, this bill will provide much needed funding to public schools for facility renovations and modernizations that will improve both the safety and energy-efficiency of these facilities.  This legislation, which passed by a vote of 250-164, includes more than $237 million in funding for physical improvement projects for Michigan’s schools. The Congressman made the following remarks about this bill:

“Not only do all students deserve a quality education, but they also deserve quality facilities that will help them in the learning process, not hinder them,” Dingell said.  “States across the country, including Michigan, are struggling to address the state of school facilities and to provide needed technological updates.  In fact, in 2000 the National Education Association estimated that it would cost $322 billion to ensure that all schools were safe and well-constructed.  As a father and a grandfather, this is disappointing and unacceptable.  Children across America will be the better because of this bill. I am glad my state will get some help, as well as the people of New Orleans – who have struggled far too long in their efforts to rebuild after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. More importantly, this bill will also create construction jobs, which is no small matter when facing an economy like ours.  Davis-Bacon protections will apply to all jobs that are paid for through the grants included in this legislation, ensuring fair wages and benefits for our workers.  Finally, I have said that we all need to do a little bit to make a lot of progress in the effort to reduce greenhouse gases. This is another positive step in that direction.”

Overall, H.R. 3021 would authorize $6.4 billion for school renovation and modernization projects for fiscal year 2009, and would ensure that school districts quickly receive funds for projects that improve schools’ teaching and learning climates, health and safety, and energy efficiency. To further encourage energy efficiency and the use of renewable resources in schools, the bill would require that the majority of funds for school improvement projects meet widely recognized green building standards and would provide states with funds to help schools track their facilities’ needs, energy use, and carbon footprints, among other things.

The 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act is supported by a broad coalition of organizations, including the AFL-CIO, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, the American Federation of Teachers, the American Association of School Administrators, the Building and Construction Trades Department of the AFL-CIO, the California Small School Districts Association, Californians for School Facilities, the Council of the Great City Schools, the Green Building Initiative, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, the International Union of Operating Engineers, the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, the Mason Contractors Association of America, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the National Education Association, the National School Boards Association, the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada, the Parent Teacher Association, the Rebuild America’s Schools Coalition, and the U.S. Green Building Council.