September 17, 2008 -
Americans overwhelmingly believe that Congress should be doing more to bring down the price of gasoline and put America on the path to energy independence, and a vast majority of Americans have seen high energy costs negatively affect their local schools. These are the results of a survey released today by House Republicans to shine a spotlight on how America’s energy policy impacts our nation’s schools.
“The American people are crying out for energy reform, yet the Democratic Congress refuses to listen,” said Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-Santa Clarita), the senior Republican on the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee. “Republicans took the issue directly to the American people, and what we’ve learned is startling. Our schools, teachers, and children are unfairly bearing the brunt of high energy costs and the Democrats’ refusal to embrace an ‘all of the above’ energy reform strategy.”
In late July, just as the Democratic leadership in Congress was voting to adjourn for five weeks, Republicans launched an online survey to solicit input from school officials, parents, teachers, and taxpayers about how energy costs impact our schools. Nearly 1,000 individuals responded to the survey, sharing their stories about how their schools were coping with high energy prices. Some key findings of the survey include:
- 90 percent of the survey’s nearly 1,000 respondents indicated that high gas prices are having an impact on schools in their community.
- 96 percent of respondents demand that Congress do more to address the energy crisis.
- Nearly half of respondents reported that high fuel costs have forced schools in their community to cut field trips and after-school activities; one-third of respondents reported that high costs forced schools to limit bus routes, and nearly a quarter of respondents reported that rising energy costs have led to higher school lunch prices.
Republicans have been calling attention to the impact of high energy costs on our nation’s schools for several months, and have even offered proposals to assist schools financially with this challenge. Just yesterday, Republicans proposed an alternative to the Democrats’ flawed energy package that would have allowed states to use their earnings from offshore energy development to assist schools. The proposal was defeated by Democrats.
In June, Democrats advanced legislation (the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act) that diverts some $20 billion in taxpayer dollars to create a massive, unproven school construction program. During consideration of the legislation, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) offered a motion to recommit proposal to allow schools that have seen their energy costs rise by more than 50 percent since January 4, 2007 – Rep. Pelosi’s first day as Speaker – to use funds under the bill to help cover their energy expenditures. Unfortunately, Democrats killed the proposal, leaving the schools to fend for themselves.
A copy of the survey results and analysis, “Strapped: Students & Schools Pay the Price for Democrats’ Failed Energy Policies,” can be found online by clicking here.
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