WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2187, the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act, legislation that will improve public schools, create jobs, and lower energy costs for taxpayers. Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, voted for the bill.
“In Los Angeles, and throughout the country, too many schoolchildren attend class in dilapidated buildings that are in desperate need of renovation and repair,” Rep. Becerra said. “This bill not only gives us a chance to upgrade our school buildings and promote student achievement, it will create good jobs and boost clean energy industries in surrounding communities. In my district, the funding provided by this bill will support the considerable efforts already undertaken by LAUSD to green our schools through the Collaborative for High Performance Schools program.”
H.R. 2187 provides over $6 billion in federal funds to upgrade school buildings to make them more energy efficient and more reliant on renewable sources of energy. Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), which serves Rep. Becerra’s entire congressional district, will receive approximately $170,047,000 in funding through this bill according to the Congressional Research Service.
The bill also generates long-term savings for schools by reducing energy expenses. Green schools reduce pollution by using about 30% less water and energy than conventional schools, and emit almost 40% less harmful carbon dioxide.
According to calculations by the Economic Policy Institute, this legislation’s construction funding would support as many as 136,000 new jobs – many in areas that will give workers the valuable skills they need to excel in a clean energy economy.
“This is exactly the type of smart legislation that will lead us out of this economic crisis, by creating jobs, improving energy efficiency, and improving the learning environment for our children,” Rep. Becerra said. “It’s good for the economy, good for the environment, good for students and good for taxpayers.”
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