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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 535 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 535

    Recognizing April 28, 2008, as ``National Healthy Schools Day''.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 28, 2008

  Mr. Reid (for Mrs. Clinton) (for herself, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Bayh, Mr. 
   Feingold, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Sanders, and Mr. Casey) submitted the 
   following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
    Recognizing April 28, 2008, as ``National Healthy Schools Day''.

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 research suggests that children attending schools in poor condition 
        score 11 percent lower on standardized tests than students who attend 
        schools in good condition;
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 17 separate studies all found positive health impacts from improved 
        indoor air-quality, ranging from 13.5 percent up to 87 percent 
        improvement;
Whereas our Nation's schools spent approximately $8,000,000,000 on energy costs 
        in the last school year, 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 green and healthy schools save on average $100,000 per year on energy 
        costs, enough to hire 2 teachers, buy 200 new computers, or purchase 
        5,000 new textbooks;
Whereas converting all the Nation's schools to green schools would reduce carbon 
        dioxide emissions by 33,200,000 metric tons;
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; 
        and
Whereas our schools have the great responsibility of guiding the future of our 
        children and our Nation: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate recognizes April 28, 2008, as ``National 
Healthy Schools Day''.
                                 <all>
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