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[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 161 (Friday, October 3, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2240-E2241]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                   SCHOOL SAFETY ENHANCEMENT ACT 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 3, 2008

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I support H.R. 2352, the 
``School Safety Enhancements Act of 2007'', which is aimed at making 
America a safer place. The bill under consideration addresses health 
and safety issues for children. I support this bill and I urge my 
colleagues to support this bill.
  H.R. 2352 is necessary and will ensure the protection and safety of 
our children in a learning environment. Violence at our schools have 
increased at an alarming rate in States

[[Page E2241]]

such as California, Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, 
Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and 
Wisconsin over the last few years. H.R. 2352 seeks to curb that stem of 
violence.
  H.R. 2352 increases authorized annual funding from $30 million to $50 
million for FY 2008-2009 for the Secure Our Schools grant program, and 
decreases the non-Federal grant participation percentage from 50 
percent to 20 percent. It requires institutions of higher education to 
conduct annual campus safety assessments and develop and implement 
campus emergency response plans.
  This bill seeks to address the violence in our schools. It will 
ensure the safety of students and teachers and will make sure that 
education is the paramount concern of educators.
  The Act also increases the Federal portion of the funding from 50 
percent to 80 percent, which decreases the non-Federal portion from 50 
percent to 20 percent. According to the Community Oriented Policing 
Services, COPS, Office of the Department of Justice, which administers 
the Secure Our Schools grants, many of the poorer communities that need 
help the most have been unable to participate in the program because 
they cannot afford the previously required 50 percent non-federal grant 
match. The proposed change in non-Federal funding is more in line with 
the COPS traditional 75/25 percent split, and should allow more 
participation in the program.
  The Act increases the possible uses of funding to include 
surveillance equipment, hotlines to report potentially dangerous 
situations and capital improvements to make school facilities more 
secure. Finally, the Act requires the establishment of an interagency 
task force to develop and promulgate advisory school safety guidelines.
  The Act amends the existing requirements for grant applications, and 
requires each grant application to be accompanied by a report, signed 
by the chief education officer and the attorney general or other chief 
legal officer, demonstrating that the proposed use of the grant funds 
is an effective means for improving school safety, is consistent with a 
comprehensive approach to preventing school violence, and meets the 
individualized needs of the particular school.

  Finally, the Act amends the Higher Education Act and requires each 
eligible participating institution to conduct an annual campus safety 
assessment, and develop and implement a campus emergency response plan 
to address emergency situations, including natural disasters, active 
shooter situations, and terrorist attacks. The bill is sponsored by Mr. 
Rothman, and has 52 cosponsors.

           MY THREE AMENDMENTS THAT WERE OFFERED AND ACCEPTED

  I have three amendments that I offered and that were accepted 
concerning this bill. The first extended the current requirement of 
establishing a hotline or tip line to include the reporting of 
hazardous conditions, including the presence of hazardous chemicals.
  The second one requires schools to develop and implement safety 
measures to protect students in the event of a terrorist attack or 
other hazardous condition or situation. It would further require that 
no funds would be disbursed unless the school had a safety plan in 
place to respond to a terrorist attack or other hazardous condition or 
situation.
  The need for schools to respond to hazardous conditions or situations 
is necessary because often children are confronted with hazardous 
conditions and they simply ignore them. This has been a big problem in 
the Houston Independent School district. For example, in Key Middle 
School students were getting sick because they were learning in 
classrooms where mold was growing on the walls and ceilings. The 
students saw the mold and were getting sick but they did not know how 
to respond. These amendments would ensure that children are aware of 
the toxicity of these chemicals and organic substances. This is a real 
threat. Key Middle School was subsequently closed because of the severe 
health risks posed to students. My call for student awareness, 
training, and prevention as pertains to a terrorist attack does not 
need much explanation. In light of the tragic events of 9/11, we can 
never be too cautious with schooling and protecting our children. 
Children need to know what to do and how to respond to dangerous 
situations during a terrorist threat.
  My last amendment goes to the heart of administrative practice. The 
original bill required that a taskforce create guideline. Because the 
taskforce is to be established within 30 days of enactment of this act, 
my amendment allows the taskforce to convene and within 60 days issue a 
preliminary advisory school safety guideline and after that time it 
should provide the public with an opportunity through notice and 
comment and publish a final advisory school safety guideline not later 
than 30 days after the preliminary guidelines. This is good 
administrative practice and ensures public participation by students, 
teachers, and parents.
  I urge my colleagues to support this very important bill.

                          ____________________
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