Date: 2008-06-04
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I want to thank my colleague from Ohio for agreeing to handle this rule on this piece of legislation. and for her strong support of this legislation to provide for green highperforming public schools and the facilities in which our children learn. This legislation comes along at a time when the record is very clear that in far too many instances our Nations school buildings are literally crumbling around the students that we send to them. every day. Theyre in desperate need of renovation. theyre in desperate need of remodeling. theyre in desperate need of modernization. so that our students who attend those schools every day can have a safe learning environment. Not only will this bill help improve student achievement by providing students and teachers with modern. clean. Hf4928 safe and healthy learning environment. but it will also give a boost to our economy and help make schools a part of the solution to the global warming crisis. It is this kind of forward thinking and innovative policy that is needed to strengthen our Nation and help build a brighter future. By addressing a number of key challenges at once. this bill is a clear win for our children. for the workers and for our planet. I would like to thank my colleagues who were instrumental in drafting this legislation and working on it many years. I want to thank Congressman BEN CHANDLER. the author of this bill. for the hard work and dedication of moving this legislation through the House. I would also like to thank Congressman DALE KILDEE. the Chair of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood. Elementary and Secondary Education for his work on this bill. Mr. KILDEE has been a longtime champion of efforts to improve the physical conditions of our Nations schools. and he deserves great credit for his leadership in this area. I also want to thank Congressman DAVE LOEBSACK. who joined the fight the moment he stepped foot into the Congress. Like Mr. KILDEE. Mr. LOEBSACK is a former teacher. and he understands firsthand the difference that a topnotch facility. that a modern facility. that a safe facility. that a clean facility can mean to a childs education. Thats the promise of this legislation. And I would like to recognize the efforts of Congressmen RUSH HOLT. CHARLIE RANGEL. BOB ETHERIDGE and Congresswoman DARLENE HOOLEY. who is the head of the Green Schools Caucus. As study after study has told us. we dont have a choice when it comes to rebuilding our schools. We simply wont be able to provide every child with the worldclass education they need and deserve unless were willing to help the States and school districts improve the conditions of these buildings and facilities. Its not a question of if we should modernize and repair our Nations schools. its a matter of when. Its simply a decision that we have to make and we can make it today. Today we have that opportunity to begin this investment. an investment that will yield great results for our children. our economy and our future. Finally. I want to thank all of the members of the Rules Committee for the consideration of this rule. for the reporting of this rule. and to Chairwoman SLAUGHTER for her diligence in making sure that this rule came to the floor.