House Panel Approves Bill to Fund ‘Green’ School Renovations

[babylonsister]

House Panel Approves Bill to Fund ‘Green’ School Renovations


A House panel Wednesday approved a bill to authorize billions of dollars for “green” school renovation and modernization projects, despite Republican objections.

The bill, approved 31-14, would authorize $6.4 billion in fiscal 2010 for school construction projects and any necessary funds through fiscal 2015. Vernon J. Ehlers of Michigan and Todd R. Platts of Pennsylvania were the sole Republicans to vote with the majority.

The bill would require that all funding by fiscal 2015 be used for projects meeting environmentally friendly standards, such as those set by the government’s Energy Star rating system.

“School modernization is an economic stimulus,” George Miller , D-Calif., chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, said. “It creates jobs quickly while meeting critical public infrastructure needs.”

The measure would authorize $600 million from fiscal 2010 to fiscal 2015 specifically for schools in the Gulf Coast region, where many school buildings were destroyed or severely damaged by hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.

Republicans argued that the bill would usurp what has traditionally been a local function.

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http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=cqmidday-000003111458