Congressman Henry Cuellar today joined a bipartisan majority of the U.S. House of Representatives to pass H.R. 2187, the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act, which makes critical investments to modernize, upgrade, and repair school facilities across the country. Included in the bill is an estimated $569 million in new funding for Texas schools.

“It is impossible to overstate the importance of $569 million to our local schools and our state economy,” said Congressman Cuellar. “Not only will this investment create jobs right away, but it will resonate for years to come as Texas children grow into better-educated, more productive adults.”

The legislation authorizes $6.4 billion for school facilities projects for FY 2010 to create healthier, safer, and more energy-efficient teaching and learning climates. Research has demonstrated that better school facilities result in improved student achievement and teacher recruitment and retention: 40% of teachers who transferred schools and 39% who left teaching cited the need for significant school repairs as a source of their dissatisfaction.

Also included in the bill are two provisions authored by Congressman Cuellar. The first, coauthored with Congressman Bobby Bright of Alabama, would set aside 5% of the bill’s overall funding – about $320 million – for areas recovering from a natural disaster or suffering severe economic distress.

“As the chairman of the Emergency Preparedness Subcommittee, I’ve seen firsthand how challenging it can be for local governments to rebuild and repair schools after a natural disaster,” Congressman Cuellar said. “No bill can erase the pain and suffering caused by a natural disaster, but this provision will at least ensure that students in disaster areas always have a decent place to learn.”

Congressman Cuellar’s second amendment, a bipartisan provision coauthored with Congressman Phil Roe of Tennessee, will study the impact of the bill’s repair and modernization efforts on student performance.

“This amendment provides for an ongoing, in-depth examination of which specific school improvements produce concrete gains in student achievement,” Congressman Cuellar explained. “It will provide a roadmap for future spending to ensure that education dollars are invested as efficiently and effectively as possible.”

The legislation will now head to the U.S. Senate for further action.

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Congressman Henry Cuellar is a member of the U.S. House Homeland Security, Agriculture, and Government Oversight & Reform Committees in the 111th Congress. Accessibility to constituents, education, health care, economic development, and national security are his priorities. Congressman Cuellar is also a Senior Whip and member of the Blue Dog Coalition.