Dan Kildee: “This bill would address three critical issues facing our country: closing the achievement gap, boosting the economy by…”

“This bill would address three critical issues facing our country: closing the achievement gap, boosting the economy by creating thousands of construction jobs, and reducing school energy costs and protecting the environment. This bill provides long overdue investment in public school facilities around the country. And this amendment would improve the bill by ensuring that schools could use these funds for modernizations, renovations, and repairs including green roofs; abatement of polychlorinated biphenyls and mold and mildew; and various security measures. Highlighting the need for improvements to science and engineering laboratories, libraries, career and technical education facilities, especially those related to energy efficiency and renewable energy, and to facilitate access to schools by different modes of transportation; strengthening language ensuring charter schools' eligibility for these funds, which was asked for from the other side; expanding local flexibility by adding 'Green Globes' to the list of green rating systems; adding reporting requirements to ensure local accountability; and clarifying that no funds may be used to employ undocumented workers and requiring that school districts receiving these funds have a policy requiring a criminal background check on their employees.”