Cleta Mitchell: “I rise in support of H.R. 3021, the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public Schools Facilities Act, which would…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 3021, the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public Schools Facilities Act, which would authorize funding for modernization, renovation and repair projects in schools with poor building quality. Students and teachers deserve a clean and safe environment to go to school. However, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, one-third of schools, which serve approximately 14 million students, are desperately in need of extensive repairs. As a former high school teacher, I believe that it is crucial to ensure that the grants authorized under this legislation be available for schools in which existing building conditions are putting the health and safety of students and faculty at risk. Many schools suffer from inadequate ventilation. When combined with toxic substances, such as mold, asbestos and lead, this lack of ventilation can cause significant health problems. Students and teachers in schools with indoor air quality problems suffer from a range of health problems from headaches, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, to respiratory illness. Even more troubling, when indoor air pollutants accumulate in inadequately ventilated schools, the air can become carcinogenic.”