WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05), was joined by Congressman Greg Landsman (OH-01) and Congressman Buddy Carter (GA-01) to introduce the Clean School Bus Reauthorization Act, bipartisan legislation to reauthorize $1 billion in funding to help school districts across the country replace traditional school buses with electric bus alternatives. Specifically, the legislation would provide $1 billion for the Clean School Bus program at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Every day, 20 million children and thousands of bus drivers breathe polluted air during their commute to school, which negatively impacts student health and attendance, particularly for students with asthma and other respiratory conditions. The Clean School Bus Reauthorization Act addresses this challenge by providing school districts with grants to invest in bus replacement, charging infrastructure, and workforce development.
“Since I came to Congress in 2019, I have advocated for clean school bus funding. As an educator with over a decade of classroom experience, I know how damaging diesel exhaust can be for student well-being and learning. The consequences of diesel emissions extend to our environment, exacerbating the effects of greenhouse gas emissions. The Clean School Bus Reauthorization Act will help to provide cleaner and healthier air for school children in Connecticut and across the country, support clean energy jobs, and protect our environment for decades to come,” said Congresswoman Hayes.
“School buses that run on clean energy have a major impact on the environment, and they save money for our school districts. The Clean School Bus Act is an important investment in our education system that will keep our kids and our communities safe for years to come”, said Congressman Landsman.
“Getting students to and from school safely and reliably is a priority for families and school districts across Georgia. By extending the Clean School Bus Program, this legislation will give schools greater certainty as they plan for the future, replace aging buses, and make transportation decisions that best meet the needs of their communities. I’m proud to co-lead this bipartisan effort to help ensure our schools have the tools they need to keep students moving safely and reliably,’ said Congressman Carter.
The Clean School Bus Reauthorization Act builds on efforts led by Congresswoman Hayes since her first time in Congress.
- In 2019, Congresswoman Hayes introduced the Clean School Bus Act to establish a grant program authorized for up to $1 billion over five years for school districts, particularly those with lower-income students, to replace diesel school buses with electric school buses.
- In 2021, Congresswoman Hayes introduced the Clean Commute for Kids Act to invest $25 billion to replace existing diesel buses with electric buses.
- Congresswoman Hayes fought for clean school bus funding in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law in 2021. This led to the inclusion of over $5 billion for the EPA to administer rebates, grants, and contracts to replace a portion of the nearly 500,000 school buses with more environmentally safe models.
- In 2023, Congresswoman Hayes joined her colleagues to urge President Biden to include at least $300 million in additional funding for clean school buses in his FY24 budget request.
- In June of 2023, The Congresswoman joined Brenda Mallory, Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and other officials to announce the award of 25 zero-emission school buses to DATTCO Inc. to provide school transportation services for the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System (CTECS).
- In 2024, the EPA announced 67 recipients for the first Clean School Bus Program Grants Competition. The grants help awardees purchase over 2,700 clean school buses in 281 school districts across 36 states including Connecticut. The Congresswoman released the following statement.
- During Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations, Congresswoman Hayes led over 120 of her colleagues to request $300 million for the Clean School Bus program.
The Clean School Bus Reauthorization Act is endorsed by the American School Bus Industry Coalition which includes Blue Bird, First Student, Beacon Mobility, National Express, Highland, Greenpower Motor Company, National School Transportation, Student Transportation of America, and IC Bus. Additional endorsers include the American Bus Association, American Asthma and Allergy Foundation (AAFA), League of Conservation Voters, Moms Clean Air Force, Sierra Club, Union of Concerned Scientists, and World Resources Institute’s (WRI) Electric School Bus Initiative.
“Reauthorizing the Clean School Bus Program is important to American manufacturing, American workers, our nation’s school children and local communities throughout the country. As Americans, we can take pride in the fact that almost all school buses sold in the United States, including electric school buses, are also manufactured in the United States by American workers. The school bus industry has seen great enthusiasm and increased demand for alternative fuel and zero-emissions school buses from parents and school districts, and the Clean School Bus Program has significantly expanded access to these vehicles. On behalf of U.S. school bus manufacturers, and private school bus operators, the American School Bus Industry Coalition commends Rep. Jahana Hayes, Rep. Greg Landsman and Rep. Buddy Carter for the bipartisan introduction of a five-year reauthorization bill that will positively benefit our nation’s kids.” – American School Bus Industry Coalition
Text of the Clean School Bus Reauthorization Act is available here.