Parents, Students and Voters Called on Congress to Preserve Funding For Clean School Buses That Protect Children’s Health
Contact: DKC News, MomsCleanAirForce@dkcnews.com
Washington, DC — Today, World Asthma Day, Moms Clean Air Force members in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wisconsin delivered handwritten postcards to their United States Senators and Representatives, urging leaders to protect Clean School Bus Program funding. Moms and partners together delivered a total of 3,000 postcards.
As part of the budget reconciliation package, Congress could cut at least $2.2 billion in funding as well as tax credits for clean school buses and their charging stations. Through the Clean School Bus Program and the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Program, EPA has awarded $3.2 billion to date for over 10,000 clean school buses at more than 1,200 school districts in every U.S. state and most territories.
Cutting these programs would mean 20 million U.S. children riding dirtier, old diesel buses to school, increasing their likelihood of developing asthma and other heart and lung illnesses.
“The Clean School Bus Program, which exists thanks to bipartisan support, has been overwhelmingly popular with thousands of school districts across the country,” says Moms Clean Air Force’s senior manager of field campaigns, Ali Simpson. “With the program’s support, thousands of these zero-emission electric buses are already on the road, giving our kids a safe, clean ride to school and improving the air in the their communities along the way. Electric school buses do not create tailpipe emissions. That eliminates the health risks that come from breathing the exhaust from diesel-powered buses that is linked to heart and lung illnesses, cancer, and cognitive problems. Diesel pollution is especially dangerous to children, whose lungs and brains are still developing. Our kids deserve cleaner air—and that’s exactly what they get with the Clean School Bus Program.”
“This World Asthma Day, we’re taking action—because every child deserves the right to breathe clean air” says Moms Clean Air Force’s Florida field organizer, Lorna Perez. “It’s time to build a healthier, more just community by tackling the pollution that’s triggering asthma and intensifying the climate crisis. That’s why we’re calling on Congress to support critical funding for the transition to electric school buses—cleaner rides mean healthier kids and a stronger future for all.”
Today’s event was part of a national day of action hosted by the Alliance for Electric School Buses.