[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4782 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4782
To authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to improve
indoor air quality in elementary schools and secondary schools in
response to the COVID-19 public health emergency using proven
technologies.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 1, 2020
Mr. Heinrich introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to improve
indoor air quality in elementary schools and secondary schools in
response to the COVID-19 public health emergency using proven
technologies.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Keeping Schools Safe Act''.
SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM TO IMPROVE INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN ELEMENTARY
SCHOOLS AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) ESEA definitions.--The terms ``educational service
agency'' and ``local educational agency'' have the meanings
given the terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(2) Covid-19 public health emergency.--The term ``COVID-19
public health emergency'' means the public health emergency
declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under
section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d)
on January 31, 2020, with respect to COVID-19, including any
renewal of such declaration.
(3) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a local educational agency;
(B) an educational service agency; or
(C) the Bureau of Indian Education.
(4) High-need school.--The term ``high-need school'' means
a school that, based on the most recent data available, meets
one or both of the following:
(A) The school is in the highest quartile of
schools in a ranking of all schools served by a local
educational agency, ranked in descending order by
percentage of students from low-income families
enrolled in such schools, as determined by the local
educational agency based on one of the following
measures of poverty:
(i) The percentage of students aged 5
through 17 in poverty counted in the most
recent census data approved by the Secretary.
(ii) The percentage of students eligible
for a free or reduced price school lunch under
the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch
Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.).
(iii) The percentage of students in
families receiving assistance under the State
program funded under part A of title IV of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.).
(iv) The percentage of students eligible to
receive medical assistance under the Medicaid
program (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.).
(v) A composite of 2 or more of the
measures described in subclauses (I) through
(IV).
(B) In the case of--
(i) an elementary school, the school serves
students not less than 60 percent of whom are
eligible for a free or reduced price school
lunch under the Richard B. Russell National
School Lunch Act; or
(ii) any other school that is not an
elementary school, the other school serves
students not less than 45 percent of whom are
eligible for a free or reduced price school
lunch under the Richard B. Russell National
School Lunch Act.
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Education.
(b) Authorization of Grant Program.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants, on a
competitive basis, to eligible entities to enable the entities
to improve the indoor air quality in the schools served by such
entities in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
(2) Grant amounts.--Grants awarded under this section shall
be not less than $5,000 and not more than $20,000,000, except
as provided in paragraph (3).
(3) Reservation.--The Secretary shall reserve 5 percent of
amounts appropriated to carry out this section to award a grant
to the Bureau of Indian Education to improve the indoor air
quality in the schools operated or funded by the Bureau of
Indian Education.
(4) Notice for proposals and award of grants.--Not later
than--
(A) 30 days after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Secretary shall issue a notice for proposals
for grants under this section; and
(B) 90 days after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Secretary shall award all grants under this
section.
(c) Applications.--An eligible entity that desires to receive a
grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary
at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as
the Secretary may require. Such application shall include information
about the age of the school buildings, and the air ventilation and
filtration systems of such buildings, to be assisted with funds
provided under this section.
(d) Considerations and Priority in Awarding Grants.--In awarding
grants under this section, the Secretary shall--
(1) ensure geographic diversity by proportionally
distributing such grants across rural, suburban, and urban
areas;
(2) consider the age of school buildings proposed to be
assisted with funds provided under this section; and
(3) give priority to--
(A) eligible entities that serve high-need schools;
(B) eligible entities that serve a health
professional shortage area (as defined in section 332
of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254e)); and
(C) eligible entities that serve an area that has a
poverty rate that is greater than 20 percent.
(e) Technical Guidance.--
(1) In general.--
(A) Availability.--By not later than 21 days after
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
make available technical guidance for eligible entities
regarding school facilities improvements directly
related to COVID-19 to address the safety and health of
students and staff, including guidance on--
(i) indoor, outdoor, or combined air or air
pressure ventilation, filtration systems, or
air cleaners;
(ii) equipment, supplies, and technical
services necessary to provide indoor
environmental air quality in a manner that--
(I) optimizes safety and health for
children and staff; and
(II) reduces viral transmission
risks to the greatest extent
practicable;
(iii) making facility changes, repairs, or
monitoring to address air filtration and
ventilation; and
(iv) technologies that effectively monitor
and evaluate air quality of a system.
(B) Evidence.--A technology or repair for which
guidance is provided under this subsection shall be
supported by evidence that the technology or repair can
effectively improve or monitor indoor air quality.
(2) Development of guidance.--The Secretary shall develop
the technical guidance described in paragraph (1) in
consultation with--
(A) the Director of the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention;
(B) national organizations with expertise in public
health and infectious disease, including with specific
expertise in preventing and treating infectious disease
in children;
(C) nationally recognized not-for-profit
organizations or institutions of higher education with
expertise in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
building systems and standards development;
(D) national organizations with expertise in the
education or school leadership of children and that
represent the interests of educators and school
leaders; and
(E) other Federal agencies as appropriate.
(f) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under
this section shall use the grant funds to improve or monitor the indoor
air quality, ventilation, or circulation in the schools, including the
hiring and training of appropriate staff, served by the eligible
entity, in accordance with the guidance issued under subsection (e).
(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $1,000,000,000.
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