The USGBC and U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) has urged Congress to commit additional research funding to evaluating the environmental, economic and health benefits of green schools,  and endorsed the recent passage of the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public Schools Facilities Act. H.R. 2187 authorizes billions of dollars to support school repair, renovations and modernization projects in school districts nationwide.
 
At its 77th Annual Meeting in Providence last week, USCM adopted the "Make Green Schools a Reality" resolution, which supports building, repairing and making operations and maintenance improvements to schools throughout the U.S. by using tools like the LEED rating system.
 
"The U.S. Conference of Mayors has been a strong supporter of greening America's schools, and the green schools resolution takes one giant step in the direction of enhancing the learning environments for America's students, teachers and administrators that go to school every day," says Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO, founding chair, USGBC.

USGBC has been working towards brightening the future of America's school children and educators through the development of the National Green Schools Campaign, which is committed to promoting and supporting federal, state and local initiatives that advance the green school building movement, including support of the Congressional Green Schools Caucus, and USGBC's "50 For 50" Green Schools Caucus Initiative and Mayors' Alliance for Green Schools. 

For more information on green schools visit www.buildgreenschools.org.