The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“SCHOOL SAFETY ENHANCEMENT ACT 2007” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E2240-E2241 on Oct. 3, 2008.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SCHOOL SAFETY ENHANCEMENT ACT 2007
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HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE
of texas
in the house of representatives
Friday, October 3, 2008
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I support H.R. 2352, the
``School Safety Enhancements Act of 2007'', which is aimed at making America a safer place. The bill under consideration addresses health and safety issues for children. I support this bill and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
H.R. 2352 is necessary and will ensure the protection and safety of our children in a learning environment. Violence at our schools have increased at an alarming rate in States such as California, Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin over the last few years. H.R. 2352 seeks to curb that stem of violence.
H.R. 2352 increases authorized annual funding from $30 million to $50 million for FY 2008-2009 for the Secure Our Schools grant program, and decreases the non-Federal grant participation percentage from 50 percent to 20 percent. It requires institutions of higher education to conduct annual campus safety assessments and develop and implement campus emergency response plans.
This bill seeks to address the violence in our schools. It will ensure the safety of students and teachers and will make sure that education is the paramount concern of educators.
The Act also increases the Federal portion of the funding from 50 percent to 80 percent, which decreases the non-Federal portion from 50 percent to 20 percent. According to the Community Oriented Policing Services, COPS, Office of the Department of Justice, which administers the Secure Our Schools grants, many of the poorer communities that need help the most have been unable to participate in the program because they cannot afford the previously required 50 percent non-federal grant match. The proposed change in non-Federal funding is more in line with the COPS traditional 75/25 percent split, and should allow more participation in the program.
The Act increases the possible uses of funding to include surveillance equipment, hotlines to report potentially dangerous situations and capital improvements to make school facilities more secure. Finally, the Act requires the establishment of an interagency task force to develop and promulgate advisory school safety guidelines.
The Act amends the existing requirements for grant applications, and requires each grant application to be accompanied by a report, signed by the chief education officer and the attorney general or other chief legal officer, demonstrating that the proposed use of the grant funds is an effective means for improving school safety, is consistent with a comprehensive approach to preventing school violence, and meets the individualized needs of the particular school.
Finally, the Act amends the Higher Education Act and requires each eligible participating institution to conduct an annual campus safety assessment, and develop and implement a campus emergency response plan to address emergency situations, including natural disasters, active shooter situations, and terrorist attacks. The bill is sponsored by Mr. Rothman, and has 52 cosponsors.
MY THREE AMENDMENTS THAT WERE OFFERED AND ACCEPTED
I have three amendments that I offered and that were accepted concerning this bill. The first extended the current requirement of establishing a hotline or tip line to include the reporting of hazardous conditions, including the presence of hazardous chemicals.
The second one requires schools to develop and implement safety measures to protect students in the event of a terrorist attack or other hazardous condition or situation. It would further require that no funds would be disbursed unless the school had a safety plan in place to respond to a terrorist attack or other hazardous condition or situation.
The need for schools to respond to hazardous conditions or situations is necessary because often children are confronted with hazardous conditions and they simply ignore them. This has been a big problem in the Houston Independent School district. For example, in Key Middle School students were getting sick because they were learning in classrooms where mold was growing on the walls and ceilings. The students saw the mold and were getting sick but they did not know how to respond. These amendments would ensure that children are aware of the toxicity of these chemicals and organic substances. This is a real threat. Key Middle School was subsequently closed because of the severe health risks posed to students. My call for student awareness, training, and prevention as pertains to a terrorist attack does not need much explanation. In light of the tragic events of 9/11, we can never be too cautious with schooling and protecting our children. Children need to know what to do and how to respond to dangerous situations during a terrorist threat.
My last amendment goes to the heart of administrative practice. The original bill required that a taskforce create guideline. Because the taskforce is to be established within 30 days of enactment of this act, my amendment allows the taskforce to convene and within 60 days issue a preliminary advisory school safety guideline and after that time it should provide the public with an opportunity through notice and comment and publish a final advisory school safety guideline not later than 30 days after the preliminary guidelines. This is good administrative practice and ensures public participation by students, teachers, and parents.
I urge my colleagues to support this very important bill.
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