Statement: New legislation invests $25 billion for electric school buses

Media Contacts
Ethan Evans

Clean Commute for Kids Act introduced to Congress

U.S. PIRG

WASHINGTON – In a major push to protect childrens’ health and address fossil fuel-powered emissions, lawmakers introduced the Clean Commute for Kids Act today in the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Alex Padilla of California, Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia , Rep. Jahana Hayes of Connecticut and Rep. Tony Cárdenas of California, would invest $25 billion over 10 years to help nearly half of the nation’s school districts upgrade to  zero-emission electric bus fleets by 2030.

Nearly 95 percent of America’s school buses run on diesel, a fossil fuel that has been shown to cause numerous health problems, including asthma, bronchitis, and cancer. Transitioning to all-electric school bus fleets would prevent the release of 5.3 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year. 

In response, Ethan Evans, transportation associate at U.S. PIRG, issued the following statement:

“Our children deserve to get to school without breathing diesel fumes and contributing to climate change. We’re grateful to Senator Padilla, Senator Warnock, Representative Hayes and Representative Cárdenas for championing electric school buses and putting childrens’ health first. The Clean Commute for Kids Act will help tackle the existential threat of climate change, protect our childrens’ health and accelerate us toward a zero-emission future.”

Morgan Folger, Destination: Zero Carbon campaign director at Environment America, issued the following statement:

The toxic diesel pollution spewing out of our nation’s school buses is threatening our kids’ health, accelerating the climate crisis and endangering our childrens’ future. Achieving all-electric buses by 2030 means that by the time today’s toddlers grow up to become middle schoolers, kids will be using clean, green and quiet electric school buses to get to school. The Clean Commute for Kids Act will help build a greener, cleaner future for our kids.”

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