North Carolina Climate & Jobs Roundtable Congresswoman Kathy Manning Co-Sponsors Clean School Bus Act, Supports NC Union-made Electric School Buses
Last week, Congresswoman Kathy Manning co-sponsored H.R.1344 Clean School Bus Act to support federal funding for electrical school buses built by union labor in Highpoint, NC. This follows our “Jouley Jolts Jobs” press event where Congresswoman Manning met with CLC Triad President Kelly Green, UAW Local 5287 President Christopher Pratt, and workers from UAW Local 5287 and Teamsters Local 391 to plug electrical buses as a climate-saving and community-transforming job creator. Read More
“Inaction is not an answer,” said Congresswoman Manning. “These green solutions will help prevent climate change, and are creating good-paying union jobs across the country and right here in the Sixth District. I support President Biden’s commitment to electric vehicle infrastructure, including the Clean Buses for Kids campaign.”
The Clean School Bus Act would:
- Authorize $1 billion over five years at the Department of Energy to fund a Clean School Bus Grant Program to spur increased adoption of this clean technology.
- Provide grants of up to $2 million to replace diesel school buses with electric school buses, invest in charging infrastructure, and support workforce development. Right now, EV school buses cost significantly more than diesel, so it is cost-prohibitive to purchase EV buses.
- Give priority to applications that serve students from families with low-incomes, replace the most polluting buses, and leverage the funding to further decrease pollution and emissions, including through partnerships with local utilities.