Kuhl Unveils "Back-To-School" Energy Survey Results

Press Release

Today, Congressman Kuhl joined his Republican colleagues on the Education & Labor Committee in unveiling the results of the "Back-to-School" Energy Survey, which was introduced in July. The online survey provided school officials, parents, teachers, and community members the opportunity to share stories about how high energy prices are impacting New York schools.

"Schools around the nation are struggling to cope with the skyrocketing cost of energy. Last night, the Democrats in Congress rejected an opportunity to pass a bipartisan bill, one of which had nearly 40 Democratic cosponsors, that would have assisted schools in dealing with the high energy and oil costs," said Rep. Kuhl. "The results from this survey reiterate the desperate need for a comprehensive energy solution that improves conservation and efficiency, drills in America, increases the supply of American-made energy, brings online additional refineries, and develops all viable alternative or renewable fuel sources and technologies."

The survey, housed by the Education & Labor Committee, of which Rep. Kuhl is a member, collected information from school officials, teachers, families, and communities for six weeks to determine the extent of the energy crisis in our schools. Nearly 1,000 individuals responded to the survey, sharing stories about how their schools were coping with high energy prices. Results from the survey were provided to both parties today to encourage decisive bipartisan action by Congress to increase production of American energy to lower fuel costs.

Key findings of the "back-to-school" energy report follow:

* 90 percent of the survey's nearly 1,000 respondents indicated that high gas prices are having an impact on schools in their community.
* 96 percent of respondents demanded that Congress do more to address the energy crisis.
* Nearly half of respondents reported that high fuel costs have forced schools in their community to cut field trips and after-school activities.
* One-third of respondents reported that high costs forced schools to limit bus routes.
* Nearly a quarter of respondents reported that rising energy costs have led to higher school lunch prices.

"This survey was a tremendous opportunity for Congress to hear from families and schools around this nation about the severe consequences the Democrats inaction on a comprehensive energy policy is having on teachers, students, and parents. They are suffering, and the Democratic leadership chose politics over energy progress last night by voting down a bipartisan bill," said Kuhl.

A copy of the survey results and analysis, "Strapped: Students & Schools Pay the Price for Democrats' Failed Energy Policies," can be found online by clicking here [http://republicans.edlabor.house.gov/Media/File/PDFs/energysurveyresults.pdf].

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