Ruppersberger Calls on Congress to Pass the “No Child Left Inside” Act

(Laurel, MD)- Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) together with Congressman John Sarbanes (D-MD) and Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley (D-MD) called on Congress to pass H.R. 3036, the “No Child Left Inside” Act, at a special ceremony at the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge in Laurel.  Students from Hebron-Harman Elementary School in Hanover were on hand to plant bay grasses and learn about protecting the Chesapeake Bay in honor of Earth Day.   

“The ‘No Child Left Inside Act’ is about children planting trees and creating butterfly gardens.  It is about kids building bird houses and learning to grow plants from seeds in little paper cups.  It is about kids going outside and getting dirty, taking canoe trips on the Chesapeake Bay, and hiking in the great outdoors.  It is about showing kids and their parents the importance of greening their schools and greening their lives so we can preserve and protect our environment for future generations,” said Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD).  

The “No Child Left Inside” Act authorizes $500 million over five years in federal funding for states to train teachers in environmental education.  The money will fund the development of an environmental education curriculum and will support outdoor programs for children. To receive funding, states must develop environmental literacy plans to make sure students have a solid understanding of our planet and its precious natural resources.

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