Washington, D.C. -- In a rare bipartisan victory, the House today unanimously passed legislation to permit release of over $100 million each to Lennox and Inglewood to soundproof their schools.

The legislation, first introduced by Rep. Jane Harman in 2006, was included in the FAA Reauthorization bill which is stalled.  Because of this, Senators Feinstein and Boxer introduced Harman’s bill which passed the Senate on February 28.  Today, that bill, also supported by Reps. Waters, Richardson and Watson, passed on a voice vote.  

“This is why I serve in Congress,” said Harman.  “Helping Lennox kids learn is as good as it gets.” 

In 1980, Lennox School District and the City of Los Angeles settled a lawsuit concerning aircraft movements over Lennox schools.  As a term of the settlement, Lennox gave the City an easement allowing planes carrying up to 40 million passengers per year to fly overhead, in exchange for approximately $2.5 million and agreeing to not file lawsuits in the future.  However, due to increased air traffic in the years since, many schools in Lennox were forced to build bunker-like facilities, half underground with no windows.  Others had to board up their windows. 

In February of 2005, Lennox and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) – the city agency that oversees LAX – negotiated a second settlement, to which Inglewood School District was also a party.  Under this settlement, LAWA agreed to provide Lennox and Inglewood each with more than $110 million over 10 years to pay for vital noise attenuation projects. 

However, the interplay between the 1980 agreement and federal law prevented release of the funds, and a legislative solution was required.  Harman’s bill is narrowly tailored to release LAWA’s funds.  It does not require federal spending. 

“This is great news for the students and teachers of the Lennox and Inglewood School Districts,” Senator Feinstein said. “This bill, which Congress has now approved, will help retrofit these schools to keep out the distracting noise of jet planes flying overhead every few minutes.  We’ve been working for a number of years to get this legislation passed, and I urge the President to immediately sign it into law.”

Senator Boxer said, “I am pleased that the House has passed this legislation to soundproof Lennox and Inglewood schools from aircraft noise.  The students at Lennox and Inglewood schools deserve a break from rattling windows and the roar of low-flying planes so they can focus on their studies, and the passage of this bill is hopefully the final legislative step to making that a reality.”

Superintendent of the Lennox School District, Dr. Bruce McDaniel, who was directly involved in the negotiations with LAWA, stated “Our staff, students and their parents are deeply indebted to Congresswoman Harman for providing the leadership to secure this funding for desperately needed noise mitigation.”

 Added Harman, “My thanks to Senators Feinstein and Boxer, who have been champions, to Congresswoman Maxine Waters, who represents Inglewood, and former FAA Administrator Marion Blakey, who helped us tailor this bill.  Today, the school children of Lennox are the big winners.”