VP Harris speaks about investment in clean school buses during Seattle visit

SEATTLE — Vice President Kamala Harris is visiting Seattle for the first time since taking office.

During her whirlwind visit, Harris attended an event at Lumen Field Wednesday morning, where she spoke about how money from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering electric school buses to Washington state school districts, as well as school districts around the country.

The law was approved by Congress last year.

Harris will also attend a private fundraiser in downtown Seattle at 1 p.m.

She was joined at Lumen Field by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Environmental Protection Agency administrator Michael Regan.

At the event, Harris met with some local students, including some from a school district on Whidbey Island that will be getting a new electric bus.

The White House is rolling out a new program to help school districts in every state and Washington, D.C., buy about 2,500 low-emission buses with about $1 billion in grants.

The investment is the first installment of $5 billion in grants over the next five years.

According to the Biden administration, about 95% of the new buses will be electric.

The program is part of a partnership with the EPA’s clean school bus program.

Officials believe the program will help improve clean energy in schools and improve air quality.

It could also improve some health problems for students. The White House said diesel exhaust that comes from traditional school buses can aggravate asthma and cause other health problems.

Harris arrived in Seattle on Tuesday night to be met by protesters calling for her to end human rights violations in Iran.

Her arrival had a major impact on traffic. On Wednesday, drivers in the Seattle area should expect closures until about 2 p.m. Wednesday.

At 1 p.m., Harris will be at a fundraiser at Showbox at the Market in downtown Seattle.

Her next stop is the King County International Airport-Boeing Field at 1:50 p.m. for her departure.

Drivers should keep in mind that times may be fluid.

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