VERNONIA — A U.S. House of Representatives appropriations subcommittee has approved $200,000 to help Vernonia schools damaged by the December floods.

The funding request sponsored by U.S. Rep. David Wu, D-Ore., still must win approval from the House Appropriations Committee and then the full House and Senate.

Wu’s original request was for $1 million.

All three schools in the Coast Range town were flooded in December. Since then, school leaders have sought ways to raise money for new schools and demolish the old buildings. The efforts have an estimated price tag of $35 million to $50 million.

The $200,000 that won approval Tuesday can’t be used for construction, but it can be used to pay for new technology.