Chris Dodd: “I support the Hurricane Katrina Elementary and Secondary Education Recovery Act introduced by myself, Senator Enzi…”

“I support the Hurricane Katrina Elementary and Secondary Education Recovery Act introduced by myself, Senator Enzi, Senator Kennedy and Senator Alexander. This bill will provide much needed relief to the children, families and schools devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Hundreds of thousand of children have been displaced by this disaster. Schools across the country are taking students in offering them some sense of normalcy in an otherwise abnormal situation. We have heard stories of schools all over the country that have opened their doors to new students, including schools in Connecticut. These collective examples point to our education system as an integral part of our communities. Better than any other entity, schools know that children need a safe place to develop and learn in the wake of disaster. Among the provisions today, is one that will provide financial assistance for displaced students regardless of where they go to school. Public and nonpublic schools will receive assistance that can be used to pay for additional personnel, curricular materials, portable classrooms and even health and mental health services as long as the services provided are secular and neutral in nature and are not used for religious instruction, indoctrination or worship. This is not a voucher bill. Through a number of mechanisms, this bill maintains public control of public dollars. This bill prohibits Federal dollars from going to religious instruction.…”