Charles Boustany: “thousands of students have been displaced as a result of Hurricane Katrina, including university students who rely on…”

“thousands of students have been displaced as a result of Hurricane Katrina, including university students who rely on federal financial aid for their education expenses. Several institutions have had to close for the entire semester, leaving students without schools to attend. Fortunately, other colleges have stepped up and are accepting many of these students. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is one example of this generosity. They have already enrolled over 835 displaced students, and the numbers are expected to increase. But not all students will be able to attend other institutions. Many have suffered large losses of property, jobs, and, most devastatingly, family and friends. In the past, low-income students who were the recipient of need-base Pell grants and suffered extreme losses due to natural disasters have been forced to repay their Pell grants, further straining their financial resources. H.R. 3169 will provide financial relief to many students displaced by Katrina by waiving the Pell Grant repayment for those students withdrawing from school as a result of the hurricane, and it will also ensure that future natural disaster victims are treated in the same manner. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan measure, which will assist thousands of needy students who have been dealt an enormous blow by Hurricane Katrina.”