Political Quotes

“I wish to make just a quick couple of comments on an amendment that I appreciate the floor managers, Senators Alexander and Murray, agreeing to accept by voice vote. It deals with an issue that is really important to my home State. This amendment would expand the authorized use of Project School Emergency Response to Violence--what we call Project SERV--grants to include violence prevention. Currently, Project SERV funds are used to restore the learning environment by addressing the disruptive effects of a traumatic crisis or event. However, these funds cannot be used to fund violence prevention activities, such as afterschool programs, mentoring, anger management or skills-building programs. My amendment would permit a limited and focused expansion of Project SERV to permit prevention activities as part of the efforts to restore the learning environment in cases where there is a continued risk of disruption. This would better tie prevention to a crisis or trauma that has already occurred and better restore and preserve the learning environment in cases such as the tragic suicide crisis in Indian Country or gang violence. For example, on South Dakota's Pine Ridge Indian Reservation alone, two high school and two middle school age students have committed suicide just since December. My amendment would help give these areas of crisis additional flexibility in restoring our schools to safe and positive environments.…”