Kenny Marchant: “Hurricane Katrina has disrupted the life of an unprecedented number of gulf coast residents. A well-known reality of the…”

“Hurricane Katrina has disrupted the life of an unprecedented number of gulf coast residents. A well-known reality of the hurricane is the tens of thousands of workers who have been displaced not just from their homes but from their jobs. In the continuing wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Flexibility for Displaced Workers Act is essential to increase the flexibility of certain funds to respond to the reemployment needs of displaced workers. I commend the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Boustany) for bringing forward this important piece of legislation. One way to eliminate government red tape so workers and their families in impacted areas may access immediate assistance, including temporary job placement, is through increased flexibility of national emergency grants. National emergency grants are awarded by the Department of Labor. They are used to provide temporary disaster relief employment, for up to 6 months, to individuals who participate in projects that provide clothing, food, shelter, and other humanitarian assistance for victims of a particular disaster. Funds may also be used to provide jobs for those participating in the demolition, the cleanup, repair, renovation, and reconstruction of facilities and lands within the disaster area. These national emergency grants may be used by public or private entities which provide employment and training activities.…”