Murray Amendment to Support Schools Following Traumatic Events Passes HELP Committee

Amendment pushed by Murray following use of program by communities recovering from Marysville Shooting, Oso Mudslide

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, a Senate committee unanimously approved Sen. Patty Murray’s amendment to the Every Child Achieves Act of 2015 to help schools and communities in the aftermath of violent or traumatic events. Senator Murray introduced the amendment with past events in mind that impacted students and families in her home state of Washington, including the October 2014 shooting in the Marysville School District, as well as the March 2014 landslide in Oso. The affected school districts were able to receive over $60,000 combined in Project SERV (School Emergency Response to Violence) grants that provide support for students and communities, such as covering the costs of transportation to get students to school after the landslide.

“Project SERV grants are vitally important to schools and communities when tragedies strike. I know many of my colleagues have districts that have benefited from these grants,” said Senator Murray. “My amendment would authorize the program to make sure it continues to help schools and communities in the aftermath of these horrific events.”

Murray’s amendment would authorize the Project SERV program, which funds short-term and long-term education-related services for schools to assist them in recovering from a violent or traumatic event in which the learning environment has been disrupted. Authorizing the Project SERV amendment would ensure those grants can continue to help schools and communities following these events.