Murray Amendment to Support Schools Following Traumatic Events Passes HELP Committee

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) offered an amendment at the HELP Committee markup of the Every Child Achieves Act of 2015 to help schools and communities in the aftermath of violent or traumatic events. Murray’s amendment would authorize the Project SERV (School Emergency Response to Violence) 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.

“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 offered the amendment following events 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, Washington. In both cases, the affected school districts were able to receive Project SERV grants. Authorizing the Project SERV amendment would ensure those grants can continue to help schools and communities across the country following such tragedies. Murray’s amendment passed the HELP Committee by a voice vote.

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