| Vitter Applauds FEMA Decision on Students |
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| May 8, 2007 - (Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Sen. David Vitter today announced that FEMA reversed a previous decision regarding students who were living in university or college owned dormitories during hurricanes Katrina and Rita. FEMA had previously ruled that students who were living in these types of dormitories during Katrina and Rita must return any emergency assistance funds that they received. “These students had to leave everything behind in their dorm rooms when they evacuated for hurricanes Katrina and Rita. And then they had to enroll in other schools for a semester, compounding the already high cost of higher education,” said Vitter. “This reversal will help these students pick up the scattered pieces of their disrupted academic lives back here in Louisiana.” Vitter wrote a letter to Director Paulison in January requesting that FEMA reverse this decision and not require students to return the funds. FEMA’s new ruling states that if students can demonstrate that they were housed in university or college owned dormitories for at least six of the twelve months preceding the date of the disaster declaration, they do not have to return the emergency assistance funds that they received. “I am glad FEMA decided to reverse this decision. We should support these students, especially since so many of them returned to their schools following the storms and are vital to rebuilding and strengthening our communities,” Vitter added. |
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