|
 Only
three years after Hurricane Katrina and
Hurricane Rita
devastated our state, we face tremendous
challenges brought about by two more natural disasters, Hurricane
Gustav and Hurricane Ike. Once again, citizens and public officials
are joined in a mighty effort to rebuild our state and renew its
spirit. The Legislators Back to School Program is an excellent
opportunity for legislators and students to talk about how and why
our governmental system works and how
together we can help make Louisiana a better, stronger state. The
National Conference of State Legislatures
(NCSL)
instituted this national program in 1999 to provide a contemporary
approach for engaging American students in understanding the value
of democracy. This bipartisan effort provides an incentive for us to
go into classrooms and discuss with our young people -- the voters
and decision-makers of tomorrow – our role as legislators, the
challenges facing our state, the importance of citizen participation
in government, and the privilege and responsibility of voting. I
encourage all legislators, teachers, parents, and students to
support this highly acclaimed program. It's more important than ever
to reaffirm our belief that democracy works.
Speaker of The
House Jim Tucker |
