Saturday - April 27, 2024
U.S. Congressional Tipoffs Involving Louisiana Newsletter for Sunday March 03, 2024 ( 41 items )  

Cassidy Announces $1.9 Million for Louisiana in Hurricane Ida Relief
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced the South Louisiana Electrical Cooperative Association (SLECA) will receive $1,908,607.93 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for emergency reconstruction of substation access roadways damaged as a result Hurricane Ida. "Louisiana's continued recovery from Hurricane Ida is a testament to our resiliency," said Dr. Cassidy. "This funding will suppo  more

Cassidy Announces $8.3 Million for Southwest Louisiana in Hurricane Laura Relief
WASHINGTON, March 1 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Jefferson Davis Electric Cooperative, Inc. will receive $8,352,875.70 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for permanent repairs to the Michigan-Wisconsin Substation as a result of Hurricane Laura. "Hurricane Laura made Louisiana stronger and more resilient," said Dr. Cassidy. "This funding will make needed repairs to Southwest Louisiana's energy   more

Cassidy Delivers Keynote Speech at Retirement Policy Conference, Outlines "Big Idea" to Save Social Security
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) delivered the keynote speech at the National Institute on Retirement Security's (NIRS) 15th Annual Retirement Policy Conference. America needs a bipartisan solution to save all Americans from a 23% cut in Social Security benefits in eight years. During his speech, he outlined the "Big Idea" from his Senate Social Security working group that will build a bridge to solvency   more

Cassidy Issues Statement on Leader McConnell
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) issued the following statement on Leader Mitch McConnell's decision to retire as minority leader in November. "Mitch McConnell fought for a safer America. Because of him, we have a conservative Supreme Court for years to come. He led the fight for lower taxes and a strong military. With characteristic concern for the Senate, he picked his time to leave leadership," said D  more

Cassidy, Barrasso Introduce Bill to Reverse Biden's LNG Pause
WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and John Barrasso, M.D. (R-WY) introduced the LNG Security Act. This legislation will reverse President Biden's decision to stop new American liquefied natural gas (LNG) export approvals. It would require the Department of Energy (DOE) to approve LNG exports to all countries that have imported, currently import, or are capable of importing Russian or Iranian natural gas.   more

Cassidy, Cantwell Introduce Legislation to Protect Patients, Health Care Providers Against Unnecessary Electronic Fees
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced the No Fees for EFTs Act to protect patients and health care providers against fees imposed by electronic fund transfers (EFTs) and payment transactions. Currently, the Affordable Care Act requires health plans to offer medical practices the option to receive reimbursements electronically. However, insurers impose charges between 2-5%   more

Cassidy, Cardin, Colleagues Urge Accountability of Ortega-Murillo Regime in Letter to Blinken
WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Peter Welch (D-VT) urged swift action and increased international pressure to hold the Ortega-Murillo regime accountable for their ongoing, systemic pattern of repression and human rights abuses in a letter to U.S. Secretary of State  more

Cassidy, Durbin Introduce Bill to Rename Street Near the Russian Ambassador's Residence After Alexei Navalny
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: U.S Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced legislation to rename a section of the street near the Russian Ambassador to the United States' residence as "Alexei Navalny Way." Mr. Navalny was an opposition leader and anticorruption activist who led the political opposition against Russian President Vladimir Putin for more than a decade. Putin tried to silence him by poison and l  more

Cassidy, Manchin, Barrasso, Colleagues Urge Senate Leadership to Move Compacts of Free Association Forward
WASHINGTON, March 1 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Joe Manchin (D-WV), and John Barrasso (R-WY) are urging Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Susan Collins (R-ME), to support legislation to renew the Compacts of Free Association (COFA) with the Federated Sta  more

Cassidy, Risch, Colleagues File Bicameral Amicus Brief Supporting Idaho's Pro-Life SCOTUS Case
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Jim Risch (R-ID) and U.S. Representative Russ Fulcher (R-ID-01) filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) in the case of Moyle v. United States of America and Idaho v. United States of America. The brief supports the State of Idaho in defending its pro-life law, the Defense of Life Act, against the Biden administration's efforts to trump it with its w  more

Cassidy, Sinema Introduce Bipartisan Clean Air Act Permitting Reform
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) introduced bipartisan legislation to modernize permitting under the Clean Air Act. The Modernizing Clean Air Permitting Act ensures air quality standards remain above naturally occurring levels, limits future administrations from imposing overly stringent standards, and provides incent  more

Cassidy, Tuberville Demand EPA Rescind Job-Killing Air Quality Standards
WASHINGTON, March 1 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) sent a letter demanding the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rescind the recently finalized rule for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and direct the EPA to revisit, pursuant to the best available science, its next review at the congressionally mandated five-year interval in 2025. "The   more

Cassidy, Warner, Klobuchar Introduce Legislation to Create Easier Access to Supplemental Oxygen for Medicare Beneficiaries
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced legislation to ease access to supplemental oxygen for Medicare beneficiaries. The Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform (SOAR) Act of 2024 would establish a new payment methodology for non-liquid oxygen, allowing for most Medicare beneficiaries to be covered under the base payment levels. "Patients who need supplementa  more

Democrat cuts Kennedy off while he highlights horror of abortion: "Do you support abortion up to the moment of birth?"
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: View Kennedy's full exchanges here. WASHINGTON - A Democrat today cut off Sen. John Kennedy (R-La), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, in a hearing as he defended life and highlighted the horrors of abortion. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) chaired the committee. Key remarks from Kennedy's exchange with Caitlin Myers and Leilah Zahedi-Spung, whom committee Democrats brought as witnesses, are b  more

Graves, Carter Call for Immediate Assistance From USDA for Louisiana Crawfish Farmers
WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Rep. Garret Graves, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: U.S. Congressmen Garret Graves (Louisiana) and Troy Carter (Louisiana) led a formal request asking that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provide Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-raised Fish (ELAP) funding to drought-affected crawfish producers in Louisiana. Congress has already granted the USDA discretion to provide assistance to farmers affected by severe weather through   more

House Republicans are Continuing Our Work to Reach Responsible Funding and Strong Policy Outcomes as Soon as Possible
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 (Rep.) -- House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, issued the following statement on Feb. 25, 2024: * * * Speaker Johnson released the following statement this evening in response to Leader Schumer's letter on the status of the FY24 appropriations process: "Despite the counterproductive rhetoric in Leader Schumer's letter, the House has worked nonstop, and is continuing to work in good faith, to reach agreement with the Senate on compromise government funding bills in adv  more

House Speaker Mike Johnson: Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama Will Deliver Republican Address to the Nation
WASHINGTON, March 1 (Rep.) -- House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release on Feb. 29, 2024: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) will deliver the Republican Address to the Nation following the State of the Union address next Thursday, March 7: "Americans are struggling amid a border catastrophe, crushing inflation, an increasingly dangerous world, and fears about a   more

Kennedy announces $1.9 million in Hurricane Ida aid for south Louisiana
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 -- Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $1,908,608 in a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant for Louisiana disaster aid. "Hurricane Ida dealt a tough blow to south Louisiana's electrical infrastructure. I'm grateful to see this $1.9 million help rebuild the roads that support these communities," said Kennedy. The FEMA aid will f  more

Kennedy introduces bill to empower immigration judges with contempt authority
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today introduced the Empowering Immigration Courts Act to give immigration judges a tool to stop litigants from drawing out proceedings unnecessarily, which further burdens the immigration system and rewards illegal immigration. Specifically, the legislation would give immigration judges the same contempt authority federal  more

Kennedy introduces CRAWDAD Act to support Louisiana jobs, culture
WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: Sen. John Kennedy (R-La), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today introduced the Crawfish Recovery Assistance from Weather Disasters and Droughts (CRAWDAD) Act. The bill would support Louisiana's crawfish jobs as droughts and severe weather have put strain on the industry. "Louisiana's crawfish farmers have worked hard to weather a bad freeze and devastating drought. My CRAWDAD Act would gi  more

Kennedy questions Bureau of Prisons on early release of criminals: "You don't have the slightest idea how many of them committed another crime and came back?"
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: View Kennedy's full exchanges here. WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kennedy (R-La), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned Colette Peters, the director of the Bureau of Prisons, about the recidivism rate associated with criminals released under the First Step Act. Kennedy: "How many criminals have you released under the First Step Act?" . . . Peters: "We have about 30,000 individuals that have   more

Kennedy speaks out against radical transgender activism: "We know this agenda is dangerous."
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: Watch Kennedy's comments here. WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) spoke on the Senate floor against the radical medicalization of children who experience gender confusion. Kennedy explained that most children will outgrow gender confusion and condemned the activists who pressure parents into responding to often temporary gender confusion by subjecting their children to harmful drugs and surgeries. Ke  more

Kennedy, Hyde-Smith file amicus brief challenging FDA's dangerous abortion pill policy
WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: Sen. John Kennedy (R-La), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today joined Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas) in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in the case U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine. The case challenges the FDA's move to make the chemical abortion pill available through the mail without a doctor's   more

Kennedy, Judiciary Republicans demand Mayorkas explain parole status of Riley murder suspect
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: Sen. John Kennedy (R-La), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today joined all other Republican members of the Judiciary Committee in demanding answers from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas about why Venezuelan national Jose Antonio Ibarra was paroled into the U.S. Ibarra is the suspect in the murder of Augusta University student Laken Riley. "We are deeply sadde  more

Kennedy, Landry in Shreveport Times: We must return law and order to Louisiana
WASHINGTON, March 1 -- Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: MADISONVILLE, La. - Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Gov. Jeff Landry penned this op-ed in The Shreveport Times to explain how soft-on-crime policies have harmed Louisiana residents. Kennedy and Landry commended the state legislature for working to restore law and order in the state. This piece also appeared in The Daily Advertiser, Houma Today, The Daily Comet, The Town Talk, The News-Star, The Weekly Citize  more

Kennedy, Risch file bicameral amicus brief with SCOTUS in support of Idaho's pro-life law
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) joined Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho) and more than 100 other lawmakers in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in Moyle v. United States and Idaho v. United States to support Idaho as it defends its Defense of Life Act. The Biden administration claims to have discovered a new power in the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), a   more

Rep. Carter Highlights PPP Loan Forgiveness
WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Rep. Troy Carter, D-Louisiana, issued the following news release on Feb. 28, 2024: Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-L.A.) encouraged Louisiana residents to apply for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness during the goodwill exception period. This Small Business Administration program has provided critical relief for thousands of small businesses. The deadline to apply is March 3, 2024. "During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Paycheck Protection Program w  more

Rep. Carter Urges Governor Landry to Help Crawfish Industry
WASHINGTON, March 1 -- Rep. Troy Carter, D-Louisiana, issued the following news release on Feb. 29, 2024: On Tuesday, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) wrote Governor Jeff Landry asking him to pursue Small Business Administration (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loans for Louisiana's crawfish farmers as a direct response to Congressman Carter's February 22 letter to Small Business Administration Administrator Guzman requesting assistance for businesses in need. To access EIDL loans a busin  more

Rep. Larson and Nancy Altman: Voters Want Congress to Expand Social Security -- Not Cut It Behind Closed Doors
WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Rep. John B. Larson, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: Rep. Larson and Nancy Altman, President of Social Security Works, wrote the following op-ed for Data for Progress: When Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) was elected speaker of the House, he immediately called for a "debt commission" designed to slash Social Security and Medicare behind closed doors. In January, the House Budget Committee approved a bill to create such a commission, with every Republican v  more

Rep. Scalise Slams Biden Border Chaos
WASHINGTON, March 2 -- Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release on March 1, 2024: Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) appeared on Fox Business Network's Mornings with Maria Bartiromo to discuss the border crisis. Leader Scalise highlighted the stark contrast of President Trump's and President Biden's border visits, as President Biden refused to take meaningful action or accept responsibility for the crisis he created. On spending negotiations, Leader Sca  more

Rep. Scalise: Biden Has the Power to Reverse His Deadly Border Crisis
WASHINGTON, March 1 -- Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release on Feb. 29, 2024: Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Conference Vice Chair Blake Moore (R-Utah), and Representative Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas) to discuss President Biden's open border crisis and its deadly consequences for communities across America. In the wake of Laken Riley's murder by a previously charged illegal immi  more

Rep. Troy Carter Asks Federal Government to Assist Crawfish Farmers
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Troy Carter, D-Louisiana, issued the following news release on Feb. 26, 2024: Last week, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) sent letters to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) urging them to aid the crawfish aquaculture industry following devastation from extreme weather conditions. This includes both a severe drought and a subsequent freeze that has wreaked havoc on Louisiana's agricultural landscape.   more

Scalise Slams Biden's Border Chaos
WASHINGTON, March 1 (Rep.) -- House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) appeared on Fox Business Network's Mornings with Maria Bartiromo to discuss the border crisis. Leader Scalise highlighted the stark contrast of President Trump's and President Biden's border visits, as President Biden refused to take meaningful action or accept responsibility for the crisis he created. On spending negotiation  more

Senate Health Committee Ranking Member Cassidy Criticizes Scheduled Closed-Door Committee Vote on Julie Su With No Public Hearing, Reexpresses Opposition
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following news release on Feb. 26, 2024: Today, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, delivered a floor speech criticizing HELP Committee Chair Bernie Sanders' (I-VT) decision to hold a closed-door committee vote tomorrow to consider the nomination of Julie Su for Se  more

Senate Health Committee Ranking Member Cassidy Delivers Remarks During Hearing on the State of American Retirement
WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following news release on Feb. 28, 2024: U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, delivered remarks during today's hearing on the state of American retirement plans. Cassidy's speech as prepared for delivery can be found below: Thank you, Chair Sanders. The singular   more

Senate Health Committee Ranking Member Cassidy Demands Return of $127M in Taxpayer Funds Wrongfully Paid to Dead People as Part of Democrats Pension Bailout
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, demanded the return of $127 million in taxpayer funds that were wrongfully paid to the Central States Pension Fund as part of the Democrats' $90 billion pension bailout included in the American Rescue Plan  more

Senate Health Committee Ranking Member Cassidy Opposes Julie Su Renomination for DOL Secretary During Closed-Door Committee Vote
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following statement on Feb. 27, 2024: * * * Today, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released a statement following his vote to oppose Julie Su's renomination for Secretary of the Department of Labor (DOL) during a closed-door committee vote. The final vote was   more

Senate Health Committee Ranking Member Cassidy Rebukes Proposed DOL Rule Restricting Health Coverage for Millions of American Workers
WASHINGTON, March 1 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following news release on Feb. 29, 2024: Today, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, rebuked the Department of Labor's (DOL) proposed rule restricting American workers' ability to access quality, affordable health care for themselves and their families. Specificall  more

Speaker Johnson Echoes Border Patrol Union: President Biden Border Visit 'Too Little, Too Late'
WASHINGTON, March 1 (Rep.) -- House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release on Feb. 29, 2024: This morning, Speaker Johnson joined Leader Steve Scalise, Whip Tom Emmer, Vice Chair Blake Moore, and Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne to discuss the ongoing border crisis and President Biden's photo-op in Brownsville, TX, the "29th ranked hotspot" for border crossings. Read the Speaker's remarks below: "It's another busy week on Capitol Hill. There's a lot going on. Let me   more

Speaker Johnson: Joint Statement on FY24 Appropriations Agreement
WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 (Rep.) -- House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: Speaker Johnson, Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, and Leader Jeffries along with House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Granger and Ranking Member DeLauro and Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Murray and Vice Chair Collins released the following statement: "We are in agreement that Congress must work in a bipartisan manner to fund our government. "Negotiators have come to an agree  more

Speaker Johnson: President Biden Must Use Executive Authority to Address the Border
WASHINGTON, March 1 (Rep.) -- House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release on Feb. 29, 2024: Last night, Speaker Johnson joined Fox News' Hannity to discuss his meeting with President Biden and congressional leaders at the White House, and President Biden's open-border catastrophe. Below are excerpts from the interview. Click here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGgWBTnCMaY&feature=youtu.be) to watch to the Speaker's full interview On White House Meeting: "The  more