Wednesday - April 29, 2026
Public Policy Tipoffs Involving Louisiana Newsletter for Friday April 24, 2026 ( 34 items )  

Attorney General Brenna Bird Urges Top Credit Ratings Agencies to Stop Using Unlawful Policies that Hurt Iowa Farmers
DES MOINES, Iowa, April 23 -- Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird issued the following news release: * * * Attorney General Brenna Bird Urges Top Credit Ratings Agencies to Stop Using Unlawful Policies that Hurt Iowa Farmers * Attorney General Brenna Bird announced today she has joined a coalition of 23 states urging the top three credit rating agencies to stop using unlawful environmental, social, and governance ("ESG") policies in their credit rating process. The agencies-Fitch Ratings, Mood  more

Attorney General Liz Murrill Joins Letter to Top Credit Ratings Agencies Raising Concerns Over ESG Policies
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, April 23 -- Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill issued the following news: * * * Attorney General Liz Murrill Joins Letter to Top Credit Ratings Agencies Raising Concerns Over ESG Policies * Attorney General Murrill today joined a coalition of 23 States in questioning the lawfulness of the environmental, social, and governance ("ESG") policies of three top credit rating agencies. The agencies-Fitch Ratings, Moody's, and S&P Global Ratings-have pledged to systematic  more

Cassidy Announces Over $29.9 Million for Louisiana Hurricane Laura, Ida Recovery
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: * * * Cassidy Announces Over $29.9 Million for Louisiana Hurricane Laura, Ida Recovery * WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Louisiana will receive $29,872,642.08 in federal funding from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support hurricane recovery, school repairs, and rebuilding efforts across the state following Hurricanes Laura and Ida. "After a storm,  more

Cassidy Calls on Senate to Pass SAVE America Act in Floor Speech
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: * * * Cassidy Calls on Senate to Pass SAVE America Act in Floor Speech * WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) delivered a floor speech pushing for the passage of the SAVE America Act, calling on Senate Democrats to stop blocking the bill. The legislation would require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections. "The SAVE America Act does not make it harder to vote; it ensures th  more

Cassidy Gets Commitment to Fix Louisiana Medicaid Payments
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: * * * Cassidy Gets Commitment to Fix Louisiana Medicaid Payments * WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) addressed Louisiana's outstanding Medicaid directed payment pre-print with U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during a U.S. Senate Finance Committee hearing. "CMS is working with Louisiana to approve Medicaid provider tax pre-prints after passing   more

Cassidy Votes to Pass Republican Budget Resolution for Second Reconciliation Bill
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: * * * Cassidy Votes to Pass Republican Budget Resolution for Second Reconciliation Bill * WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today released the following statement after voting for the Republican budget resolution, a necessary step in advancing a second reconciliation bill to reopen and fully fund the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection  more

Chairman Cassidy, Banks Introduce Legislation Protecting Louisianans' Retirement, Cutting Bureaucracy
WASHINGTON, April 24 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following news: * * * Chairman Cassidy, Banks Introduce Legislation Protecting Louisianans' Retirement, Cutting Bureaucracy U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Jim Banks (R-IN) introduced the Investigation Status and Governance for Honest Transparency (INSIGHT) Ac  more

Common Cause: Voting Rights Groups Sue DOJ to Block National Voter Surveil-and-Purge Database
NEW YORK, April 23 -- Common Cause - New York issued the following news release on April 21, 2026: * * * Voting Rights Groups Sue DOJ to Block National Voter Surveil-and-Purge Database Today, Common Cause and four individual members sued the Trump Administration to block the Department of Justice (DOJ) from illegally stockpiling millions of Americans' confidential voter data and creating a national voter database to surveil and purge voters. The complaint argues that the DOJ's actions are unc  more

Congressman Fields Issues Statement on Mall of Louisiana Shooting in Baton Rouge
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- Rep. Cleo Fields, D-Louisiana, issued the following news release: * * * Congressman Fields Issues Statement on Mall of Louisiana Shooting in Baton Rouge BATON ROUGE, LA - Today, Congressman Cleo Fields released a statement regarding the Mall of Louisiana shooting that occurred this afternoon in Baton Rouge, LA:  "My heart goes out to everyone affected by today's tragic shooting at the Mall of Louisiana. What should have been an ordinary afternoon for families and sho  more

Cybersecurity Training Returns for Second Year at LU With Hands-on ICS Focus
BEAUMONT, Texas, April 24 -- Lamar University issued the following news: * * * Cybersecurity training returns for second year at LU with hands-on ICS focus By April Thompson Cybersecurity professionals, researchers and industry partners gathered at Lamar University for a hands-on Industrial Control Systems cybersecurity training workshop, bringing together participants from across Texas and several states to strengthen defenses for critical infrastructure. The 2nd Annual ICS Cybersecurity H  more

Dallas Fed Energy Survey: Update released in response to recent global oil market developments
DALLAS, Texas, April 23 -- The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas issued the following news release: * * * Dallas Fed Energy Survey: Update released in response to recent global oil market developments * In response to recent developments in the global oil market, the Dallas Fed surveyed energy executives and issued an update to the first quarter Dallas Fed Energy Survey. Respondents were asked to answer a set of six questions and were also able to provide comments. Key takeaways: * Executi  more

Entergy Texas' Orange County Advanced Power Station achieves 'first fire' milestone
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, April 23 [Category: BizEnergy] -- Entergy posted the following news release: * * * Entergy Texas' Orange County Advanced Power Station achieves 'first fire' milestone The Orange County Advanced Power Station is one step closer to delivering reliable, affordable and sustainable energy to support Southeast Texas' growing needs. The plant has successfully completed its "first fire," a major milestone toward commercial operation. The phase marks the first-time fuel is in  more

Extra sets of chromosomes may help aggressive tumor cells spread, study finds
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, April 23 -- Tulane University issued the following news release: * * * Extra sets of chromosomes may help aggressive tumor cells spread, study finds * One of the biggest challenges in cancer research is understanding why some tumor cells become especially aggressive, invasive and resistant to treatment. Scientists have increasingly linked these dangerous traits to polyploid cancer cells -cells with extra sets of chromosomes -but exactly how those extra chromosomes hel  more

Ezell Joins Bipartisan Effort to Address Rising Homeowner Insurance Costs
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- Rep. Mike Ezell, R-Mississippi, issued the following news release: * * * Ezell Joins Bipartisan Effort to Address Rising Homeowner Insurance Costs * Congressmen Mike Ezell (MS-04), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Gabe Evans (CO-08), and Troy A. Carter Sr. (LA-02) introduced the bipartisan Commission on Natural Disaster Risk Management and Insurance Act, a bill to create a nonpartisan commission to study natural disaster insurance affordability and report policy recommendation  more

First Lady Melania Trump Leads Call for Shared Commitment to Transform Lives Nationwide
WASHINGTON, April 24 -- The White House issued the following news on April 23, 2026: * * * First Lady Melania Trump Leads Call for Shared Commitment to Transform Lives Nationwide "I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as First Lady but understand that my persistence alone is not enough. Together, we can change people's lives for the better." First Lady Melania Trump inspired Congressional Club Members at its 113th First Lady's Luncheon. Mrs. Trump used the occasion to promote her longst  more

Georgia Looks to Early Literacy Reform to Improve Reading Outcomes
ATLANTA, Georgia, April 23 -- The Georgia Public Policy Foundation posted the following news release: * * * Georgia Looks to Early Literacy Reform to Improve Reading Outcomes * While a great deal of focus on education policy in Georgia has revolved around school choice policies and education finance, there are significant changes taking place inside the classroom as well. Georgia has joined several states in addressing early literacy, that fundamental period for students that typically begi  more

ICYMI: Senator Cassidy Calls for Reinstating Unnecessary In-Person Dispensing Requirements on Mifepristone
WASHINGTON, April 23 [Category: Political] -- Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly the NARAL Pro-Choice America) posted the following news release: * * * ICYMI: Senator Cassidy Calls for Reinstating Unnecessary In-Person Dispensing Requirements on Mifepristone * More proof that anti-abortion politicians never intended to "leave it to the states." During a Senate Health Committee hearing on Wednesday, Republican Senator Bill Cassidy criticized Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Rober  more

Joint Economic Committee: Updated Data - Inflation, Gasoline Costs Continue to Soar Under President Trump
WASHINGTON, April 24 (TNSbrep) -- Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-New Hampshire, ranking member of the Joint Economic Committee, issued the following news release on April 22, 2026: * * * UPDATED DATA: Inflation, Gasoline Costs Continue to Soar Under President Trump New reports show that families have spent $2,300 more each on daily expenses since Trump took office; Americans have paid $16 billion more on gas since start of Iran War * Today, the Joint Economic Committee - Minority released two updat  more

Kennedy announces $29.9 million in Hurricanes Laura, Ida aid for south Louisiana, Louisiana Department of Health
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: * * * Kennedy announces $29.9 million in Hurricanes Laura, Ida aid for south Louisiana, Louisiana Department of Health * WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced that Louisiana will receive $29,872,642 in federal funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for disaster recovery efforts and repairs in Louisiana communities i  more

LIGO-India Breaks Ground on New Observatory
PASADENA, California, April 23 -- The California Institute of Technology posted the following news: * * * LIGO-India Breaks Ground on New Observatory * For more than a decade, scientists have been able to detect gravitational waves-ripples in space-time that help us understand the universe's evolution and the most violent events in the cosmos-using the US National Science Foundation's Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO), managed by Caltech and MIT. Now, a new ear on th  more

Louisiana Tech University: Weyerhaeuser Grant Powers Cutting-edge Clinical Training Upgrade at Speech Center
RUSTON, Louisiana, April 24 -- Louisiana Tech University issued the following news: * * * Weyerhaeuser grant powers cutting-edge clinical training upgrade at Speech Center Louisiana Tech University's Speech Center is stepping into the future of clinical education, thanks to a grant from the Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund that has provided a state-of-the-art video monitoring system for student training. The newly installed system features 12 cameras -- one in each therapy room -- allowing faculty s  more

Mock digs to global stage: WashU archaeologist Patania mentors Lego League teams
ST. LOUIS, Missouri, April 23 -- Washington University in St. Louis posted the following news: * * * Mock digs to global stage: WashU archaeologist Patania mentors Lego League teams * The emails to WashU environmental archaeologist Ilaria Patania and her colleagues in the Department of Anthropology started immediately. In August, global robotics competition First Lego League challenged children to design a robot to help archaeologists. The task would demand skills in engineering, design an  more

Notre Dame Law Barristers Mock Trial Team Wins Regional Title, Places 11th Nationally
SOUTH BEND, Indiana, April 23 -- The University of Notre Dame Law School posted the following news: * * * Notre Dame Law Barristers Mock Trial Team Wins Regional Title, Places 11th Nationally * Notre Dame Law School's Barristers Mock Trial Team (the Law School's Trial Advocacy Team) won the regional championship and advanced to nationals at the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Student Trial Advocacy Competition -marking a major milestone for the program. The team went on to place 11th   more

Ochsner promotes healthy eating with discounted Eat Fit choices at its facilities in Acadiana
JEFFERSON, Louisiana, April 23 [Category: BizHospital] -- Ochsner Health System issued the following news release: * * * Ochsner promotes healthy eating with discounted Eat Fit choices at its facilities in Acadiana * LAFAYETTE, La. -Ochsner Health is making it easier for people in Acadiana to find and choose healthier food options by increasing the Ochsner Eat Fit items in its facilities and offering reduced prices of up to 50% off standard retail pricing and, in some cases, at cost. The d  more

Reason Foundation Issues Commentary: States React to Nitrous Oxide Deaths With Unnecessary, Unworkable Bans
LOS ANGELES, California, April 23 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following commentary on April 22, 2026, by senior policy fellow Hanna Liebman Dershowitz: * * * States react to nitrous oxide deaths with unnecessary, unworkable bans State legislatures truly concerned about teen safety should look beyond bans and embrace a regulatory approach that protects and educates consumers. * In recent years, prompted by concern about danger to teens amid an increase in incidents of deaths associat  more

Rep. Weber Announces Membership in Newly Launched Bipartisan Gulf South Business Caucus
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * Rep. Weber Announces Membership in Newly Launched Bipartisan Gulf South Business Caucus * Washington, D.C. \- Today, Congressman Randy Weber (TX-14) announced he is joining the Gulf South Business Caucus, a new bipartisan caucus focused on strengthening economic competitiveness, energy leadership, and industrial growth across the Gulf Coast region. The caucus, launched April 23, 2026, brings Members  more

Reps. Garcia, Tlaib, Ramirez Introduce Bill to Stop ICE's Warehouse Detention Prisons
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- Rep. Jesus Garcia, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Reps. Garcia, Tlaib, Ramirez Introduce Bill to Stop ICE's Warehouse Detention Prisons * WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Jesus "Chuy" Garcia (IL-04) joined Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), and 12 Members of Congress to introduce the Ban Warehouse Detention Act, which would prohibit the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including Immigration and Customs Enforcem  more

Rights Need to Guide Global Fossil Fuel Phaseout
NEW YORK, April 23 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news: * * * Rights Need to Guide Global Fossil Fuel Phaseout * People living near a coal plant in Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria breathe air so toxic they describe themselves as prisoners in their own homes. In Louisiana, communities along the petrochemical corridor known as Cancer Alley face some of the highest cancer rates in the United States. In Uganda and Tanzania, activists opposing the East African Crude O  more

Senator Murray Blasts Trump's Energy Budget as Skyrocketing Energy Costs Squeeze American Families
WASHINGTON, April 24 -- Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following news release on April 22, 2026: * * * OPENING REMARKS: Senator Murray Blasts Trump's Energy Budget as Skyrocketing Energy Costs Squeeze American Families ICYMI: Senator Murray on President Trump's FY27 Budget Request * Today - during a Senate Appropriations Energy and Water Development Subcommittee hearing on President Trump's fiscal year 2027 budget request for t  more

Southern Shrimp Alliance: U.S. Shrimp Industry, Food Producers Raise Alarm in Section 301 Investigations on Forced Labor and Excess Capacity
NEW PORT RICHEY, Florida, April 24 -- The Southern Shrimp Alliance issued the following news release on April 23, 2026: * * * U.S. Shrimp Industry, Food Producers Raise Alarm in Section 301 Investigations on Forced Labor and Excess Capacity Last week, the Office of the United States Trade Representative ("USTR") closed the public comment period in two of its Section 301 investigations examining: (1) Forced Labor: The failure of certain trading partners to prohibit and effectively enforce ban  more

Supreme Court Unanimously Rules in Favor of Chevron, Moving Climate Lawfare to Federal Court
WASHINGTON, April 23 [Category: Energy] -- The American Energy Alliance posted the following news release: * * * Supreme Court Unanimously Rules in Favor of Chevron, Moving Climate Lawfare to Federal Court * On April 17, 2026, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of Chevron in Chevron USA Inc. v. Plaquemines Parish, allowing the company to move a multimillion-dollar lawsuit tied to its WWII-era federal aviation fuel contract from state to federal court.  American Energy Alliance Pr  more

U.S. Supreme Court Reaffirms Broad Federal Officer Removal Protections in Landmark Decision, Cites AFL Amicus Brief On Behalf of U.S. Senators
WASHINGTON, April 23 [Category: Political] -- America First Legal, a civil rights organization, posted the following news release: * * * U.S. Supreme Court Reaffirms Broad Federal Officer Removal Protections in Landmark Decision, Cites AFL Amicus Brief On Behalf of U.S. Senators * In September 2025, America First Legal (AFL), partnering with Christopher Mills, filed an amicus brief on behalf of U.S. Senators Mike Lee, Ted Budd, Ted Cruz, John Cornyn, Cindy Hyde-Smith, and John Hoeven in Chev  more

USDA Designates 132 Texas Counties as Natural Disaster Areas and Three Louisiana Parishes
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency issued the following news release: * * * USDA Designates 132 Texas Counties as Natural Disaster Areas and Three Louisiana Parishes * This Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various  more

WESTERMAN AND COLLEAGUES LAUNCH BIPARTISAN GULF SOUTH BUSINESS CAUCUS TO DRIVE INVESTMENT, JOBS, ENERGY, AND MANUFACTURING LEADERSHIP ACROSS THE REGION
WASHINGTON, April 23 -- Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Arkansas, issued the following news release: * * * WESTERMAN AND COLLEAGUES LAUNCH BIPARTISAN GULF SOUTH BUSINESS CAUCUS TO DRIVE INVESTMENT, JOBS, ENERGY, AND MANUFACTURING LEADERSHIP ACROSS THE REGION * New Congressional caucus unites bipartisan Members from Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas to advance shared priorities on energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, and industrial growth Today, Congressman Bruce Westerman (R-A  more