WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Jim Carroll, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, met with local leaders in New Orleans today to discuss Louisiana’s opioid addiction problem.

Opioids contribute to the deaths of hundreds of people across Louisiana every year.  In 2017, more than half of opioid-related deaths were in the parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, St. Tammany and East Baton Rouge.

“Opioid addiction kills 70,000 people a year in the U.S.  It’s destroying families, ruining careers and cutting lives short.  It’s not an exaggeration to say addiction is a crisis in this country,” said Sen. Kennedy.  “Director Carroll is on the front lines of the battle against opioid addiction, and I’m so thankful that he took the time to come to Louisiana and talk to local leaders.  We’re working on solutions, including holding China’s feet to the fire on stopping the flow of illicit fentanyl to this country.  This is an epidemic that we can cure.”

“Communities large and small across Louisiana have been devastated by the crisis of addiction in America,” U.S. Drug Czar Jim Carroll said. “As part of the Trump Administration’s whole-of-government approach, we are bringing together those on the front lines of this fight to ensure our efforts are effective in tackling this crisis. I appreciate Sen. Kennedy’s invitation to see firsthand the issue affecting so many people in Louisiana.  I commend Senator Kennedy’s leadership on this issue and his commitment to curbing illicit drug use, cracking down on the flow of these deadly drugs coming into our country, and getting those struggling with addiction the help they need.  It was a pleasure to be with him today and learn more about the tremendous work being done here at the state and local level to save American lives.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement today in response to special counsel Robert Mueller’s public statement:

“I’ve said from the beginning that if Mr. Mueller had something he still needed to say, then he should say it in front of Congress and the American people,” said Sen. Kennedy. “I agree with him that his report speaks for itself.   Most Americans who wanted to read the report have read it, and they have drawn their own conclusions.  Congress needs to move on and accept Mueller’s findings once and for all.  Now it’s time for Congress to do its job serving the American people.” 

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today issued the following statement on reports that special counsel Robert Mueller wants to make a public opening statement to the House Judiciary Committee but deliver the rest of his testimony behind closed doors:

“I understand that Mr. Mueller doesn’t want it to become a media circus if he decides to testify, but the American public has a right to hear directly from him.  His investigation cost the American taxpayers more than $25 million.  They don’t want a filtered version of his testimony spun by members of Congress with partisan agendas,” said Sen. Kennedy.  “I have great confidence in the American people.  They may not read Aristotle every day because they’re busy earning a living and raising their children, but they have good judgment.  Let them hear his full testimony and draw their own conclusions.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) filed a package of bills Thursday that will address many of the loopholes in the U.S. immigration system.

As part of the package, Sen. Kennedy re-introduced a bill to end the State Department’s diversity visa lottery program.  This program currently distributes 50,000 visas every year at random with no consideration of employment, family relation or need. According to reports, at least six terror-linked foreigners have entered the U.S. through this program.

Sen. Kennedy also introduced legislation that will make the penalty for overstaying a visa the same as the penalty for illegally entering the country. The penalty would be a criminal misdemeanor subject to a fine of up to $3,000, imprisonment up to one year or both. Nearly 50% of illegal immigration stems from visa overstays, and there is currently no criminal penalty addressing this violation

Finally, Sen. Kennedy joined Sens. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.) in introducing the Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act.  This legislation will ban sanctuary city policies that forbid local law enforcement officials from complying with federal immigration laws.  The legislation will also deny sanctuary cities taxpayer-backed federal grant money until they make changes to their dangerous policies.

“We need effective immigration laws that look like they were designed on purpose,” said Sen. Kennedy. “This package of bills contains simple solutions to ongoing issues with our immigration system in the United States.  Our immigration system is at a breaking point, and it’s about time we take action.” 

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