WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) called today for Gov. John Bel Edwards to drop his petty vendetta against Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator and appoint Prator’s wife to the Red River Waterway Commission.
A Democratic state senator told the news media that Edwards blocked Carolyn Prator’s nomination because her husband criticized the governor’s criminal justice reform efforts. Carolyn Prator was the unanimous choice for the appointment and offers impeccable credentials.
“In politics, you can’t make it personal, especially when it comes to someone’s spouse and kids. You always need to put the people’s interests first,” said Sen. Kennedy. “Criminal justice reform has been a disaster, but the governor shouldn’t take it out on a respected professional who has a wealth of experience in flood control funding decisions. That is simply reprehensible. The Red River Waterway Commission works with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to sustain the Red River as an economic engine in seven parishes. I don’t want the commission mixed up in Huey Long-style politics because the governor is mad. He needs to appoint Mrs. Prator and allow her to work for the people of this state.”
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Members of U.S. Sen. John Kennedy’s (R-La.) staff will host an informational meeting Saturday in Baton Rouge for prospective applicants to the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy or the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.
The event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Capitol Park Museum, 660 N. Fourth St., in downtown Baton Rouge. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.
It is absolutely free to attend Academy Day. Family members can accompany prospective applicants to the event.
“I’m honored that so many people want to serve our great country. They make Louisiana proud,” said Sen. Kennedy. “Academy Day is an opportunity to find out more about attending the finest academies in the U.S. You can ask 150 questions if you want.”
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Sen. Kennedy (R-La.): More Than 4,000 Flood Victims At Risk Of Losing Recovery Assistance
Sep 07 2018
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today urged homeowners impacted by the 2016 Louisiana flooding to submit applications for recovery assistance by the end of the month.
More than 4,000 homeowners submitted initial paperwork but neglected to turn in completed applications. They risk losing the opportunity for recovery assistance through the Restore Louisiana Homeowner Assistance Program unless their applications are submitted by Oct. 1.
To reach Restore Louisiana, visit http://restore.la.gov/.
“The flooding devastated homeowners across Louisiana. It touched nearly every parish,” said Sen. Kennedy. “I don’t want you to lose the opportunity for help to recover and rebuild. If you flooded, then you need to apply for assistance. Apply even if you think you don’t meet the qualifications. These funds exist to help you.”
Dear Senator John Kennedy:
Thank you for your ongoing efforts and service in helping survivors rebuild and recover from the devastating floods of 2016. We are reaching out to inform you that the Restore Louisiana Homeowner Assistance Program has set a deadline of October 1, 2018 for homeowners to submit an application for flood recovery assistance. This deadline only applies to just under 4,100 qualified homeowners who have submitted the initial program survey, were invited to apply and have not yet submitted their formal application.
At this time, I am requesting your assistance in ensuring the eligible homeowners in your district who were impacted by the March and/or August floods of 2016 are aware of the approaching application deadline. Our records indicate that there are 4045 homeowners in the state who qualify and have not yet completed their application. Because the Program will be unable to consider homeowners for future assistance who have not submitted an application by the October 1 deadline, regardless of any future change in policy, we are urging them to act soon. We are also underway with outreach efforts including emails, text messages, phone calls, and mailers to this targeted set of qualified homeowners.
If your office is willing to contact these homeowners who are potentially eligible for the Program, please contact us to request the list of names and we will facilitate your efforts for outreach.
Since 2016, our state has made great strides as we moved from immediate response efforts to long-term recovery, but we still have a long way to go. We’ve already processed 92% of all applications and anticipate that we will process all applications by the end of the year. To date, the Restore Homeowner Assistance Program has offered over $473 million in grant funds to more than 13,900 homeowners to repair or reconstruct their flood-damaged homes. We’ve successfully provided funds to homeowners faster than any other homeowner recovery program in the nation and we continue to increase our speed and efficiency in getting much-needed dollars in the hands of those still working to recover.
Furthermore, Governor John Bel Edwards has been working steadfastly with Louisiana’s Congressional Delegation, the Restore Louisiana Task Force, and the Office of Community Development to change the federal policies related to the Small Business Administration (SBA) loans that have created a duplication of benefits (DOB) penalty preventing roughly 10,000 flood-impacted Louisianans from participating in the Restore Program whether they accepted all, some, or none of the loans. We continue to closely track all legislation related to potential changes in how SBA loans are considered a DOB and currently await further clarification and guidance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to understand how language passed in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 or future legislation may affect the program.
Thank you in advance for helping to make your constituents aware of the upcoming deadline. We appreciate your efforts to provide safer, stronger, and more resilient communities for the people of Louisiana.
Sincerely,
Pat Forbes
Executive Director
Office of Community Development
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Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) Announces He Will Vote to Confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court
Sep 07 2018
WASHINGTON, D.C. – After four days of questioning in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) announced his support to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court.
“After the hearing, I am going to vote happily and proudly to confirm him,” said Sen. Kennedy. “There’s no question in my mind that he has the intellect to be a Supreme Court justice. He’s breathtakingly smart. I don’t know that I’ve seen anybody with a better command of the law.”
To hear the full statement click here or the photo below.
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Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) Announces $2.27 Million in Grants for Louisiana Community Health Centers
Sep 07 2018
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Appropriations Committee, announced $2.27 million in grants today for community health centers in the cities of Shreveport, New Iberia, Alexandria, Opelousas, Luling, Lake Charles and Franklin. The grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will help fund community health centers affected by natural disasters.
“Louisiana frequently copes with the aftermath of hurricanes and natural disasters. These grants will help many Louisiana communities recover and be better prepared to respond to future disasters,” said Sen. Kennedy. “Community health centers provide essential primary health care services, and this funding will help keep these in operation.”
The grants, including amounts:
- Shreveport received $337,400 for CASSE Dental Health Institute
- New Iberia received $337,400 for Iberia Comprehensive Community Health Center
- Alexandria received $337, 400 for Rapides Primary Health Care Center
- Opelousas received $249,098 for the Southwest Louisiana Primary Health Care Center
- Luling received $337,400 for St. Charles Community Health Center
- Lake Charles received $337,400 for SWLA Center for Health Services
- Franklin received $337,400 for The Teche Action Board
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Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) Continues Questioning of Supreme Court Nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh
Sep 06 2018
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee resumed its questioning of U.S. Supreme Court nominee, Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh. U.S. Senator John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Judiciary Committee, asked Judge Kavanaugh more questions today about past precedent, judicial opinions and Judge Kavanaugh’s commitment to diversity in law clerk hiring.
Click here or the photo below to watch Sen. Kennedy question Judge Kavanaugh:
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) questioned Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, the nominee to be the next associate justice for the U.S. Supreme Court, in the Senate Judiciary Committee this evening.
“You have been nominated for the most powerful, un-elected position in the most powerful country in all of human history,” Sen. Kennedy told Judge Kavanaugh. “There is no margin for error. We’ve gotta get this right.”
Click here or the photo below to watch Sen. Kennedy question Judge Kavanaugh:
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Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) Gives Opening Statement on SCOTUS Nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh
Sep 04 2018
“I want someone who is willing to protect the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights and understands that the Bill of Rights is not an a la carte menu.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, in the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) delivered his opening statement on Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
Click here or the photo below to watch Sen. Kennedy’s full remarks:
What Sen. Kennedy is seeking in a Supreme Court justice: I want a judge. I don’t want a politician. I am not looking for an ideologue. I’m not looking for a hater. What I am looking for is somebody who is whip-smart, who is intellectually curious, who writes cleanly and crisply, who knows what a semicolon is for and who is willing to protect the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights and understands that the Bill of Rights is not an a la carte menu.
Anger is dividing this country: We’ve been divided before and we’ll be divided again. We will survive this, but I confess that the division in our country today seems to be especially sharp. And what concerns me so much about the division is the basis for it. It’s not honest disagreement. So much of it is anger.
Judges aren’t there to bypass the ballot: It’s not the United States Supreme Court that’s supposed to fix this country culturally, economically, socially, spiritually. It’s almost become cliché, but the role of a judge is - or at least should be – to determine what the law is and not what the law ought to be. Judges are not put there to try to bypass the ballot. Courts should not try to fix problems that are within the province of the United States Congress.
Leave politics out of it: So many Americans believe that the law, which I think all of us revere, has just become politics pursued in another way. That’s not the way it’s supposed to be. That’s not what I’m looking for.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced the U.S. Senate’s confirmation of Peter Strasser for U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
“Peter has an impressive resume and the trial experience needed to lead this office,” said Sen. Kennedy. “He is a seasoned prosecutor who will smoothly transition into the job. I congratulate him on his confirmation.”
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WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Sens. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.) applauded the U.S. Senate’s confirmation of Barry Ashe for U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
“Barry is well-qualified to serve as a U.S. District Judge in Louisiana, and I know he’s ready to get to work,” said Sen. Kennedy. “I congratulate Barry on his confirmation. He brings an impressive amount of legal experience to the bench. I know he will serve well.”
“Mr. Ashe’s qualifications and professionalism made him an obvious choice for this position,” said Dr. Cassidy. “I want to congratulate Barry and his family, and I’m certain he will do well in his new role.”
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