WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R.-La) today asked Health and Human Services Sec. Alex Azar to aggressively pursue implementing work requirements for able-bodied Medicaid recipients.

Click here to watch the exchange. 

Highlights:

Medicaid Statistics: “I have seen numbers that show of the 70 million people on Medicaid, 28 million aren’t elderly or disabled and they still aren’t working.  We spend about $150 billion a year to take care of these people that could have a job.  Many of these folks would like to know the dignity of work, but they need a little help getting that job.”

Work Requirements: “We need to put together a program not to throw people out in the cold, but to say let us help you get a job.  It’s better for our fellow Americans to know the dignity of work, and it’s better for the American taxpayer.  The Administration needs to loudly and aggressively say that the free market will lift you out of poverty. I understand that the President is busy now, so we need you and CMS to take the lead on it.”

State Participation: “We are going to help people know the dignity of work. We need a program that is not optional for the states. My governor doesn’t want to do it.  I believe in more freedom, and he believes in more free stuff.  I am not criticizing him; I am just describing him.  This program should not be optional for governors.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) urged members of the Louisiana Legislature today to pause action on House Bill 553, which would authorize an extension of the state’s contract with Harrah’s New Orleans Casino and lock in annual payments to the state.  News reports indicate Harrah’s is considering selling the property.  The state could unwittingly increase Harrah’s selling price by extending the contract without receiving adequate compensation for taxpayers.

Harrah’s signed an agreement in October to allow Vici Properties to buy its New Orleans casino, hotel and parking garage.  Meanwhile, Harrah’s wants an extension of its contract with the state.  That contract – which doesn’t expire for another six years – gives Harrah’s the exclusive right to have a land-based casino in New Orleans.  The agreement with Vici only recently became public knowledge.

“In light of the new information reported in The Advocate, the Legislature needs to put the contract extension on pause.  The contract doesn’t expire for another six years anyway, and the state could be leaving money on the table by making a deal on a property that is about to explode in value,” said Sen. Kennedy.  “Harrah’s Vici agreement is a surprise that could shortchange the state.  Eighteen years ago, I was on a commission to study whether Harrah’s should pay millions less in taxes because of cash flow problems.  I wanted the state to get Harrah’s stock options in exchange for lowering Harrah’s payments.  I was out-voted.  Subsequently, Harrah’s stock value went up.”

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Sen. Kennedy: ‘Citigroup and Bank of America want to treat our people like Hillary Clinton’s deplorables while happily raking in our taxpayer money.’

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) applauded six members of the State Bond Commission - State Treasurer John Schroder, Attorney General Jeff Landry, House Speaker Taylor Barras and state Reps. Blake Miguez, Stephen Dwight and Raymond J. Crews -today for their votes to protect the Second Amendment rights of Louisiana citizens.

The State Bond Commission tried to block the state from doing business with Citigroup and Bank of America, whose anti-gun policies stand to impact more than 1,400 small businesses across Louisiana.  Gov. John Bel Edwards introduced a substitute motion that will allow the banks to continue receiving taxpayer money while trampling on Second Amendment rights. Six members of the State Bond Commission voted against the substitute motion and in favor of holding Citigroup and Bank of America accountable for their anti-gun policies.  Unfortunately, the substitute motion passed.

“Citigroup and Bank of America want to treat the people of Louisiana like Hillary Clinton’s deplorables while happily raking in our taxpayer money.  Gov. Edwards apparently is fine with letting Wall Street have it both ways,” said Sen. Kennedy.  “Gov. Edwards needs to explain to every Louisiana gun owner, gun business and supporter of the Second Amendment why he thinks Wall Street banks shouldn’t be held accountable for their anti-gun policies.  He let them off scot-free today even though the CEOs of Citigroup and Bank of America couldn’t even be bothered to come to Louisiana and explain their policies.  But those bank officials certainly showed up to take financial bailouts from the American public.”

Sen. Kennedy previously sent letters to the State Bond Commission and Gov. Edwards on this issue. The letters can be found HERE.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) today introduced the Social Media Privacy and Consumer Rights Act of 2018.  Their bill will protect consumers’ online privacy and data by improving transparency, strengthening consumers’ recourse options when a data breach occurs and ensuring companies are compliant with privacy policies that protect consumers.

Specifically, the legislation:

• Requires terms of service agreements to be in plain language,
• Ensures users have the ability to see what information about them has already been collected and shared,
• Provides users greater access to and control over their data,
• Gives consumers the right to opt out and keep their information private by disabling data tracking and collection,
• Mandates that users be notified of a privacy violation within 72 hours,
• Offers remedies for users when a privacy violation occurs,
• Requires that online platforms have a privacy program in place.

“I don’t want to hurt Facebook, and I don’t want to regulate them half to death, either. But I have a job to do, and that’s protecting the rights and privacy of our citizens,” said Sen. Kennedy.  “Our bill gives consumers more control over their private data, requires user agreements to be written in plain English and requires companies to notify users of privacy violations.  These are just simple steps that online platforms should have implemented in the first place.” 

“Every day companies profit off of the data they’re collecting from Americans, yet leave consumers completely in the dark about how their personal information, online behavior, and private messages are being used,” Sen. Klobuchar said.  “Consumers should have the right to control their personal data and that means allowing them to opt out of having their data collected and tracked and alerting them within 72 hours when a privacy violation occurs and their personal information may be compromised.  The digital space can’t keep operating like the Wild West at the expense of our privacy.”