Kennedy announces $2 million to support bird habitats in southeast Louisiana and Vermilion Parish
Sep 23 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $2 million in funding from the Department of Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to support wetland conservation efforts and bird populations in southeast Louisiana and Vermilion Parish.
“I am pleased to see these resources flow into southeast Louisiana and Vermilion Parish to support bird habitats. Louisiana is an outdoorsman’s paradise, so it is important we prioritize conservation practices in our wetlands for the sake of our land, resources and economy,” said Kennedy.
FWS awarded $1 million to aid conservation education and practice, outdoor recreation and bird population in 4,885 acres in southeast Louisiana. The fowl species benefiting from this practice include black rail, brown pelican and bald eagle.
FWS also awarded $1 million for marsh enhancement in Vermilion Parish. This award will cover 5,211 acres for conservation and supporting the bird population.
These grants are congruent with the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. This program is the only program of its kind supported by federal funds. Awards will be matched by partners of the program.
Kennedy, Hagerty introduce legislation to subject CFPB to regular Congressional appropriations process
Sep 22 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) in introducing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Accountability Act of 2021 to bring fiscal accountability to the CFPB. The legislation comes as Senate Democrats advanced the nomination of Rohit Chopra to be CFPB Director for final confirmation.
“The bureaucratic state is always trying to increase its power and decrease its accountability to the Americans it’s supposed to serve. CFPB bureaucrats don’t rely on elected officials in Congress for funding—which means the bureau isn’t accountable to American taxpayers in key ways. That needs to change,” said Kennedy.
“Should Democrats choose to confirm President Biden’s radical nominee, who has dodged questions throughout the confirmation process and is likely to continue the anti-job-creation, unaccountable CFPB conduct of the Obama Administration, the CFPB must be required to go through the regular congressional appropriations process to ensure public accountability. As a lifelong businessman, protecting consumers in the financial marketplace is important, but handing vast government regulatory power to an agency that is not accountable to the American people’s elected representatives is improper. Americans deserve to have far greater input in this agency,” said Hagerty.
Currently, the Federal Reserve is responsible for funding the CFPB. This unusual arrangement allows the CFPB to avoid fiscal accountability to elected officials in Congress. This bill would make the CFPB accountable to taxpayers by requiring Congress, not the Federal Reserve, to fund the bureau’s budget.
Kennedy and Edwards meet with Collins, ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing and Urban Development.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards today met with Sens. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) to discuss federal disaster aid for Louisiana in order to help the state recover from Hurricanes Ida, Nicholas, Laura, Delta and Zeta.
“Our people are desperate, and we have to help them. It’s that simple. The fact that Louisiana stands strong in the wreckage of category 4 storms doesn’t mean we should stand alone. Our state sends a lot of tax dollars to Washington, and Louisianians need a little help now. I’m thankful that Sens. Shelby and Collins took the time today for the governor and me to outline Louisiana’s needs for the Senate Appropriations Committee,” said Kennedy.
Kennedy and Edwards meet with Shelby, ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Shelby is the top Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Collins is the lead Republican on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing and Urban Development. Kennedy has noted that one of the greatest needs Louisianians have following Hurricane Ida is long-term housing.
Kennedy, Cassidy, Menendez oppose FEMA plan to hike Louisianians’ flood insurance costs
Sep 22 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and fellow senators in calling on Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell to delay a government plan that would hike Louisianians’ flood insurance premiums.
“We write to urgently request that you delay the new Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Flood Insurance [Program] (NFIP) rating system known as Risk Rating 2.0, which is scheduled to go into effect for new policies on October 1, 2021. . . . we have serious concerns [about how] the program has thus far been constructed, presented and begun to be implemented and more significantly troubled by reports that nearly 80% of policyholders will see premium increases nationwide,” the senators wrote.
“It is our understanding that internal analysis shows that FEMA estimates roughly 900,000 policyholders, or nearly 20% of all policyholders, will drop out of the program over the next 10 years in large part due to unaffordable premiums under Risk Rating 2.0. In light of this information, we are extremely concerned about the administration’s decision to proceed forward with the implementation of this program without first determining an alternative that avoids the prospect that hundreds of thousands of families will be inclined to forfeit flood insurance on their homes,” the senators explained.
“We are entering the height of hurricane season, and tens of thousands of Americans have already faced destruction of their homes and livelihoods by Hurricane Ida alone. Tragically, this historic storm led to at least 84 deaths and caused tens of billions in unmet needs and property damage,” the senators continued.
The senators expressed several other concerns about Risk Rating 2.0, including the likelihood that NFIP providers would be overburdened with the responsibility of learning a new, untested rating system and the possibility that the NFIP’s reputation could suffer, hurting the integrity and long-term solvency of the program.
“Given these uncertainties, we request that you delay implementation of Risk Rating 2.0 immediately in order to provide time for full Congressional oversight, coordination and correct and transparent implementation,” the senators concluded.
Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) also signed the letter.
Kennedy has consistently opposed Risk Rating 2.0:
- On August 5, 2021, Kennedy wrote to FEMA asking questions about the transparency, affordability and efficiency of Risk Rating 2.0.
- On June 17, 2021, Kennedy questioned David Maurstad, Senior Executive of the NFIP at FEMA, about Risk Rating 2.0.
- On June 7, 2021, Kennedy introduced the Flood Insurance Fairness Act to stop the Biden administration from unilaterally making changes to the National Flood Insurance Program that would raise premiums for Louisianians affected by flooding.
- On April 16, 2021, Kennedy wrote to Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) of the Senate Banking Committee, requesting a hearing to examine Risk Rating 2.0.
Kennedy has also introduced legislation to extend the National Flood Insurance Program for one year, to Sept. 30, 2022. Without that extension, the NFIP will expire at the end of this month. Kennedy’s efforts to extend the NFIP in 2018 and 2019 both became law.
The letter is available here.
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today wrote to AT&T Chief Executive Officer John Stankey condemning AT&T’s failure to maintain its network in Louisiana when Hurricane Ida hit.
“I write to you today regarding AT&T’s failure to maintain network operations during Hurricane Ida, including the emergency first responder call systems that so many parishes and cities rely on that AT&T exclusively serves. As you know, on Sunday, August 29th, Hurricane Ida made landfall in southeast Louisiana as a Category 4 storm. When Hurricane Ida hit, AT&T’s network—including the First Responder Network (FirstNet)—failed. Countless Louisianans were left without the ability to complete calls or send texts,” wrote Kennedy.
“The failure of AT&T’s network impacted people from all across the state, with at least four parishes reporting 911 systems being down. When Louisianans tried to make calls to 911 the calls couldn’t be completed. When loved ones tried to contact family and friends they couldn’t. Residents even lacked the ability to send and receive life-saving updates. This is unacceptable, especially when contrasted with widespread reports of competitor networks faring better,” Kennedy continued.
“It is my understanding that AT&T is the service provider for all 911 call centers in Louisiana. Further, it is my understanding that AT&T was awarded a 25-year, $6.5 billion contract to build and maintain a nationwide network for public safety—FirstNet. . . . FirstNet promised to absolutely ensure communications services for first responders during the most serious and unprecedented disasters. Unfortunately, emergency calls didn’t make it to first responders and there is widespread acknowledgment from government officials and emergency responders that much of the call routing technology they rely on is antiquated and in need of replacement or upgrade,” said Kennedy.
Kennedy asked AT&T why its network suffered greater outages than its competitors, how much money AT&T invested in deploying and expanding FirstNet coverage in Louisiana over the past five years and what AT&T is doing to improve its network resiliency, among other questions.
“It will be weeks before a full assessment of Hurricane Ida’s damage will be available. However, what we do know is that when Louisiana needed AT&T most, AT&T failed,” Kennedy concluded.
Text of the letter is available here.
Kennedy, Cortez Masto introduce legislation to help Louisianians recover from natural disasters
Sep 14 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) in introducing the Filing Relief for Natural Disasters Act to provide relief for taxpayers in states that have issued state-level disaster declarations. Currently, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has the authority to postpone tax filing deadlines following a presidentially-declared federal disaster, but not following the declaration of a state-level emergency.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) also cosponsored the legislation.
“It seems like Louisianians have been hit with all the storms nature has to offer, and we need all the help we can get to recover, and that includes extensions for filing taxes. Since Louisiana can’t always rely on Washington to get us the relief we need when we need it, this bill would make sure that Louisianians get the tax extensions necessary for rebuilding after our state declares a natural disaster. I’m thankful to partner with Sen. Cortez Masto on this effort,” said Kennedy.
“Nevadans shouldn’t be denied tax relief after experiencing wildfires just because the state doesn’t receive a federally recognized disaster declaration. Nevadans across the state have been affected by major wildfires in the west, and my legislation would ensure that any taxpayer feeling the impact of a natural disaster can access vital tax relief so our communities are able to recover,” said Cortez Masto.
“When disaster strikes, Marylanders need immediate financial flexibility to rebuild and recover. This legislation will help ensure that—even when a federal disaster has not been declared. I’ll be working with my colleagues to pass this common-sense, bipartisan bill,” said Senator Van Hollen.
The Filing Relief for Natural Disasters Act would allow the governor of a state or territory to extend a federal tax filing deadline following a state-declared emergency or disaster instead of waiting for a federally-declared disaster. This means that states would have the ability to provide tax relief independent of the federal government’s involvement in an emergency or natural disaster.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today introduced the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Extension Act of 2021 to extend the program for one year, to Sept. 30, 2022. Without that extension, the NFIP will expire at the end of this month.
Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) are original cosponsors of the legislation.
“Louisiana families need the NFIP to rebuild their homes and businesses after destructive floods. The wreckage from Hurricane Ida is a powerful reminder of just how much Louisianians, and families throughout the country, desperately depend on flood insurance to protect their greatest investments. It’s vital that we extend this program by another year as Tropical Storm Nicholas is expected to bring significant flooding on the heels of Hurricane Ida,” said Kennedy.
More than 5 million families and businesses depend on the NFIP, including roughly 500,000 in Louisiana.
Text of the NFIP Extension Act of 2021 is available here.
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today asked Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Deanne Bennett Criswell to extend the September 12th deadline of the Critical Needs Assistance (CNA) program in the wake of Hurricane Ida.
Hurricane Ida left many Louisianians without the means to apply for aid. The hurricane caused more than 1 million people to lose power, and electricity still has not been restored in many homes.
“Without a deadline extension, residents will not be able to apply for and receive vital aid related to urgent needs as a result of Hurricane Ida—this includes financial assistance for food, water, medicines and temporary housing,” Kennedy wrote.
CNA offers financial assistance to individuals displaced from their homes and have immediate need for critical supplies such as food, water, medicine, fuel and other essentials. The program issues a one-time $500 payment per eligible household.
“I thank FEMA for their continued relief efforts, and I remain ready to work together to ensure Louisiana residents are getting the aid they need,” Kennedy concluded.
Text of the letter is available here.
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) traveled to Houma, Thibodaux and LaPlace to visit with and deliver supplies to victims of Hurricane Ida. Kennedy also met with local officials and church leaders to discuss what help Louisianians need after the hurricane.
“The destruction in south Louisiana is devastating. Churches and neighbors are helping meet immediate needs on the ground, but people are going to need housing in the long term. The role of government isn’t to run our lives—it’s to protect people and property, and that’s what we need help doing right now in Louisiana. The men and women I talked with here are tough, but I’ve never seen the kind of damage Hurricane Ida caused. I’ll keep hounding Washington to make sure communities like Houma, Thibodaux and LaPlace get the aid they need to get Louisianians back on their feet,” said Kennedy.
Kennedy delivered supplies and spent time hearing from Hurricane Ida victims in Houma, Thibodaux and LaPlace on Tuesday.
Kennedy recently conducted a helicopter tour of south Louisiana to see Hurricane Ida’s damage firsthand.
Kennedy also wrote to President Biden to alert him to the need for urgent disaster relief for Louisiana and met with the president in person to discuss ways to help Louisiana recover.
Background on Kennedy’s response to historic hurricanes:
- On August 2, Kennedy offered an amendment to the Senate’s infrastructure bill providing $1.1 billion in disaster relief to Louisianians recovering from Hurricanes Laura, Delta and Zeta. The Senate blocked the amendment.
- On July 21, Kennedy joined Louisiana’s congressional delegation in urging the Office of Management and Budget to prioritize Louisiana’s request for supplemental disaster relief.
- On July 15, Kennedy introduced and asked the Senate to pass the Gulf Coast Hurricane Aid Act of 2021. The bill would provide $1.1 billion in disaster relief to Louisianians recovering from historic storms. The Senate blocked the bill’s passage.
- On May 20, Kennedy spoke directly with Housing and Urban Development Secretary (HUD) Marcia Fudge about supplemental disaster relief for Louisiana.
- On May 19, Kennedy pressed HUD for answers about why the White House has been silent on providing disaster relief to southwest Louisiana.
- On May 18, Kennedy again urged President Biden to provide supplemental disaster relief for southwest Louisiana.
- On May 13, Kennedy helped introduce the Disaster Assistance for Rural Communities Act, which would allow rural homeowners, renters and small businesses to access disaster relief more easily in the wake of a natural disaster.
- In September 2020, Kennedy wrote to Senate leadership, Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), to request that the Senate consider emergency supplemental aid to help Louisiana residents recover from Hurricane Laura.
BATON ROUGE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), together with Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Reps. Clay Higgins (R-La.), Steve Scalise (R-La.), Mike Johnson (R-La.), Garret Graves (R-La.), Julia Letlow (R-La.) and Troy Carter (D-La.), today wrote to President Joe Biden alerting him to the need for disaster relief funds to help Louisiana recover from historic storm damage.
“Hurricane Ida moved slowly through Louisiana causing catastrophic wind damage and flooding in numerous parishes and leaving nearly 1,000,000 people statewide without electricity, which experts say it will take weeks to restore. At this time, many communities remain without access to drinking water, food, gasoline, and basic needs, while temperatures remain in excess of 100 degrees,” the lawmakers wrote.
“The full extent of Louisiana’s damages have not yet been determined and will likely not be fully known until after immediate matters of public safety are addressed. Further, Hurricane Ida is not the only disaster to strike Louisiana in the past year. In fact, a record breaking five named storms—Cristóbal, Marco, Laura, Delta, and Zeta—hammered Louisiana within the past year resulting in dozens of lives lost and billions of dollars in damages,” the lawmakers continued.
The legislators pointed out that many communities across Southwest and Central Louisiana, such as Lake Charles, Lafayette, Leesville and Alexandria, among others, are still waiting for disaster funding from the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program.
“As such, we are writing you now to alert you to the need for Congress to provide emergency supplemental appropriations to address Hurricane Ida and the storms from last year, as was done following Hurricane Katrina. Without substantial and robust emergency appropriations from Congress to critical unmet needs accounts like the CDBG-DR program, Louisiana families will continue to languish as a result of these devastating storms,” the lawmakers continued.
The letter is available here.
