“The federal and state governments are working together day and night to respond to this pandemic. This funding will help reimburse Louisiana for the money spent on resources to combat this virus.”
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on Homeland Security, today announced a $55,718,685 FEMA grant to help the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness respond to the coronavirus outbreak in Louisiana.
“The federal and state governments are working together day and night to respond to this pandemic. This funding will help reimburse Louisiana for the money spent on resources to combat this virus,” said Kennedy.
President Donald Trump declared a major disaster in Louisiana on March 24, 2020. The grant is authorized under the Robert T. Stafford Act.
Sen. Kennedy announces $475 million in immediate CARES Act relief for Louisiana health care providers
Apr 10 2020
“This $475 million of HHS funding will help our state’s health care providers keep their doors wide open to our families and neighbors. Now isn’t the time to cut care or cut corners, and I’m glad to see the CARES Act in action.”
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, today announced $474,891,735 in Health and Human Services (HHS) funding. This support will help 4,944 health care providers that have been responding to the coronavirus crisis in Louisiana.
“Doctors, nurses and emergency medical technicians at Louisiana hospitals have saved countless lives. This $475 million of HHS funding will help our state’s health care providers keep their doors wide open to our families and neighbors. Now isn’t the time to cut care or cut corners, and I’m glad to see the CARES Act in action,” said Kennedy.
These payments are part of HHS’s immediate delivery of $30 billion to health providers on the front lines of the pandemic. These funds are not loans and do not need to be repaid. Delivery of this money begins today.
Overall, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act provides $100 billion in relief funding connected to health care costs and lost revenue resulting from the coronavirus.
Additional information about this CARES Act relief funding is available here.
“Communities across Louisiana are fighting this virus with everything they’ve got, and this funding will help us safeguard the health of workers and families across our state.”
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $8.3 million in grant funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration to support various medical projects around Louisiana, including coronavirus relief.
“Communities across Louisiana are fighting this virus with everything they’ve got, and this funding will help us safeguard the health of workers and families across our state,” said Kennedy.
Projects include:
- $6,313,741 will help fund an HIV emergency relief project in New Orleans.
- $92,042 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for Access Health Louisiana.
- $91,200 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for Marillac Community Health Centers.
- $76,080 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for the Iberia Comprehensive Community Health Center.
- $73,707 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for the St. Thomas Community Health Center.
- $72,222 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for the SWLA Center for Health Services.
- $70,659 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for the Teche Action Board.
- $67,062 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for RKM Primary Care.
- $65,355 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for the Primary Health Services Center.
- $64,311 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for the NO/AIDS Task Force.
- $64,039 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for the David Raines Community Health Center.
- $62,797 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for Jefferson Community Health Care Centers.
- $62,565 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for Catahoula Parish Hospital District No. 2.
- $62,276 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for the Winn Community Health Center.
- $60,651 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for the Capitol City Family Health Center.
- $60,446 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for the Rapides Primary Health Care Center.
- $60,164 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for Southeast Community Health Systems.
- $59,334 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for HIV/AIDS Alliance for Region Two.
- $59,225 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for the Start Corporation.
- $58,206 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for Morehouse Community Medical Centers.
- $58,129 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for the Southwest Louisiana Primary Health Care Center.
- $57,424 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for the Outpatient Medical Center.
- $56,618 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for the Innis Community Health Center.
- $56,220 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for the city of New Orleans.
- $55,579 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for Richland Parish.
- $55,394 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for the Jefferson Parish Human Services Authority.
- $54,887 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for Baptist Community Health Services.
- $54,710 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for the MQVN Community Development Corporation.
- $53,119 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for the Tensas Community Health Center.
- $52,567 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for Baton Rouge Primary Care Collaborative.
- $52,326 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for Odyssey House Louisiana.
- $52,192 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for the Common Ground Health Clinic.
- $51,178 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for Priority Health Care.
- $50,464 will help fund supplemental coronavirus relief for Plaquemines Parish Hospital Service District No. 1.
Kennedy and Louisiana delegation ask Agriculture Secretary to Apply CARES Act to crawfish industry
Apr 08 2020
“The crawfish industry is a critical part of Louisiana’s economy and culture. . . . I hope the Department of Agriculture will provide assistance to our crawfish producers so Americans can keep enjoying Louisiana fare while we preserve Louisiana jobs.”
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sens. John Kennedy (R-La) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) joined Reps. Ralph Abraham (R-La.), Garret Graves (R-La.), Clay Higgins (R-La.), Mike Johnson (R-La.), Cedric Richmond (D-La.) and Steve Scalise (R-La.) today in asking Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to assist America’s crawfish industry as it struggles from the effects of the coronavirus.
“The crawfish industry is a critical part of Louisiana’s economy and culture. It supplies the entire nation with one of mother nature’s tastiest foods. I hope the Department of Agriculture will provide assistance to our crawfish producers so Americans can keep enjoying Louisiana fare while we preserve Louisiana jobs,” said Kennedy.
The U.S. crawfish industry is largely seasonal. It relies heavily on direct-to-consumer markets, such as restaurants, large social gatherings, caterers, festivals and farmers markets. The industry has lost business under government orders to close restaurants to dine-in customers and CDC limitations on social gatherings.
Without federal assistance, the short-term losses caused directly by the coronavirus pandemic could hurt the long-term health of the industry. The delegation therefore urged Secretary Perdue to consider strongly assisting the domestic crawfish industry under the CARES Act.
Congress last month allocated $9.5 billion in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act for the Department of Agriculture to support agricultural producers affected by the coronavirus. The crawfish industry contributes about $350 million to Louisiana’s economy and could see a 60 percent loss in market value by the peak of the season.
The letter is available here.
Kennedy, Cassidy, Johnson urge Federal Bureau of Prisons to take immediate action at Oakdale Prison
Apr 07 2020
“What goes on at this federal prison affects inmates, staff and the broader Oakdale community. We need answers about what happened in Oakdale and how the Bureau of Prisons is going to mitigate this outbreak.”
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) sent a letter to the Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) urging that the agency take decisive action to address the COVID-19 outbreak at the federal correctional institution in Oakdale, La. The letter seeks answers to specific questions regarding the BOP’s plans to mitigate the spread of COVD-19 to inmates, officers and staffers.
“What goes on at this federal prison affects inmates, staff and the broader Oakdale community. We need answers about what happened in Oakdale and how the Bureau of Prisons is going to mitigate this outbreak,” said Kennedy.
“We must contain coronavirus wherever we find it. This is for the safety of the support staff, guards, law enforcement, their families and all others concerned in Oakdale. Our letter seeks more information on how the Bureau of Prisons is working to that end,” said Cassidy.
“We recognize these are challenging times for the Bureau of Prisons, but the situation at Oakdale FCI is unacceptable. The BOP must take decisive action to protect the health and safety of the staff, officers, prison population and surrounding community,” said Johnson. “I want to thank Senator Cassidy and Senator Kennedy for joining me in this effort. We look forward to the BOP’s prompt response.”
The signed letter can be viewed here.
Kennedy announces grant for streetscape, stormwater management project in St. John the Baptist Parish
Apr 07 2020
“If you’ve driven around our great state, you know infrastructure plays a big role in flood mitigation. This grant will help make driving conditions on Belle Terre Boulevard safer for our communities.”
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced a $328,799 grant from the Treasury Department to fund a Belle Terre Boulevard streetscape and stormwater management project in St. John the Baptist Parish.
“If you’ve driven around our great state, you know infrastructure plays a big role in flood mitigation. This grant will help make driving conditions on Belle Terre Boulevard safer for our communities,” said Kennedy.
The project will help provide new lighting, stormwater management features, a multiuse path and interpretive signage along approximately 2.25 miles of Belle Terre Boulevard. The grant is funded under the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act.
Kennedy urges public officials to close abortion clinics and focus resources on coronavirus mitigation
Apr 06 2020
“Doctors and nurses are in the trenches fighting the coronavirus, and we’re in a zero-sum reality when it comes to life-saving medical supplies. Abortions are elective, deadly and wrong—especially when they siphon masks, gloves and cleaning supplies away from the front lines of a pandemic.”
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) released the following statement in response to reports that abortion clinics remain open across the country and in Louisiana despite stay-at-home orders for non-essential services. Many clinics continue to perform elective abortions despite the need to conserve medical supplies by delaying non-essential procedures so that health care providers can combat the coronavirus.
“Doctors and nurses are in the trenches fighting the coronavirus, and we’re in a zero-sum reality when it comes to life-saving medical supplies. Abortions are elective, deadly and wrong—especially when they siphon masks, gloves and cleaning supplies away from the front lines of a pandemic. I urge elected officials everywhere to recognize that abortions are in no way an essential service. We need to direct medical gear to hospitals battling this crisis,” said Kennedy.
“Our public transportation system has to adapt to the coronavirus. This funding will help reduce the burden on Louisiana’s public transit providers and support the long-term economic health of Louisiana communities.”
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $162.6 million in funding from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to support Louisiana’s transit industry in response to the coronavirus.
“Our public transportation system has to adapt to the coronavirus. This funding will help reduce the burden on Louisiana’s public transit providers and support the long-term economic health of Louisiana communities,” said Kennedy.
A provision from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act requires the FTA to allocate funds to operate and maintain Louisiana’s public transportation systems. The funding will cover operating expenses incurred on or after January 20, 2020 and will be available to urban, rural and tribal area providers.
Kennedy and Cassidy ask President Trump for royalty relief to save Louisiana oil and gas jobs
Apr 02 2020
“Unless the Federal Government provides meaningful relief to the independent offshore oil and gas companies in the next 30 days, the continued viability of the industry will be in serious jeopardy. . . . The loss of this important industry would have a devastating effect on Louisiana and would negatively impact the national security interests of the United States.”
WASHINGTON – Sens. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) today asked President Donald Trump to direct the Secretary of the Interior to provide royalty relief to independent offshore oil and gas companies affected by the coronavirus pandemic and the oil battle between Saudi Arabia and Russia.
“We are writing to urge you to direct the Secretary of the Interior to take immediate and decisive action to provide relief to the independent offshore oil and gas companies who operate in the Gulf of Mexico. Unless the Federal Government provides meaningful relief to the independent offshore oil and gas companies in the next 30 days, the continued viability of the industry will be in serious jeopardy. . . . The loss of this important industry would have a devastating effect on Louisiana and would negatively impact the national security interests of the United States,” the senators wrote.
In addition to sustaining tens of thousands of jobs, independent oil and gas companies paid the federal government over $1.5 billion in royalties in 2018.
Kennedy and Cassidy also spoke recently with Interior Secretary Bernhardt to request that he temporarily suspend royalty payments from oil and gas producers to the federal government.
The letter is available here.
Sen. Kennedy praises Secretary Perdue, USDA for helping food get to New Orleans food banks
Mar 30 2020
“Louisiana residents have Secretary Perdue and his team to thank for filling up our food banks, especially in areas hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic.”
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) praised the United States Department of Agriculture and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue for cutting through bureaucratic tape in order to make 4 million pounds of food available to food banks in New Orleans.
“Louisiana residents have Secretary Perdue and his team to thank for filling up our food banks, especially in areas hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic. As we tackle the economic challenges that come with the coronavirus, we have to work on multiple fronts to make sure Louisiana families have food on their tables. I’m grateful to have Sonny Perdue as an ally in this battle,” said Kennedy.
Kennedy spoke with Perdue by phone on Friday to request the food banks be granted flexibility to deliver food to people whose health or livelihoods have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The food for these programs comes with certain restrictions concerning who is eligible to access it. Perdue granted Kennedy’s request to allow food banks to better meet the local demand, which continues to increase in Louisiana.
