WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a Senate Appropriations Committee member,  joined Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) and a bicameral group of colleagues in urging House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to prevent the Biden administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from implementing its rule to require more than two-thirds of all vehicles sold in the U.S. to be fully electric in fewer than nine years.

The lawmakers urged Johnson and McConnell to block funding for the mandate by including language from the House Appropriations Committee’s Interior-Environment Appropriations bill, which prevents the EPA from using any funding to implement the rule, in the FY24 government funding package.

“While we are supportive of the free market producing electric vehicles to satisfy a market need, this misguided EPA mandate would have an immediate, detrimental impact on the choices and affordability of cars, trucks, and SUVs available to our constituents,” the lawmakers wrote.

“The EPA’s proposed mandate will increase dependency on supply chains controlled by the Chinese government. Today, up to 90% of the electric vehicle battery supply chain relies on China. The batteries that power electric vehicles require critical minerals, including lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, and manganese—and China processes 75% of these minerals. Additionally, China controls 76% of global battery cell production capacity. China’s dominance is only expected to continue for the foreseeable future with 67% of all forecasted battery cell manufacturing controlled by China in 2032. In contrast to China, the United States has 7% of global battery production capacity,” they continued.

The lawmakers also noted that the rule would jeopardize America’s national security and limit consumer choice, writing, “Not only would the EPA’s proposed regulation hurt America’s national security, but it would severely limit consumer choice for affordable vehicles that fit the needs of the average American. At a time of inflation, high interest rates, and rising costs, the last thing Americans need is to find both new and used vehicles unaffordable because of an EPA mandate.”

Currently, nearly 4,000 automotive dealers report that their lots are full of electric vehicles that the public does not want. They have asked President Biden for relief from his misguided sales mandate for electric vehicles.

The full letter is available here.

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $3,971,292 in a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant for Louisiana disaster aid.

“Hurricane Laura’s winds, rain and flooding did severe damage to the arts and humanities building at SOWELA Technical Community College. I’m grateful that this $4 million will help them continue to educate Louisianians,” said Kennedy.

The FEMA aid will fund the following:

• $3,971,292 to the Office of Risk Management to repair damages to the SOWELA Technical Community College arts and humanities building caused by Hurricane Laura.

MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $3,546,662 in a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant for Louisiana disaster aid.

“Hurricane Laura devastated south Louisiana, and many communities are still rebuilding. I’m grateful to see that this $3.5 million will help cover the cost of repairing Lake Charles Memorial Hospital,” said Kennedy.

The FEMA aid will fund the following:

• $3,546,662 to the South Louisiana Hospital Association for repairs as a result of Hurricane Laura.

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) spoke on the Senate floor about the need to make insulin less expensive for Americans who suffer from diabetes by passing the Affordable Insulin Now Act, which Kennedy and Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) introduced.

The senator’s remarks also highlight findings from his and Warnock’s bipartisan report titled, “Insulin Deserts: The Urgency of Lowering the Cost of Insulin for Everyone.” The report states that there are 813 counties in America which are “insulin deserts,” places where 16% or more of the population is uninsured and 10% or more of the population has diabetes.

Key quotes from Kennedy’s remarks are below.

“In my state, 44% of my people are affected by diabetes directly, 14% are diabetic, another 30% are pre-diabetic, and Louisiana is not the only state with those kinds of numbers. Diabetics account for $1 of every $4 spent—one out of every $4 spent—on health care in the United States of America. Think about that.

“The average cost of hospitalization for a diabetic—which, if they can't pay for it, ultimately, we all pay—the average cost of hospitalization for diabetic patients is from $8,400 to $23,000 a year. 

“And, medical costs, if you look beyond the quality-of-life issue and the moral issue of just helping people who are sick, if you look at it in terms of dollars and cents, diabetes costs America $327 billion a year—that's in medical costs and lost work and wages and lost productivity. So, we know the problem, and we know the costs, and we have a solution: insulin.” 

. . . 

“Insulin doesn't cost that much to make, and I don't begrudge the companies who sell insulin. I don't begrudge them making a profit, but it is bone-deep-down-to-the-marrow stupid for us to allow someone, whose diabetes can be managed by taking insulin, not to take that insulin because they can't afford it. That's immoral, and that makes no sense in terms of dollars and cents costs to the rest of the American people.

“And, Raphael and [my] bill would address that. It would say, ‘If you have private insurance, great, but if you don't have any insurance at all, if you're uninsured—and a lot of Americans become uninsured every year, maybe they don't stay uninsured, but they become uninsured—and you're diabetic, we're going to cap your out-of-pocket costs at $35 per 30-day supply. So, you have no excuse not to take your insulin to address your diabetes.’

“It’s the right thing to do. It's the smart thing to do, and, Raphael and [my] bill is paid for. We're not suggesting we go out and borrow more money.”

The Affordable Insulin Now Act of 2023 would:

• Require private group or individual plans to cover one of each insulin dosage form (i.e., vial, pen) and insulin type (i.e., rapid-acting, short-acting, intermediate-acting or long-acting) for no more than $35 per month.

• Require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a program to reimburse qualifying entities for covering any costs that exceed $35 for providing a 30-day supply of insulin to uninsured patients.

• Be fully paid for by an offset, so it will not add to the deficit.

Watch Kennedy’s full remarks here.