WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today introduced the Teacher, Principal, and Leader Residency Access Act to help college students who aspire to become teachers and leaders in America’s schools access residency programs.
“Every time I substitute teach, I’m more convinced that Louisiana’s future rests on education. Louisiana students deserve that their teachers have the best preparation possible, but many young educators aren’t able to gain practical experience before they enter their own classrooms. I’ve introduced the Teacher, Principal, and Leader Residency Access Act to help provide future educators with more teaching experience while they finish their degrees,” said Kennedy.
Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) introduced the bipartisan bill in the House of Representatives. Reps. Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.), Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) and Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) cosponsored the legislation.
Many college students report that their college courses do not prepare them for a career after graduation. Residencies for teachers and school leaders would better prepare college students for careers in education by providing them with practical classroom experience. These residencies, however, can prove costly for colleges to offer. As a result, the opportunities are often out of reach for low-income students.
The Federal Work Study (FWS) Program funds part-time employment for undergraduate, graduate and professional students who require financial aid. The Teacher, Principal, and Leader Residency Access Act would expand the FWS Program to cover residencies for students who want to become teachers or school leaders. It would also prioritize helping low-income students access the FWS Program.
Text of the Teacher, Principal, and Leader Residency Access Act is available here.
Watch Kennedy’s comments here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) joined colleagues to explain the danger the Biden administration’s energy plan poses to Louisiana’s economy, America’s national security and the world’s climate. The senators also outlined conservatives’ approach to energy policy, which focuses on economic growth and energy diversity.
Below are key excerpts from Kennedy’s remarks.
“I’m pretty much an all-of-the-above energy type of guy. I support wind. I support solar. I support thermal. I support hydrogen. Unlike many of my Democratic colleagues, I support nuclear—particularly the new, small modular reactors—but I also support oil and gas.”
“As best I can tell, [President Biden] wants us at some undetermined time in the future to be able to produce our energy without nuclear, without oil and without natural gas—and certainly without coal. He doesn’t really explain how we’re going to get from where we are today to that future that he envisions, which is why you're seeing the disruptions in the energy supply throughout the world.”
“Short-term, as best I can tell, President Biden and Secretary Kerry’s plan is, ‘Let’s don't produce our own fossil fields.’ Even though the American economy, the greatest economy in all of human history, gets 80% of its energy from fossil fuels, [President Biden] wants to end that abruptly. He doesn’t want us to produce our own fossil fuels. He wants us to buy natural gas and oil from other countries, and basically give countries that hate us more money, so they’ll have weapons—they can buy weapons—to try to kill us. And that didn’t make any sense to me. And it doesn’t make any sense to the American people.”
“I see, and I think these colleagues of mine see, the changes in our climate as a discrete scientific problem, unlike President Biden and Secretary Kerry and the other Trotsky-like Wokers. They see climate change as a religion, and you can’t talk about it unless you follow their dogma. . . . And it’s not popular with the American people. And it’s not going to solve the problems that we face in terms of the changes that are taking place in our climate.”
Video of the speech is available here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and more than 30 other senators and representatives in moving to nullify President Biden’s vaccine mandate on private employees under the Congressional Review Act, which is the official Congressional process for eliminating an executive branch rule.
“President Biden’s vaccine mandate would force many Americans either to violate their consciences or lose their jobs. This overreach contradicts the president’s earlier promise that he wouldn’t impose such a mandate. I’m happy to partner with my colleagues to oppose this power grab,” said Kennedy.
“Since the announcement of President Biden’s vaccine and testing mandate in September, I have led the charge to strike down this vast overstep of authority by the federal government. Today, we are one step closer to protecting the liberties of millions of Americans in the private sector workforce under the Congressional Review Act. I urge my Senate colleagues to vote in favor of this disapproval resolution in the coming weeks,” said Braun.
Biden is expected this week to issue a rule to officially mandate vaccination requirements for employees at private businesses with more than 100 employees. The rule will affect more than 80 million Americans and imposes $14,000 fines for individuals who do not comply with the mandate.
The federal employee and contractor plan doesn’t allow a worker to submit to weekly COVID testing rather than taking the vaccine.
The lawmakers initiated a Congressional Review Act disapproval of Biden’s vaccine mandate. The Congressional Review Act allows Congress to overturn certain federal agency regulations and actions through a joint resolution of disapproval. If such a joint resolution is approved by both houses of Congress and signed by the president, or if Congress successfully overrides a presidential veto, the rule at issue becomes invalid.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sens. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) in introducing the WALL Act to fully fund the wall along the southern border.
“With more illegal border crossings this year than ever before, we need to focus taxpayer dollars on solving the border crisis instead of aggravating it. I’m proud to work with Sen. Inhofe to fund the border wall without asking taxpayers for another penny. The common-sense steps in the WALL Act would pay for a southern border wall and protect both U.S. citizens and immigrants in the process,” said Kennedy.
“Over the past year, we’ve seen an unprecedented number of illegal immigrants pour into the country, and the Biden administration’s inability or unwillingness to secure our border from the flow of drugs and dangerous criminals is a growing threat to our national security. I’ve always said: border security is national security, and to have a secure border, we need to build a wall. That’s why I have reintroduced the WALL Act. We’re going to build the wall through concrete reforms that protect the integrity of Oklahoman’s tax dollars and address the crisis that President Biden and the Democrats have worsened,” said Inhofe.
“The Biden administration’s approach to border security is a complete dereliction of duty. Telling migrants not to come while simultaneously halting construction of the border wall and writing checks to illegal immigrants sends the message that our borders are open and our laws are moot. It’s time to finish the construction of the southern border wall and enforce our immigration laws. That must be goal number one as we look at the problems in our immigration system. I thank Senator Inhofe for his leadership on this issue,” said Lummis.
“During my visit to the southern border last month, I saw firsthand that our nation is in crisis because of President Biden’s open border agenda. President Biden spent billions of taxpayer dollars to cancel our border wall, and he is incentivizing even more illegal immigration with his proposal to issue millions of dollars in settlement payouts. Along with my colleagues in the Senate, I am taking action to keep the White House’s radical policy agenda from making every state a border state and every town a border town,” said Blackburn.
“Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’ watch, illegal immigrants are flooding across the border at the highest level in 35 years. This influx has boosted dangerous international criminal cartels and created a humanitarian crisis in South Texas communities like Del Rio, where thousands of Haitian immigrants have camped under the Del Rio International Bridge due to a lack of resources at migrant housing facilities. This man-made crisis is a direct result of political decisions made by the administration, including halting wall construction on day one, and Congressional Democrats have not so much as held a hearing to listen to Texas witnesses who continue to suffer from these decisions. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to swiftly pass the WALL Act to help stop this massive influx of illegal immigrants and end this crisis,” said Cruz.
“Illegal border crossings are at an all time high thanks to President Biden’s disastrous border policies. It is due time that we finish building the wall at our southern border. The Wall Act will ensure that the border wall is fully paid for by closing loopholes that allow illegal immigrants to receive federal benefits and tax credits,” said Braun.
“We are in the middle of the worst illegal immigration surge in decades, and the Biden Administration has failed to take action to stop it. The WALL Act would strengthen our southern border and eliminate several incentives that have encouraged illegal immigrants to travel to the U.S. The Senate should pass this bill without delay so that we can finally bring to a halt the madness on our southern border,” said Wicker.
This bill would fully fund a border wall while providing specific ways to pay for it, including requiring a work-authorized Social Security Number to claim refundable tax credits, requiring welfare applicants to verify their citizenship status, increasing the minimum fines on illegal border crossers and establishing a minimum penalty for visa overstays.
Text of the WALL Act is available here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and James Inhofe (R-Okla.) in introducing the Small Scale LNG Access Act to make it easier for small-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) producers to export their product.
“Louisiana is the leading state for LNG production and export, and the Small Scale LNG Access Act would help our state continue to supply our allies with the clean energy they need. America’s economy and national security are tied to our energy independence, so we need more freedom to make the most of our energy resources,” said Kennedy.
“The United States cannot continue to cede energy production to countries like Russia and Iran. Producing cleaner burning natural gas here in the U.S. creates American jobs and exporting it abroad decreases global emissions. This bill benefits Louisiana workers, unleashes our energy dominance, and improves our environment,” said Cassidy.
“Expediting approval of small-scale natural gas exports would strengthen an emerging sector of Florida’s economy and bolster our existing ties with Caribbean and Latin American nations. Importantly, the bill would also ensure that bad actors, including the criminal regimes in Venezuela and Cuba, do not benefit from expedited access to American energy exports while they continue to undermine democracy and commit human rights atrocities,” said Rubio.
“Reducing the burden of federal regulations will mean more good paying jobs for Florida families in the emerging industry of small scale natural gas exports. Anything we can do to make LNG more accessible and cost-effective to our partners throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, and decrease their reliance on Maduro and Venezuelan oil is good for the United States,” said Scott.
“We must do everything we can to unleash American energy development, especially as the current administration does the opposite. That’s why I am proud to join Sen. Cassidy and my other Republican colleagues in introducing the Small Scale LNG Access Act to ensure the expedited, streamlined approval of small-scale LNG exports. This would be a boon to American jobs and provide long-term stability for suppliers here at home, while also helping Caribbean and Latin American countries get access to clean and reliable natural gas,” said Inhofe.
The Small Scale LNG Access Act would codify into law a Department of Energy rule that expedites the approval process for facilities that export small-scale shipments of LNG. Streamlining the approval process would boost American LNG production and promote job growth.
Kennedy previously helped introduce the Natural Gas Export Expansion Act to remove regulatory bottlenecks on the LNG trade. Kennedy’s op-ed about the bill is available here.
Text of the Small Scale LNG Access Act is available here.
Kennedy, Daines, colleagues introduce legislation to block taxpayer-funded payments to illegal immigrants
Nov 03 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and colleagues in introducing the Prohibiting Taxpayer Funded Settlements for Illegal Immigrants Act to block President Biden’s reported plan to spend $450,000 per person for legal settlements for illegal immigrants. This plan could cost more than one billion dollars in taxpayer money.
“Sending money to illegal immigrants rewards people for breaking the law, and that only makes the border crisis more dangerous. These settlements with illegal aliens would be a bitter insult to every person who has come to America by respecting our laws and borders. I’m happy to partner with Sen. Daines to prevent the Biden administration from undermining and apologizing for the rule of law,” said Kennedy.
“Biden’s open border policies have reached a new crazy level. Montana families are struggling with inflation and skyrocketing costs on everything from gas to groceries because of Biden’s wasteful spending policies, and now the President wants to give hundreds of thousands of dollars to illegal immigrants. Because of Biden, our southern border has been taken over by Mexican cartels and this effort will only continue to incentivize illegal immigration making it worse. This is a gut punch to the American taxpayer,” said Daines.
Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) also cosponsored the legislation.
The senators are also introducing an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022 that would prevent taxpayer-funded settlements for illegal immigrants.
Text of the Prohibiting Taxpayer Funded Settlements for Illegal Immigrants Act is available here.
Text of the NDAA amendment is available here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) joined Sens. Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and six others in introducing the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Reauthorization and Reform Act to reauthorize the NFIP for five years and reform the program to cut waste, abuse and mismanagement. The legislation would improve the accountability, affordability and sustainability of the NFIP and place guardrails on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) new Risk Rating 2.0 system, which drastically hikes Americans’ flood insurance premiums.
“Roughly half-a-million Louisianians depend on flood insurance to safeguard their homes and businesses. The National Flood Insurance Program protects workers and families who need to take care of their biggest investments—their homes. We have to extend this program and protect it from political games,” said Kennedy.
“We need to reform the NFIP to ensure it is affordable and accessible for the homeowner, accountable to the taxpayer, and sustainable for the future. This bill is full of real solutions to achieve these goals,” said Dr. Cassidy.
The bill emphasizes prevention and mitigation efforts and addresses issues with FEMA’s management of the NFIP, including low participation rates, inaccurate flood maps, indifference to the benefits of flood control infrastructure, unsustainable debt service costs and contractor profiteering.
Background
FEMA implemented Risk Rating 2.0, its new NFIP rating system, last month. Risk Rating 2.0 hikes rates on insurance premiums, forcing homeowners to drop coverage or lose their homes. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office projects that 900,000 policyholders (who make up nearly 20 percent of the program) will drop NFIP coverage as a result of Risk Rating 2.0. The NFIP Reauthorization and Reform Act will put guardrails on Risk Rating 2.0 to safeguard policyholders from sudden rate shocks.
Kennedy, Judiciary GOP oppose Biden plan to pay illegal immigrants with taxpayer dollars
Nov 01 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) and the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Republican senators wrote to President Joe Biden to oppose his administration’s reported plan to offer illegal immigrants up to $450,000 per person in taxpayer dollars to settle lawsuits resulting from those individuals’ violating U.S. immigration law.
Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) joined Kennedy in asking the president to refuse to issue any settlement payments for immigrants who broke U.S. laws.
“At a time when respect for our country’s immigration laws is at an all-time low, our federal government is now seeking to financially reward aliens who broke our laws,” wrote the senators.
According to media reporting, the federal government is considering paying out more than $1 billion to illegal immigrants based on allegations against the Department of Homeland Security.
“These illegal immigrants disregarded our immigration processes, cut in front of those seeking to legally enter our nation, and put children at risk of great personal injury or death by placing them in the hands of abusive smugglers. Not only would these settlements be breathtakingly unjust and unwise, but they reinforce the conditions that make it easy for the cartels to recruit more people to undertake the treacherous journey to our southwest border, and serve only to encourage more illegal immigration,” they continued.
“Americans are a kind and generous people who welcome a diverse array of immigrants from around the world. Our nation has been made stronger by the generations of legal immigrants that have contributed to our country and achieved the American Dream. But rewarding illegal immigration with financial payments runs counter to our laws and would only serve to encourage more lawlessness at our border,” the senators concluded.
The letter is available here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) joined Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) and other Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in requesting that Attorney General Merrick Garland provide the evidence he used to draft a memo targeting parents exercising their First Amendment rights.
“Please provide all evidence you personally used or relied on between Wednesday, September 29, 2021, and Monday, October 4, 2021—other than the content of the [National School Boards Association] letter dated Wednesday, September 29—that formed the basis for the memo issued by the [Department of Justice] dated Monday, October 4th that addressed ‘ . . . harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff . . . ’,” the senators wrote.
“Please respond in writing by Monday, November 1, 2021 . . . Because you were able to distill your evidence and craft a memo that fixed the gaze of the FBI directly on concerned parents across this country in just four days, you should be able to share that evidence with us in the same period of time,” the senators concluded.
Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) also signed the letter.
Watch Kennedy’s questioning of Garland about his memo here.
The letter is available here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today introduced the Main Street Growth Act to expand small companies’ access to capital markets.
“Small business owners work hard to serve their communities, but existing capital markets aren’t wide open to these job creators. The Main Street Growth Act would give smaller companies the option of listing on their own specialized exchanges, where they would be more visible to investors. These exchanges would promote growth in America’s economy by better meeting the needs of small business owners, their employees and investors,” said Kennedy.
Small companies often have difficulty accessing capital markets because their stocks are less visible and are traded less frequently than the stocks of larger companies.
The Main Street Growth Act would create tailored, dedicated exchanges known as “venture exchanges” for trading stocks in smaller companies. Giving small companies their own specialized exchanges would increase their visibility and access to capital. Venture exchanges would also give investors more access to the potential growth opportunities that small companies offer.
Listing on a venture exchange would be completely optional for small businesses, start-ups and emerging growth companies that qualify under the bill.
Text of the Main Street Growth Act is available here.
