“When Hurricane Laura destroyed homes and businesses across Louisiana, it displaced many of our state’s workers. This grant will help rebuild communities and create jobs for those unemployed as a result of the storm.”

MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced a $4,000,000 dislocated worker grant from the Department of Labor to create disaster relief jobs in Louisiana as a result of Hurricane Laura.

“When Hurricane Laura destroyed homes and businesses across Louisiana, it displaced many of our state’s workers. This grant will help rebuild communities and create jobs for those unemployed as a result of the storm,” said Kennedy.

These jobs will focus on debris cleanup and humanitarian assistance for individuals affected by Hurricane Laura in all 64 Louisiana parishes.

“Hurricane Laura has put a lot of Louisiana jobs at risk. I introduced this bill to give job creators a crucial lifeline. Small businesses needed cash flow to survive the coronavirus crisis, and now they need those loans forgiven as they rebuild from savage hurricanes.” 

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government and member of the Senate Small Business Committee, today introduced the Disaster Relief for Southeastern Small Businesses Act of 2020. Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.) is an original cosponsor of the bill, which would forgive small business loans made under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

“About 40 percent of small businesses that close down for even one day in the wake of a natural disaster will end up shutting their doors forever. Hurricane Laura has put a lot of Louisiana jobs at risk. I introduced this bill to give job creators a crucial lifeline. Small businesses needed cash flow to survive the coronavirus crisis, and now they need those loans forgiven as they rebuild from savage hurricanes,” said Kennedy.

“As folks across South Alabama begin the work to recover and rebuild after Hurricane Sally, I believe Congress should be assisting them in any way we can. That’s why I’m joining Senator Kennedy, from our neighbor Louisiana, to introduce bipartisan legislation that ensures small businesses impacted by Hurricanes Sally and Laura can benefit from loan forgiveness for COVID-19 relief programs. Alabama’s Main Street businesses have struggled already during the pandemic, and Hurricane Sally is yet another devastating hit. This legislation will cut through government red tape and allow forgiveness of business loans received as part of our CARES legislation as they continue to re-open and re-build. It is one way we can help them survive these compounding disasters and continue to serve our communities and create jobs,” said Jones.

Louisiana’s small businesses represent 97% of all employers in the state and employ nearly 1 million Louisianians.

The Disaster Relief for Southeastern Small Businesses Act establishes an easy process for businesses in parishes or counties with major disaster declarations from Hurricane Laura and Hurricane Sally to seek forgiveness for Paycheck Protection Program loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans.

In order to receive loan forgiveness, impacted businesses must provide their lenders with an attestation form stating that the business used the loans as intended. To prevent fraud and ensure transparency, the Small Business Administration Administrator would have the authority to review and audit forgiven loans.

Background:

On August 28, 2020, President Donald Trump granted a major disaster declaration for Louisiana. That declaration triggered the release of federal funds to help communities recover from Hurricane Laura.

“The PUPS Act will help keep pets and people safe and together during public health emergencies. I hope my compassionate colleagues move this bill forward before bureaucracy tears any more dogs or cats away from their owners.”

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today introduced the Permanently Uniting Pets Stateside (PUPS) Act to ensure that American pet owners returning from abroad during a public health emergency are not unnecessarily separated from their pets. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) is an original cosponsor of the PUPS Act.

“Earlier this summer, Socrates reminded everyone that pets must be allowed to come home with their owners whenever possible. The PUPS Act will help keep pets and people safe and together during public health emergencies. I hope my compassionate colleagues move this bill forward before bureaucracy tears any more dogs or cats away from their owners,” said Kennedy.

The PUPS Act would allow an animal arriving with a U.S. citizen or resident to enter the country without regard to the Centers for Disease Control or U.S. Department of Agriculture requirements concerning pets if the owner agrees to comply with those requirements as soon as practicable. 

The PUPS Act is crucial to help pet-lovers navigate public health emergencies like the coronavirus pandemic and has support from Animal Wellness Action and the Animal Wellness Foundation.

"We applaud Senator Kennedy for his work to put common sense and compassion ahead of bureaucracy and ensuring that people are not separated from their beloved pets during times of crisis. This bill would ensure that what happened to Socrates won’t happen to another rescued dog coming to the U.S. to join a loving family,” said Holly Gann, Director of Federal Affairs for the Animal Wellness Foundation.

Kennedy is a proud dog owner to Jack and Charlie.

“First responders are on the front lines of protecting communities and saving lives. Protestors who block these heroes from the people who need them may think their actions are political, but, in reality, they’re criminal.”

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today introduced the Stop Blocking Hospitals Act to make obstructing emergency vehicles and personnel a federal crime. Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) are original cosponsors of the bill.

“First responders are on the front lines of protecting communities and saving lives. Protestors who block these heroes from the people who need them may think their actions are political, but, in reality, they’re criminal. Ideally, local politicians wouldn’t stand by like knots on a log when protestors stop emergency care from getting to private citizens and community law enforcement. Unfortunately, though, it’s fallen to federal authorities to fill this leadership void through the Stop Blocking Hospitals Act,” said Kennedy.

“Like millions of Americans, I was outraged to learn last weekend that protestors in Los Angeles had blocked the entrance to the emergency room and chanted ‘we hope they die’ as first responders transported two sheriff deputies who were ambushed and shot. I never would have imagined we would have to introduce legislation making it a federal penalty to block access to emergency rooms, but it must be made clear that actions like these will be punished. The Senate should quickly take up this commonsense legislation and send it to President Trump to be signed into law,” said Tillis.

“The fact that anarchists and rioters blocked first responders racing to save the lives of two Los Angeles police officers is un-American, and must be met with appropriate penalties. Tennesseans hold our law enforcement officials in the highest regard, and expect us to provide support for them when needed. It’s unfortunate that the state of our public discourse has led us to this point,” said Blackburn.

“Our first responders are our nation’s heroes. We shouldn’t need federal authorities to tell local leaders that it’s a crime to prevent first responders from doing their job; but here we are. Iowans won’t stand for this, and that’s why we need this commonsense bill to ensure our medical professionals can continue to provide life-saving care to folks in-need and hold accountable anyone who blocks someone from receiving essential services and medical attention,” said Ernst.

“South Dakotans know that it’s not just the law, but it’s common courtesy to move your vehicle out of the way of an ambulance or first responder vehicle. As riots rage in cities across the country, violent mobs are blocking passage for ambulances to get to injured victims. This is wrong. Emergency first responders have a duty to save lives. They are being physically blocked from doing their job by rioters, and local leaders refuse to step up. Our bill would make knowingly blocking an emergency transport vehicle a federal offense,” said Rounds.

“Over the weekend in Los Angeles we saw someone unprovoked approach two innocent police officers in their vehicle, pull out a gun, and open fire at point-blank range. As an ambulance rushed these sheriff’s deputies to the hospital, violent protestors — exploiting a movement which bills itself as a voice for life – blocked the entrance and yelled, ‘we hope they die.’ That is evil and pure hypocrisy. Our bill establishes proper consequences for people trying to kill police officers or any injured person by blocking access to life-saving care,” said Cramer.

“Everyone should be praying for the two Los Angeles Sheriffs who were shot in an ambush, and everyone should be condemning the act of terror committed by protestors who chanted ‘we hope they die’ as they blocked emergency entrances to the hospital. I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing legislation that would make it a federal crime to obstruct any ambulance, fire department vehicle, law enforcement vehicle, or other emergency vehicles or personnel from responding to an emergency,” said Rubio.

The Stop Blocking Hospitals Act would make it a federal offense to obstruct any ambulance, fire department vehicle, law enforcement vehicle or emergency personnel from responding to an emergency. Penalties for such obstruction would include imprisonment of one to five years, a fine or both.

The National Association of Police Organizations has endorsed the Stop Blocking Hospitals Act.

Background:

As unrest increases across the country, rioters are blocking first responders’ access to emergencies. Such intentional obstruction of police, fire and ambulance vehicles and personnel have put public safety—and individual lives—at risk.

In June, in Seattle's Capitol Hill Organized Protest zone, a violent crowd prevented first responders from reaching a shooting victim, who eventually died. Though first responders were stationed less than two blocks away, twenty minutes passed before emergency personnel gained access to the site.

Less than a week ago, a gunman shot two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies in their patrol vehicle. Those officers were taken to the hospital for medical treatment, where protestors blocked the emergency entrance to the hospital.