WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $84,832,228 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster aid grants for Louisiana.
“I’m thankful that $80 million will support infrastructure repairs to power providers that Hurricane Ida badly damaged, and I’m grateful to see $4 million supporting Louisianians in East Baton Rouge, where severe flooding threatens homes and livelihoods,” said Kennedy.
The FEMA aid will fund the following:
- $77,630,333 to the South Louisiana Electric Cooperative Association for system-wide repairs related to Hurricane Ida.
- $4,209,395 to elevate 22 properties damaged by flooding in East Baton Rouge Parish.
- $2,992,500 to Terrebonne Parish for damages Hurricane Ida made to the Houma Power Plant.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) joined Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) in filing a public comment letter with the Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) joined Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) in filing a public comment letter with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) demanding that it enforce all conscience protections that Congress has passed into law all statutory conscience protections that Congress has passed into law.
The letter comes in response to the Biden administration’s proposed rule to eliminate and change certain conscience protections that currently protect medical professionals.
“Congress has enacted federal conscience statutes that govern HHS-funded programs to ‘protect the rights of individuals, entities, and health care entities to refuse to perform, assist in the performance of, or undergo certain health care services or research activities to which they may object for religious, moral, ethical, or other reasons.’ The proposed rule falls short of properly enforcing these laws as written and consistent with Congressional intent,” the lawmakers wrote.
“The Proposed Rule claims that ‘our health care systems must effectively deliver services—including safe, legal abortions—to all who need them in order to protect patients’ health and dignity.’ Leaving aside that the current Administration has focused immense attention on promoting and paying for abortion, including at times, in violation of federal and state law, such a claim will only lead to further diminution of conscience rights provided by Congress. It is unfortunate, but not surprising, that in the wake of the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, HHS has still prioritized abortion access over nearly anything else, including following and enforcing the law,” they continued.
“Instead of supporting proposed legislation like the Conscience Protection Act to allow victims of discrimination to also have their day in court, HHS is blocking possible legal remedy for victims of discrimination by dropping enforcement actions and clear mechanisms for investigation and enforcement, and making it harder for any further discrimination claims to be filed, investigated, and remedied,” explained the lawmakers.
Sens. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Thune (R-S.D.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) also signed the letter.
Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) led the letter in the House of Representatives.
The full letter is available here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) in applauding the Senate’s passage of the Fighting Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Act of 2023 to help first responders, police and 9-1-1 personnel cope with traumatic stress.
The legislation would establish mental health programs for the men and women who provide life-saving services and often experience long-term mental health effects as a result of their heroism.
“I’m proud to see that the Fighting PTSD Act passed the Senate. The House must now send this crucial legislation to the president’s desk so that first responders can receive the resources they need to care for their own health while they serve Louisiana communities,” said Kennedy.
The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.
“First responders are humble and heroic members of our community. Their selfless service often places them at physical risk and can also result in serious mental and emotional distress after the fact. I’m glad to see this legislation move forward so that we can provide first responders with the mental health resources they need and deserve,” said Grassley.
Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) also cosponsored the bill.
The full bill text is available here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, today wrote to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Gary Gensler about protecting compensation due the victims of the Stanford Ponzi scheme.
“I am concerned about the potential amount of attorneys' fees that could be awarded as part of this settlement, which I believe could be excessive and unfair,” wrote Kennedy.
“Given the SEC’s role in overseeing financial institutions and ensuring that justice is served in financial matters, I am asking you to intervene and ensure that any potential attorneys’ fees in this settlement are fair and reasonable. It is important to remember that this money comes from the victims of the Stanford Ponzi scheme, many of whom are retirees from Louisiana and throughout the U.S. These individuals have already suffered significant financial losses who after all this time deserve to see a fair and just resolution to this matter,” he explained.
Kennedy noted that this is a time-sensitive issue because some lawyers have already requested expedited compensation.
The full letter is here.
WASHINGTON – Sens. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) today introduced the Crucial Communism Teaching Act to help educate students about the history and dangers of communism.
“Communism is a cancer, and it always produces the same results: oppression, suffering and death. We must teach the next generation of Americans the threat communism poses to liberty and justice for innocent people around the world,” said Kennedy.
“America is the beacon of freedom and democracy around the world—principles our nation was founded on. As the far left abandons those principles and pushes the failed policies of socialist and communist nations, our Crucial Communism Teaching Act will make educational materials available to schools that shine a light on the dangers of communism in our society. For many families, especially in my state of Florida, the United States has been a stark contrast to the communist rule that once stripped them of their freedom, liberty and basic human rights and dignity. We can’t let that happen in America,” said Scott.
Communism has led to the deaths of more than 100,000,000 victims worldwide, while more than 1,500,000,000 people currently suffer under communist rule. Still, a 2020 poll by the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation showed that more than one in four Millennials and nearly one in three members of Generation Z view communism favorably.
The Crucial Communism Teaching Act would make educational materials available through the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation to help teach high school students about the dangers of communism and totalitarianism. The bill would also require high schools to teach students the history of communism and how this ideology undermines America’s founding principles of freedom and democracy.
The bill text is available here.
Kennedy introduces bills to protect Louisiana homeowners from skyrocketing flood insurance costs
Mar 02 2023
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, introduced two bills to lower flood insurance premiums for Louisianians. The Risk Rating 2.0 Transparency Act would require the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to publish an explanation of how the agency is determining flood insurance prices under Risk Rating 2.0. The Flood Insurance Affordability Act would cap annual flood insurance premium increases.
“The Biden administration is refusing to show lawmakers the new algorithm it uses to raise flood insurance premiums. Since millions of Louisianians depend on the NFIP to protect their homes from natural disasters, FEMA must come clean about why premiums are skyrocketing under Risk Rating 2.0. In the meantime, my bills would ensure fairer rates for the people of Louisiana,” said Kennedy.
Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) cosponsored the Risk Rating 2.0 Transparency Act.
“At a minimum, policyholders deserve to know exactly why their premiums cost as much as they do, especially when that rate is higher than previous years. From the start, FEMA has not been forthcoming with the public or Congress on how it developed the new flood insurance rate structure. This bill would ensure FEMA transparency surrounding Risk Rating 2.0, so homeowners aren’t left in the dark,” said Hyde-Smith.
Under FEMA’s Risk Rating 2.0, Louisiana homeowners expect to see an estimated 122% increase in their flood insurance premiums.
The Risk Rating 2.0 Transparency Act would make FEMA responsible for creating an online data base for policyholders under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The database would provide information on premium rates and how FEMA sets those rates.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) cosponsored the Flood Insurance Affordability Act.
“Flood insurance is vitally important to Floridians and Americans living in coastal communities. People shouldn’t have to pay an arm and a leg to make sure they are protected. This legislation is common sense,” said Rubio.
The Flood Insurance Affordability Act would lower the statutory limit on annual premium increases on primary resident homeowners under Risk Rating 2.0 from the current limit of 18 percent to nine percent.
Background:
- In July 2022, following Kennedy’s questioning of experts, the senator and colleagues urged David Maurstad, the Senior Executive of the NFIP at FEMA, to explain the Risk Rating 2.0 pricing methodology for setting NFIP premiums and to publish that information online.
- In March 2022, Kennedy cosponsored the Flood Insurance Pricing Transparency Act to help policyholders in Louisiana understand how FEMA calculates flood insurance costs.
- In Feb. 2022, Kennedy urged President Joe Biden to stop the implementation of Risk Rating 2.0.
- In Sept. 2021, Kennedy pressed FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell to delay the implementation of Risk Rating 2.0.
- In June 2021, Kennedy questioned FEMA official David Maurstad about Risk Rating 2.0 at a Senate Banking Committee hearing and introduced the Flood Insurance Fairness Act to stop the Biden administration from unilaterally making changes to NFIP, including Risk Rating 2.0.
- In April 2021, Kennedy called on Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) to hold a hearing to examine Risk Rating 2.0.
Full text of the Risk Rating 2.0 Transparency Act is available here.
Full text of the Flood Insurance Affordability Act is here.
Kennedy presses Garland about targeting parents: “Don’t you think parents had a right to be upset?”
Mar 01 2023
Watch video here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Attorney General Merrick Garland during a committee hearing about the FBI’s targeting parents who were dissatisfied with local school boards.
Kennedy’s key questions to Garland include:
“Didn't you understand the chilling effect that it would have to parents when you issued your directive—when you directed your criminal divisions, and your counter-terrorism divisions—to investigate parents who were angry at school boards and administrators during COVID?”"So, you get this letter from the National School Board Association, asking you to investigate parents—that your employees helped write and the White House helped write—and you issue a directive to your criminal division and to your . . . counterterrorism division, to start investigating parents who are angry. What did you think was going to happen?”“As a result of some of our school board policies, we only experienced the largest learning loss for our kids in modern history. Don't you think parents had a right to be upset?”
Watch the full exchange here.
Kennedy, Barrasso introduce bill to help NATO allies escape dependence on Russian energy
Mar 01 2023
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) joined Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) in introducing the Energy Security Cooperation with Allied Partners in Europe (ESCAPE) Act to support NATO and end NATO countries’ dependence on Russia for energy. The ESCAPE Act supports NATO allies by providing them American energy and mandating sanctions on Russian energy export pipelines.
“I’m proud to say that Louisiana is the biggest exporter of LNG from America to Europe—but the U.S. must continue to do more to help our allies end their dependence on Russian energy for the sake of our national security and theirs. The ESCAPE Act would help weaken Russia by providing clean American energy to our friends who need it,” said Kennedy.
“In light of Russia’s year-long invasion of Ukraine, it is more important than ever to provide energy security to our allies in Europe. Putin continues to use Europe’s dependence on Russian energy as a geopolitical weapon to coerce and pressure our allies. The ESCAPE Act takes away Putin’s leverage through expanding American natural gas exports. The United States can help our allies obtain reliable American energy and loosen Putin’s political grip on the region,” said Barrasso.
Rep. Carol Miller (R-W.Va.) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
The ESCAPE Act:
- Directs the U.S. permanent representative to NATO to encourage NATO member states to work together to achieve energy security for the organization’s members and partners in Europe and Eurasia.
- Calls for a comprehensive U.S. government transatlantic energy strategy that focuses on increasing the energy security of NATO allies and partners and increasing American energy exports to those countries.
- Requires the Secretary of Energy to expedite approvals of natural gas exports to NATO allies, Japan and any other foreign country where exports of natural gas would promote the national security interests of the United States.
- Authorizes mandatory U.S. sanctions on the development of Russian energy pipeline projects.
Background:
- Russia continues to use energy as a geopolitical weapon, especially as the country’s ownership of energy infrastructure in Europe poses a security and economic risk to America’s NATO allies.
- It is important to U.S. national security to expedite American energy to allies in order to reduce their dependency on Russian energy resources.
Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) also cosponsored the legislation.
Full text of the legislation can be found here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today joined Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) in introducing the Protecting Americans from Fentanyl Trafficking Act.
The legislation makes permanent the Drug Enforcement Agency’s emergency scheduling of fentanyl, which classifies it as a highly addictive drug with no medical value. It would also allow the DEA to permanently control the substance and automatically schedule new analogues.
“Fentanyl is stealing the lives of unsuspecting Louisianians and devastating our families. President Biden needs to secure the open border that’s allowing this poison to flow in America, and his Justice Department needs to permanently classify this drug as one of the biggest threats to American lives today,” said Kennedy.
“Illicit fentanyl is made with the intent to create addicts and to kill. Granting the DEA permanent control of this deadly drug and its analogues will provide law enforcement the tools needed take these dangerous drugs off the streets,” said Cotton.
“Ms. Rebecca Kiessling testified before Congress yesterday that when it comes to fentanyl we’re at war and we need to act like we’re at war. She tragically lost both her sons to fentanyl overdoses from a single pill laced with enough fentanyl to kill an individual four times over. Her sons bought what they thought to be Percocet, and it turned out to be pure fentanyl. They both died from the ingestion. Fentanyl is the leading cause of death among 18-45 year olds in America. More Americans die from fentanyl poisoning than car accidents and gun violence combined! Under President Biden, we’ve lost complete operational control of the border. Fentanyl is flooding into our country. We should be going after Mexican drug cartels and other transnational criminal organizations who deal this deadly drug by designating them as foreign terrorist organizations – giving us even more tools to combat this epidemic. I will be working with my colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee to dramatically increase the punishment for fentanyl distribution, including charging the crime of murder if an overdose death occurs as a result. Bottom line: The Biden Administration response to the fentanyl epidemic has been lacking. I intend to do all I can to make them change course,” said Graham.
Full text of the bill is available here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today reintroduced the Independent and Objective Oversight of Ukrainian Assistance Act to establish a Special Inspector General (IG) for Ukraine. The Special IG would oversee the humanitarian, economic and security assistance funding that the U.S. Congress has provided to the country, and make sure that the funds are appropriately spent.
“Americans are supporting Ukraine’s brave work to beat back Russia by providing at least $113 billion in aid and military equipment. This is not an act of charity. It’s bolstering our own national security. American taxpayers deserve to know that their money is helping Ukraine defeat Putin effectively, and Congress needs to guarantee that oversight. This investment is too big to relegate to the normal bureaucratic channels. It demands an inspector general with singular focus on America’s return on investment in Ukraine,” said Kennedy.
Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) cosponsored the legislation.
“The United States continues to stand with the people of Ukraine, and by establishing a Special Inspector General for Ukrainian Assistance, we ensure accountability for Americans and Ukrainians as they defend their homes and freedoms from Russia’s illegal and unprovoked war,” said Sinema.
“The United States taxpayer should be confident in knowing Ukraine is using our aid for one thing: defeating Russia. Establishing a Special IG will hold Ukraine accountable to use the aid we give them in the most efficient and effective manner,” said Cramer.
“The American people need and deserve assurances that their taxpayer dollars are being used responsibly in the defense of Ukraine and our allies. A special inspector general would work to account for the billions we are expending in the fight against Russia’s blatantly evil aggression against Ukraine and global security,” said Hyde-Smith.
Kennedy’s bill would equip the Special IG for Ukraine with $20 million from the money that Congress has already provided in Ukraine aid. That $20 million represents less than 0.02% of the $113 billion in supplemental aid that has been set aside for Ukraine.
In order to prevent an indefinite expanse of the federal bureaucracy, the bill also includes a termination clause that would end the Special IG role once U.S. taxpayer spending for Ukraine drops below $250 million per year.
The text of the bill is available here.
