Kennedy-backed bill to bring transparency to Louisianians about grants process becomes law
Dec 12 2024
WASHINGTON – The president signed the Grant Transparency Act, a bill that Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) cosponsored, into law.
The Grant Transparency Act would require government agencies to give Americans who apply for competitive grant applications more information about the selection process.
“Louisianians deserve to know how the government chooses competitive grant recipients. I’m glad to see the Grant Transparency Act become law so our people have more information about how their organizations can access this crucial funding,” said Kennedy.
“Grant applicants often don’t have enough information to know why they are not awarded a competitive grant despite meeting the criteria. The Grant Transparency Act will require government agencies to shine a light on how they decide between applicants behind closed doors, and I’m glad to see it become law,” said Cornyn, who introduced the bill.
The legislation would require a Notice of Funding Opportunities for competitive grants to include a description of selection criteria, a statement from the agency about whether it used a weighted scoring method for the competitive grant and any other approach the agency used to evaluate the applicants.
Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) also cosponsored the bill.
The full bill text is available here.
Kennedy highlights simple way to save taxpayer dollars: “Stop sending the money to dead people”
Dec 12 2024
Watch Kennedy’s comments here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) explained how much money the federal government has wasted in payments to dead Americans in a speech on the Senate floor. Kennedy called on his colleagues to support his bill, the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased Americans Act, to help the federal government prevent improper payments to dead Americans.
Key excerpts from the speech are below:
“I want to talk about dead people and the fact that they're getting money from the federal government. In fiscal year 2023 alone—this is just one year—our government sent $1.3 billion—not $1.3 million—we sent $1.3 billion in checks to dead people.”
. . .
“We need to go pass this bill. I mean, this makes no sense whatsoever. . . . You don't have to be Euclid to figure out that this is just fraud. It's abuse. It's low-hanging fruit, and it's so easily solved.
“All we have to do is direct the Social Security Administration on a permanent basis—not a three-year trial basis, on a permanent basis—to start sharing the list of dead people with the Department of Treasury and everybody else in the federal government who wants it. And then everybody's on the same page, and we know who's deceased, and we can stop sending the money to dead people who cash the checks.”
Background:
- Kennedy and Carper's Stopping Improper Payments to Deceased People Act became law in December 2020. The bill mandates the sharing of the Social Security Administration's Death Master File with the Department of the Treasury’s Do Not Pay working system for three years. The three-year exchange runs from December 27, 2023 to December 27, 2026.
- The federal government sent $1.3 billion to dead people in fiscal year 2023 alone, according to the Office of Management and Budget. From 2004 to 2022, the federal government spent roughly $2.9 trillion on improper payments, including payments to deceased Americans.
- In 2021, Kennedy wrote this op-ed for CNBC sounding the alarm on billions of dollars in erroneous payments made by the government to deceased Americans.
- In 2019, Kennedy questioned U.S. Government Accountability Office Comptroller General Gene L. Dodaro about improper payments to deceased people.
Watch Kennedy’s full speech here.
Full text of the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act is available here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, today introduced the Support Our Educators Act of 2024 to reduce the income tax burden on teachers and eligible home educators.
Kennedy’s bill would amend the Internal Revenue Code to increase income tax deductions for certain expenses that elementary and secondary school teachers can claim. The bill would also create an identical expense deduction for eligible home educators.
“Louisiana’s educators often spend their own money on supplies to help our kids learn. The Support Our Educators Act would make sure that classroom teachers and homeschool families pay less in taxes when they take on more expenses to teach the next generation,” said Kennedy.
Purchases that qualify for educator expense deductions include classroom supplies and resources, such as books, computers and software. The Support Our Educators Act would:
- Increase the educator expense deduction from $300 to $600 for an individual and from $600 to $1,200 for married couples who are filing jointly when each spouse is eligible as an educator or as a home educator.
- Create a home educator expense deduction of $600 for an individual and $1,200 for married couples who are filing jointly when each spouse is eligible as an educator or as a home educator.
Kennedy’s bill would also ensure that educators both in the traditional classroom and at home receive the tax breaks they deserve.
Full text of the bill is available here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today introduced the Preventing Unnecessary Resource Expenditures (PURE) Act to remove the outdated distinction between pure and impure methamphetamine in federal criminal law.
“The meth on the streets today is far purer and more dangerous than it was 40 years ago because Mexican drug cartels and their Chinese chemical suppliers want to profit off of poisoning Americans. The PURE Act would keep Louisianians’ communities safe by making it easier to prosecute meth dealers,” said Kennedy.
Sens. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) cosponsored the bill.
“The drug overdose epidemic is devastating communities across the United States. The PURE Act closes an antiquated loophole that burdens drug testing laboratories and delays justice. I’m pleased to support this effort to empower our prosecutors and hold methamphetamine dealers accountable,” said Hagerty.
“I am proud to join Sen. Kennedy in introducing the PURE Act to cut through outdated bureaucracy and ensure our criminal laws reflect modern science. The distinction between pure and impure methamphetamine is an unnecessary relic that complicates enforcement and hampers justice. This bill will give law enforcement the tools they need to go after dangerous drug traffickers while ensuring our legal system is fair, clear, and effective in protecting communities across America,” said Cruz.
Under current law, the mandatory minimum sentence that applies to a meth offense depends on the purity of the confiscated meth. Congress created the disparity in mandatory minimum thresholds for pure and impure meth because defendants in possession of purer meth were thought to be higher in the distribution chain and thus more culpable.
However, the purity of meth is no longer a useful measure. In 1988, the average purity of meth was rarely greater than 50%. Today, however, meth samples rarely test below 90% pure. In 2022, meth samples had an average purity of 93.2% and a median purity of 98.0%. This shift toward purer meth coincided with the growing market share of Mexican drug cartels.
In addition to no longer being a useful measure, the requirement to establish purity for confiscated meth places a substantial burden on prosecutors and crime laboratories, which wastes valuable resources. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) conducts more than 8,000 hours of purity testing on meth samples each year. To do that, the DEA must also buy and maintain special equipment that it uses to test meth samples.
Background:
- Over recent decades, domestic production of illicit meth in the United States has decreased significantly. At the same time, Mexican drug cartels—relying on chemical precursors from China—have obtained a greater market share and begun distributing increasingly pure meth.
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 2002 and 2022, the rate of overdose deaths involving psychostimulants, primarily meth, increased more than 34 times, with 0.3 deaths per 100,000 in 2002 and 10.4 deaths per 100,000 in 2022.
- In 2020, meth became the second most common drug involved in overdose deaths (after fentanyl). According to the CDC, from 2021 through 2023, meth was associated with 95,063 overdose deaths.
The full bill text is available here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $4,775,507 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants for Louisiana disaster aid.
“When a hurricane hits south Louisiana, it can take power lines down, causing Louisianians to rely on backup electricity sources. This $4.8 million will fund the purchase of 18 emergency generators for St. Bernard Parish,” said Kennedy.
The FEMA aid will fund the following:
- $4,524,165 to St. Bernard Parish to fund the purchase and installation of 18 permanent generators.
- $251,342 to St. Bernard Parish for management costs associated with the purchase of 18 permanent, emergency backup generators.
Kennedy announces $5.5 million in Hurricanes Laura, Ida, saltwater intrusion aid for Louisiana
Dec 09 2024
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $5,494,688 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants for Louisiana disaster aid.
“Hurricane damage and saltwater intrusion pose major threats to Louisianians’ safety and property. This $5.5 million will help Lake Charles and other parts of our state recover from Hurricanes Laura and Ida, and cover the costs Plaquemines Parish faced because of saltwater intrusion,” said Kennedy.
The FEMA aid will fund the following:
- $1,656,558 to the Office of Risk Management for repairs to 14 state agency buildings due to Hurricane Ida damage.
- $1,309,318 to Lake Charles, La. for the demolition of residential buildings in danger of collapse due to Hurricane Laura damage.
- $1,282,648 to Plaquemines Parish for emergency protective measures at the Boothville Water Treatment Plant due to saltwater intrusion.
- $1,246,164 to Plaquemines Parish for emergency protective measures at the Port Sulphur Water Treatment Plant due to saltwater intrusion.
Kennedy raises concerns with Biden admin over delay in implementing Iranian oil sanctions
Dec 06 2024
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, today joined Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and colleagues in raising concerns to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen regarding the Biden administration’s delay in implementing and enforcing sanctions on Iranian oil.
President Biden signed the senators’ Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum (SHIP) Act into law in April. However, the administration has not implemented the bill, which includes imposing sanctions on foreign ports and refineries that knowingly accept and refine petroleum products from Iran.
“We are writing to express ongoing concerns regarding the implementation and enforcement of sanctions on Iran’s oil sector, particularly as they relate to mandates established under the Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum (SHIP) Act, which was signed into law in April of this year. Congress has consistently identified Iran's oil sector as a critical area for sanctions due to its significant role in financing destabilizing regional terrorism and nuclear development. Unfortunately, delays in fully implementing the SHIP Act remain a concern, as does the need for increased sanctions enforcement,” the senators wrote.
“Lax sanctions enforcement has enabled certain nations, particularly in Southeast Asia, to openly disregard U.S. sanctions and sell Iranian crude to China. For example, trade data show that Malaysia is exporting oil to China in excess of its own production capacity, a clear indication of involvement in Iranian oil trade. To address these deficiencies, it is critical that Treasury deploys all available enforcement tools and fully engages in monitoring and sanctioning illicit oil transactions involving Iran,” they continued.
“Iran’s illicit oil exporting tactics are well known. For example, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) provides valuable public data, such as through its tanker tracker and ‘Ghost Armada’ analysis, monitoring vessels moving Iranian oil, especially to and from Kharg Island. Given the capabilities of the United States Government, we are confident that Treasury has access to additional intelligence sources to further these efforts,” they concluded.
The senators are demanding that the Treasury Department provide comprehensive assessments of all foreign financial institutions facilitating Iranian oil exports and of all vessels listed by UANI in its Tanker Tracker and its Ghost Armada to determine whether they meet the criteria for sanctions.
In addition, the lawmakers are requesting briefings from Treasury to improve sanctions as well as an up-to-date Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) advisory to financial institutions regarding recent tactics and trends in sanctions evasion by Iran by Dec. 20, 2024.
Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) also signed the letter.
The full letter is available here.
MADISONVILLE, La. – The House of Representatives today passed companion legislation to Sen. John Kennedy’s (R-La.) Crucial Communism Teaching Act. The bill would help educate students about the history and dangers of communism, and it now moves to the Senate for consideration.
More than 100 million people have died throughout history as a result of communist rule. Today, 1.5 billion people still suffer under communism.
“Communist leaders have taken the liberties and stolen the lives of millions of people around the world. The Senate should follow our colleagues in the House by passing the Crucial Communism Teaching Act so that young Americans really understand the threat that Marxist leadership poses to freedom,” said Kennedy.
Rep. Maria Salazar (R-Fla.) introduced the Crucial Communism Teaching Act in the House.
“By passing my Crucial Communism Teaching Act, the House of Representatives will ensure future generations will remember the pain and suffering caused by the brutal communist ideology. My community in Miami is no stranger to the evils of communism, and we must ensure all Americans are aware of the death and misery it has caused. Their stories and memories will now live on in the minds of our youth,” said Salazar.
A poll by the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation shows that most young adults lack understanding of the significance and history of communism. The same poll showed that one in five Millennials, as well as one in three members of Gen Z, views communism favorably.
The Crucial Communism Teaching Act would make educational materials available through the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation to 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.
Text of the Crucial Communism Teaching Act is available here.
Kennedy details effort to help Louisianians collect missing money through unclaimed savings bonds
Dec 05 2024
Watch Kennedy’s comments here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) spoke on the Senate floor about his effort to ensure that more Americans can find the money that the federal government may owe them through mature, unclaimed savings bonds. In a letter to the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, Kennedy also announced that the U.S. Department of Treasury will begin sharing data about unclaimed savings bonds with state officials in Summer 2025.
Key excerpts from the speech are below:
“Now, government waste takes many forms, but I'll tell you one form—it’s the purest form. It's when the federal government has taxpayer money, and it doesn't belong to the federal government, but the federal government refuses to give it back. And that's the case we have at the Department of Treasury.”
. . .
“For a long time, the Department of Treasury has had the names of these 95 million people or their heirs, and it totals $38 billion. So, naive as I was, I went to the Department of Treasury and said, you know, we need to give this money back to people. What's the problem? You got names, you got addresses. After a while, you didn't have to be Einstein’s cousin to figure out they weren't going to cooperate with me.”
. . .
“So, I finally just went and passed a bill. I passed the Unclaimed Savings Bond Act. . . . . And then Treasury said, ‘You know, it's not really our job to go look for people. We can put up a toll-free number.’ I said, ‘Here's what we'll do: I want you to cooperate with the states.’ Every state has an unclaimed property program.”
. . .
“And my purpose of being here today is to try to tell folks, after eight years, we are going—in this summer, in about six months—we’re going to take all those digital records, names and addresses, and they're going to be sent to the state treasurer in every state. And the state treasurers are anxious to put their names and addresses on their websites.”
Background:
- As of May 2024, the U.S. Treasury had more than 95 million mature, unclaimed savings bonds. Those had a combined value of roughly $38 billion. Kennedy authored the Unclaimed Savings Bond Act of 2021, which was signed into law as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023.
- This law requires the U.S. Treasury to share information about the owners of unclaimed savings bonds with officials in every state. This will allow state treasurers to add information about mature, unredeemed savings bonds to the state’s unclaimed property program. That will enable more Americans to locate and claim their missing investments.
- Kennedy managed Louisiana’s unclaimed property program for 17 years while serving as state treasurer. During this time, Kennedy reunited Louisianians with roughly $400 million in their unclaimed property.
Watch Kennedy’s full speech here.
Kennedy’s letter to the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators is available here.
Kennedy introduces No Propaganda Act to end taxpayer funding of partisan government broadcasting network
Dec 05 2024
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, introduced the Senate companion to the No Propaganda Act to defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). The bill would block federal funding for the CPB because of the organization’s chronically biased content.
“The Corporation for Public Broadcasting refuses to provide Louisianians and Americans with fair, unbiased content. It wastes taxpayer dollars on slanted coverage to advance a leftist political agenda. The No Propaganda Act would save taxpayer money by putting an end to Big Brother’s propaganda outlet,” said Kennedy.
Congress has appropriated more than $15 billion to fund the CPB, which it allocates to National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). CPB states that its goal is to, “educate, inform, foster curiosity, and promote civil discourse essential to American society.” However, in April, a whistleblower exposed NPR’s decision to not broadcast the Hunter Biden laptop scandal because NPR believed covering the story would help presidential candidate Donald Trump during the 2020 election cycle.
In 2020, reports also revealed that PBS used taxpayer dollars to partner with a Chinese Communist Party-controlled media outlet, CGTN, to produce a pro-Beijing film.
Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) introduced the bill in the House of Representatives.
“The American Taxpayer is footing the bill for a woke media corporation that pretends to be impartial while pushing Chinese propaganda. CPB cannot be allowed to keep using your hard-earned tax dollars to push a biased and political agenda that goes against what’s best for Americans,” said Perry.
The full bill text is available here.