MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $5,540,986 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants for Louisiana flood protection. 

“I’m glad to see that this $5.5 million will help Louisianians in Ascension and Calcasieu Parishes protect their homes and businesses from flood damage,” said Kennedy.

The FEMA aid will fund the following:

• $2,821,146 to fund the elevation of 19 residential properties located throughout Ascension Parish.
• $2,719,840 to fund the elevation of seven properties and the acquisition of four residential properties located throughout Calcasieu Parish.

MADISONVILLE, La. – The Senate has passed a pro-law enforcement bill that Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, helped champion. The Recruit and Retain Act would address the nation-wide shortage of law enforcement officers, increase recruitment and address workforce challenges.

The legislation would boost the Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grants to address onboarding costs and hiring challenges. The bill would create a new program encouraging partnerships between schools and police departments. That program would strengthen the hiring pipeline that connects students to law enforcement career opportunities.

“The Recruit and Retain Act offers a commonsense solution to police shortages in Louisiana and across the nation. This crucial bill will help communities hire more officers and support these public servants long term. With crime surging around the country, the House should send this to President Biden’s desk as soon as possible,” said Kennedy. 

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) co-led the legislation, and Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) are cosponsors, along with Kennedy.

The Recruit and Retain Act has received national endorsements from the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, Fraternal Order of Police, Major Cities Chiefs Association, Major County Sheriffs of America, National Association of Police Organizations, National Sheriffs Association, R Street Institute and the Peace Officers Research Association of California. 

Text of the legislation is available here.

MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, applauded the Senate’s passing of the Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA) of 2023 as part of the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act.  

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) sponsored the bill, and Sens. Tom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) are original cosponsors, along with Kennedy.

“Our bipartisan bill would help protect Americans from bad actors in other countries who demand bribes as the price of doing business abroad. The Senate passed this long-overdue solution quickly, and the House should do the same so that American businesses can compete on a level, ethical playing field,” said Kennedy. 

This bill would protect U.S. firms from corrupt foreign officials because such officials often demand bribes as a prerequisite for doing business in their countries. The FEPA would make such demands illegal, which would ensure that U.S. companies remain competitive in international contexts. 

Under the FEPA Act, penalties for soliciting bribes would include a fine of up to $250,000 or three times the value of the bribe (whichever is greater) and a prison sentence of up to 15 years.  

The FEPA would: 

• Commission the Department of Justice (DOJ) to prosecute foreign officials who request or receive a bribe from a U.S. individual or corporation, or from any person while in U.S. territory.

• Require that the DOJ issue an annual report that summarizes major enforcement actions, analyzes the effectiveness of efforts to shield U.S. businesses from bribery demands and addresses foreign governments’ efforts to prosecute people who solicit bribes from Americans.

MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with all Republican Judiciary Committee members, including Ranking Member Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), urged Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) to call on Attorney General Merrick Garland and U.S. Attorney David Weiss to testify regarding recent developments in the Hunter Biden tax investigation. 

The lawmakers are seeking answers to newly raised questions surrounding Weiss’s response to a previous letter sent by Graham, which sought clarification about whistleblower testimony.

“U.S. Attorney Weiss contends that the allegations in the FD-1023 ‘relate to an ongoing investigation.’ This raises further questions about the proposed terms of Hunter Biden's plea agreement and the scope of the ongoing investigation,” the senators wrote.

“In light of the foregoing discrepancies, both Attorney General Garland and U.S. Attorney Weiss must come before our Committee to clarify their statements regarding Mr. Weiss’s authority to charge in districts outside the District of Delaware. They must also explain what happened to the allegations that were provided to them in the FD-1023,” they continued.

“The seriousness of these developments cannot be overstated. The American people deserve the truth, and we have a responsibility to exercise our oversight authority to uncover the truth,” the lawmakers concluded.

The full letter is available here.