Media
Kennedy announces $1.7 million for Louisiana health providers, including Plaquemines Parish
Jul 21 2020
“This funding will give the doctors and nurses in Plaquemines Parish the additional resources they need to treat those most in need. I’m also grateful to see the Office of Behavioral health receive resources to help prevent suicide during this difficult time."
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $1,720,833 in grant funding from the Department of Health and Human Services for Plaquemines Parish Hospital and the Louisiana State Office of Behavioral Health.
“Health centers care for the most vulnerable populations and are facing serious challenges while fighting the coronavirus. This funding will give the doctors and nurses in Plaquemines Parish the additional resources they need to treat those most in need,” said Kennedy.
“I’m also grateful to see the Office of Behavioral Health receive resources to help prevent suicide during this difficult time.”
This funding includes $920,833 for health centers that are part of Plaquemines Parish Hospital Service District No. 1 and $800,000 for the Louisiana State Office of Behavioral Health.
Kennedy statement on passing of Rep. John Lewis
Jul 18 2020
“John Lewis made America better. He believed in, and espoused in word and deed, the ideal of America as a color-blind meritocracy. Becky and I mourn his passing. Thank you, Congressman Lewis, for giving so much to our great country.”
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) released the following statement on the passing of Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.):
“John Lewis made America better. He believed in, and espoused in word and deed, the ideal of America as a color-blind meritocracy. Becky and I mourn his passing. Thank you, Congressman Lewis, for giving so much to our great country.”
Kennedy announces $1.7 million FEMA grant for Acadia Parish residential elevation project
Jul 17 2020
“Hurricane season is here, so we have to be vigilant in protecting Louisiana properties from flood damage. This grant will help preserve housing for people who call Acadia Parish home.”
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced a $1,743,685 FEMA grant to support a residential elevation project in Acadia Parish.
“Hurricane season is here, so we have to be vigilant in protecting Louisiana properties from flood damage. This grant will help preserve housing for people who call Acadia Parish home,” said Kennedy.
This funding is authorized by the National Flood Insurance Act. As required by FEMA and local ordinance, structures that have received repetitive flood damage will be elevated one foot above the base flood elevation.
“Medical professionals have gone above and beyond to mitigate this pandemic, and this $224 million in CARES Act funding will help give health care providers resources to continue saving lives in Louisiana.”
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on $223,580,330 in funding from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to help 47 hospitals respond to the coronavirus outbreak in Louisiana.
“Medical professionals have gone above and beyond to mitigate this pandemic, and this $224 million in CARES Act funding will help give health care providers resources to continue saving lives in Louisiana,” said Kennedy.
These payments are part of HHS’s delivery of $10 billion to hospitals with more than 161 coronavirus admissions between January 1 and June 10, 2020. These funds are provided under the authority of the CARES Act and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act.
This funding includes $45,312,748 to Ochsner Medical Center. Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center is receiving $43,843,357, while its children’s hospital is receiving an additional $800,000 in federal aid.
Additional information about this CARES Act funding is available here.
“Louisiana is working each day to promote the health of families and children, and this funding will help support key programs to protect the well-being of our communities.”
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $2,985,578 in federal funding to support health projects around Louisiana.
“Louisiana is working each day to promote the health of families and children, and this funding will help support key programs to protect the well-being of our communities,” said Kennedy.
Projects supported by this funding include:
- $2,609,141 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to support the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases. The grant is awarded to the Louisiana Department of Health.
- $376,437 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences to support genetic research through Tulane University.
“It’s imperative that we continue to care for, and ensure the safety of, our children and their families during this pandemic. This funding will help reimburse DCFS for its response to the coronavirus.”
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced a $1,153,375 FEMA grant to reimburse the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) for the cost of emergency management responsibilities during the coronavirus outbreak.
“It’s imperative that we continue to care for, and ensure the safety of, our children and their families during this pandemic. This funding will help reimburse DCFS for its response to the coronavirus,” said Kennedy.
DCFS’s emergency management responsibilities include providing staff liaisons to the Louisiana Office of Homeland Security, managing its emergency operation center and operating warehouses for medical monitoring and coronavirus isolation sites. This funding is authorized under the Robert T. Stafford Act.
“President Trump has always made certain that Louisiana gets the resources we need to fight COVID-19. We’re thankful for this supply of remdesivir and for the lives it will help.”
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) released the following statement on President Donald Trump’s securing a shipment of the coronavirus therapeutic remdesivir to help treat patients in Louisiana.
“President Trump has always made certain that Louisiana gets the resources we need to fight COVID-19. We’re thankful for this supply of remdesivir and for the lives it will help,” said Kennedy.
On July 13, Louisiana will receive 60 cases of remdesivir, which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given emergency use authorization for treating hospitalized coronavirus patients.
“Louisiana’s health and education systems are working each day to adapt to the coronavirus outbreak, and these grants will help support key programs and services to help Louisianians build healthy futures.”
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $57,834,112 in federal funding to help support health and education projects around Louisiana.
“Louisiana’s health and education systems are working each day to adapt to the coronavirus outbreak, and these grants will help support key programs and services to help Louisianians build healthy futures,” said Kennedy.
Projects supported by this funding include:
- $51,033,433 from FEMA to help reimburse Ochsner Medical Center for completing construction of its west tower facility in Jefferson Parish to increase capacity for coronavirus patients.
- $3,021,520 from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to help support maternal and child health services through the Louisiana Department of Health.
- $1,584,468 from HHS to help support the Head Start and Early Head Start programs through Total Community Action, Inc.
- $930,680 from HHS to help support The Juvenile Justice-Involved Youth Innovation and Impact Network through the Policy and Research Group.
- $700,000 from HHS to help support the Louisiana Zero Suicide Initiative through the Louisiana State Office of Behavioral Health.
- $318,967 from HHS to help support tubular lysosomes in health and disease research at Louisiana State University A&M.
- $130,592 from HHS to help expand capacity for coronavirus testing through Acadiana Cares, Inc.
- $114,452 from HHS to help expand capacity for coronavirus testing through Greater Ouachita Coalition Providing Aids Resources & Education, Inc.
“Expanding testing helps people in Baton Rouge return to their jobs while keeping communities safe. I’m grateful HHS is providing additional support for communities hit hardest by this virus.”
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will support increased free coronavirus testing in Baton Rouge, La.
“Expanding testing helps people in Baton Rouge return to their jobs while keeping communities safe. I’m grateful HHS is providing additional support for communities hit hardest by this virus,” said Kennedy.
HHS will increase testing in communities experiencing a recent and excessive number of new cases and hospitalizations related to the coronavirus outbreak. Beginning on Tuesday, July 7, HHS will help perform 5,000 free tests a day in Baton Rouge through Saturday, July 18.
According to HHS, testing locations in Baton Rouge include:
Louisiana State University
Alex Box Stadium parking lot
Gourrier Avenue
Baton Rouge, LA 70820
Southern University
FG Clark parking lot
801 Harding Blvd
Baton Rouge, LA 70807
Cortana Mall
9701 Cortana Pl.
Baton Rouge, LA 70815
Fairgrounds at BREC’s Airline Highway Park
17200 Airline Hwy
Baton Rouge, LA 70118
Kennedy, King Propose Tool to Remove Unknowns, Help Small Businesses Calculate PPP Loan Forgiveness
Jul 02 2020
“The Paycheck Protection Program helped countless small businesses keep their doors open and their workers on payroll. . . . I’m glad to work with Sen. King on getting those businesses another tool to help them focus on their core business instead of worrying about bureaucratic landmines.”
WASHINGTON – Today, Sens. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Angus King (I-Maine) introduced the Calculate PPP Forgiveness Act of 2020, which directs the Small Business Administration (SBA) to develop a free calculator for businesses seeking to estimate their loan forgiveness amount through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The bill directs the SBA to coordinate the development of the calculator, providing additional support for small businesses that are navigating a complex web of challenges.
“The Paycheck Protection Program helped countless small businesses keep their doors open and their workers on payroll,” said Kennedy. “Now, they need support to navigate the loan forgiveness process so they can continue helping our economy recover. I’m glad to work with Sen. King on getting those businesses another tool to help them focus on their core business instead of worrying about bureaucratic landmines.”
“Each day of the coronavirus crisis, businesses are facing a million different challenges – making payroll, covering rent and utilities, maintaining the health of their employees and customers, on and on. By providing a free calculator of PPP loan forgiveness, we give them a little more clarity when it comes to planning their expenses,” said King. “This bill will provide peace of mind to businesses who’ve utilized the PPP to stay afloat, and will help them avoid harmful financial surprises. This is an important step to making sure the local businesses we love are able to weather this storm and keep playing vital roles in our communities.”
The Calculate PPP Loan Forgiveness Act would require the Administrator of the SBA, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury, to establish a free, publicly accessible online calculator and/or certify free, accurate and publicly accessible third-party calculators in order to provide certainty and assistance to lenders and small businesses as they fill out PPP loan forgiveness forms.
As a member of the Senate Small Business Committee, a member of the Senate Banking Committee and the chair of the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee on Appropriations, Kennedy worked closely with the U.S. Treasury and SBA on implementing the PPP. Kennedy called for additional PPP funding after the program initially ran out of funds in April. At the Small Business Committee hearing on June 10, Kennedy pressed SBA Administrator Carranza and Treasury Secretary Mnuchin to provide certainty and clarity about the PPP forgiveness process. On June 12, Kennedy asked the Treasury and SBA to simplify the PPP loan forgiveness application. When it was reported that dozens of Planned Parenthood affiliates across the country applied for and received about $80 million in PPP loans, while knowing they were ineligible to apply, Kennedy asked the Justice Department to investigate the misuse of funds set aside for small businesses and their employees.
King has pushed to make sure federal funds are being directed to the sectors of our society that need them most as quickly and efficiently as possible – earlier this month, his legislation extending the length of time businesses could use funds and allowing businesses to use more of their loans on non-payroll expenses passed the Senate unanimously and was signed into law. In addition to his leadership in reforming the PPP’s timeline and providing increased flexibility for business owners, King has pushed to ease paperwork requirements for small businesses seeking loan forgiveness under the PPP. He has also urged the SBA to provide clear, concise and accurate guidance on eligibility for Economic Injury Disaster Loans and to readjust regulatory requirements so that seasonal employers can access the full amount of the PPP loans for which they qualify. He has cosponsored legislation that would repeal a massive tax break for a small group of wealthy taxpayers that was included in the CARES Act. Since the coronavirus crisis began, he has remained in regular contact with Maine business leaders, including tele-conferences with the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, Portland Buy Local, Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce, New England Council and 500 Maine employees of Sun Life.
