Watch Kennedy’s comments here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) spoke on the Senate floor to praise the people of Louisiana for their perseverance during Hurricane Francine. Kennedy also explained what types of federal aid Louisiana will receive to help facilitate cleanup efforts in the state.
Key remarks from Kennedy include:
“I am sorry to report that last week my people in Louisiana were hit by yet another hurricane: Hurricane Francine. It was a Category 2. It was right on the line between a Category 1 and a Category 2. We had winds of 100 miles an hour. We had nine to 10 inches of rain. We had a vicious storm surge.
“My people did what they always do: They got ready for it, they reacted to the storm with grace and with pressure. My people filled sandbags, and we checked on our neighbors and we listened to our local officials. We said prayers for our first responders. My people are tough as a pine knot, but they're also compassionate—and we made it through.
“Some have said, ‘Well, compared to past hurricanes, Francine was not as bad as some in the past.’ And that's true. It could always be worse, but that is cold comfort for the thousands of Louisianians who sustained damage from that storm surge and those ferocious winds and that rain.
“And I want to assure my people that, as we have in the past, we will persevere, and we will make it through. I have never, in my years in the Senate, voted against providing relief for any of our sister states and my fellow senators who have asked for it, who have been the victim of a natural disaster—and I never will.
“That's the first role of government is to protect people and property. And I will never vote against aid for one of our sister states that, through no fault of its own, is struck by nature. I say that because I will be asking the American people to help Louisiana one more time. We won't ask for a penny more than we need. The help that I will seek will be in the form of personal assistance and housing, for example, infrastructure assistance and mitigation grants.
“I want to thank President Biden, Governor Landry, with whom I toured by helicopter the damage last week. Governor Landry asked for a disaster declaration for the president, and President Biden was quick to agree. I want to thank him for that.”
Watch Kennedy’s full speech here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) joined Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and colleagues in releasing the following statement on the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) proposal of an anti-Israel resolution at the U.N. General Assembly.
The PA’s resolution calls for the end of Israel’s presence in the West Bank, for sanctions against Israeli officials and for blocking arms transfers to Israel. The General Assembly has not passed a resolution condemning Hamas for the Oct. 7 attacks.
“This proposal introduced by the Palestinian delegation, ahead of the United Nations’ General Assembly, is an absolute disgrace that rewards terrorism. It is a clear insult to the Jewish people and anyone who understands history.
“As we approach the one-year anniversary of the barbaric terrorist attack by Hamas and affiliated Palestinian terrorist groups against innocent Israeli civilians, which involved murder, mutilation, and sexual violence, the international community must unequivocally unite against this evil, one-sided effort to delegitimize Israel. Instead of proposing biased and counter-productive initiatives, which will do nothing to advance a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians, the international community must focus its energy and resources on ensuring Hamas and other terrorist groups are completely destroyed. We must remain firm to ensure every single hostage held by these terrorists is safely returned to their loved ones.”
Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.),Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) also joined the statement.
Senate passes Kennedy-backed bill to make Biden-Harris admin’s DHS disclose catch-and-release data
Sep 18 2024
WASHINGTON – The Senate unanimously passed the Southern Border Transparency Act, which Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, helped introduce.
The bill, which Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) led, would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to issue reports detailing how it is handling illegal aliens seeking entry along the southern border.
“Vice President Harris was tasked with addressing immigration, and under her and Pres. Biden’s watch, millions of illegal immigrants have been released into our country by DHS. Louisianians and all Americans deserve total transparency about who is in their communities. For that reason, the House should bring this bill to the president’s desk quickly,” said Kennedy.
The Biden-Harris administration uses tools such as parole to drive down apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border and avoid removing foreign nationals who enter the country illegally.
“The Biden-Harris administration has gone to great lengths to hide the ball when it comes to levels of illegal immigration, but the American people deserve to know exactly how many migrants are being released into the country and exactly on what terms. This is the most basic of transparency measures—just the facts, that’s all we’re looking for,” said Cornyn.
The bill would require the DHS to report on the:
- Number of migrants paroled at each port of entry (POE), broken down by nationality and demographics.
- Number of migrants paroled in each Border Patrol sector, broken down by nationality and demographics.
- Number of migrants apprehended at each POE.
- Number of migrants apprehended in each Border Patrol sector.
- Number of petitions for parole received and granted by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and the total number of aliens paroled into the U.S., broken down by nationality and demographics.
Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), John Hawley (R-Mo.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) also cosponsored the legislation.
Bill text of the Southern Border Transparency Act is available here.
Kennedy urges Pres. Biden to approve expedited major disaster declaration for Hurricane Francine
Sep 13 2024
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Reps. Steve Scalise (R-La.), Clay Higgins (R-La.), Julia Letlow (R-La.), Garret Graves (R-La.) and Troy Carter (D-La.) in requesting that President Joe Biden approve an expedited major disaster declaration in response to Hurricane Francine, which made landfall in Louisiana on September 11, 2024.
“As you know, Hurricane Francine formed as a Tropical Storm in the Gulf of Mexico on September 9, 2024, before intensifying and making landfall as a Category 2 hurricane. The storm brought heavy rainfall, a life-threatening storm surge, and sustained winds of 100 mph. Hurricane Francine continued north, bringing heavy winds and rain to communities across the state. It has caused widespread damage that necessitates assistance from the federal government,” the lawmakers wrote.
“Specifically, Governor Landry has requested Individual and Public Assistance for the following parishes: Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, and West Baton Rouge. Additionally, Governor Landry has requested statewide assistance for Hazard Mitigation, and a 100% federal cost share for Categories A and B for 30 days,” they continued.
“We ask for your swift consideration and approval of an expedited major disaster declaration for the State of Louisiana. These resources are necessary as we begin the recovery process,” the lawmakers concluded.
The full letter is available here.
View Kennedy’s remarks here.
BATON ROUGE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today joined a press conference about Hurricane Francine recovery with Governor Jeff Landry, law enforcement and federal and state agency officials.
Kennedy’s key remarks are below:
“There's always something to be grateful for, but that is cold comfort to our people who sustained damage. And we did have damage: A lot of wind, a lot of water, a lot of loss of power.
“We'll get the money that we deserve from the federal government to help us. That's why we pay taxes, whether it's in the form of public assistance, infrastructure repair, personal assistance, mitigation grants.
“I've already started talking to my colleagues. The entire congressional delegation is united on this. I sit on appropriations in the Senate. . . . We do it together with all of us—and we will get the money that we need.”
. . .
“I want to thank the governor. I want to thank his entire team. I want to thank our state and local officials. They are on top of this. . . . The damage would have been much, much worse but for their professionalism, and it also would have been much, much worse but for the investment that Louisiana taxpayers and American taxpayers have made in flood protection. So, thank you, Governor, for including me, and thanks for a great job.”
Watch Kennedy’s full remarks here.
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sens. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) today introduced a resolution to designate the week of Sept. 11 through Sept. 17 as Patriot Week.
“On Sept. 11, 2001, America was forever changed when terrorists took the lives of nearly 3,000 people. Patriot Week helps us to never forget the sacrifices our brave heroes made that day to save lives, and it encourages Americans to reflect on our nation’s great history. I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan resolution with Sen. Peters for the sixth consecutive year, and I look forward to my colleagues’ supporting it," said Kennedy.
Patriot Week, which was co-founded by Judge Michael Warren, honors the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, celebrates Constitution Day on Sept. 17 and encourages students to delve into American history.
“Patriot Week is a time to honor those who died during the horrific terrorist attacks on 9/11, and recognize the profound bravery of the first responders and servicemembers who answered the call to defend our nation in one of our darkest moments. Just as we came together in those days following September 11th, this resolution encourages us to always stay unified and remember our core values as Americans, in order to address the challenges we face ahead. I continue to be thankful for Judge Warren’s efforts to help champion this important initiative each year,” said Peters.
Full text of the resolution is available here.
Kennedy urges Pres. Biden to approve Louisiana emergency declaration ahead of Francine’s landfall
Sep 10 2024
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today joined Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Reps. Steve Scalise (R-La.), Clay Higgins (R-La.), Julia Letlow (R-La.), Garret Graves (R-La.) and Troy Carter (D-La.) in urging President Joe Biden to quickly review and approve Louisiana’s emergency declaration request in order to provide timely federal assistance to communities impacted by storm Francine.
“In anticipation of landfall as a potential Category 2 hurricane, Governor Landry has requested emergency protective measures (Category B) and direct federal assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. The expected impact of this storm requires federal assistance to supplement state and local government response,” the lawmakers wrote.
“The National Weather Service anticipates that Hurricane Francine will bring high winds, heavy rainfall, and a life-threatening storm surge to Louisiana communities. On September 9, 2024, Governor Landry declared a statewide emergency and directed the execution of the State’s Emergency Operations Plan. The State of Louisiana has further determined that this storm is of such magnitude that federal assistance is needed to protect our communities,” they continued.
“We urge you to quickly review and approve the emergency declaration request and coordinate federal assistance. Thank you for your attention to this important matter,” the lawmakers concluded.
The full letter is available here.
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today released the following statement on the passing of Sybil Morial, the first African-American First Lady of New Orleans and civil rights trailblazer.
“Sybil Morial lived a life of love, courage and service and worked every day to make the promise of America a reality,” said Kennedy.
ZACHARY, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spoke with constituents at the Zachary Rotary Club about the state of the economy under the Biden-Harris administration and funding victories that he has helped secure for Louisiana.
“Louisianans get up every day and work hard, but thanks to the Biden-Harris administration’s inflation, the American dream is becoming impossible for families to achieve. Our people deserve better than that,” said Kennedy.
On average, inflation has cost Louisiana households $23,954 since 2021, and prices for all consumer goods are now 21% higher in Louisiana than when the Biden-Harris administration took over.
Kennedy in the Ouachita Citizen: Failed Biden-Harris border policies leave Louisiana less safe
Aug 28 2024
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today penned this op-ed in the Ouachita Citizen arguing that the failed border policies of the Biden-Harris administration have left Louisianians less safe. Kennedy detailed several examples of crime in Louisiana that could have been prevented by a secure border.
Key excerpts of the op-ed are below:
“Some of the most violent gangs in the world are looking for new turf, and the Biden-Harris administration’s open border policies have made the United States a destination.
“All over the country, law enforcement officers are responding to crimes committed by members of foreign criminal organizations such as El Salvador’s MS-13 and Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gangs. These men are the worst of the worst, and some have already begun to appear in Louisiana.”
. . .
“From day one, President Biden and his border czar Kamala Harris have embraced the radical policies of the loon wing of their party, and they rolled out the welcome mat for more than 10 million unvetted foreign nationals to enter the United States.
“They promised to give health care coverage to illegal immigrants during their campaigns. They made illegal immigration easier with nearly 300 executive orders during their first year in office. They ended Title 42. They destroyed the Remain in Mexico policy. They disparaged our border patrol officers. They gave migrants phones, flights and hotel rooms. I could go on.
“Someone writing a how-to guide for illegal immigrant recruitment couldn’t have dreamed up this bad policy playbook.”
. . .
“It’s hard not to conclude that the Biden-Harris administration created this mess intentionally. They opened the border in hopes of getting more votes, and they left Louisianians and Americans to fend for themselves against the most vicious criminals lurking among the masses.
“Louisianians have had enough of the Biden-Harris administration’s border betrayal, and they won’t forget it.”
Read Kennedy’s full op-ed here.
