WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) penned this op-ed for Defense News focused on how the United States must curb Chinese aggression in the Pacific.
Below are key excerpts:
“If anyone doubts Beijing’s commitment to aggressive Pacific expansionism, its response to Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s recent visit to Taiwan should remove any lingering uncertainty.”
. . .
“One of the clearest and easiest steps that Congress can take is to establish a special envoy to the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). Similar to the European Union, the PIF is an international organization and includes Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Island nations.”
. . .
“China continues to wrap its economic, diplomatic, and military tentacles around smaller nations, and implications stretch far beyond Taipei. During World War II, Kiribati’s airport allowed American planes to refuel in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Now, reports indicate that Kiribati will make a deal with China to upgrade its runway. No doubt Beijing recognizes the military significance of that airstrip. Apparently, the U.S. didn’t. Kiribati’s ambassador to the U.S. said the country asked Washington for help but was rebuffed.”
. . .
“Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and I are now giving Congress a bipartisan solution that the White House has already indicated it supports. Since there are no ambassadors to the PIF, the U.S. and Pacific Islands Forum Partnership Act would establish a special envoy there. The Senate-confirmed role would elevate diplomacy in the region since it would offer the same access to the Oval Office as an ambassadorship. The position would also have the same accountability to Congress.
The U.S. can’t afford to be ignorant of the economic investments and military overtures China is making to our neighbors in the Pacific. Kiribati turned from diplomacy with Taiwan to China in 2019 and cut ties with the PIF this summer. Other Pacific Island nations could follow suit.”
. . .
“With members of both parties in Congress and the White House on board with establishing a permanent envoy to our friends in the South Pacific, we could and should cement this win quickly at a time when China’s growing belligerence doesn’t give America a moment to lose.”
Read Kennedy’s op-ed here.
WASHINGTON—Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today announced $76,706,403 in disaster aid grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for Louisiana.
“I’m glad to see this $76.7 million going towards the costs of recovery efforts in Calcasieu, St. Charles, Ascension, Grand Isle and the state of Louisiana after Ida and Laura hit our communities hard,” said Kennedy.
The grants will fund the following:
- $2,258,321 in federal funding to the Calcasieu Parish School Board for repairs to the damaged facilities at the Iowa High School campus as a result of Hurricane Laura.
- $1,199,460 in federal funding to the Calcasieu Parish School Board for repairs to the damaged facilities at the LaGrange High School campus as a result of Hurricane Laura.
- $66,392,538 in federal funding to Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and emergency preparedness for emergency protective measures as a result of Hurricane Ida.
- $1,889,142 in federal funding to the town of Grand Isle for emergency protective measures as a result of Hurricane Ida.
- $2,370,149 in federal funding to Ascension Parish for Public Assistance Alternate Procedures debris removal operations as a result of Hurricane Ida.
- $1,058,859 in federal funding to Grand Isle for repairs to recreational facilities damaged as a result of Hurricane Ida.
- $1,537,934 in federal funding to St. Charles Parish for debris removal operations as a result of Hurricane Ida.
Watch Kennedy’s remarks here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today spoke on the senate floor about his amendment to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which would unleash U.S. energy production by mandating oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico.
Kennedy made the following statement during his remarks:
“On March 31 of this year, my two friends Senator Joe Manchin and Senator Mark Kelly wrote to President Joe Biden, and I quote, ‘We are writing to urge you to develop and implement a new Five-Year Program for oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico without delay’—my amendment would fulfill that request and make it a congressional directive.”
Watch Kennedy’s full remarks here.
Watch Kennedy’s remarks here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today spoke on the senate floor about his amendment to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which would lower the cost of insulin for middle and low-income Americans.
The senator made the following statements during his remarks:
“Mr. President, my amendment—which I also offer on behalf of many of my Republican colleagues—would substantially and dramatically reduce the cost of insulin for millions of Americans.”
. . .
“My amendment would reimplement a rule that President Biden repealed: My amendment would make insulin available at Federally Qualified Health Centers for pennies on the dollar, and it would pay for itself by redirecting existing money from the Obamacare Public Health Prevention Fund.”
Watch Kennedy’s full remarks here.
Kennedy statement on tax and spending bill
Aug 07 2022
Watch Kennedy’s remarks here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today released the following statement upon voting against the Senate’s tax and spending bill, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022:
“Senator Manchin and Senator Schumer’s massive tax-and-spending bill has unfortunately, in my judgment, now passed.
“Because of inflation, Louisianians are really getting good at barely getting by—and that’s true for most Americans, too. As a result of Senator Manchin’s bill—and I hope I am wrong on this—I predict that Joeflation, as some people call it, will now refer to Joe Manchin, not President Biden.
“For example, Senator Manchin’s bill raises taxes on oil and gas. Now, when you tax something, you get less of it which causes prices to rise.
“Senator Manchin’s message seems to be: “Since you can’t afford gas, because of my bill, go buy a seventy-five-thousand-dollar electric vehicle. That’s not going to work in Louisiana. That’s not going to work across America.
“Number two. According to the non-partisan Joint Tax Committee, which doesn’t take sides—it’s not Republican or Democrat—the burden of Senator Manchin’s bill will fall on everyone, everyone and their taxes. Not just people making more than four-hundred thousand dollars a year; everyone.
“So, most Americans—if not all Americans—are going to have even less money to spend as prices continue to rise.
“Point three. Senator Manchin’s bill raises taxes on businesses, especially manufacturers. Most people understand this: Corporations don’t pay taxes, people do. And, those taxes, when they’re increased, are passed on in higher prices, lower wages, lower stock prices and lower 401k balances.
“It’s a special kind of stupid, in my judgement, to raise taxes during both a recession and inflation—that’s called stagflation, which is what we have right now as a result of President Biden’s policies.
“Look, I’m not saying that Senator Manchin intentionally wants to hurt people. I’m not saying that he intentionally wants to have even more people living in a tent behind Whataburger, but that’s going to be the result of this bill. I hope I’m wrong, but I think I’m right. This bill is tier 1 moronic.”
Watch Kennedy’s statement here.
Kennedy introduces amendment to reduce the cost of insulin for middle, low-income Americans
Aug 06 2022
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today introduced an amendment to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 to lower the cost of insulin.
“Louisianians and all Americans who suffer from diabetes know that the rising cost of insulin can be a matter of life or death. My amendment cuts prices by redirecting misused Obamacare funds to community health centers to help them pay for the lifesaving drug for middle and low-income individuals,” said Kennedy.
Kennedy’s amendment repurposes funding from the Affordable Care Act to ensure that Federally Qualified Health Centers can provide discounted insulin and epinephrine for low and middle-income Americans in need.
Text of the amendment is available here.
Kennedy introduces amendment to return U.S. to energy independence, bring energy jobs back to Louisiana
Aug 06 2022
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today introduced an amendment to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 to unleash U.S. energy production by mandating oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico.
“On day one, President Biden launched a full-blown war on America’s oil and gas jobs, and we see the results: Louisianians’ cost of living has skyrocketed and the price of almost every product in this country has gone up—thanks to his attacks. My amendment is the first step to restoring the thousands of energy jobs killed by this administration, and returning Louisiana and America to the days when families did not have to choose between putting food on their tables or gas in their cars,” said Kennedy.
Kennedy’s amendment requires the Department of the Interior to authorize two leases per year for five years in the Gulf of Mexico to oil producers, and requires the department to authorize one lease in the Cook Inlet.
Support for this legislation includes the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, American Petroleum Institute, National Ocean Industries Association, International Association of Drilling Contractors, Consumer Energy Alliance, International Association for Geophysical Chemistry, Petroleum Equipment and Service Association and others.
Text of the amendment is available here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) spoke on the senate floor about the rise in crime in Louisiana and across the country.
Key excerpts from his remarks include:
“In my state, and in my city of New Orleans, we have seen a 136 percent rise in homicides, a 101 percent rise in shootings and a 194 percent rise in carjackings.
“And this is not just a Louisiana and New Orleans problem.”
. . .
“This is no coincidence. For almost two years now . . . some people in positions of authority in our country have been calling to defund the police, to dismantle the police and they have been disrespecting the police.
“Many of our public officials, not all of them, but some happen to be mayors in major cities, they believe that cops are a bigger problem than criminals.”
. . .
“We also have prosecutors—district attorneys—not all of them, but too many of them, who live by the motto ‘Hear no evil, see no evil, and prosecute no evil’—and we can now see the result of that attitude. It’s an anti-law enforcement attitude, Mr. President.”
. . .
“The American people want and deserve better.
“What should we do? Number one, we have to empower our cops.”
. . .
“We need to empower those that abide by their oath because they’re the ones keeping our communities safe.”
Kennedy’s full remarks are available here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $69,021,705 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants in disaster aid for Louisiana.
“This $69 million will help Louisiana communities and campuses rebuild and recover from the blows that Hurricanes Laura and Ida dealt us,” said Kennedy.
The FEMA aid will fund the following:
- $2,766,901 to the city of Sulphur for emergency protective measures related to Hurricane Laura.
- $1,093,213 to Calcasieu Parish School Board for repairs at the Sulphur High School’s campus related to Hurricane Laura.
- $1,921,822 to Calcasieu Parish School Board for repairs at the LeBlanc Middle School’s campus related to Hurricane Laura.
- $ 1,438,724 to Calcasieu Parish School Board for repairs at the Sam Houston High School campus related to Hurricane Laura.
- $ 4,123,898 to the Calcasieu Parish School Board for repairs at the Curriculum & Instruction Tech Center campus related to Hurricane Laura.
- $ 2,798,637 to Lafourche Parish Hospital Service District #1 for emergency protective measures related to Hurricane Ida.
- $ 37,907,712 to St. Tammany Parish for debris removal and monitoring related to Hurricane Ida.
- $ 1,597,016 to the city of Gretna for Public Assistance Alternate Procedures (PAAP) and debris removal related to Hurricane Ida.
- $ 14,305,571 to Lafourche Parish Hospital Service District No. 1 for emergency protective measures related to Hurricane Ida.
- $ 1,068,211 to the city of Harahan for Public Assistance Alternate Procedures (PAAP) and debris removal related to Hurricane Ida.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today introduced the Returning American Manufacturing Potential (RAMP) Act to bolster domestic manufacturing and support American companies.
The legislation expands on The Buy American Act of 1993, which requires the federal government to prefer domestic articles, materials and supplies in its purchases.
“Choosing foreign manufacturing over American kills jobs and hurts U.S. job creators. The RAMP act ensures that buying American-made products is our first choice, not our last,” said Kennedy.
The RAMP Act requires that at least 60 percent of the value of the components of products that the federal government purchases be made in the U.S. The current requirement is that only 55 percent of the components’ value come from American-made resources.
Under the bill, the requirement will increase to 65 percent by 2024 and 75 percent by 2029. Additionally, the bill establishes price preferences for domestic goods that the federal government designates as critical to U.S. supply chains.
Text of the legislation is available here.
