Governor Landry: Eliminate the Income Tax
Baton Rouge, LA – Today, in a press conference announcing historic savings from his government efficiency efforts, Governor Jeff Landry again stated his commitment to eliminating the State’s income tax.
Governor Landry and the Legislature already put in place the largest income tax in state history, paid for in part by the elimination of waste in government. Today, after announcing that over the last year his fiscal responsibility program has identified nearly $1 Billion in savings and efficiencies, he again called for the eventual elimination of Louisiana’s income tax.
“Today, I am announcing to the people of Louisiana that we have found hundreds of millions of dollars in savings within the Louisiana state government,” Landry said. These savings and efficiencies have allowed Landry to keep state spending nearly flat, after his first budget cut billions, despite still dealing with the same Biden inflation families face everyday.
The announcement is the result of meticulous work by LA DOGE, spearheaded by Fiscal Responsibility Czar Steve Orlando. For the first time in recent memory, Louisiana’s government is no longer supplementing recurring expenses with one-time income. Landry committed to ongoing reforms and continued historic private sector investment leading to tens of thousands of new jobs in the state. He stated these efforts will help continue lowering the tax burden on Louisiana citizens toward the ultimate goal of a zero percent income tax.
“Governor Landry is once again proving what true conservative leadership can accomplish,” said Republican Party Chairman Derek Babcock. “These reforms have led to millions in savings for the State, and he’s just getting started. With this type of dedication and leadership, I’m confident we will eliminate the income tax sooner than expected.”
Kennedy, Cassidy, Gulf colleagues to NOAA: Help block cartels from profiting off red snapper illegally caught in Gulf of America
“We would appreciate NOAA Fisheries’ action in more aggressively applying its existing authorities to ensure that illegally harvested red snapper is not sold in the United States.”
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and eight colleagues from states bordering the Gulf of America in urging Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator Neil Jacobs to ensure that illegally-harvested red snapper from Mexican fishing operations are not sold in American markets.
Red snapper form a crucial part of Louisiana’s nearly $2 billion seafood economy, as well as the economies of other Gulf states. Unauthorized Mexican fishing operations, often linked to cartels, have increasingly profited from the sale of red snapper illegally caught in the Gulf of America, hurting Louisiana’s fishermen and wildlife.
“We write to express concern regarding the continued illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing for red snapper by Mexican vessels operating in U.S. waters in the Gulf of America,” the senators began their letter to Jacobs.
“The Coast Guard has demonstrated sustained and effective operational enforcement through repeated interdictions and seizures; however, the continued presence of Mexican lanchas in U.S. waters suggests that enforcement at sea alone is insufficient . . . We urge [NOAA] to use its import-restriction authorities, and other applicable authorities, to address this problem in a targeted and proportionate manner that supports law-abiding U.S. fisheries,” they continued.
“Despite fewer vessel interdictions in 2025 than the previous year, the volume of illegally harvested red snapper seized by the Coast Guard rose 28 percent, reaching 15,859 pounds . . . Furthermore, a recent DHS Office of Inspector General report found that the Coast Guard interdicts only one in every five detected foreign fishing vessels, leaving nearly 80 percent of illegal incursions unchallenged and free to enter domestic commerce through opaque supply chains,” the lawmakers explained.
“The Gulf of America red snapper fishery is a highly regulated domestic fishery that is shared between recreational and commercial harvesters. Allocation of the fishery between domestic stakeholders is a topic of intense policy discussion and high-level decision making, reflecting the immense value of the fishery to our nation. Mexican IUU-caught fish steals that value from both sets of American stakeholders,” the members wrote.
“Reports from the Department of the Treasury indicate that these lanchas are not operating as isolated or subsistence fishing ventures, but as organized operations increasingly linked to the Gulf Cartel, one of Mexico’s most dangerous criminal organizations. The continued ability to sell illegally harvested red snapper into the U.S. market is a powerful financing source for the Cartel and undermines both U.S. fisheries management and national security,” they added.
“We would appreciate NOAA Fisheries’ action in more aggressively applying its existing authorities to ensure that illegally harvested red snapper is not sold in the United States. Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to your response,” the senators concluded.
Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Ashley Moody (R-Fla.) joined Kennedy and Cassidy in authoring the letter.
View the full letter here.
Senator Blake Miguez Falsely Accused on Carbon Capture
Contrary to Opponent’s Lies, Miguez Held the Line Against Carbon Capture and Defended Louisianians Against Eminent Domain
In the race to replace U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, opponents of State Senator Blake Miguez have manufactured a boogieman designed to stop him from being Louisiana’s next U.S. Senator.
Organized and directed by State Treasurer John Fleming and his campaign, opponents of Miguez have openly circulated a falseallegation that he supports Carbon Capture Sequestration (CCS) and the use of eminent domain in CCS projects.
The reality couldn’t be further from the truth. Senator Miguez has religiously opposed the expansion of CCS and eminent domain, and his voting record confirms it.
In fact, Miguez even attempted to full ban eminent domain from being used for any CCS projects in 2023 through Amendment #2624 to HB 571 (2023).
While that amendment failed, Miguez has passed countless additional pieces of legislation that have tightened restrictions on CCS projects, restricted eminent domain, and protected Louisianians.
Miguez helped pass SB73 (2025), which raised the threshold for landowner consent for eminent domain utilization from 75% to 85%, even higher than the threshold for a traditional oil and gas pipeline.
Miguez voted for HB169 (2024), which expanded the cap on damages for property owners, holding CCS operators accountable and protecting the rights of landowners.
Miguez backed SB36 (2025), which restricted CCS operators’ ability to utilize eminent domain and forced local government and local opinion to be involved in any CCS project.
Miguez helped pass HB304 (2025) which required that eminent domain disputes be heard in the parish where the land is located, rather than by a court in Baton Rouge.
Miguez even led the charge to pass HB244 (2025) through the Senate, which recategorized CCS operators and got rid of a loophole allowing them to operate as industrial waste pipelines. Now, CCS operators are forced to attain common carrier status, a significantly higher bar.
So why do Miguez opponents persist in accusing the Senator of supporting Carbon Capture Sequestration?
The simple answer is that it serves their political convenience. The longer answer is that they’ve twisted and misrepresented a plethora of legislation into a false narrative that serves their purposes. Let’s take a look at those accusations:
In 2020, Senator Miguez voted in favor of SB353, which opened up eligibility to federal subsidies tied to CCS for Louisiana’s Oil and Gas industry, which was struggling during COVID-19 at the time. Opponents claim this was a vote in favor of carbon capture and eminent domain. In reality, this was a vote in favor of Louisiana’s Oil & Gas industry that provided support during a difficult period. When SB353 was passed, the only vocal opposition to the legislation came from the left-wing environmental nuts at the Sierra Club.
Every single Republican in Baton Rouge, in both the House and Senate, voted for this bill to support hard-working Louisianiansin the Oil & Gas industry. The bill did not introduce CCS to Louisiana, that was done a decade prior by the Louisiana Geologic Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide Act of 2009.
In 2021, Senator Miguez voted for HB572, which added to the list of substances that can legally be stored underground and simultaneously strengthened the CCS trust fund, a fund overseen by Treasurer John Fleming and tasked with funding safety measures, inspections, and environmental cleanup. Opponents claim that this included Carbon Capture Sequestration and funded the trust fund with taxpayer dollars, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Carbon dioxide wasn’t even added by the bill, it was already present thanks to 2009’s legislation. Funding to the trust fund came from fees and taxes on operators. It did not take tax dollars from uninvolved Louisianians, only those companies directly responsible for implementing storage projects.
In 2023, Senator Miguez voted against several locality specific bills that put moratoriums on CCS projects in a specific locality, like HB267 dealing with Lake Maurepas and HB120 dealing with Lake Ponchatrain. These moratorium proposals would have been unconstitutional had they passed, because Louisiana did not have the authority at the time to regulate Class IV wells used for CCS – the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) did. Senator Miguez is seemingly guilty of not attempting to pass unconstitutional legislation.
In 2024, Senator Miguez voted for HB492 and HB 966. Opponents claim that HB492 gave CCS operators the ability to seize private property through eminent domain, when the legislation actually significantly restricted eminent domain and protected landowners. The bill prohibited CCS projects with very limited exceptions, required local public hearings for CCS permits, required a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for any eminent domain, and clarified that CCS operators are NOT public utilities or common carriers. All ofthese provisions were huge blows to the CCS industry. HB966 established the concept of unitization in eminent domain proceedings. Opponents claim that it compelled landowners to join the unitization, which is false. In reality the concept of unitization laid the groundwork for Miguez and his allies to pass SB73 in 2025, raising the threshold of agreement within the unit from 75% to 85% and making it more difficult for CCS operators to utilize eminent domain – another significant win for private property rights.
John Fleming and his supporters either grossly misunderstand or deliberately misrepresent each piece of legislation they attempt to use against Senator Miguez.
What’s even more hypocritical in this context is that John Fleming himself took a vote that supported Carbon Capture Sequestration while he was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2015. Fleming voted for the North American Security and Infrastructure Act of 2015, which enabled the Obama Administration’s Secretary of Energy to review and recommend funding increases for Carbon Capture Sequestration Projects. The bill reads:
“The Secretary shall … assess the funding of the [CCS] project and make a recommendation as to whether increased funding is necessary to advance the project” – Sec. 1109(c)(2)(A
While this language was certainly lumped in alongside other subject matter, for John Fleming to represent himself as a purist on CCS while twisting Senator Miguez’s strong defense of private property rights against him is disingenuous at best, and blatant political deception at worst.
No elected legislator in our state has stood for Louisianians, their safety, and their private property rights as strongly as Senator Miguez. His opponent’s twisted narrative is nothing more than a disingenuous attempt to misrepresent a strong legislative record as a weak one, for the political advantage of another candidate.
Gov. Landry Declares January Human Trafficking Prevention Month in Louisiana
BATON ROUGE, LA – Governor Landry has signed a proclamation officially declaring January as Human Trafficking Prevention Month in Louisiana, joining the national observance to bring awareness to the fight against human trafficking. This declaration underscores the state’s commitment to protecting vulnerable individuals, supporting survivors, and preventing human trafficking in all forms.
View proclamation here.
In recognition of National Wear Blue Day, also known as Human Trafficking Awareness Day on Sunday, January 11, all Louisianans are encouraged to wear blue to raise awareness about human trafficking prevention. Additionally, the staff of the Governor’s Office will wear blue on Monday, January 12, as part of the ongoing effort to highlight this important issue. On the same day, the Louisiana State Capitol and the Governor’s Mansion will shine in blue as a sign of the state’s dedication to this cause.
Human trafficking impacts thousands of people across the United States each year, and Louisiana remains steadfast in its mission to combat this crisis through education, outreach, and support for survivors. For more information on human trafficking, resources, and ways to get involved, visit https://humantrafficking.la.gov.
HIGGINS: 2025 Legislative Rundown
Rep. Clay Higgins recently sent out an annual update on the work that he is doing for South Louisiana in the US House of Representatives. The below is what was included in that update:
In 2025, I worked to deliver for Louisiana, correct the trajectory of spending, and codify the America First policy agenda. I've compiled a by-the-issue summary of many legislative actions taken by my office this year.
SECURING AMERICA
Passed into law H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, providing historic resources for border security and immigration enforcement.
Passed H.R. 2056, the District of Columbia Federal Immigration Compliance Act, to end DC's sanctuary city status.
Voted YES on H.R. 22, the SAVE Act, mandating proof of citizenship for voters nationwide.
Sponsored H.R. 1569, the CATCH Fentanyl Act, establishing new inspection technologies and enforcement tools to combat drug trafficking.
FIGHTING FOR LOUISIANA'S ENERGY SECTOR
Introduced H.R. 513, the Offshore Lands Authorities Act, to restore hundreds of millions of acres for offshore oil and gas development.
Cosponsored and passed H.R. 1949, the Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act, which passed the House, expediting approvals for LNG export terminals.
Worked with the Trump Administration to secure permits for multiple LNG projects in Louisiana.
Passed into law H.R. 1, which ensures oil and gas lease sales in the Gulf of America over the next 15 years.
IMPLEMENTING SOCIAL SECURITY FAIRNESS
Worked with the Trump Administration to secure expedited payments in accordance with the Social Security Fairness Act.
PROMOTING FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
Passed H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025, to save $9.4 billion in taxpayer dollars.
Introduced H.R. 2716, the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act, to save $1.3 billion and combat government waste, fraud, and abuse.
Voted for conservative appropriations bills that correct the trajectory of spending.
ADVOCATING FOR OUR SEAFOOD INDUSTRY
Introduced H.R. 4800, the Fisheries Modernization Act, which expands fishery disaster relief programs to Louisiana's wild-caught crawfish industry.
Petitioned President Trump to levy tariffs on foreign shrimp and crawfish imports.
Sponsored H.R. 2715, the Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act, which mandates the FDA to destroy contaminated products.
Authored H.R. 2071, the Save our Shrimpers Act, to prevent taxpayer dollars from funding foreign shrimpers.
PROTECTING LOUISIANA FARMERS
Expanded agriculture support programs for rice and sugarcane farmers in H.R. 1.
Helped complete a trade agreement for Iraq to purchase hundreds of thousands of metric tons of Louisiana rice.
Petitioned the USDA to include Louisiana in its slate of new regional hubs.
Worked closely with President Trump to increase rice tariffs on countries undercutting American industry.
STANDING FOR PRO-LIFE PRINCIPLES
Voted YES and cosponsored H.R. 21, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, requiring medical care for abortion survivors.
Maintained a 100% pro-life voting record as a member of Congress.
SUPPORTING VETERANS & THE MILITARY
Patrolled with Louisiana National Guardsmen stationed in our nation's capital.
Secured wins for Louisiana's military bases, service members, and shipyards in the National Defense Authorization Act.
Cosponsored H.R. 2102, the Major Richard Star Act, to restore earned benefits for disabled combat-injured Veterans.
DELIVERING TAX RELIEF FOR WORKING AMERICANS
Voted to pass H.R. 1, which lowered taxes for working families.
Delivered on President Trump's priorities of no tax on tips, overtime pay, and Social Security.
Passed an enhanced Child Tax Credit to provide additional relief for American families.
ADDRESSING DISASTER RESILIENCY & INFRASTRUCTURE
Secured $131.5 million for the Morganza to the Gulf Hurricane Protection Project in the House Energy & Water appropriations bill.
Co-led the National Flood Insurance Program Automatic Extension Act, providing lasting and affordable coverage for Americans in disaster-prone areas.
Secured permits and held the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers accountable for delays on multiple flood mitigation projects.
Introduced H.R. 1070, the Restoring Competitive Property Insurance Availability Act, to encourage market competition and help lower rates for home and business owners.
Worked with Governor Jeff Landry to advance key infrastructure projects like the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge and the I-49 Connector.
Expanded revenue-sharing caps for the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) as part of H.R. 1, which will increase Louisiana's share of annual funding for coastal restoration efforts.
HIGGINS: A Christmas Message
I regularly visit Louisiana State Penitentiary, Angola, the largest maximum-security prison in the United States. We deliver Congressional representation to the children of God who are incarcerated there.
As we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, let us not forget that Redemption is a journey. What we give to our fellow Man, we can expect from our Lord God. It is an honor to serve as your Congressman. Becca and I wish you a blessed Christmas.
Clay Higgins - LA (03)
Kennedy on U.S. Senate Floor: ‘The federal government has your money, and we want to get it back to you.’
“Right now, over in the United States Department of Treasury, there are 100 million unredeemed savings bonds—money that belongs to the American people—and it’s no longer earning interest.”
Watch Kennedy’s comments here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) spoke on the U.S. Senate floor about his efforts to help Americans claim the money that the federal government may owe them through mature, unclaimed savings bonds. Kennedy also outlined the steps that state treasurers should take to reunite Americans with their money.
Key speech excerpts are below.
“Mr. President, I've learned a few things in life. I want to mention two: number one, money does not buy happiness; number two, poverty does not buy a damn thing. And that's the theme of my few minutes as I talk today. This is about people's money, and it has to do with unredeemed, uncashed savings bonds.”
. . .
“Here’s what I’m driving at: Right now, over in the United States Department of Treasury, there are 100 million unredeemed savings bonds—money that belongs to the American people—and it’s no longer earning interest . . . [T]he money’s just sitting there, and the federal government’s using it, and they’re not paying people interest.”
“The total amount of these unredeemed savings bonds: $36.27 billion. And that $36 billion has been there a long, long time, because people have either died or they’ve forgotten that they have these unredeemed savings bonds.”
. . .
“[B]ack in 2023, I introduced a bill which actually passed . . . that said to the federal government, specifically the United States Department of Treasury, ‘You’ve got to give this money back.’ . . . Why are you just sitting on this $36 billion?”
. . .
“And they said, ‘Kennedy, you don’t understand. First of all, . . . the records are not digitized . . . and it’s just a lot of trouble.’ And I said, ‘Well, I feel your pain, but you still ought to return the money to people. So, here’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to introduce a bill’—and I did, and I passed it—‘[that provides] money for the U.S. Department of Treasury to digitize those records . . . and put them in a database so they can be easily searched.’ And the U.S. Department of Treasury has done that, and I want to thank them.”
. . .
“We are ready to turn the names and addresses and serial numbers over to the treasurer of every state—in Louisiana, in West Virginia, in every other state . . . so they can contact people in their state and say, ‘The federal government has your money, and we want to get it back to you.’”
. . .
“[W]e’re almost home. What now we have to do is get the state treasurers to sign an agreement with the U.S. Department of Treasury to cooperate, and Treasury will send them the names, and we can start returning this money to people.
“And I’m going to be sending another letter out, in short order, to all the state treasurers asking them to go ahead and sign that user agreement with the Treasury Department so we can start getting this money back to people.
“It’s free money . . . If I can just get our state treasurers to turn in these user agreements . . . you may not get a check for Christmas, but if you hurry up, you can get a check in January or February, so you can pay some bills.”
Background:
Kennedy authored the Unclaimed Savings Bond Act of 2021, which was signed into law as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023.
Kennedy’s law requires the U.S. Treasury to share information about the original owners of unclaimed savings bonds with officials in every state. This allows state treasurers to add information about mature, unredeemed savings bonds to their state’s unclaimed property program, enabling more Americans to locate and claim their missing investments.
In November 2025, Kennedy sent this letter to the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators and the National Association of State Treasurers, emphasizing, “It is imperative that all states enter into this User Agreement so Americans throughout the United States are efficiently reunited with their matured unredeemed debt to which they are entitled.”
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 speech here.
Kennedy meets Louisiana National Guard members harassed in Washington, D.C.
“These brave Louisiana National Guard members deserve our thanks and support—not abuse from whack jobs.”
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today met and voiced his support for members of the Louisiana National Guard who were verbally abused by a protester as they patrolled Washington, D.C. “These brave Louisiana National Guard members deserve our thanks and support—not abuse from whack jobs. I was honored to speak to them at my office today. They make Louisiana proud,” said Kennedy. On December 10, video surfaced of an activist hurling insults toward five members of the Louisiana National Guard and a bystander near Union Station in Washington, D.C. The disturbed individual followed and repeatedly berated the men and women in uniform, calling one Guardsman “a piece of f***ing sh*t” and falsely claiming he “never did a damn thing for the country.” The Louisiana National Guard members maintained their composure and stood tall in the face of the man’s harassment.
On December 11, Kennedy responded to the video, writing on X, “In real America, we don’t tolerate crazed nutjobs who treat our men and women in uniform like garbage . . . They’re always welcome to warm up and enjoy a moment of peace and quiet in my office.”
These Louisiana National Guard members today joined Kennedy at his office, who thanked them for their service and hard work to keep Washington, D.C., safe.
Louisiana set to achieve statewide high-speed internet access by 2028, outpacing the federal 2030 goal
Roughly 450,000 Louisianans, enough to fill Tiger Stadium more than four times, have received access in just two years.
Gov. Jeff Landry announced today that Louisiana is significantly ahead of schedule in its effort to provide high-speed internet access to every Louisiana resident.
Since the beginning of the Landry Administration, more than 150,000 additional households, small businesses, and community organizations have received access. This growth has been achieved through private investment and federal funds put to work by Louisiana’s internet service providers, with most new service delivered through fiber.
“When I took office, about 83% of our state had access to high-speed internet. Today we’re approaching 93%. That’s nearly 450,000 people, more than four Tiger Stadiums full, who now have the tools they need to work, learn, and compete. We got here by listening to residents, focusing on results, and keeping the work moving, and we’re going to keep pushing until every family in this state has the same kind of reliable access.”
Gov. Jeff Landry
Louisiana’s broadband progress has earned significant national attention. The state became the first in the country to receive full federal approval of its BEAD plan and now ranks among the top 10 states for the percentage of households receiving fiber connectivity through BEAD, as well as the cost efficiencies achieved under the GUMBO 2.0 program. In total, Louisiana identified more than $800 million in savings, with federal guidance on their use expected by March 2026.
“This work is delivering real value to taxpayers. We are stretching every dollar and moving faster than Washington ever expected.”
Gov. Jeff Landry
Over the past several weeks, representatives from the governor’s office and ConnectLA have joined local leaders and internet providers to celebrate completed broadband projects in Vernon, Vermilion, and Acadia parishes, where Gumbo 1.0 investments have provided access to thousands of homes and hundreds of small businesses. More ribbon cuttings are planned for completed projects in Allen, Grant, LaSalle, Avoyelles, and other parishes, along with groundbreaking ceremonies for new construction made possible through federal BEAD funding.
Early 2026 is expected to bring the most significant broadband construction activity Louisiana has ever undertaken. Projects entering the ground phase will connect more than 127,000 new households and bring service to another 30,000 households through the completion of GUMBO 1.0 work already underway.
“These wins show up in real places, not spreadsheets. They’re the farms, the classrooms, and the small businesses that finally have the infrastructure they’ve waited on for years. With this momentum, Louisiana is on pace to reach full high-speed internet access in 2028, if not sooner. That’s two years at minimum before the federal goal. And we’re not slowing down.”
Veneeth Iyengar
Executive Director of ConnectLA
Kennedy in the New York Post: Let’s pass more big, beautiful bills before it’s too late
“To my Senate colleagues: Please, with sugar on top, do not waste this opportunity.”
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, penned this op-ed in the New York Post urging congressional Republicans to use their two remaining reconciliation bills to address cost-of-living issues in America.
Key excerpts of the op-ed are below:
“The One Big Beautiful Bill stands alone as the 119th Congress’ most extraordinary piece of legislation — but it doesn’t have to.
“Under the Senate’s rules, congressional Republicans can use the reconciliation process to pass two more big, beautiful bills with a simple majority vote. And we would be fools to let this opportunity pass us by.
“Here’s the reality: Most of my Democratic colleagues would rather bathe with their toasters than support any part of President Donald Trump’s agenda. If Trump endorsed breathing to live, they’d hold their breath.
“They can’t stand the president, and that’s their right — but this hyper-partisanship makes it nearly impossible to gather the 60 votes needed in the Senate to pass most legislation. With the 1974 Budget Control Act’s reconciliation process, however, the Senate under certain circumstances can pass major legislation with just 51 votes.”
. . .
“It would be legislative malpractice to squander these two remaining reconciliation bills.
“The midterm clock is ticking, and the Republican majority in the House has never been more fragile. To my Senate colleagues: Please, with
Read Kennedy’s op-ed here.
Kennedy locks in major Louisiana wins, restores military strength in FY26 defense authorization bill
“With war continuing to rage in Ukraine, chaos in the Middle East, and Communist China gearing up for the long haul, the United States cannot afford weakness, distraction, or social experiments in our military. America needs a military that’s lethal, focused, and respected – not woke and watered down. The FY26 NDAA gets us back on track by strengthening our warfighting edge, gutting the woke nonsense infecting our ranks, and delivering real, concrete wins for Louisiana that help keep our country strong and safe.”
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today voted in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026, a critical bill that rebuilds America’s military might, backs our men and women in uniform, and delivers major wins for Louisiana’s military community. The bill also includes Kennedy’s Holding Foreign Insiders Accountable Act, which shuts down loopholes that let foreign executives game U.S. markets while American investors pay a heavy price. The U.S. Senate passed the annual defense authorization bill by 77-20.
“With war continuing to rage in Ukraine, chaos in the Middle East, and Communist China gearing up for the long haul, the United States cannot afford weakness, distraction, or social experiments in our military. America needs a military that’s lethal, focused, and respected – not woke and watered down. The FY26 NDAA gets us back on track by strengthening our warfighting edge, gutting the woke nonsense infecting our ranks, and delivering real, concrete wins for Louisiana that help keep our country strong and safe.
“I’m proud that my Holding Foreign Insiders Accountable Act is becoming law. For years, foreign executives exploited loopholes to rip off American investors and walk away clean. Those days are over. The FY26 NDAA puts American security, our nation’s heroes, and American taxpayers first. President Trump should sign it without hesitation,” said Kennedy.
Key Louisiana wins in the FY26 NDAA:
Barksdale Air Force Base
Weapons Generation Facility Dormitory ($18 million)
Funds a new dormitory to support the $275 million Weapons Generation Facility currently under construction – critical infrastructure for mission readiness.
Child Development Center in Bossier Parish ($2.2 million)
Starts the replacement of a deteriorating, outdated facility with a modern 13-room expansion that supports our military families.
U.S. Air Force B-52 Program Modernization ($931 million)
Ensures the B-52 continues to serve as the backbone of the U.S. Air Force’s bomber force and nuclear deterrent well into the future.
U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command
Codifying Air Force Global Strike Command
Establishes the U.S. Air Force’s Global Strike Command, located at Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, Louisiana, as a Major Air Force Command, cementing Louisiana’s central role in America’s nuclear deterrence mission.
Joint Reserve Base (JRB) New Orleans (Belle Chasse)
F/A-18 Super Hornet Fighter Jets
The FY26 NDAA requires at least eight F/A-18 Super Hornet tactical fighter aircraft to be assigned to the U.S. Navy Reserve at JRB New Orleans.
Military Medical Readiness
Military-Civilian Medical Surge Program
The FY26 NDAA would make permanent the National Disaster Medical System pilot program, which is a military-civilian medical surge program. This program will leverage the new campus of LSU-Health Shreveport (LSUHS) to support military medical facilities and surge capacity in times of need.
Kennedy’s Holding Foreign Insiders Accountable Act
Once Kennedy’s Holding Foreign Insiders Accountable Act becomes law, foreign executives will be held to the same insider-trading reporting requirements as American executives. A gap in current law has allowed for insider trading abroad at the expense of everyday American investors.
Kennedy’s bill provides regulatory parity by requiring executives of public companies based outside the United States to make electronic disclosures of trades in their company’s stocks to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) within two business days.
The SEC would then make that information public, as it currently does with U.S.-based firms.
In addition to these major Louisiana wins and Kennedy’s Holding Foreign Insiders Accountable Act, the FY26 NDAA rebuilds America’s warfighting edge, ends wokeness in the military, secures the border, and improves quality of life for our servicemembers.
FY26 NDAA Highlights:
Delivers a 3.8% pay raise for servicemembers and improves benefits for military families.
Authorizes $1 billion to fight drug trafficking, including Department of War support for counternarcotics operations, and $216 million for the National Guard Counter Drug programs.
Eliminates and bans DEI offices, trainings, activities, and woke mandates in our military and restores a warrior ethos.
Fully supports President Trump’s top defense priorities, including Golden Dome missile defense, F-47 fighter aircraft, new submarines, warships, and autonomous systems.
Rebuilds the defense industrial base and strengthens America’s shipbuilding capacity.
Fully funds border security support from the Department of War and the National Guard.
Authorizes $1 billion for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative and expands its uses to deter Communist China.
Strengthens America’s counter-terrorism tools to deter China in the Indo-Pacific and demands greater burden sharing from our allies for collective defense.
Bottom Line:
The FY26 NDAA restores American strength, backs our men and women in uniform, and delivers serious results for Louisiana.
Trump’s Executive Order Levels the Playing Field for Retirement Savers
By Staff @ Louisiana Policy Review
President Donald Trump has taken a bold step to strengthen retirement security for millions of Americans by signing an executive order that opens 401(k) plans to private equity and private credit investments.
For too long, only wealthy investors and public pension systems have had access to the strongest-performing asset classes in the market. Meanwhile, ordinary workers with 401(k) plans have been limited to a shrinking pool of public stocks and bonds. This executive action changes that dynamic, ensuring that everyday Americans have the same opportunity to grow their savings that Wall Street insiders and government pension funds have enjoyed for decades.
Louisiana’s own Senator Bill Cassidy is helping lead the charge. Cassidy, as Chairman of the Senate HELP Committee, has endorsed the President’s action and urged regulators to move quickly. He and a coalition of senators have called on the Department of Labor to provide fiduciaries with safe-harbor protections and clear rules so that employers can confidently offer new investment options to workers. Cassidy has made retirement reform one of his top priorities, emphasizing that families deserve stronger tools to save and that outdated regulations should not stand in the way of progress.
The numbers make the case clear. Public pensions across the country have earned some of their best returns from private equity — with annualized results well above public markets. Private equity also fuels the economy directly, supporting millions of jobs, higher wages, and small business growth in states like Louisiana. Here at home, private equity activity supports more than 150,000 jobs and contributes $24 billion to our state’s economy.
By opening 401(k) menus to these investments, Trump and Cassidy are democratizing access and giving workers the tools to build stronger, more secure retirements. This is a matter of fairness. Public employees and wealthy investors shouldn’t be the only ones who can benefit from the growth of private markets.
With this executive order and the backing of leaders like Senator Cassidy, America is taking a major step toward leveling the playing field for savers and putting retirement security back in the hands of working families.
Read more: Trump’s Executive Order Levels the Playing Field for Retirement Savers
LLAW: Louisiana No. 4 “Judicial Hellhole”
BATON ROUGE, La. –As announced earlier today by the American Tort Reform Foundation, Louisiana's coastal litigation has been ranked number 4 on the Judicial Hellholes List, and the state as a whole has been placed on the national watch list. While lawmakers enacted legal reforms this year, significant work remains to address Louisiana’s overly litigious climate and create a more stable, predictable environment for economic growth, while protecting the pocketbooks of hardworking residents.
The unprecedented coastal lawsuits target energy companies alleging environmental damage for federally permitted activities conducted decades ago. The eye-popping first judgment in the queue of 40-plus lawsuits was handed down earlier this year, in a nearly $745 million verdict against Chevron. These kinds of nuclear verdicts® send the wrong message to current and future investors, cementing Louisiana's reputation as one of the worst places to do business in the country. These lawsuits lack legal basis, inflict economic harm, and should not be heard in state courts, where the Louisiana trial bar exerts an outsize influence. In fact, these lawsuits are so egregious that even the White House, the U.S. Supreme Court, and a former U.S. Attorney General have weighed in to object. Louisiana’s citizens will be on the wrong side of this “lawsuit lottery” if this suit is upheld and others move forward at the state level.
It is no secret that the costs of lawsuit abuse are felt by all Louisianans. We need far-reaching comprehensive legal reforms to address the nearly 40,000 jobs lost in Louisiana and the more than $1,000 hidden lawsuit tax paid by every single resident. A set of quick fixes in one legislative session is a positive step, but Louisiana must join other states in continually adopting reforms to capitalize on economic opportunities and address consumer needs.
In a prime example of how litigation costs are passed down, the ongoing saga of staged accidents involving big trucks has expanded. In addition to multiple indictments in the Orleans area, a new scheme was uncovered in St. Martin Parish earlier this year resulting in an arrest by Louisiana State Police. This is exactly the kind of environment that drives insurance costs up and existing trucking businesses out of the state.
These are all contributing factors to the poor perception of Louisiana’s legal climate and its place as a fixture on the Judicial Hellholes® list.
About Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch (LLAW)
Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch (LLAW) is a high-impact watchdog group with nearly 20,000 supporters across the state dedicated to fixing Louisiana’s broken legal system through transparency, accountability, and lawsuit reform. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter and www.llaw.org.
Read more about America Tort Reform and the Judicial Hellhole here.
The Radical-Funded Machine Driving Louisiana’s Anti-CCS Campaign
A political fight is unfolding across Louisiana’s energy corridor, but it isn’t the homespun, grassroots uprising its organizers claim. Newly compiled financial records show that more than $50 million in outside money has poured into the activist network campaigning to shut down carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects across the state. Major funders include Michael Bloomberg, Jeff Bezos, George Soros, and the Arabella Advisors network, all of whom bankroll organizations dedicated to phasing out fossil fuels entirely.
The groups leading the anti-CCS push—ranging from the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice to the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, Earthworks, 350.org, and Rise St. James—are heavily financed by national foundations and federal grants. Several operate through fiscal sponsors in California and Washington, D.C., enabling them to present as “local” while masking their donor base and internal finances.
And now, according to public postings and coordination materials, these national organizations are working directly with parish coalitions and landowner groups like Save My Louisiana and the Louisiana CO₂ Alliance. They share the same messaging, graphics, policy demands, and legal strategies—evidence that this isn’t an organic revolt, but a coordinated national campaign using Louisiana as its next battleground.
This network was also reflected in the recent Save My Louisiana lawsuit, which mirrors arguments historically advanced by Earthworks, Sierra Club, and the Bucket Brigade. Their broader policy agenda has already influenced Louisiana’s regulatory climate, including the moratorium on new CCS well applications—an action industry leaders warn is putting the state behind Texas at a pivotal moment.
The stakes for Louisiana’s energy economy are real. CCS is essential for securing billions in new investment, from the proposed Hyundai steel plant to the Meta AI data center, LNG facilities, and next-generation industrial projects. Losing these projects to Texas or Mississippi would mean forfeiting thousands of high-wage jobs and the state’s long-standing leadership in energy production and manufacturing.
Governor Jeff Landry—who has consistently supported responsible CCS development—didn’t mince words when asked about the activist network now influencing local coalitions.
“Leaders of Save My Louisiana have been hoodwinked by the radical left to oppose any new energy development,” Landry told POLITICO’s E&E News. “The men behind that political organization have built their entire careers on the back of the oil and gas industry. They claim to be pro-industry, but they are preventing our state from leading America's energy dominance—and threatening the Louisiana economy and way of life. Sadly, they have been manipulated into becoming the mouthpiece of the well-known anti-oil and gas financiers Mike Bloomberg and George Soros.”
Louisiana isn’t dealing with a spontaneous groundswell of concerned locals. It’s confronting a nationally funded, politically aligned operation working to shut down the very energy projects that underpin the state’s economy, workforce, and future competitiveness. And unless Louisiana reasserts control of its own energy path, those decisions will increasingly be made—not in Baton Rouge—but in the boardrooms of coastal billionaires.
Higgins Recognized for Principled and Courageous Vote
The following was received in an email sent to the constituents for Rep. Clay Higgins today after his vote earlier this week against H.R. 4405, the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
This week, I've taken heat from all directions for being the lone "no" vote on H.R. 4405, the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Truth: My stance hasn't wavered since the bill was first introduced back in July. Many highly respected journalists and legal analysts have stepped forward to confirm that my vote was rooted in principle, due process, and the rule of law. I have an obligation to honor my oath to the Constitution.
As introduced, my friend Thomas Massie's "Epstein Files Bill" failed to adequately protect the identities of victims and witnesses. Further, H.R 4405 abandoned 250 years of Constitutionally-sound criminal justice procedure.
After calm review, many distinguished editorialists agree:
Legal Expert Judge Andrew Napolitano on Newsmax:
"Even though he is the only person of 535 members of Congress to oppose this, he may very well have a point."
The News-Gazette Editorial Board:
"You can say one thing about Louisiana Republican U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins: He stands on principle. 'This bill reveals and injures thousands of innocent people - witnesses, people who provided alibis, family members,' he said. "This type of broad reveal of criminal investigative files, released to a rabid media, will absolutely result in innocent people getting hurt.' Higgins is right, of course. But politicians generally allow for such collateral damage when an avalanche is bearing down on them, and that's what happened here."
Washington Post Editorial Board:
"The lone congressional objector, Rep. Clay Higgins (R-Louisiana), has a point when he says this indiscriminate release 'abandons 250 years of criminal justice procedure in America' and could 'result in innocent people getting hurt."
Louisiana Farmers Face a Credit Crunch Fueled by Uncertainty in Both Policy and Markets
On a farm in Gilliam, Louisiana, the final harvest is in. Corn, soybeans, cotton, and peanuts have all been cut and loaded. Now, farmer Stephen Logan is spreading cereal rye seed and planning for the next growing season. But this fall, the federal shutdown has left him — and many like him — working without a safety net.
For weeks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s local offices have been closed, cutting off access to conservation payments, short-term crop loans, and critical market data. “All of that is shut down,” Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain told The Advocate, noting that farmers rely on those programs to decide when to sell crops and what to plant next season.
That uncertainty is hitting at a time when Louisiana’s producers are already dealing with high input costs and low crop prices. “We’re resilient,” Logan told The Advocate, “but this is a very tough time in agriculture. The math just doesn’t work.”
Read more: Louisiana Farmers Face a Credit Crunch Fueled by Uncertainty in Both Policy and Markets
Kennedy urges Senate to withhold members’ pay during the shutdown: “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander”
“Tomorrow, I will be bringing two bills before the Senate.”
Watch Kennedy’s comments here.
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) delivered the following remarks on the U.S. Senate floor:
“Tomorrow, I will be bringing two bills before the Senate. They both have to do with the shutdown and congressional pay.
“The first bill is the No Shutdown Paychecks [to Politicians] Act. The second bill is the Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act.
“The first bill would provide that, as long as we’re shut down—and I’ll explain why in a moment—as long as we’re shut down, no member of Congress can be paid. And the money will not be reimbursed at a later date or repaid at a later date.
“The second bill, to address any 27th Amendment concerns, will say, ‘During a shutdown, members of Congress will not receive their pay, but their pay will be escrowed, and they will receive it after the government is opened back up.’
“Look, we’re on day 36. Like you, Mr. President, I’ve heard a lot of rumors about, ‘We’re that close to reaching an agreement.’ We’ve been that close for a week. Frankly, I hope I’m wrong in saying this, but I don’t think we’re really that close. I wish we were, and I hope we are, but I think we’re going to be in the shutdown for a while longer. It doesn’t give me any joy to say that.
“In the meantime, none of our staff are being paid. No federal employees are being paid. I got some numbers in this morning that federal workers have had to borrow $365 million so far during this 36-day shutdown in order to just pay their rent. Our military is only being paid partially. Our air traffic controllers are not being paid. People who receive SNAP payments are only being partially paid. I don’t think anybody wants to see anybody go hungry in America. And that’s not a partisan statement; I think that’s a bipartisan statement.
“There’s precedent for this, Mr. President. Some may say, ‘Well, this violates the 27th Amendment.’ I don’t think it does. That’s why I’m offering two different flavors of bills. But in 2013, President Obama did the same thing that I’m doing now. They were in a shutdown, and President Obama supported legislation that said, ‘If you don’t open the government by this certain date, then you’re going to lose your paychecks.’
“And guess what? Members of Congress had an epiphany, and they found religion. They had a Damascene moment, and they opened up the government. And that’s all this bill will do.
“I’m not trying to grandstand. I wasn’t going to bring this bill. When I got back here Monday, I heard all the rumors, like everybody else, that we were close. And I hope we are close, but we’re not close enough. So, I’ll offer these bills tomorrow, and people can vote yea, or they can vote nay, but what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.”
Full text of the No Shutdown Paychecks to Politicians Act is available here.
Full text of the Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act is available here.
Read more about the bills in Fox News Digital here.
Watch Kennedy’s speech here.
Kennedy introduces critical bills prohibiting lawmakers from receiving a paycheck during government shutdowns
“I don’t see missing paychecks or empty dinner plates as leverage or bargaining chips. My bills ensure Congress feels the same pain as the folks we’re failing to pay – our troops, air traffic controllers, and federal workers. If we can’t do our jobs and fund the government, we don’t deserve a paycheck – plain and simple.”
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, last week introduced two critical pieces of legislation that ensure Members of Congress do not receive a paycheck until the federal government reopens following a shutdown or lapse in appropriations.
The No Shutdown Paychecks to Politicians Act ensures that Members of Congress do not receive a paycheck during a government shutdown. Members will also not receive back pay.
The Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act (S.3057) mandates that payroll administrators for each House of Congress keep Members of Congress' paychecks in escrow accounts during a government shutdown. The funds are only disbursed at the start of the next Congress.
“I don’t see missing paychecks or empty dinner plates as leverage or bargaining chips. My bills ensure Congress feels the same pain as the folks we’re failing to pay – our troops, air traffic controllers, and federal workers. If we can’t do our jobs and fund the government, we don’t deserve a paycheck – plain and simple,” said Kennedy.
Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI-1), Chairman of the U.S. Committee on House Administration, introduced the companion bill of the Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“There is no reason our government should be shut down. Senate Democrats must do the right thing and vote to reopen the government. If service members, men and women of federal law enforcement, and other essential employees are working without pay during the Schumer shutdown, members of Congress should not be paid either,” said Steil.
Full text of the No Shutdown Paychecks to Politicians Act is available here.
Full text of the Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act is available here.
Read more about the bills in Fox News Digital here.
President Trump to Investigate European Trade Partners for Not Paying Their Fair Share for American Medicines
Photo source: Breitbart
The following content is sponsored by Americans for Limited Government.
At a White House press conference last month, President Donald Trump announced a breakthrough on lower drug prices and promised he would take action against European countries who haven’t been paying their fair share for the medicines Americans innovate and invent.
“That’s why my administration is also taking historic action to investigate the unfair and discriminatory trade practices of other countries that extort our pharmaceutical makers to shift costs onto the American consumer,” Trump said.
