Kennedy in the Washington Examiner: Insulin price caps will save taxpayer dollars

MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) wrote this op-ed in the Washington Examiner urging his colleagues in Washington to join his effort to reduce federal spending on health care by capping the price of insulin. Kennedy explains how making insulin affordable will improve the overall health of Americans with diabetes. This care helps them avoid the costly hospital visits and health complications that often fall to the taxpayer to cover.

Earlier this year, Sen. Kennedy joined Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) in introducing the Affordable Insulin Now Act of 2023, a bill which would ensure that all Americans, including those without insurance, have access to insulin that costs $35 per month or less.

Key excerpts of the op-ed are below:

“More than one in 10 Americans live with diabetes, and many of them cannot afford the insulin they need to stay out of the emergency room.

“For years now, Congress has nibbled around the edges of insulin affordability rather than addressing the issue directly. This failure to act results in needless suffering and financial stress for families living with diabetes, and it saddles the American taxpayer with billions of dollars in related healthcare spending.”

. . .

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that Americans spend $327 billion annually to cover healthcare expenses and lost wages related to diabetic care. Louisiana alone spends an estimated $5.7 billion on care related to diabetes each year.”

. . .

“This bill would ensure that all Americans, including those without insurance, have access to a 30-day supply of insulin that costs no more than $35.

“This plan isn’t one of Washington’s out-of-control spending policies. Any costs associated with capping insulin prices will be fully offset by cutting spending elsewhere in our $6 trillion annual federal budget. More importantly, improving access to affordable insulin can lower federal healthcare spending overall. That means we’re taking a big burden off both diabetics and taxpayers.”

. . .

“We cap the price of insulin at $35 per month today, and we can save thousands of dollars—if not tens of thousands of dollars—per patient in avoided hospital expenses. You don’t need to work on Wall Street to appreciate this return on investment.

“Without adding a penny to the federal budget, Congress can make it affordable for every American to get the insulin they need to stay healthy, go to work, care for their children, contribute to the economy and their community, and avoid costly emergency room visits that end up costing American taxpayers.”

Read the full op-ed here.

Louisiana AG Jeff Landry: ‘Protecting Innocence Means Speaking Up’

There’s a myth about the Titan god Cronus who, for fear of being overthrown, proceeded to devour each of his children. His wife Rhea, being cunning, protected their last child Zeus by feeding her husband a stone. Once Zeus was grown, he overthrew his father and banished him to the deepest pit of the underworld – beginning the Age of Mount Olympus.

Such myths, for their symbolism and imagination, are vessels for deeper lessons; and the lesson here is that certain Ages devour children. Perhaps, we are in such an Age right now; and it’s going to take good parents like Rhea to defend our innocent kids from destruction. As Louisiana’s attorney general, I have prioritized protecting children – especially from exploitation.

Read more: Louisiana AG Jeff Landry: ‘Protecting Innocence Means Speaking Up’

LA FREEDOM CAUCUS COMMENDS LSU OFFICIALS FOR TAKING SWIFT ACTION ON THREATS MADE AGAINST PUBLIC OFFICIAL

BATON ROUGE—The Louisiana Freedom Caucus (LAFC) commends LSU administrators for taking swift action against an LSU graduate teaching assistant who left an angry, vulgarity-laden threat on State Senator Mike Fesi’s voicemail. The vile tirade was in response to Sen. Fesi’s vote to override Governor John Bel Edwards’ veto of a bill banning puberty blockers and surgery on minor children for the purpose of attempting to change their biological sex.

LSU officials issued the following statement, “As a university, we foster open and respectful dialogue. Like everyone, graduate students with teaching assignments have the right to express their opinions, but this profanity-filled, threatening call crossed the line. This does not exhibit the character we expect of someone given the privilege of teaching as part of their graduate assistantship. The student will be allowed to continue their studies but will not be extended the opportunity to teach in the future.”

“The level of vitriol which some try to pass off as political discourse has risen to dangerous levels over the past decade or so, all under the guise of Freedom of Speech. However, there are lines which cannot be crossed without consequences. This vulgar threat is one of those instances. I want to thank LSU for nipping this behavior in the bud and for publicly stating that this behavior is not something that will be tolerated by the University as it should not be tolerated by anyone. As an LSU graduate, I am proud that my university did the right thing” said Alan Seabaugh, Louisiana Freedom Caucus Chairman.

The angry voicemail in full: “I just wanted to say ‘Congratulations, to our State Senator, Big Mike Fesi. And that f***ing moron voted to make things worse for people who are already suffering. You fat f***ing piece of sh**. You did not produce any g**d*** evidence to support the claims you made about people being harmed by transgender care, yet we’ve had tons of empirical evidence telling us there’s an increased suicide risk for people who don’t get this care. So you, you big fat headed mother f***er, I can’t wait to read your name in the f***ing obituary. I will make a g**d*** martini made from the tears of your butthurt conservatives when we put your f***ing a** in the ground, you fat f***ing useless piece of sh*t. F*** you. I hope you have a terrible day. Go f*** yourself.”

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Kennedy amendment condemning racists attacks against Justice Clarence Thomas passes Judiciary Committee unanimously

 ­“If you think the things that have been said about Clarence Thomas are racist to the marrow and you condemn them, then vote for this amendment.”

Watch Kennedy’s full remarks here.

 WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today introduced an amendment to the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act of 2023 to condemn the recent racist attacks made against Justice Clarence Thomas. After a long discussion, the committee adopted the amendment by a vote of 21-0.

 “I don’t understand the reluctance to accept the fact that Justice Clarence Thomas, who happens to be a black man, has been the butt of a lot of racist statements. And I don't understand the reluctance to condemn those,” Kennedy said after Democratic members of the committee proposed amendments to his proposal. “I don’t want to water it down. I don't want to bubble-wrap it. I don't want to sugarcoat it. I want it to say, as big as Dallas, the United States Senate condemns all these racist things that have been said about Justice Clarence Thomas.”

 Kennedy noted that Justice Thomas had recently been compared to a house slave in a racist statement made by Minnesota Attorney General and former U.S. Representative Keith Ellison.

“You don’t have to be a senior at Cal Tech to figure it out. [The amendment] says [that] all of this stuff about Clarence Thomas, calling him a house slave and other racist, disgusting statements, we condemn. Now, you either condemn it or you don't, and that's all this amendment does,” Kennedy said.

 “If you support the racist things that have been said about Clarence Thomas, then vote against this amendment,” Kennedy later added. “If you think the things that have been said about Clarence Thomas are racist to the marrow and you condemn them, then vote for this amendment.”

 Kennedy’s full remarks are available here.

Senate Small Business Committee passes Kennedy bill to help homeowners, small business owners rebuild after disaster strikes

“The Small Business Committee understands the significant need to help small business and home owners access loans when they need them the most—after a disaster strikes. Now, the Senate must pass this bill so that Louisianians and all Americans can actually recover and rebuild in the wake of tragedy.”

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy’s (R-La.) Small Business Disaster Damage Fairness Act of 2023 today passed the Senate Small Business Committee, and now moves to the Senate floor for consideration.

 “The Small Business Committee understands the significant need to help small business and home owners access loans when they need them the most—after a disaster strikes. Now, the Senate must pass this bill so that Louisianians and all Americans can actually recover and rebuild in the wake of tragedy,” said Kennedy.

 Kennedy’s legislation would indefinitely extend an increase to the Recovery Improvements for Small Entities After Disaster Act’s initial loan limit of $14,000 to $25,000. The increase would not require borrowers to pledge collateral.  

 Physical disaster loans help businesses, homeowners and others rebuild damaged property in declared disaster areas.

 Background:

• In March, Kennedy introduced the Small Business Disaster Damage Fairness Act of 2023.

• In August 2019, Kennedy introduced the Rebuilding Small Businesses After Disasters Act to extend the Recovery Improvements for Small Entities After Disaster Act of 2015, which became law but expired in November of 2022. 

• A Government Accountability Office (GAO) study showed that Kennedy’s 2019 bill reduced government spending and saved taxpayer dollars. According to the study, the GAO “reviewed more than 20 years of loan data and found that the loans approved before the change in collateral requirements had higher default rates than the loans approved after the change.”

Kennedy introduces bill to extend National Flood Insurance Program through 2024

“No one knows the feeling of having their home or business destroyed by bad weather like Louisianians. I am introducing this bill to make sure every homeowner in my state can sleep peacefully knowing that the NFIP won’t end in the middle of hurricane season.”

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today introduced the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Extension Act of 2023 to prevent the NFIP from expiring on September 30, 2023. 

 The legislation would extend the NFIP for one year, until September 30, 2024.

“No one knows the feeling of having their home or business destroyed by bad weather like Louisianians. I am introducing this bill to make sure every homeowner in my state can sleep peacefully knowing that the NFIP won’t end in the middle of hurricane season,” said Kennedy.

Of the 5 million Americans nationwide who rely on the NFIP, roughly 500,000 are Louisianians who need the program to protect their businesses and homes.  

Text of the NFIP Extension Act of 2023 is available here.

LANDRY: Think Different: How to Change Louisiana’s Economy

CNBC has ranked Louisiana #49 in America’s Top States for Businesses for 2023. Last year, our State was ranked #48 on that same list. In 2021, we were ranked 44th. Why the low ranking? We were given F’s in Workforce, Infrastructure, Health, and Innovation. We got D’s in Economy, Business Friendliness, and Access to Capital. The only thing we seem to be doing right is that we’re cheap — but that’s not enough to stop this downward trend. 

More than 10% of mortgages in our State are underwater — the worst figure in the Nation. As pointed out in our recent lawsuit against FEMA, this will only get worse thanks to Risk Rating 2.0, or “Equity in Action,” which has altered flood maps and increased flood insurance rates astronomically. For these reasons and more, people are leaving Louisiana in droves, seeking better opportunities for themselves and their families. 

Meanwhile, the Southeast leads the Nation for economic strength, according to CNBC. South Carolina — ranking #7 for Best Economies — is booming, and they’re not that different from us. They have ports, coastal towns, and even similar demographics; but that State has greatly surpassed us in economic prosperity over the past 30 years. They don’t even have S&P 500 companies headquartered there, yet South Carolina is considered one of the most popular places to start a business and build equity in your biggest asset — your home. 

Similarly, Tennessee is boasting the nation’s second-fastest growing economy, acquired mostly through manufacturing. Georgia is reclaiming its old position as a mecca for business and prosperity. Texas added nearly 630,000 jobs last year with payrolls ranking among the best in the country. And Florida is still booming from the COVID days, with the strongest economic growth, a balanced housing market, and plenty of job opportunities. We’re even trailing behind Mississippi and Arkansas. Why? 

Three reasons: workforce, infrastructure, and taxes. Our Education system might be squeaking by on this score board, but the fact of the matter is, we have too many people investing in worthless degrees rather than critical skills that our State desperately needs, such as welding, engineering, and cyber innovation. We need to return to the trades, and prepare students for careers that can actually offer a respectable living, high quality of life, and the ability to build a family, buy a home, and achieve stability. A Gender Studies degree doesn’t contribute to our State; the ability to build, repair, and envision something different might. 

Next, our infrastructure needs investment. Take Highway 30 for example, where half a billion dollars in annual wages and over 4,000 jobs in Ascension Parish rely on this stretch of road. The highway was supposed to be widened to six lanes years ago, but no action has been taken, resulting in major bottlenecks, traffic jams, and damage to our communities. But that’s only one example of Louisiana’s decline when it comes to our critical roads and bridges. Without the proper infrastructure, we will continue to struggle economically, because who wants to build a business when no one can get there? 

Finally, our tax system absolutely needs an overhaul so that Louisiana can be a State where businesses are eager to invest. We must reform and modernize our tax code, improve customer service, and compete with states like Texas and Tennessee on a project by project basis. But all of this will take time, just as it took time for Louisiana to slide down to the bottom of the list. We must be vigilant, we need to be smart, and we must embrace change — because one thing is clear: what we’ve been doing hasn’t worked and we’re only getting left behind. 

If Louisiana is to join the ranks of Southern States that are succeeding, we must make different choices. We want the people of Louisiana to be proud of our culture and our food, but also our work, our creations, and our ingenuity. We want people to move back home, and bring their talent back to our State. But to do that, we need to imagine New Orleans being more like Charleston or Nashville; Bossier City more like Phoenix and Tampa; and our infrastructure more like leaders such as Minnesota and the Dakotas. That is possible — but it requires us to choose differently, and this is our year to do just that. 

Jeff Landry
Louisiana Attorney General

LA FREEDOM CAUCUS APPLAUDS VETO OVERRIDES

BATON ROUGE—The Louisiana Freedom Caucus (LAFC) applauds the override of several important bills vetoed by our lame duck governor. Thanks to the efforts of the caucus and conservatives in the House, there were enough votes to override three important bills.

HB 648 that prohibits surgery and use of puberty blockers solely for the purpose of attempting to change the sex of a minor child. The Senate also voted to override the governor’s veto. This bill becomes law.

HB 399 by LAFC member Rep. Kathy Edmonston to mandate that parents have to be informed about exemption options for vaccines required for attendance at Louisiana schools. The Senate failed to override this bill.

HB 125 that prohibits some ownership of agricultural land by foreign adversaries. This bill failed to get the votes to override in the Senate.

“Shamefully, House Speaker Clay Schexnayder worked tirelessly to prevent Republican members from bringing their vetoed bills up for reconsideration. Only after being informed that Louisiana Freedom Caucus members were prepared to bring a motion to remove him as Speaker did Schexnayder relent and allow the other bills to be heard,” said Louisiana Freedom Caucus Chairman, Alan Seabaugh.

Seabaugh continued, “Thankfully, House members were able to override the vetoes on three bills vetoed by liberal Governor John Bel Edwards. We are proud to have played a significant part in this historic process today. We wish a few more of our Republican colleagues would have taken their jobs more seriously and been here for the votes many of which came only one vote short.”

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We're Going to Defeat Big Tech Censorship: Louisiana AG and Gov Candidate Jeff Landry on his Historic Legal Battle

PRESS RELEASE: CFNL Releases State-Wide Poll for Governor / Legislature

Citizens for a New Louisiana is proud to release a statewide poll conducted July 6-10, which surveyed the Governor’s race and public opinion of the State Legislature. The poll was conducted by Greg Rigamer, with Bernie Pinsonat providing political analysis.

Jeff Landry continues to dominate the field, receiving 30% of those surveyed with democrat Shawn Wilson coming in second place with 20%. All other gubernatorial candidates polled in single digits.

70% of those surveyed believe that the state legislature was irresponsible in the preparation and passing of the state budget. Only 10% felt that they acted responsibly. Furthermore, 55% think the state is heading in the wrong direction compared to 24% who think it is in the right direction.

Read more: PRESS RELEASE: CFNL Releases State-Wide Poll for Governor / Legislature

Landry Reports $9 Million Cash on Hand, $4.5 Million Raised Since April

 Historic $2 million raised in the month of June 

Lafayette, La. — Today, Jeff Landry announced that he has $9 million cash on hand with $4.5 million raised from April 8 to July 7. In June, a historically difficult time to raise money, Jeff Landry raised a record amount of over $2 million. 

“I am incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support from people across our state. Louisiana deserves a government as good as her people,” said Jeff Landry. “With your continued support we will finally have safer communities, a great education system, and bring jobs and talent back home.”

LANDRY: Why BESE is Wrong on LEAP

Louisiana has dominated the country recently for our athletic achievements. Last month, LSU won college baseball’s World Series - the seventh national championship in program history. In the Spring, Kim Mulkey led LSU’s women’s basketball team to a national title. And this week, LSU became the only SEC school to have the top overall pick in the four major professional drafts (MLB, NBA, WNBA, and NFL). Clearly, our State’s schools can be a breeding ground for champions. So why are we so complacent when it comes to education?  

Recently, the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Second Education (BESE), announced its support for a waiver system that would ultimately remove the LEAP test requirement. If BESE were allowing students to opt-out of these exams because they were succeeding -- with excellent grades, strong work ethic, and the ability to complete a special project related to their chosen profession -- that would be one thing. But BESE is actually lowering standards at our public schools simply to pass children through the system like a subpar widget on an industrial conveyor belt – and with that I take issue.   

Granted, it is the opinion of our office that BESE is within the law in removing the LEAP requirement; but just because you can do something does not mean that you should. According to witnesses at a recent school board meeting discussing this very issue, we learned that there are students in this State who are graduating at the top of their class while illiterate. Roughly 46% of our public schools have an “A” or “B” rating while only 30% of their students can read at their grade level. And we have employers in this State complaining because their recent hires can’t read or do basic math. That is probably why some at BESE believe that the Legislature should mandate LEAP tests, removing this decision from their board entirely — because we have to uphold basic standards in education one way or another. 

As the son of a school teacher who was incredibly passionate about her work, I can tell you that if teachers were allowed to teach, inspire and fan an inherent passion for learning, rather than be tied to a multiple choice test, we might not be in this predicament. However, we simply cannot let students graduate from high school and enter the workforce if they cannot read. In fact, students should not be allowed to graduate from the third grade without being able to read — let alone reach college illiterate.   

Yet every time we lower standards for our children we harm them. And I am willing to wager that if a student is able to graduate without being able to reach the most basic levels of proficiency in reading and arithmetic, they will fail in their career endeavors — resulting in many inevitably falling into a life of crime or addiction. It can’t be a coincidence that as we lower our educational standards we also see a surge in juvenile crime, with the consequences for such crimes drastically watered down as well. By reducing our standards, lowering our expectations, and just letting people pass go without any challenges to overcome whatsoever, we produce under-educated citizens for our State who are unable to move up and out of their circumstances, further feeding our sense of hopelessness. 

Of course, this does not apply to athletics. If sports coaches at LSU have poor performances for more than one season, they get fired and their programs are overhauled. Yet our education system has been failing our children for years. And similar to our criminal justice system, we cannot repair the damage done until we have full transparency and complete accountability. Until we achieve that benchmark, voiding this exam does more than hurt our children — it gives us a false sense of security within a failing model. That is why I am calling on BESE to do the right thing and get back to the basics. Otherwise, they do more than fail our children, they fail our entire State — and that’s a trophy no one wants to win. 

Jeff Landry
Louisiana Attorney General

Landry Launches Second TV Ad: In Their Shoes

LAFAYETTE, La. — Today, Jeff Landry released his second televised advertisement in his campaign for Governor of Louisiana.  This is a seven-figure ad buy that will be broadcast statewide on tv, digital, and social media.  The ad highlights Landry’s small town background and the Louisiana values of hard work, family, and faith that were instilled in him at an early age. 

“My mother was a school teacher, my dad a small-town architect. Times were tough, but we had faith, and we had each other. 

Digging ditches in a sugarcane field, serving our country, working nights as an officer, raising a family—I have walked in the very shoes of the people who struggle way more than they should in a state as blessed as this one. 

We can have a state government that fixes problems and delivers solutions.”

Kennedy: We can lower cost of insulin without adding to federal budget

“We need to be smart enough to figure this out. And the cost? I think it can be done for $250 million a year, and I'm not talking about taking out a reverse mortgage on Alaska and borrowing more money. I'm talking about finding it in our budget.”

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today questioned witnesses in the Senate Appropriations Committee on the bipartisan Affordable Insulin Now Act of 2023, which he and Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) introduced this March. Their bill would cap the price of insulin for all patients, including those who are uninsured, at $35 for a 30-day supply.

Key moments from the committee exchange include:

“We need to stop nibbling around the edges. We need to be smart enough to figure this out. And the cost? I think it can be done for $250 million a year, and I'm not talking about taking out a reverse mortgage on Alaska and borrowing more money. I'm talking about finding it in our budget,” said Kennedy.

 “The federal budget is 6,000 billion dollars every year—and we can’t find $250 million to cap the price of insulin? Let's do it right,” Kennedy concluded.

 Background on the Affordable Insulin Now Act:

 More than 14 percent of Louisiana’s adult population has been diagnosed with diabetes, and more than 30 percent of adult Louisianians are pre-diabetic.

 Louisiana alone spends an estimated $5.7 billion a year on direct medical expenses for those who are diagnosed with diabetes. By ensuring that insulin is affordable, the long-term cost of care for patients will decrease over time as more Americans are able to prevent complications including heart disease, kidney disease, strokes and other diagnoses.

 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, medical costs and lost work and wages for people with diagnosed diabetes total $327 billion yearly, and the American Diabetes Association has asserted that diabetics account for $1 of every $4 spent on health care in the U.S.

 A national study projected that improving access to insulin for uninsured patients could help avoid complications of diabetes and deaths related to the disease. As a result, the health care system could save substantial amounts of money on providing care to uninsured diabetes patients.

 The Affordable Insulin Now Act of 2023 would:

•  Require private group or individual plans to cover one of each insulin dosage form (i.e., vial, pen) and insulin type (i.e., rapid-acting, short-acting, intermediate-acting, and long-acting) for no more than $35 per month.

•  Require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a program to reimburse qualifying entities for covering any costs that exceed $35 for providing a 30-day supply of insulin to uninsured patients.

• Be fully paid for by an offset and not add to the federal deficit.

Kennedy’s efforts to save taxpayer money by defraying insulin costs include:

• In August 2022, Kennedy introduced an amendment to President Biden’s inflation reduction Act to cap insulin costs.

• In June 2022, Kennedy penned an op-ed outlining the benefits of making insulin affordable for diabetic Louisianians.

• In September 2021, Kennedy introduced the Seniors Saving on Insulin Act and the Vital Medication Affordability Act in an effort to make insulin and epinephrine more affordable.

• In August 2021, Kennedy introduced the Ending Pricey Insulin Act to address skyrocketing insulin prices.   

Troy Hebert on Jeff Landry

Former political rivals, now allies, Jeff Landry and Troy Hebert have had a colorful past. On Friday’s program, Jim Engster discussed the Governor’s race with former Sen. Hebert and got his thoughts on Jeff Landry’s run for the seat. Below is a short segment from that program in which Hebert discusses their past, the merits of Landry’s campaign and announces his support for his candidacy.

MIGUEZ: Protect What We Cherish the Most

Continue the journey with me through a story sown from the heart of family life and the hustle of small business, to standing up for our Louisiana values in Baton Rouge. I’m ready to represent District 22 in the Louisiana State Senate, pledging to protect and serve our community. Together, we hold the power to create change! #MiguezForSenate #OurLouisiana

Kennedy announces $10 million to Ascension, St. Charles Parishes for flood protection

“I am thankful for this $10 million, which will help protect Louisianians’ properties in St. Charles and Ascension Parishes from flood damage.”

MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $10,032,981 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants for Louisiana flood mitigation efforts.

“I am thankful for this $10 million, which will help protect Louisianians’ properties in St. Charles and Ascension Parishes from flood damage,” said Kennedy.

The FEMA aid will fund the following:

• $7,046,627 to Ascension Parish to elevate 37 structures.

• $2,986,354 to St. Charles Parish to elevate 16

Kennedy, colleagues urge Biden to ensure NATO countries follow through on defense spending pledges

“The lack of sufficient progress is politically and economically unsustainable. American citizens rightly question why our government disproportionately bears the burden—decade after decade—for Europe's defense.”

MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and a bipartisan group of 33 other senators in urging Pres. Joe Biden to ensure that North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members follow through on their past commitments of defense spending ahead of the organization’s summit.

Throughout last year, only seven NATO members met the defense goal, including the U.S. Excluding the U.K., none of the other members who met the requirement are major economies.

“Failure of many of our allies—including some of NATO's largest members—to meet commitments of 2% of GDP on defense has the potential to undermine American support for the alliance, severely limits Europe's ability to contribute to our shared interest in defending against Russia, and is a source of long-term instability in Europe, not to mention frustration for American taxpayers. We are not asking our NATO allies to do anything they have not already pledged to do,” the senators wrote.

The U.S., which accounts for roughly half of the combined alliance’s GDP, pays 70 percent of NATO's combined defense expenses.

“The lack of sufficient progress is politically and economically unsustainable. American citizens rightly question why our government disproportionately bears the burden—decade after decade—for Europe's defense,” they continued.

“That disparities in NATO member defense spending have persisted for so long is incompatible with genuine partnership,” the lawmakers concluded. 

Last August, the Senate unanimously adopted an amendment to require NATO members to spend at least two percent of their GDP on defense.

In 2014, during the Obama-Biden Administration, all NATO members pledged to maintain or meet the two percent defense spending guideline within 10 years.

Kennedy penned this op-ed urging Germany to pull its weight against Russia by contributing what it promised to NATO and also spoke on the Senate floor about the need for Germany to follow through on its defense spending pledge.

 The full letter is available here. 

Energy Industry Restores Our Coast and Protects Our Communities

Lawsuits against the energy industry are holding Louisiana back

Outside of charitable partnerships and investments, Louisiana’s energy industry is the number one private investor in our state’s coastal program. In a recent letter to the editor, Grow Louisiana Coalition executive director Marc Ehrhardt explains how revenues generated from offshore lease sales and energy production fund coastal restoration and hurricane protection through the Coastal Impact Assistance Program and the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA).

Not surprisingly, frivolous lawsuits against the energy industry have led to nothing and contributed $0 to coastal restoration. Instead, these lawsuits continue perpetuating the harmful lawsuit culture impacting Louisiana’s potential. Louisiana’s energy industry is restoring our coast and protecting our communities, not lawsuits.

"Over the last 15 years, Louisiana’s energy industry has contributed more than $1 billion to coastal restoration and hurricane protection through the Coastal Impact Assistance Program and the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act."

-- Marc Ehrhardt, Grow Louisiana Coalition Executive Director

Read more: Letters: Energy industry is building the coast

Louisiana Freedom Caucus Supports Veto Session

To Override Wrongs Inflicted upon Louisiana by Governor Edwards’ Veto Pen

BATON ROUGE—The Louisiana Freedom Caucus (LAFC) supports bringing the legislature back into session to right certain wrongs Governor John Bel Edwards has once again inflicted upon Louisiana.

The number one most egregious veto strikes down a law that would protect minor children from suffering irreversible surgical procedures and puberty blockers used for the sole purpose of trying to change the child’s biological sex.

Another irresponsible Edwards veto would continue the over-taxation causing the economic devastation to our beloved Louisiana that has driven out business and caused our children to move to other states for employment. Further still, he vetoed a bill that creates an obstacle for a federal effort to replace the American dollar in Louisiana with a Central Bank Digital Currency controlled by the federal government. This form of digital money allows the federal government to control what you are allowed to spend your own money on, to assess fines and automatically deduct them from your account, and to determine how much of this money you actually have.

Edwards even vetoed bills that would require healthcare facilities to tell you up front what certain things will cost and to disclose that you are not required to have certain vaccinations.

For these and other reasons, the LAFC wholeheartedly supports the veto session and will work with others to inform and garner votes to override some of the most harmful Edwards vetoes.

“On his way out the door as a lame duck governor, John Bel Edwards has vetoed several bills which are badly needed by the people of Louisiana. He has vetoed common sense tax reform, protections for innocent children and bills that give law enforcement the tools they need to fight violent crime. The Louisiana Legislature has the ability and the duty to stand up for the people of Louisiana and overturn his hurtful vetoes. We are looking forward to convening on July 18,” said Louisiana Freedom Caucus Chairman Alan Seabaugh.

“The Louisiana Freedom Caucus is ready to lead the charge in overriding the liberal agenda of the governor. Protecting our children, eliminating unnecessary taxes, and restoring funding to conservative districts cut as a means of retribution will be our main priorities,” said Louisiana Freedom Caucus Vice Chairman Larry Frieman.

“The governor’s vetoes are evidence of ‘business as usual’ in Louisiana government. The status quo bars our citizens from better health and better opportunities and prevents our state from rising out of the pits of long-term federal government dependency. We have the authority to override. We should use it!” said Louisiana Freedom Caucus Secretary-Treasurer Beryl Amedée.