{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"Senate\", party = \"Republican\" and state = \"LA\" sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-introduces-taxpayer-funded-compensation-accountability-act/", "Cassidy Introduces Taxpayer Funded Compensation Accountability Act", "2026-09-30", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) introduced legislation to ensure political appointees in the federal government do not earn a salary higher than Members of Congress. The bill would cap the annual salary of appointees at the annual salary of a U.S. Senator or Member of the House of Representatives.\n\n\u201cIf you\u2019re paid by taxpayers, you shouldn\u2019t make more than those who were elected by taxpayers,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\n###", 1, "2026-10-01T11:23:28Z", "2026-10-01T11:25:15Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-legislation-to-help-americans-better-plan-for-retirement-advances-senate/", "Cassidy Legislation to Help Americans Better Plan for Retirement Advances Senate", "2026-09-30", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) led efforts to pass the Claiming Age Clarity Act, a bill to help Americans better plan for retirement by ensuring they have clear information when deciding to claim Social Security benefits. The bill requires the Social Security Administration to replace current confusing terms used to describe claiming ages with clearer, more straightforward language.\n\n\u201cAmericans looking to retire are counting on the benefits they have earned. They ought to have the best financial information possible when the time comes,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\nThe Claiming Age Clarity Act has been endorsed by a variety of organizations representing elderly Americans, retirees, and individuals planning for retirement, such as the American Association of Mature Citizens Action (AMAC Action), Bipartisan Policy Center Action, and American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).\n\n\u201cFor too long, the terminology used by the Social Security Administration has misled millions of Americans into making suboptimal choices about when to claim their hard-earned benefits. This commonsense legislation is vital to ensuring older Americans make informed decisions that directly impact their financial security in retirement,\u201d said AMAC Action\u2019s Andrew J. Mangione.\n\n\u201cHard-working Americans deserve simple, straightforward information when planning for retirement, especially when it comes to claiming Social Security\u2026We know the age at which one first claims Social Security benefits drastically impacts the total income they receive over time, and this bill will ensure that retirees are better informed in their long-term planning and decisions,\u201d said Bipartisan Policy Center Action President Michele Stockwell.\n\n\u201cAARP has long supported efforts to improve the terminology used by the Social Security Administration to describe claiming ages, replacing confusing terms like \u2018early\u2019 or \u2018normal\u2019 with plain-language alternatives such as \u2018minimum,\u2019 \u2018standard,\u2019 and \u2018maximum\u2019 monthly benefit age. These changes will help people better understand the lasting impact of their claiming choices and make more informed decisions to protect their financial security in retirement,\u201d said AARP Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Bill Sweeney.\n\nBackground\n\nCassidy joined a bipartisan group of colleagues to introduce the legislation in 2023. The group sent a letter to the Social Security Administration urging them to develop an action plan to help individuals make more informed claiming decisions. Cassidy has championed efforts to rescue Social Security from insolvency and repeatedly called on Congress to act to save the program.\n\n###", 1, "2026-10-01T11:23:28Z", "2026-10-01T11:25:15Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/local-spotlight-cassidy-honors-new-orleans-native-walker-beerys-legacy-during-pediatric-brain-cancer-awareness-month/", "LOCAL SPOTLIGHT: Cassidy Honors New Orleans Native Walker Beery\u2019s Legacy During Pediatric Brain Cancer Awareness Month", "2026-09-30", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), for his monthly Local Spotlight, honored the legacy of New Orleans native Walker Beery and his family\u2019s work through Kids Join the Fight during Pediatric Brain Cancer Awareness Month. Walker\u2019s story is a reminder that even the smallest act of kindness can make a lasting difference. Each month, Cassidy highlights a local story that truly reflects Louisiana values of humility, respect, and resiliency.\n\nRead his full September 2026 Local Spotlight below:\n\nThis month\u2019s Local Spotlight recognizes September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, in particular, Pediatric Brain Cancer Awareness Month.\n\nBehind every pediatric cancer diagnosis is a child and family whose lives are forever changed.\n\nOne story I want to share today is that of New Orleans native Walker Beery and his family.\n\nAt just seven years old, Walker was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a pediatric brain cancer.\n\nDuring one of his days in the hospital, another little girl also receiving treatment gave Walker a teddy bear.\n\nShe was going through a difficult time herself, but still wanted to do something kind for someone else.\n\nThis small act inspired Walker to do the same, in an even bigger way.\n\nAnd Kids Join the Fight was born.\n\nWalker dreamed of raising a million dollars to help others and cure pediatric brain cancer.\n\nAlthough sadly Walker passed away on September 4, 2021, before he could reach his goal, his family was determined to finish what he started.\n\nBefore the end of that same year, Kids Join the Fight had raised the million dollars Walker dreamed of.\n\nAnd they kept going.\n\nWhat started as a grassroots effort led by Walker and his friends has grown into an organization helping families, advancing the fight against pediatric cancer, and providing grants to families across the country.\n\nAnd perhaps most importantly, it continues to give children a chance to do what Walker did.\n\nHelp someone else.\n\nNow, Walker\u2019s legacy is taking shape in a very special way right in Louisiana.\n\nThis November, Walker\u2019s Imaginarium will open at Manning Family Children\u2019s Hospital in New Orleans.\n\nIt will give patients and their families a bright, happy place to play, laugh, and experience just a bit of normalcy during an incredibly difficult time.\n\nBecause even when a child is sick, they still deserve to be a child.\n\nThat is what makes Walker\u2019s story so powerful.\n\nHe was a seven-year-old boy who received a teddy bear and decided to then help others.\n\nAnd years later, his family has turned that simple act of kindness into a movement.\n\nThis September, we remember Walker, children like Walker, and the families who fight alongside them.\n\nAnd we celebrate a little boy from New Orleans whose kindness continues to make an impact on many.\n\nMay we all learn to walk with courage, gratefulness, and generosity during hard times.\n\nJust as seven-year-old Walker Beery did.\n\nBackground\n\nIn August, Cassidy commemorated the twenty-first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by highlighting the partnership between Franklin Avenue Baptist Church and First Baptist New Orleans, illustrating the deep sense of community that binds Louisianans together.\n\n###", 1, "2026-10-01T11:23:28Z", "2026-10-01T11:25:15Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-introduces-bill-to-strengthen-election-security-give-accountability-to-voters/", "Cassidy Introduces Bill to Strengthen Election Security, Give Accountability to Voters", "2026-09-25", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) introduced legislation to require states to conduct open primaries for federal offices and establish additional guardrails in congressional elections. The legislation includes commonsense provisions including requiring voter photo identification and placing limits on states\u2019 ability to gerrymander congressional districts. Despite broad public support for these provisions, Democrats rejected the proposals, even though they have previously expressed support for measures intended to give voters greater influence in the electoral process.\n\n\u201cThe political system should serve the people, not be designed so that the people serve politicians. Forty-five percent of the American electorate are Independents. Some Republicans and some Democrats want to vote for the person not for the party. Open primaries address all of this. Power to the people,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-26T09:43:57Z", "2026-09-26T09:44:55Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-joins-erin-talks-money-podcast-to-discuss-future-of-social-security-answer-americans-questions/", "Cassidy Joins Erin Talks Money Podcast to Discuss Future of Social Security, Answer Americans\u2019 Questions", "2026-09-24", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) joined Erin Moriarity of Erin Talks Money to answer Americans\u2019 questions about the future of Social Security, what happens if Congress fails to act, and what can be done to strengthen the program for current and future retirees. Cassidy discussed his proposal for a separate investment fund and the bipartisan PROMISE Act, which would set up a process for Congress to consider and act on solutions.\n\n\u201cIf you could speak directly to someone who is already retired, someone who is 10 years from retirement, someone who is in their 30s, what would you want each of them to understand about the future of Social Security?\u201d asked Moriarity.\n\n\u201cI\u2019d want them to understand that we need to act. The idea that if we do nothing means that nothing bad happens is false. If we do nothing and follow the law, there\u2019ll be as much as 28.5% benefits cut on those currently receiving Social, or if we just do the traditional route of raising taxes and cutting benefits to cover 100% of the problem, it\u2019s going to affect the person who\u2019s 10 years out and the person who\u2019s in their 30s,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\nBackground\n\nCassidy has been outspoken in the media on the need to rescue Social Security from insolvency. He has outlined his plan to create a sovereign wealth fund independent of the Social Security Trust Fund. He has written extensively on his proposal in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, State Affairs, and the Washington Examiner. On the U.S. Senate floor, Cassidy has repeatedly called on Congress to act to save the program, and challenged the U.S. Senate to stop being good politicians and start being good senators. Most recently, Cassidy and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) published an op-ed in the Washington Examiner calling on their colleagues to join their bipartisan effort to address Social Security\u2019s looming insolvency.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-25T10:04:52Z", "2026-09-25T10:05:46Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-joins-bicameral-effort-to-expand-educational-opportunities/", "Cassidy Joins Bicameral Effort to Expand Educational Opportunities", "2026-09-22", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) joined U.S. Representative Adrian Smith (R-NE-03) and a bicameral group of colleagues in introducing the Educational Opportunities Expansion Package, which includes two bills to strengthen the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit, a key provision of the Working Families Tax Cuts. The package aims to expand educational opportunities for students nationwide by removing the current state opt-in requirement and ensuring that scholarship donors are not restricted in their giving based on their marital status. The Educational Choice for Children Act was signed into law as part of the Working Families Tax Cuts bill in 2025.\n\n\u201cAs parents, we know our children better than anyone. When we put parents in charge of their child\u2019s education, we give children the best opportunity to thrive,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cAnother win for School Choice!\u201d\n\nBackground\n\nAs Chairman of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Cassidy led Republican colleagues in introducing the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), bicameral legislation to expand education freedom and opportunity for students. The legislation provides scholarships for an estimated two million students in elementary or secondary education settings for tuition, fees, supplies, and equipment for the enrollment or attendance at an elementary or secondary school.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-23T09:45:16Z", "2026-09-23T09:46:14Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-sounds-alarm-of-looming-social-security-deadline-discusses-health-care-affordability-at-semafor-future-of-health-forum/", "Cassidy Sounds Alarm of Looming Social Security Deadline, Discusses Health Care Affordability at Semafor Future of Health Forum", "2026-09-18", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) discussed a wide range of pressing issues as Congress comes to a close, ranging from health care affordability to Social Security\u2019s looming insolvency, to the future of college athletics, during this week\u2019s Semafor Future of Health Forum. As Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, Cassidy highlighted the recently passed bipartisan Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, which gives patients and employers greater transparency into health care costs. Cassidy also warned that the clock is ticking for Congress to address Social Security\u2019s looming insolvency, stressing that delaying action will only make the issue more difficult and expensive to solve.\n\n\u201cHealth care is one of the few things in which you don\u2019t know how much it\u2019s going to cost when you walk in the door,\u201dsaid Dr. Cassidy. \u201cOur Patients Deserve Price Tags Act will do that for the patient. And it\u2019ll do it in a way which prevents a lot of the arbitrage to maximize profits for intermediaries, but to maximize savings for the patient, the employer, and the employee.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe window is closing, closing, closing,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cBut the longer you wait to fix Social Security, the worse it gets. And it doesn\u2019t just get worse marginally. It gets worse a percentage point, another percentage point, and so on.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-kaine-join-newsnation-to-discuss-bipartisan-solution-to-social-securitys-looming-insolvency/", "Cassidy, Kaine Join NewsNation to Discuss Bipartisan Solution to Social Security\u2019s Looming Insolvency", "2026-09-15", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) joined U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) on NewsNation to discuss Social Security\u2019s looming insolvency and the need for Congress to act now. The senators warned that if Congress continues to stall, Social Security benefits could be cut by nearly 28.5% in just six years, making the issue even harder to solve as time goes on. Cassidy outlined his plan to create a separate investment fund, modeled after the National Railroad Retirement Investment Fund, to strengthen Social Security\u2019s long-term solvency. Kaine expressed his support for Cassidy\u2019s proposal, which he said could help make Social Security solvent for the next 50 to 75 years.\n\n\u201cSet up an investment fund like your 401k, parallel to the Social Security trust fund, put money into it and allow it to grow with the power of the US economy. This money grows and ends up paying 65% of the obligation to our nation\u2019s retirees. We could evergreen Social Security,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\nBackground\n\nCassidy has been outspoken in the media on the need to rescue Social Security from insolvency. He has outlined his plan to create a sovereign wealth fund independent of the Social Security Trust Fund. He has written extensively on his proposal in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, State Affairs, and the Washington Examiner. On the U.S. Senate floor, Cassidy has repeatedly called on Congress to act to save the program, and challenged the U.S. Senate to stop being good politicians and start being good senators. Most recently, Cassidy and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) published an op-ed in the Washington Examiner calling on their colleagues to join their bipartisan effort to address Social Security\u2019s looming insolvency.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-16T09:43:13Z", "2026-09-16T09:44:22Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-on-fox-business-congress-needs-to-have-the-guts-to-step-up-address-social-security/", "Cassidy on Fox Business: Congress Needs to Have the Guts to Step Up, Address Social Security", "2026-09-04", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) joined Fox Business to discuss his plan to protect current and future retirees from a 22-28% cut to Social Security benefits in six short years. Cassidy urged Congress to step up and put a process in place to consider solutions for solvency.\n\n\u201cWhat I am suggesting is we set up an investment fund. You called it a sovereign wealth fund. You could call it the nation\u2019s 401k, and you set it up, separate from the Social Security Trust Fund, you put money in it, and you allow it to grow with the nation\u2019s economy,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cWe just need Congress to have the guts to step up and take action now and not continue to postpone until it\u2019s too late. And they can\u2019t even pass a bill to even discuss ideas. That\u2019s the big problem,\u201d continued Dr. Cassidy.\n\nBackground\n\nCassidy has outlined his plan to rescue Social Security from insolvency by creating a sovereign wealth fund independent of the Social Security Trust Fund. He has written extensively on his proposal in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, State Affairs, and the Washington Examiner. On the U.S. Senate floor, Cassidy has repeatedly called on Congress to act to save the program, and challenged the U.S. Senate to stop being good politicians and start being good senators. Most recently, Cassidy and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) published an op-ed in the Washington Examiner calling on their colleagues to join their bipartisan effort to address Social Security\u2019s looming insolvency.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-05T08:49:07Z", "2026-09-05T08:50:44Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-on-newsnation-congress-needs-to-get-down-to-work-and-address-social-security-this-year/", "Cassidy on NewsNation: \u201cCongress Needs to Get Down to Work and Address Social Security This Year!\u201d", "2026-09-04", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) joined NewsNation to discuss the need for Congress to take urgent action to consider solutions to protect current and future retirees from a 22-28% benefit cut when Social Security goes insolvent in just six years. Cassidy urged colleagues to stop blocking the process to merely consider bipartisan solutions and do their job to fix Social Security this year.\n\n\u201cPeople are objecting to doing their job. They can offer their own proposal. That\u2019s what\u2019s frustrating. Congress needs to get down to work. Congress needs to fix Social Security this year,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve got my own plan. Bernie Sanders has his. Bernie Moreno has his. Give us all the chance to put them forward. I have senators objecting to merely agreeing to consider the issue!\u201d continued Dr. Cassidy.\n\nBackground\n\nCassidy has been outspoken in the media on the need to rescue Social Security from insolvency. He has outlined his plan to create a sovereign wealth fund independent of the Social Security Trust Fund. He has written extensively on his proposal in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, State Affairs, and the Washington Examiner. On the U.S. Senate floor, Cassidy has repeatedly called on Congress to act to save the program, and challenged the U.S. Senate to stop being good politicians and start being good senators. Most recently, Cassidy and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) published an op-ed in the Washington Examiner calling on their colleagues to join their bipartisan effort to address Social Security\u2019s looming insolvency.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-05T08:49:07Z", "2026-09-05T08:50:44Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/local-spotlight-cassidy-highlights-story-of-faith-and-unity-ahead-of-hurricane-katrinas-21st-anniversary/", "LOCAL SPOTLIGHT: Cassidy Highlights Story of Faith and Unity Ahead of Hurricane Katrina\u2019s 21st\u00a0Anniversary", "2026-08-28", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "(Click here to download.)\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), for his monthly Local Spotlight, commemorated the twenty-first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by highlighting a story of two New Orleans churches that came together to serve one another in the aftermath of the storm. The lasting partnership between Franklin Avenue Baptist Church and First Baptist New Orleans illustrates the deep sense of community that binds Louisianans together.\n\nRead his full August 2026 Local Spotlight below:\n\nThis month\u2019s local spotlight commemorates the 21st anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which forever changed our state.\n\nWe know of the destroyed homes, families displaced, how it tested our communities in ways we could not otherwise imagine, had we not lived through it.\n\nBut in the midst of all that loss and destruction, something remarkable occurred.\n\nPeople showed up for one another.\n\nNeighbors became families.\n\nChurches became places of refuge, which they always were, but even more so now.\n\nAnd Louisianans from every background put aside differences to help a complete stranger who is now their neighbor.\n\nOne story from that time captures the true spirit of our state.\n\nWhen Hurricane Katrina flooded the majority of the city of New Orleans, and by the way, that included Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, 10 feet of flood water.\n\nSo, when Franklin Avenue lost its place of worship, just a few miles away was First Avenue Baptist Church, which was spared from the floodwaters.\n\nHow?\n\nSo, years earlier when building a new campus, church leaders went near an old train yard, and they started driving down to build their property, and they ran into something hard.\n\nThey assumed it was a buried boxcar.\n\nThey could either excavate the whole property, and pull out the boxcar, which could have cost a lot of money, or they could put more dirt on top and build a higher foundation.\n\nThey took the least expensive option and it turned out to be the best option.\n\nWhen Katrina floodwaters rose, because they had built up, those floodwaters rose to the church\u2019s steps, but it never entered the building.\n\nWhoever buried that boxcar triggered a series of events in which the Baptist church here could host the Baptist church there.\n\nNow, Franklin Avenue, Pastor Fred Luter, he was determined to reunite his congregation.\n\nSo, he calls First Baptist New Orleans Pastor David Crosby to ask if his church would share a facility with Franklin Avenue.\n\nAnd Pastor Crosby said yes, immediately.\n\nBeginning the very next Sunday, Franklin Avenue held services at 7:30 every morning, and First Baptist was at 9:30.\n\nAnd the act of generosity, of hospitality, has grown to a long-lasting bond between the two churches, that friendship now two decades old.\n\nThey continue to worship together, serve communities together, and gather annually for prayer services and exchange pulpits as a reminder that although they may be different backgrounds, there is a unity of faith.\n\nToday, church leaders see that partnership as more than a response to a natural disaster.\n\nThey see it as a lasting testament to faith, unity, and the power of serving one another.\n\nFirst Baptist has long used the story of elevating their church building, ultimately saving it from taking on Katrina floodwaters, as a reminder of another kind of foundation.\n\nThat building a life rooted in faith, provides the strength to withstand life\u2019s greatest storms.\n\nSo, 21 years after Hurricane Katrina, the story of First Baptist and Franklin Avenue Baptist reminds us that Louisiana\u2019s greatest strength is not simply perseverance, but the way we come together to lift one another up.\n\nBackground\n\nIn July, Cassidy highlighted LSU student William Grand who founded the Giving Greek organization, turning one simple observation into a community effort that has donated more than 10,000 meals to a local Baton Rouge homeless shelter. His leadership and commitment to serving others demonstrate how one person can make a meaningful difference in their community.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-29T11:31:28Z", "2026-08-29T11:32:37Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-on-fox-business-voters-must-demand-answers-on-social-security/", "Cassidy on Fox Business: Voters Must Demand Answers on Social Security", "2026-08-27", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today joined Fox Business\u2019 Varney & Co. to discuss his plan to save Social Security and urged voters to demand answers from political candidates about how they will protect the program.\n\n\u201cPut $1.5 trillion in [a separate investment fund] over five years and let all the returns flow back to it. In the meantime, you guarantee that whatever the Social Security recipient is scheduled to receive, they continue to receive,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cVoters should demand of their senator or the person running for Senate in their state: \u2018Do you want to fix it now?\u2019\u201d continued Dr. Cassidy.\n\nBackground\n\nCassidy has outlined his plan to rescue Social Security from insolvency by creating a sovereign wealth fund independent of the Social Security Trust Fund. He has written extensively on his proposal in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, State Affairs, and the Washington Examiner. On the U.S. Senate floor, Cassidy has repeatedly called on Congress to act to save the program, and challenged the U.S. Senate to stop being good politicians and start being good senators. Most recently, Cassidy and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) published an op-ed in the Washington Examiner calling on their colleagues to join their bipartisan effort to address Social Security\u2019s looming insolvency.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-28T17:11:49Z", "2026-08-28T17:13:14Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-cassidy-durbin-release-joint-op-ed-calling-on-congress-to-join-their-bipartisan-effort-to-address-social-security/", "ICYMI: Cassidy, Durbin Release Joint Op-Ed Calling on Congress to Join Their Bipartisan Effort to Address Social Security", "2026-08-27", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today published an op-ed in the Washington Examiner calling on their colleagues to join their bipartisan effort to address Social Security\u2019s looming insolvency. With the program facing an automatic 22 percent reduction in benefits in just six years if Congress fails to act, Cassidy and Durbin argue there is no excuse for further delay.\n\nRead the full op-ed here or excerpts below:\n\nThere will never be a convenient time to address Social Security. Waiting only guarantees that the solutions available tomorrow will be harder than the ones available today. Social Security is an American promise, and Congress seems unmotivated or unwilling to do the hard work required to keep it.\n\n\u2026\n\nOf course, every member of Congress says Social Security must be protected. They agree that retirees deserve the benefits they have earned. Yet year after year, Congress fails to seriously engage in the bipartisan work necessary to preserve the program, even as the deadline for action grows closer.\n\n\u2026\n\nThe suggestion that Congress should take more time is detached from reality, detached from the concerns of the American people, and detached from the job we were sent to Washington to do: tackle tough issues. Social Security does not have more time.\n\n\u2026\n\nHistory is not going to remember whether Congress voted on a bill to merely set up a process by which to consider a solution. It will remember whether Congress acted before retirees faced unnecessary reductions to the benefits on which they depend.\n\nBackground\n\nCassidy and Durbin recently delivered a joint speech emphasizing the need for congressional action to address Social Security\u2019s looming insolvency. The senators introduced the PROMISE Act which would establish a bipartisan process to address Social Security, merely setting up a process for Congress to consider debating proposals.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-28T17:11:49Z", "2026-08-28T17:13:14Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-cassidy-urges-congress-to-develop-a-china-strategy-built-to-last-in-foreign-affairs-op-ed/", "ICYMI: Cassidy Urges Congress to Develop a China Strategy Built to Last in Foreign Affairs Op-Ed", "2026-08-19", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today published an op-ed in Foreign Affairs outlining a durable strategy for United States trade competition with China. Cassidy argues that the U.S. cannot afford a short-term or partisan approach to its most consequential strategic competitor. Instead, America must strengthen its economic and national security foundations at home and use that strength to compete with China and win.\n\n\u201cLong-term challenges require long-term solutions, and Congress is the branch best suited to crafting such solutions. Congress can provide the consistency and predictability needed to align U.S. economic, trade, and national security goals into the future,\u201d wrote Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cCongress must take the lead. It can do so by permanently strengthening trade enforcement, modernizing customs authorities, building resilient supply chains throughout the Western Hemisphere, and ensuring that manufacturers in China cannot gain a competitive advantage by simply ignoring environmental standards,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\nRead the full op-ed here or excerpts below:\n\nA China Strategy That Lasts: Congress Must Lead to Compete with Beijing\n\nFor decades, Beijing has used trade not only as a means to generate economic growth but also as a geopolitical tool to attract investment, strengthen its industrial base, expand its economy, and support its military. It has done so by integrating national security, economic security, energy policy, and environmental policy.\n\n\u2026\n\nTrade enforcement, even if codified in legislation, cannot on its own counter Chinese incursions into the Western Hemisphere. The United States must also provide countries with attractive alternatives to economic dependence on Beijing.\n\n\u2026\n\nNear-shoring production in the Americas would diversify supply chains away from China, strengthen regional economies, improve U.S. access to critical minerals, and reduce U.S. and global dependence on Chinese manufacturing.\n\n\u2026\n\nChina uses trade as an instrument of geopolitical competition. To respond, the United States should keep its trade policy focused on one goal: curbing China\u2019s ability to undermine the United States\u2019 economy and military infrastructure, along with those of U.S. allies.\n\nBackground\n\nPreviously, Cassidy has advanced this approach through policies like the Foreign Pollution Fee Act, which would hold China accountable for its unfair trade practices while strengthening American manufacturing and reducing dependence on foreign adversaries.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-20T05:28:41Z", "2026-08-20T05:29:58Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-calls-congresss-bluff-on-social-security/", "Cassidy Calls Congress\u2019s Bluff on Social Security", "2026-08-06", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), today sought unanimous consent on the U.S. Senate floor to establish a process for Congress to consider solutions to prevent a 22-28% cut to Social Security benefits for 75 million Americans in six short years. An objection prevented the U.S. Senate from even beginning consideration of the resolution. Cassidy then countered the objection.\n\n\u201c[The resolution] does not predetermine the outcome. It just says that Congress must consider a solution\u2014anyone\u2019s solution\u2014Democrat or Republican, Left and Right. It just asks us to do our job to consider the solution to then go through regular order on the Senate Finance Committee to be considered by all,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\nBackground\n\nCassidy has outlined his plan to rescue Social Security from insolvency by creating a sovereign wealth fund independent of the Social Security Trust Fund. He has written extensively on his proposal in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, State Affairs, and the Washington Examiner. On the U.S. Senate floor, Cassidy has repeatedly called on Congress to act to save the program. Most recently, he challenged the U.S. Senate to stop being good politicians and start being good senators.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-07T06:11:19Z", "2026-08-07T06:12:42Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-durbin-deliver-joint-speech-urging-senate-to-take-action-before-social-security-becomes-insolvent/", "CASSIDY, DURBIN DELIVER JOINT SPEECH URGING SENATE TO TAKE ACTION BEFORE SOCIAL SECURITY BECOMES INSOLVENT", "2026-08-05", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) delivered a joint speech on the U.S. Senate floor emphasizing the dire need for congressional action to address Social Security\u2019s looming insolvency. The Social Security trust fund is expected to become insolvent in 2032, resulting in an automatic reduction in benefits for millions of Americans. The Senators have introduced the bipartisan Protecting Retirement Opportunities and Maintaining Income Security for Everyone (PROMISE) Act, legislation that would establish a bipartisan process to address Social Security\u2019s looming insolvency. The legislation merely sets up a process for Congress to consider debating proposals.\n\n\u201cMr. President, people won\u2019t even set up a process! We\u2019re not talking about a solution. We\u2019re talking about a process that would come to a solution!\u2026It is important for our country that Congress tackle this issue. And when I say our country, I mean the people who live here, whether they are older or whether they are younger; they\u2019re relying upon Congress to step up to its responsibility,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cSo, to my colleagues who oppose this approach, who say we need more time to do it, I want to back up Senator Cassidy. It costs money over time. It costs benefits over time. The solution becomes more expensive over time. The longer you wait, the more expensive it becomes to save Social Security. And we absolutely, positively have to save it,\u201d said Senator Durbin.\n\nRemarks as delivered below:\n\nCASSIDY: Mr. President,\n\nWe have been trying to set up a process, a process whereby Congress would consider a solution.\n\nNot prescribe a solution, consider a solution for Social Security. A process that would have members of the House and members of the Senate come together fully open for input from stakeholders, from citizens, to have something to present.\n\nAmong all the proposals that are out there, two proposals, three proposals, and whatever we put up would not be the final solution, necessarily.\n\nIt could be replaced by any other member of the Senate with an amendment in the nature of a substitute.\n\nAnd, Mr. President, people won\u2019t even set up a process! We\u2019re not talking about a solution. We\u2019re talking about a process that would come to a solution, maybe, that still has to get 60 votes in the United States Senate.\n\nFolks say, \u201cWe need more time.\u201d\n\nDick Durbin just chuckled. He goes, \u201cThey\u2019ve had 44 years. They\u2019ve had 44 years, how much more time do they need?\u201d\n\nI\u2019ve got a couple cartoons just to make the case. I think that if we don\u2019t set up this process, Congress will be kicking granny off the cliff.\n\nThat was made famous long ago. There it is.\n\nShe earned it.\n\nShe deserves it.\n\nShe counts on it.\n\nAnd Congress will not set up a process by which to address the issue.\n\n75 million retirees, widows, widowers, others rely on Social.\n\nIn 6 years, the program, the trust fund goes insolvent.\n\nAnd when that happens, according to the actuaries, there will be either an almost 29% benefit reduction or a 40% increase in payroll taxes on working Americans.\n\nIf that trust fund goes insolvent, and that benefit is cut 28.5% as the actuaries say it will, the rate of poverty among Americans over age 65 will increase by 50%.\n\nBy 50%.\n\nSo here\u2019s another cartoon.\n\nCongress made a promise, and some people want to ignore it.\n\nShe paid in, she earned it, she relies on it. But\u2026if you ask, \u201cShould we do something about Social?\u201d Apparently, for some people, the time to do something on Social is never.\n\nDon\u2019t disturb Congress.\n\nThey don\u2019t want to take a tough vote, even if that vote only sets up a process.\n\nDoesn\u2019t even propose a solution. A process whereby Congress is required to fix the issue.\n\nBy the way, Social has always been important. It\u2019s even more important now that Americans are living longer.\n\nAnd every year we delay to fixing it, fixing Social, the amount of cuts required to balance it increase. The amount of taxes required to fix it increase. The amount of money we have to borrow to fix it increases.\n\nThere is no good thing about waiting, except that it allows Congress to dodge its responsibility.\n\nI want to compliment my colleague from Illinois. He came up to me and goes, \u201cBill, I\u2019m leaving the Senate. We need to make a run.\u201d\n\nBut, by the way, we have a solution, but we\u2019re not saying it has to be our solution.\n\nAll we\u2019re trying to do is set up a process by which solutions can be considered.\n\nAnd running out the clock, it may be politically convenient, but it is the wrong thing to do. Congress\u2019s obligation to the American people, to the people that rely upon Social Security, is to act and is to act now.\n\nI have another cartoon here just to make the point.\n\nIt\u2019s not just older people affected; it is younger people.\n\nSorry, young folks, you\u2019re getting left behind. Because some say it\u2019s not our problem.\n\nThe Social Security system is going insolvent, and these folks can pay into it, they\u2019ll never receive a benefit.\n\nThese young Pages here, they don\u2019t recognize it yet, but they\u2019re contributing every month on the wages they\u2019re getting to a system that will not be there for them unless we do something now.\n\nSo, before I defer to my colleague, I\u2019ll say once more: all we\u2019re doing is setting up a process to propose solutions that may or may not pass, that any Senator can bring their own bill and have it as an amendment in the nature of a substitute.\n\nAnd it\u2019s up to Congress to find a solution.\n\nNow, history will decide whether Congress took up the responsibility of addressing the issue or whether because it was politically advantageous, politically expedient, to kick the can down the road once more, even though the road\u2019s about to end in a dead end.\n\nOr, in the case of one of our cartoons, with the cliff here, they built a bridge and decided not to finish it.\n\nHere, the folks who need to get across the bridge of Social Security will get to it someday.\n\nWe\u2019ve got to get to it now.\n\nThat\u2019s the point, Mr. President.\n\nLet\u2019s set up a process to be considered.\n\nWe\u2019re talking about the PROMISE Act, which is a Dick Durbin, lead author, Bill Cassidy bill.\n\nNow, there may be another way, but let\u2019s set up the process.\n\nWith that, I defer to my colleague.\n\nDURBIN: Mr. President,\n\nWhat a treat it is to be on the floor of the Senate with a colleague on the Republican side of the aisle, working together, to try to solve a problem.\n\nIt doesn\u2019t happen much around here. You see these empty desks?\n\nThey\u2019re empty almost all the days, week in, week out, month in, month out.\n\nWe do important things like nominations. There\u2019s nothing that\u2019s trivial about that.\n\nBut we don\u2019t tackle the issues that really affect the people at home with their families.\n\nHere\u2019s one: Social Security.\n\n75 million Americans rely on it.\n\nHalf of them, it\u2019s their only source of income. So, a Social Security check means a lot.\n\nSo, the experts on Social Security tell Dr. Cassidy and myself that just in a few years, six years, Social Security will be unable to make full promise payments. It\u2019ll be cut by 22% in terms of benefits.\n\nLet\u2019s take one example.\n\nThe average Social Security check now is around $2,400 a month. If you reduce that by 22%, it means that people receiving Social Security will receive about $450 to $500 less a month. If that is your only source of income, imagine for a moment that $2,400 just lopped off from the monthly payment.\n\nHow does if affect you? Paying your rent, paying your mortgage, paying your utility bills, paying what it might take at a grocery store to get by.\n\nIt\u2019s going to be a real hardship, as Senator Cassidy said.\n\nFor the citizens of America, it means that those under the poverty level will increase by 50%.\n\nWe can\u2019t let that happen.\n\nWe have to do something about it.\n\nAnd the bill that I\u2019ve introduced with Senator Cassidy basically doesn\u2019t pick a solution, although we can come up with a couple. It doesn\u2019t pick a solution. It just says, don\u2019t waste any time.\n\nStart talking about it.\n\nStart debating it.\n\nLet the American people engage in this conversation with you and vote on some alternatives. Now, vote is a word that used to be part of being a senator.\n\nNot so much anymore. Except when it comes to nominations, there aren\u2019t a lot of votes on substantive issues around this chamber. I know a little bit about this.\n\nI\u2019ve given more than half of my life to Congress. 14 years in the House, 30 years in the Senate.\n\nI know what you\u2019re saying. Sounds like a career politician.\n\nWell, maybe I am. And proud of it.\n\nAnd particularly proud of serving in this chamber. I\u2019ve seen some glorious things happen in this chamber on a bipartisan basis.\n\nBut it takes a couple senators, maybe more, to stand up and say, \u201cWe\u2019ve got to do something that\u2019s risky and controversial, but important.\u201d\n\nThis is not the first time I faced Social Security. When I was a member of the House, elected in \u201982, came to serve in \u201983, I was told that in a matter of months, Social Security would run out of money.\n\nImagine that.\n\nYou\u2019re a brand-new member of Congress, scared to death you won\u2019t be reelected, and they tell you you\u2019ve got to make a big change in the biggest social program in America.\n\nScares you to death.\n\nBut you know what? We did it. Our goal was simple.\n\n50 years of solvency in Social Security.\n\nCan we change Social Security and guarantee 50 years of solvency? We made a lot of changes.\n\nAnd you know what we got for it? 2032.\n\n1983 to 2032, we kept our word. 50 years. It\u2019s not too much to ask this Congress to fix Social Security and keep it solvent for 50 years.\n\nWe can do it. The longer we wait to do it, the more difficult it becomes.\n\nI look back on voting for that, and I thought it was the end of my political career, which was only a few months old.\n\nBut it turned out no member of Congress, Democrat or Republican, in 1983 and \u201984 lost an election because they voted for Social Security changes.\n\nThe American people expect us to make the best choices we can. And they accepted what we did, and we bout 50 years of solvency.\n\nThat\u2019s an amazing thing when you consider how important this program is.\n\nAnd so, what Senator Cassidy and I have suggested is a process which basically says we won\u2019t go by the Senate rules.\n\nI might add, I was going to show it, but I think it violates the Senate rules.\n\nThe Senate is a chamber of tradition.\n\nDown here, a few of you can see it, is a brass spittoon. A brass spittoon.\n\nIt\u2019s been held onto as part of the tradition of the Senate.\n\nWell, we have traditions in the rules that make things almost impossible to pass except after a long period of time. Weeks go by sometimes. Days certainly go by. Trying to get a measure on the floor to an actual vote.\n\nThe Senate rules are not kindly. They\u2019re tough.\n\nSo, the bill that I introduced basically cuts through some of this red tape of delay and says we\u2019ll move after several weeks to consider alternative Social Security.\n\nThe bottom line is it isn\u2019t enough to get a majority in the Senate under the current rules, and it isn\u2019t changed at all under our proposal.\n\nYou still need 60 votes to ultimately pass any change in Social Security.\n\nWell, Democrats don\u2019t have 60 votes.\n\nRepublicans don\u2019t have 60 votes, but together we think we can reach that goal.\n\nNow, I\u2019ve been a little disappointed but not surprised that some of my colleagues that I\u2019ve talked to about this said they thought it was a good idea, but on reflection they\u2019ve decided it\u2019s too risky, that we\u2019re moving things too fast.\n\nThe Senate\u2019s never been accused successfully of moving too fast on almost anything.\n\nWe take our time. That\u2019s why we\u2019re here.\n\nThe Senate is different than the House, and I served in both and respect both.\n\nSo, to my colleagues who oppose this approach, who say we need more time to do it, I want to back up Senator Cassidy.\n\nIt costs money over time.\n\nIt costs benefits over time.\n\nThe solution becomes more expensive over time. The longer you wait, the more expensive it becomes to save Social Security. And we absolutely, positively have to save it.\n\nToo many people are counting on it.\n\nI\u2019ll bet you the folks who gather here today have many relatives of their own who count on Social Security, either because they\u2019re disabled or elderly.\n\nI understand that in my own family.\n\nI think everybody does.\n\nSo, it is a great day in the Senate when a Democrat and a Republican stand on the floor and don\u2019t criticize one another, but actually talk about working together.\n\nIt\u2019s been a real pleasure for me, I\u2019d say to Senator Cassidy, to be part of the Cassidy\u2013Durbin Team.\n\nWe\u2019re both ending our Senate careers on January 3rd of next year. We hoped that this would be one of the things we could achieve before we left.\n\nI\u2019m still not giving up completely.\n\nMiracles do occur.\n\nBut I had to step up and make a proposal with Senator Cassidy to get my colleagues in conversation.\n\nThe conversation about Social Security has increased dramatically since we started this effort.\n\nAnd I think it should.\n\nThe sooner, the better.\n\nThe more expensive it becomes the longer we wait.\n\nAnd I yield back to Senator Cassidy.\n\nCASSIDY: Thank you, Senator Durbin.\n\nAnd Senator Durbin is referring to what is called the PROMISE Act.\n\nAgain, it is a bill which sets up a process to come to a solution. It doesn\u2019t dictate what the solution is.\n\nWe have colleagues who are objecting to coming up with a process.\n\nAnd so, it is important for our country that Congress tackle this issue. And when I say our country, I mean the people who live here, whether they are older or whether they are younger, they\u2019re relying upon Congress to step up to its responsibility.\n\nThank you, Senator Durbin. We\u2019ll continue to push on this.\n\nIt is important for our Congress, important for our country, important for our people.\n\nWith that, I yield.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-06T07:37:31Z", "2026-08-06T07:38:34Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/local-spotlight-cassidy-highlights-lsu-students-dedication-to-the-baton-rouge-community/", "LOCAL SPOTLIGHT: Cassidy Highlights LSU Student\u2019s Dedication to the Baton Rouge Community", "2026-07-31", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), for his monthly Local Spotlight, recognized William \u201cWill\u201d Grand for turning a simple observation into a community effort that has helped feed thousands of Louisianians in need. As a junior at LSU, Will founded Giving Greek, a student-run organization that has donated more than 10,000 meals to a local Baton Rouge homeless shelter. Will is a shining example of how one person\u2019s leadership can impact thousands. Each month, Cassidy highlights a local story that truly reflects Louisiana values of humility, respect, and resiliency.\n\nRead his full July 2026 Local Spotlight below:\n\nThis month\u2019s local spotlight is William Grand.\n\nA few years ago, Will was a junior at LSU and a member of an Interfraternity Council organization. One night after getting out of a late class, he noticed something that just didn\u2019t sit right.\n\nRegularly one of the last people at the table for dinner, he watched as trays of perfectly good food were thrown away at the end of every meal.\n\nMost people would have noticed this waste and moved on. Will didn\u2019t.\n\nHe asked a simple question: Could this food help someone else?\n\nHe reached out to Baton Rouge\u2019s St. Vincent de Paul homeless shelter to see if they would accept food donations. They welcomed the idea with open arms.\n\nWill still remembers that very first delivery. As he pulled into the parking lot, a man walked up to his car, reached into his pocket, and began counting a handful of coins.\n\nWill told him the meal was free.\n\nThen, the man asked if he could have another plate for a friend who also hadn\u2019t eaten in days.\n\nThat moment changed everything.\n\nIt was a reminder that what seemed like leftovers to one person could be a lifeline to another.\n\nThat single act of service turned into Giving Greek, an organization that now brings together fraternities and sororities from across LSU\u2019s campus to rescue food that would otherwise go to waste and deliver it to neighbors in need.\n\nToday, Giving Greek has donated more than 10,000 meals to St. Vincent de Paul.\n\nBut the impact hasn\u2019t stopped there.\n\nThey\u2019ve organized toy drives for children during Christmas. They\u2019ve handed out blankets during hard freezes. They\u2019ve continued looking for new ways to serve their neighbors.\n\nOne thing surprised Will in this journey.\n\nIt wasn\u2019t how many were in need of help.\n\nIt was how many wanted to help.\n\nWe often think people don\u2019t care. But maybe they\u2019re just waiting for someone to lead.\n\nEven after graduating from LSU, Will still helps organize volunteers each week and has passed the leadership of Giving Greek to younger students. He hopes to see the organization continue to grow at LSU and one day spread to universities across the SEC.\n\nNow he\u2019s beginning another chapter in service of others as he pursues a career in dentistry.\n\nSomething tells me that whether he\u2019s caring for patients, leading his profession, or serving his community, he\u2019ll keep finding ways to make Louisiana a better place\u2013 in fact, he sounds like a future Senator to me!\n\nWill, our future is in good hands with leaders like you. Thanks for all you\u2019re doing.\n\nBackground", 1, "2026-08-01T07:27:26Z", "2026-08-01T07:28:22Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-delivers-floor-speech-urging-congress-to-pass-promise-act-to-protect-social-security/", "Cassidy Delivers Floor Speech Urging Congress to\u00a0Pass\u00a0PROMISE Act to Protect Social Security", "2026-07-28", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "(Click here to watch and here to download.)\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor discussing his plans to secure the future of Social Security. Cassidy\u2019s agenda includes the bipartisan PROMISE Act, which sets up a process for Congress to work toward a solution for Social Security. This is the first step toward ensuring that millions of Americans continue to receive the Social Security benefits they are owed. In his speech, Cassidy also outlined his \u201cBig Idea\u201d policy, which will include an investment fund modeled after the Federal Railroad Retirement System.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased to say that there\u2019s new momentum on both sides, Republicans and Democrats, to find a solution and preserve benefits for those who have spent their lifetime earning them,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cMy Democratic colleague from Illinois, Dick Durbin, and I just introduced the PROMISE Act along with a group of colleagues, Republican and Democrat. The PROMISE Act sets up a process. It doesn\u2019t dictate a policy. It sets up a process that puts Congress on the clock to save Social Security,\u201d continued Dr. Cassidy.\n\nCassidy\u2019s remarks are below:\n\nMr. President,\n\nI\u2019ve been working on Social Security for eight years now. Why?\n\nOne, it\u2019s a guarantee, an international guarantee, made to Americans when they get to a certain age to retire.\n\nIt\u2019s an earned benefit which says that after a lifetime of work and contribution, Americans can count on a measure of financial security.\n\nToday, more than 75 million Americans rely on Social Security.\n\nMost are retired workers.\n\nMany are disabled.\n\nOthers are widows or widowers and children.\n\nNow, let\u2019s just set the context.\n\nA program that 75 million Americans rely on, 10 million baby boomers a day become eligible for, and in six years, if Congress does nothing, by law, their benefits will be cut almost 29%.\n\nSo let\u2019s just say that once more.\n\nIf Congress does nothing in six years by law, benefits going to 75 million Americans and more at that time will be cut by almost 29%.\n\nWe\u2019ve known this is coming. It\u2019s because there\u2019s been a continued drawdown for the Social Security Trust Fund.\n\nBy law, Social Security cannot pay out more than it receives.\n\nCurrently, it is receiving money from payroll taxes, but also from the trust fund.\n\nWhen the trust fund goes belly-up in six years, and the only income is that which current workers are paying, then the amount going out has to fall, and it will fall 28.5% if we wait until then to fix things.\n\nI\u2019m pleased to say, though, that there\u2019s now momentum on both sides, Republicans and Democrats, to find a solution to preserve benefits for those who have spent their lifetime earning them.\n\nBy the way, people ask, how is Social Security going bankrupt? I\u2019ve been paying it my whole life! Everybody I know has been paying into it their whole life.\n\nSo why is it going bankrupt now?\n\nI point out to people that when Social Security came along, there were like five kids per family. And now there\u2019s like two kids per family. And when Social Security was first enacted, you didn\u2019t get benefits until you were 65, but the average age of death was 62.\n\nNow, people live until they\u2019re 82, and they\u2019re getting their hips replaced when they\u2019re 75 to go bungee jumping in New Zealand.\n\nSo the point being is that people are living far longer and they\u2019re living more actively. And as a result of that, we are drawing down that trust fund.\n\nSo my Democratic colleague from Illinois, Dick Durbin, he and I just introduced the PROMISE Act along with a group of colleagues, Republican and Democrat. And the PROMISE Act sets up a process.\n\nIt doesn\u2019t dictate a policy.\n\nIt sets up a process that puts Congress on the clock to save Social Security.\n\nWhat the PROMISE Act does, it says that Congress shall come up with multiple options to present to the Senate Finance Committee, or to the Ways and Means Committee on the House side, in order for them to consider it, have it scored, and be delivered to Congress in order to deliberate.\n\nAnd then it says that the relevant committee, say Senate Finance, has seven working days to consider it, and then it comes to the floor, and then we have a vote on it.\n\nThat begs the question: Why do it now? Why not wait until the next Congress?\n\nBecause every year we wait, it gets harder and harder to fix Social Security. The amount of cuts required or the amount of taxes to be raised are more dramatic, more drastic, and more likely to harm an individual\u2019s personal finances.\n\nWe\u2019re not dictating a policy.\n\nWe\u2019re just setting up a process.\n\nNow, by the way, in full honesty, I have a policy I\u2019ve been working on, but my policy will be one of several that will be considered.\n\nMy policy, we have something in it which we call the Big Idea. And our Big Idea, we look at a trust fund, we look at pension funds that are doing well, that are not going bankrupt, and are growing in line with the needs of the people whom they cover.\n\nThis would be the kind of pension fund that Exxon or Google or Deloitte & Touche has.\n\nIt\u2019s called a pension investment fund, in which dollars are invested at an early stage, allowed to grow, and as those dollars grow over time, they meet the needs of the retirees as they become eligible for pulling those dollars down.\n\nWe\u2019ve actually done that in the federal government.\n\nUnder George W. Bush, the federal railroad retirement system was going insolvent.\n\nAnd so Congress voted to allow it to diversify the investments of this pension fund.\n\nI think every Democrat voted for it in the Senate. Three Republicans voted no. And the concerns they had have been proven wrong.\n\nBecause what\u2019s happened now with the Federal Railroad Retirement System, we still have more retirees relative to fewer workers, but that system is in the black because it invests in the strength of the U.S. economy, and the strength of the U.S. economy has been able to pay all future obligations.\n\nThat\u2019s our Big Idea.\n\nWhat has Congress already done successfully with the Federal Railroad Retirement System? What is being done with major corporations that meet their pension benefit?\n\nKind of what you do with your own 401K. We can set up this investment fund to supplement the payroll taxes that are the primary source of funding for Social Security, we can meet that future obligation.\n\nNow, let me go back to the PROMISE Act. I\u2019m not dictating my proposal to be the answer. We\u2019re dictating the process that can be considered so that any proposal can be brought up.\n\nThe presiding officer has a proposal with Senator Warren. His proposal came up. So it might be his proposal, or more likely it\u2019s going to be some sort of amalgamation.\n\nBut the only option that should not be an option is to do nothing.\n\nCongress is being irresponsible, destructively irresponsible, if we don\u2019t address Social Security. It\u2019s driving our national debt. And if we cut benefits by 28%, that will double poverty among the elderly.\n\nThe promised benefit will not be delivered. By the way, if all we do is borrow, it\u2019s going to tank our credit rating.\n\nSo, going back to my particular plan, folks say, well, what if the stock market goes down?\n\nUnder our plan, all risk is borne by the investment fund. No risk is borne by the individual. That individual gets all the benefits she\u2019s been promised, even if the market goes up and down.\n\nThey ask me, are they putting the trust fund into the stock market? No way.\n\nWe have a separate investment fund, separate from the Social Security Trust Fund, and that\u2019s where the investment goes.\n\nAnd one more thing.\n\nFolks want to say, well, wait a second. I don\u2019t trust Congress, and I don\u2019t trust the president. You put a pot of money there, it\u2019s like honey to a bear. They\u2019re going to reach in and grab it.\n\nWe have guardrails all over the place, including an annual audit of how the money is invested and how the money is spent or not spent. And that audit is put online so the American people can keep track of what\u2019s happening with their trust fund.\n\nI will finish by saying this, Mr. President.\n\nI like my plan. I think it\u2019s a good plan.\n\nI think it\u2019s going to make it a lot easier to address the problem.\n\nBut the PROMISE Act is not about my plan. The PROMISE Act, which Dick Durbin and I introduced, is only setting up a process by which Congress is forced to take action before it gets any worse.\n\nMy proposal may be the one considered. It may be the presiding officers. It may be somebody else\u2019s.\n\nThe only option that should not be taken is the option of doing nothing.\n\nWe need to do something.\n\nWith that, I yield. Thank you.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-29T07:41:48Z", "2026-07-29T07:42:57Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-delivers-floor-speech-urging-congress-to-reauthorize-the-improve-and-enhance-the-work-opportunity-tax-credit-act/", "Cassidy Delivers Floor Speech Urging Congress to Reauthorize the Improve and Enhance the Work Opportunity Tax Credit Act", "2026-07-24", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "(Click here to watch and here to download.)\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor to urge Congress to reauthorize and expand the Improve and Enhance the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) Act. Cassidy emphasized the importance of access to stable employment to help military spouses, those returning to society after incarceration, pregnant mothers, and others struggling to find a job.\n\n\u201cInstead of making service a barrier to employment, WOTC rewards it by providing the military spouse the opportunity to build a stable and rewarding career. And in our country, that\u2019s how we should treat those who have served our country in the military,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cOne of the most meaningful ways to strengthen a person\u2019s future, to support their family, and uplift their community, is by taking the skills that you know you have, and finding a job in which you can meaningfully use those skills,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\nCassidy\u2019s remarks as prepared for delivery are below:\n\nMr. President,\n\nWhen I go back to Louisiana, I meet with folks around the state.\n\nVeterans in Jefferson Parish, some of whom have just gotten out of the service and are struggling to find a job.\n\nLocal business owners in Houma.\n\nNurses at hospitals in Baton Rouge.\n\nWhat do they have in common?\n\nThey all can benefit from the Improve and Enhance the Work Opportunity Tax Credit Act, or WOTC for short.\n\nWOTC is a bill that makes it easier to get a job if you are someone who, for one reason or another, has difficulty doing so.\n\nAs an example, if you are the spouse of someone in the military, companies often won\u2019t hire you because of the likelihood of having to relocate.\n\nBut WOTC gives employers a federal tax credit when they hire military spouses, benefitting the employee and the employer.\n\nMr. President, when one member of the family is serving our country, the whole family serves.\n\nInstead of making service a barrier to employment, WOTC rewards it by providing military spouses the opportunity to build a stable, rewarding career.\n\nIn the United States of America, that\u2019s exactly how we ought to treat those serving our country.\n\nThere are others whose circumstances prevent them from getting a good job.\n\nPregnant and working mothers.\n\nLower-income families.\n\nWOTC incentivizes companies to hire them all.\n\nI believe that one of the most meaningful ways to strengthen your future, support your family, and uplift your community is by applying your skills in a profession that\u2019s right for you.\n\nThat\u2019s why, in the Working Families Tax Cuts bill, if you\u2019re receiving SNAP benefits, and you are able-bodied, and you can work, then you should.\n\nWOTC helps those who have been out of work rejoin the workforce and supports businesses along the way.\n\nSo, when someone gets a good job, they receive more than an income.\n\nThey find stability. They become independent. They have another tool with which to achieve their American Dream.\n\nThat\u2019s why we must reauthorize WOTC, which expired last December.\n\nPeople in Louisiana and across the country support this bill and have contacted my office requesting that Congress reinstate it as soon as possible.\n\nSo that the military spouse or service member newly out, the working mom, the low-income family, all have the opportunity to work hard, contribute to society, and succeed despite the challenges they face.\n\nThat is what being an American is all about.\n\nI wake up every morning, and I think about how to make life better in Louisiana and in the United States of America.\n\nThe Improve and Enhance the Work Opportunity Tax Credit Act creates jobs, expands opportunity, and makes life better.\n\nAs we approach a new reconciliation bill, work on funding the government, and other legislative vehicles, we should consider including WOTC and extending it to military spouses.\n\nLet\u2019s get it done as soon as possible.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-25T07:13:44Z", "2026-07-25T07:15:09Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-delivers-floor-speech-honoring-fallen-u-s-deputy-marshal-michael-andrew-hanson/", "Cassidy Delivers Floor Speech Honoring Fallen U.S. Deputy Marshal Michael Andrew Hanson", "2026-07-22", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "(Click here to watch.)\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor honoring Michael Andrew Hanson, a fallen U.S. Deputy Marshal from the Western District of Louisiana. Cassidy honored Deputy Hanson for his service to the state of Louisiana and asked for a moment of silence for Hanson\u2019s family, friends, and community.\n\n\u201cHanson displayed the greatest love: love for his country, love for justice, and love for others,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\nCassidy\u2019s remarks as prepared for delivery are below:\n\nMr. President,\n\n\u201cGreater love has no one than this: to lay down one\u2019s life for one\u2019s friends.\u201d\n\nDeputy U.S. Marshal Drew Hanson was a member of the Western District of Louisiana\u2019s Fugitive Task Force.\n\nHe was a husband.\n\nHe was a father.\n\nHe was shot and killed while arresting a man on sexual battery charges.\n\nMr. President,\n\nDeputy Hanson displayed the greatest love: love for his country, love for justice, and love for others.\n\nThe man who murdered him took his life, yes.\n\nBut no criminal, no weapon can take a man\u2019s honor, courage, or legacy.\n\nNow, a moment of silence for Drew\u2019s family, friends, and community.\n\n[pause]\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-23T07:31:02Z", "2026-07-23T07:32:26Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-introduces-legislation-to-provide-employment-assistance-to-spouses-of-veterans-who-died-by-suicide/", "Cassidy Introduces Legislation to Provide Employment Assistance to Spouses of Veterans who Died by Suicide", "2026-07-16", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today introduced the Veteran Suicide Spousal Career Services Act to ensure spouses of veterans who died by suicide because of a service-connected disability have access to career counseling and employment services.\n\n\u201cWhen a veteran dies by suicide, the surviving spouse is left to rebuild a life after unimaginable loss. A steady job provides purpose, stability, and a path forward. This bill creates that opportunity,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\nBackground", 1, "2026-07-17T07:15:58Z", "2026-07-17T07:17:05Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-durbin-tillis-kaine-cornyn-king-introduce-bipartisan-proposal-to-initiate-congressional-action-on-social-security/", "CASSIDY, DURBIN, TILLIS, KAINE, CORNYN, KING, ARMSTRONG INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN PROPOSAL TO INITIATE CONGRESSIONAL ACTION ON SOCIAL SECURITY", "2026-07-14", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tim Kaine (D-VA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Angus King (I-ME), and Alan Armstrong (R-OK) today introduced a proposal to initiate Congressional action on Social Security. The Protecting Retirement Opportunities and Maintaining Income Security for Everyone (PROMISE) Act follows the release of the Social Security Board of Trustees\u2019 annual report, which found that the Social Security Trust Fund will only be able to cover 78 percent of benefits in 2032\u2014meaning that Americans who rely on the program will have their benefits reduced by 22 percent if Congress does not act.\n\n\u201cMillions of Americans rely on Social Security to live. In 6 years, those families will see a 22% cut to their benefits if Congress doesn\u2019t act. Our plan starts the process of preserving promised benefits for current retirees and the next generation of Americans,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cHere is our chance to agree on a bipartisan process to rescue Social Security this year,\u201d said Senator Durbin. \u201cOur bipartisan proposal opens Congress to debate this issue in a transparent, fair, and bipartisan way. We were elected to solve problems\u2014and there\u2019s no greater problem than the solvency and future of Social Security.\u201d\n\n\u201cSocial Security is on an unsustainable path that will lead to dramatic benefit cuts for retirees and growing skepticism among workers paying into a program on the brink of insolvency. With each passing year, the menu of options that preserve benefits and limit tax hikes narrows. The modest reforms Congress contemplated in 2010 would have put Social Security on solid footing for 75 years; today, those same reforms would add less than two years to our current runway,\u201d said Senator Tillis. \u201cI won\u2019t pretend there\u2019s consensus on how we solve this, but the math is unforgiving: the longer Congress waits to act, the fewer good options remain, which is why I am proud to support this legislation.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor nearly a century, Social Security has been a lifeline that allows Americans to retire with dignity. Congress should not wait around until the last minute to shore up this critical program and prevent broad-based benefit cuts upon Trust Fund depletion,\u201d said Senator Kaine. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m joining a bipartisan group of my colleagues in introducing legislation that will encourage Congress to roll up its sleeves and find a path forward to ensure current and future generations of retirees and their families are able to receive the benefits they have earned and which they are owed.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor years, we\u2019ve known that Social Security faces serious long-term financial challenges, yet Congress has repeatedly chosen to look the other way,\u201d said Senator King. \u201cThis legislation creates a bipartisan process to ensure Congress finally does its job. Social Security is a promise millions of Americans have earned through a lifetime of work \u2013 household budgets rely on the timely arrival of these earnings to pay for mortgages, heat, and medications. We have a responsibility to preserve that promise for today\u2019s retirees and for generations to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmericans have paid into Social Security with the expectation that the benefits they earned would provide the foundation for their retirement, and Congress has a responsibility to keep that promise,\u201d said Senator Cornyn. \u201cI\u2019m proud to support this bipartisan plan of action to address Social Security\u2019s rapidly approaching insolvency before it becomes a bigger crisis so Congress is not caught flat-footed and Texans are not left holding the bag.\u201d\n\nMore than 70 million Americans receive Social Security benefits. Social Security is a bedrock promise that hard-working Americans paying into the program will earn their retirement and not have to worry about putting food on their table, a roof over their heads, or medicine in their cabinets. However, last month\u2019s Trustees report means that seniors and people with disabilities would have their benefits reduced by $450 per month (based on the average Social Security benefit of $2,071 per month). If Congress does not act, this automatic across-the-board benefit cut could push more than three million additional seniors and people with disabilities into poverty.\n\nMembers of Congress have introduced several pieces of legislation that would ensure that the Social Security Trust Funds are funded for the next 75 years. Some of these bills have nearly 200 cosponsors, and others are bipartisan and have broad, popular support. However, almost none of them have ever received a vote. Congress should not wait until the Social Security Trust Fund is empty to address this issue when it can act now to protect and strengthen the Social Security Trust Fund for current and future generations.\n\nThe PROMISE Act would create a procedure to initiate Congressional action on Social Security. Specifically, under the Senators\u2019 proposal:\n\nThe Social Security Advisory Board (SSAB), an independent, bipartisan advisory committee established to make recommendations to Congress, would transmit a base bill (which must ensure that the Social Security Trust Funds are funded for at least the next 50 years) to Congress.\n\nThe Majority Leaders of the Senate and House would introduce the base bill. If they do not, any Member of Congress could do so.\n\nThe base bill would be referred to the Senate Finance Committee and House Ways & Means Committee. Both committees would have the chance to hold hearings and amend the base bill.\n\nThe Senate Finance Committee and House Ways & Means Committee would report the base bill (as potentially amended). If the Committees do not report the base bill, it automatically would be discharged and placed on the Senate and House calendars.\n\nThe Majority Leaders of the Senate and House would move to proceed to the base bill (as potentially amended). If the Majority Leaders do not, any Member of Congress could do so.\n\nMembers of Congress could offer substitute amendments (which must ensure that the Social Security Trust Funds are funded for at least the next 50 years) to the base bill (as potentially amended) after the motion to proceed.\n\nThe Senate and House would vote on passage of the base bill (as potentially amended) after 100 hours of consideration. Final passage would require a three-fifths vote in the Senate and a majority vote in the House.\n\nAccording to polling from the Bipartisan Policy Center, 67 percent of those polled want Congress to take near-term action to solve Social Security\u2019s impending challenges.\n\nThe following organizations support the PROMISE Act: Peterson Solutions Fund, Bipartisan Policy Center, Third Way, and Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.\n\n\u201cPeterson Solutions Fund applauds the introduction of the PROMISE Act. Senators Cassidy and Durbin deserve tremendous credit for putting forward bipartisan legislation to secure the long-term solvency of the trust funds. Social Security is critical to the economic and retirement security of millions of Americans. An independent proposal from the experts of the Social Security Advisory Board combined with expedited procedures for its consideration in Congress will provide a once in a generation opportunity to address its looming crisis,\u201d said Brett Loper, Executive Director of Peterson Solutions Fund.\n\n\u201cAmerica\u2019s current and future retirees deserve a Social Security system that is financially strong and able to meet its financial commitments to seniors. With the trust funds nearing insolvency, Congress cannot remain in entrenched partisan positions. BPC Action endorses the PROMISE Act and commends Senators Cassidy (R-LA), Durbin (D-IL), Tillis (R-NC), Kaine (D-VA), and King (I-ME) for creating a serious bipartisan process to break the status quo of inaction. Their leadership should spur other members\u2014and advocates committed to Social Security\u2019s future\u2014to come to the table, confront difficult choices, and help secure Americans\u2019 earned benefits for generations to come,\u201d said Michele Stockwell, President of Bipartisan Policy Center Action.\n\nThe legislation is supported by Romina Boccia of Cato, Jessica Riedl of Brookings, and Chuck Blahous of Mercatus Center.\n\n\u201cFor too long, Congress has treated Social Security\u2019s rising shortfall as a future problem for someone else to solve. The program is already paying more in benefits than it collects in dedicated taxes, requiring the Treasury to borrow from the public to finance the gap. Over the long-term, the program\u2019s financing gap compares to the size of the entire publicly held debt, in present value terms. And with automatic benefit cuts only about six years away under current law, further delay guarantees fewer choices, more uncertainty, and greater disruption for American workers and retirees when reform eventually comes. A process that requires Congress to debate and vote on a comprehensive solvency plan is a critical step toward dealing with the shortfall head on. As Cato polling demonstrates, the American people support a Congress willing to put politics aside to confront fiscal reality before a preventable crisis forces far more painful choices,\u201d said Romina Baccia of Cato.\n\n\u201cThe longer Congress waits to address Social Security\u2019s looming insolvency, the more expensive and narrow the eventual reforms become. This legislation will help Republicans and Democrats debate and craft a credible, bipartisan solution that keeps Social Security sustainable for decades,\u201d said Jessica Riedl of Brookings.\n\n\u201cEvery year that Congress delays action on Social Security, the choices become more difficult and the consequences more severe. Social Security\u2019s trustees have long warned that the program\u2019s payment and revenue schedules need to be brought back into alignment. This bill does not dictate policy outcomes\u2014it creates a mechanism for forward progress, and that\u2019s what is needed more than anything else. The sooner you treat a dangerous condition, the better the patient\u2019s chances for a healthy future. Once lawmakers are engaged in the process, they can bring their different value judgments to the table and hammer out a bipartisan compromise solution. But first, the process needs to start,\u201d said Chuck Blahous, Mercatus Center.\n\nBackground", 1, "2026-07-15T07:12:08Z", "2026-07-16T07:23:13Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/local-spotlight-cassidy-highlights-james-josephs-commitment-to-helping-louisianans/", "LOCAL SPOTLIGHT: Cassidy Highlights James Joseph\u2019s Commitment to Helping Louisianans", "2026-06-26", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), for his monthly Local Spotlight, recognized James Joseph for his volunteer work throughout Louisiana. From installing more than 24,000 air conditioning units to providing washers and dryers to schools in underserved communities, James Joseph\u2019s story is a shining example of compassion and service to others. Each month, Cassidy highlights a local story that truly reflects Louisiana values of humility, respect, and resiliency.\n\nRead his full June 2026 Local Spotlight below:\n\nThis week\u2019s Local Spotlight is James Joseph.\n\nWhen James was younger, he dreamed of playing in the NBA. And that dream took him on a different path with an incredible career with the Harlem Globetrotters.\n\nLater, he worked and still works with UPS, now about 30 years. But in that career, things took an unexpected turn. One day, working on his delivery route, he noticed something that just didn\u2019t seem right. Something that seemed odd.\n\nJames could have seen the problem and kept moving. But he stopped. He noticed. He asked. He cared. And he continues to ask.\n\nSo many people want to help, maybe want to volunteer. James\u2019 example tells us you start by asking that simple question: What do you need? And then you meet that need.\n\nNow, clearly, James has got a big heart. He\u2019s passionate about helping those around him. So let\u2019s ask, what inspires you to do this every day? Because this is a lot of hard work. How do you do so much?\n\nI love his answer. His mother, Lillie, his uncle Jessie, may not have realized how their generosity and service would inspire James. And that\u2019s a lesson for us all.\n\nYou never know who is watching. You might be someone else\u2019s example. You know how many seeds are in an apple. But not how many apples are in a seed.\n\nYour generosity to another, encouraging them to help and be generous to others, to serve others, can pay forward for generations. Remember, all it takes is one simple question\u2014what do you need?\n\nAnd when you ask it, you might change the world for the better, just like James Joseph.\n\nJames\u2014 Louisiana, our nation needs more people like you. You are an inspiration. Thank you for who you are and what you\u2019re doing.\n\nBackground\n\nIn May, Cassidy highlighted Jady Regard of New Iberia, Louisiana. Regard\u2019s business, the Cane River Pecan Company, produces a variety of pecan products in Louisiana.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-27T06:16:17Z", "2026-06-27T06:17:30Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-to-introduce-bill-to-protect-louisiana-seafood-rice-producers-from-unfair-imports/", "Cassidy to Introduce Bill to Protect Louisiana Seafood, Rice Producers from Unfair Imports", "2026-06-25", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) will introduce the Home Market Restoration Act of 2026 to protect Louisiana crawfish, shrimp, rice, catfish, and other American producers from unfair foreign competition. The legislation would establish tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) on import-sensitive food and agricultural products to stop import surges, restore fair prices, and keep American producers in business without shutting down lawful trade.\n\n\u201cLouisiana producers can compete with anyone if trade is fair,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cWhether it is crawfish, shrimp, rice, or catfish, America cannot let foreign competitors flood our markets and push our producers out of business.\u201d\n\nThe Home Market Restoration Act of 2026 is supported by the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation, USA Rice, American Honey Producers Association, Southern Shrimp Alliance, American Shrimp Processors Association, Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA), and R-CALF USA.\n\n\u201cMany staple commodities from Louisiana farms are struggling economically due to foreign competitors dumping cheap, inferior products into our markets. Senator Cassidy has long been fighting to give Louisiana farmers a chance. This bill is a testament to that and would finally level the playing field for crawfish, shrimp, rice, honey and other food products grown by Louisiana Farm Bureau producer members. Congress should follow Senator Cassidy\u2019s lead and protect American farmers with passage of this bill before it\u2019s too late. Fair trade is all we are asking for,\u201d said the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation.\n\n\u201cUSA Rice supports Senator Cassidy\u2019s efforts to level the playing field for sensitive commodities, including the U.S. rice industry. In Louisiana and across the United States, rice farmers have been hammered by the exponential growth of unfair imports over the past two decades, largely driven by illegal subsidies by foreign governments. The influx of cheap imports have forced consolidation in the U.S. rice industry and offshored jobs across the mid-south. This bill provides a pathway toward rebuilding that domestic market share for American rice farmers and processors,\u201d said USA Rice.\n\n\u201cOn behalf of America\u2019s beekeepers and honey producers, we commend Senator Cassidy for introducing legislation that confronts years of unfair trade practices that have distorted the U.S. honey market. For too long, foreign bad actors have evaded trade rules, dumped underpriced honey into our country, and driven honest American producers to the brink,\u201d said Steven Coy, President of the American Honey Producers Association. \u201cA fair and enforceable tariff-rate quota would help restore integrity to the marketplace, defend rural livelihoods, and give U.S. beekeepers a fighting chance to survive and rebuild.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe United States is losing the ability to feed itself. An unchecked flood of imports has been unfairly driving American farmers, fishermen, and ranchers out of business,\u201d said Blake Price, Director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance. \u201cSenator Cassidy\u2019s Home Market Restoration Act of 2026 fights back. By establishing tariff-rate quotas to stop manipulated import surges, his legislation prioritizes America\u2019s shrimpers and food producers. We don\u2019t just support this bill to establish a fair-trade regime\u2013we urgently need it.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerican shrimp processors strongly support the Home Market Restoration Act of 2026,\u201d said Trey Pearson, President of the American Shrimp Processors Association. \u201cDomestic shrimp producers have struggled with wave after wave of unfairly traded shrimp imports for decades, and we support every effort to combat these imports and give our industry a chance to compete.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerica\u2019s tariff schedule is littered with specific duties still priced in 1930 dollars, and inflation has quietly repealed most of them,\u201d said CPA President Jon Toomey. \u201cSenator Cassidy\u2019s bill does the obvious thing Washington has neglected for a hundred years: it indexes the duties so they hold their value. Every specific tariff in the U.S. schedule should be written this way.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe applaud Senator Cassidy for introducing this historic and urgently needed reform of our nation\u2019s antiquated tariff schedules and import quotas. Current tariffs on lamb and beef and quotas on beef were set decades ago and have proven ineffectual at protecting our cattle and sheep industries from excessive price-depressing imports that have all but destroyed America\u2019s commercial sheep industry and is causing the rapid deterioration of our beef supply chain. Today over 70% of lamb and 22% of beef consumed in America is sourced from foreign countries. America should not tolerate its growing dependency on foreign countries for our food. This is a threat to national security and Senator Cassidy\u2019s bill will help America\u2019s cattle and sheep producers rebuild our domestic supply chains for lamb and beef,\u201d said Bill Bullard, CEO, R-CALF USA.\n\nThe Home Market Restoration Act of 2026 would:\n\nEstablish tariff-rate quotas on import-sensitive food and agricultural products, including shrimp, crawfish, catfish, rice, honey, lamb, goat meat, live cattle, and beef;\n\nApply higher duty rates to imports above those quota levels to stop foreign competitors from flooding U.S. markets;\n\nCreate country-by-country quotas for shrimp and crawfish, quarterly quotas and an export-license regime for honey, and new quota structures for rice, catfish, lamb, goat meat, live cattle, and beef;\n\nProtect Louisiana crawfish, shrimp, rice, and catfish producers from unfair import surges that drive down prices;\n\nRestore fair competition for American farmers, fishermen, ranchers, and food producers without cutting off lawful trade.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-26T06:29:35Z", "2026-06-26T06:31:46Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-cassidy-warns-delaying-social-security-reform-will-only-raise-costs-highlights-plan-to-save-it-in-wsj/", "ICYMI: Cassidy Warns Delaying Social Security Reform Will Only Raise Costs, Highlights Plan to Save It in WSJ", "2026-06-23", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) penned a letter to the editor in the Wall Street Journal warning that the longer Congress waits to address Social Security\u2019s looming insolvency, the larger the tax increases and benefit cuts will be. Cassidy also highlighted his plan to strengthen Social Security by investing funds into the U.S. economy. This letter comes in response to Joseph C. Sternberg\u2019s column, \u201cThe Social Security Trust Fund Deception\u201d.\n\n\u201cThe longer Congress does nothing, the larger the tax increase workers will face and the deeper the benefit reductions retirees will endure,\u201d wrote Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s why Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and I introduced our bipartisan \u201cBig Idea\u201d for Social Security to invest funds into the U.S. economy,\u201dcontinued Dr. Cassidy.\n\nRead the full letter to the editor here or excerpts below:\n\nThe Cost of Delaying Social Security Reform\n\nJoseph C. Sternberg suggests waiting to solve Social Security\u2019s looming insolvency in his column \u201cThe Social Security Trust Fund Deception\u201d (Political Economics, June 12). But the longer we delay, the higher the cost will be. The program\u2019s funds are rapidly approaching insolvency.\n\n\u2026\n\nThe longer Congress does nothing, the larger the tax increase workers will face and the deeper the benefit reductions retirees will endure.\n\nThat\u2019s why Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and I introduced our bipartisan \u201cBig Idea\u201d for Social Security to invest funds into the U.S. economy. The returns would strengthen Social Security\u2019s finances over time, just like pension funds, retirement accounts and state investment funds.\n\n\u2026\n\nThe Social Security problem won\u2019t solve itself. We must act now.\n\nBackground\n\nCassidy has outlined his plan to rescue Social Security from insolvency by creating a sovereign wealth fund independent of the Social Security Trust Fund. Earlier this month, Cassidy released a statement following the most recent Social Security Trustees\u2019 annual report, which predicts that Social Security will become insolvent by 2032. Cassidy also recently laid out his vision during a U.S. Senate Budget Committee hearing in March, as well as last year at a public forum with the AARP and a keynote address to the National Institute on Retirement Security\u2019s (NIRS) 15th Annual Retirement Policy Conference on the future of Social Security. He has written extensively on his proposal in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, State Affairs, and the Washington Examiner.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-24T06:25:30Z", "2026-06-24T06:26:49Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-releases-statement-on-dire-outlook-for-social-security/", "Cassidy Releases Statement on Dire Outlook for Social Security", "2026-06-10", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) issued the following statement after the release of the Trustees of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds annual report forecasting each respective program\u2019s ability to pay full benefits to taxpayers. The report projects the Social Security Trust Fund will become insolvent in 2032, earlier than previously anticipated. This will force an automatic 22% benefit cut for all current and future beneficiaries.\n\n\u201cMillions of retirees are facing a twenty to twenty-five percent cut in benefits which can throw them into poverty and put a greater strain on their families,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThis latest report from the trustees is proof that Congress must step up now to protect Social Security before it\u2019s too late. It\u2019s only going to cost more and be more difficult to solve the longer we wait.\u201d\n\nBackground\n\nCassidy has outlined his plan to rescue Social Security from insolvency by creating a sovereign wealth fund independent of the Social Security Trust Fund. Cassidy recently laid out his vision during a U.S. Senate Budget Committee hearing in March, as well as last year at a public forum with the AARP and a keynote address to the National Institute on Retirement Security\u2019s (NIRS) 15th Annual Retirement Policy Conference on the future of Social Security. He has written extensively on his proposal in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, State Affairs, and the Washington Examiner.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-11T06:38:38Z", "2026-06-11T06:41:07Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-warnock-announce-june-11-as-national-seersucker-day/", "Cassidy, Warnock Announce June 11 as National Seersucker Day", "2026-06-02", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) introduced a resolution designating Thursday, June 11th as National Seersucker Day.\n\n\u201cSeersucker is a New Orleans invention, a Senate tradition, and brings a welcome moment of unity to Washington every year,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cI look forward to seeing colleagues from both parties join in again this year.\u201d\n\n\u201cSeersucker is interwoven in the style and tradition of the South,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cI\u2019m proud to continue this storied bipartisan Senate tradition of Georgia cotton, Southern charm and fashion alongside Senator Cassidy.\u201d\n\nSeersucker suits were popularized by New Orleans businessman Joseph Haspel in the early 1900s as an answer to the summer heat. Former U.S. Senator Trent Lott (R-MS) brought Seersucker Thursday to Congress in 1996. After the tradition went unobserved in 2012 and 2013, Cassidy revived it and has continued the tradition in the Senate.\n\nCassidy invites Americans across the country to wear seersucker in celebration of National Seersucker Day. All senators are invited for an official photograph at the Ohio Clock in the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, June 11, at 12:30 p.m. ET.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-03T06:40:39Z", "2026-06-03T06:42:22Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/local-spotlight-cassidy-highlights-local-pecan-farmers-mission/", "LOCAL SPOTLIGHT: Cassidy Highlights Local Pecan Farmer\u2019s Mission", "2026-05-29", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), for his monthly Local Spotlight, recognized Jady Regard for his entrepreneurial spirit and passion for the pecan industry. From the Cane River Pecan Company to his support for making the pecan the national nut of the United States, Regard is an inspiring story of hard work and creativity. Each month, Cassidy highlights a local story that truly reflects Louisiana values of humility, respect, and resiliency.\n\nRead his full May 2026 Local Spotlight below:\n\nJady Regard is about Louisiana, about the United States of America, and like all about pecans.\n\nGrowing up, he and his family called themselves \u201cthe nutcrackers\u201d.\n\nNow, that\u2019s not a joke. They kind of like that. And so the family nickname turned into a family business.\n\nNow, there is a great book called Good to Great which talks about adapting your business, going from good to great.\n\nAnd if there\u2019s room to grow, even if it requires change, you\u2019ve got to change if you want to grow until you\u2019re the best at what you do.\n\nThat\u2019s what Jady did with the Cane River Pecan Company.\n\nNow, Jady knows just about everything there is to know about pecans.\n\nHe can tell you about the history of pecan farming here in Louisiana and indeed here in the United States.\n\nJady is a visionary. He thinks we need a national nut. Not Jady, but the pecan to be our national nut. Of course, why?\n\nBecause the pecan, by the way, and I think this is interesting. I mean Jady just is infectious with his enthusiasm.\n\nThe pecan is the only nut that is domestic. So Jady\u2019s point is we got a national bird, the bald eagle. A national flower, the rose. And the national nut, the only domestic nut.\n\nBy the way, there is a great Louisiana angle.\n\nWhen Jady has a vision, he sees it through. And that\u2019s something we can all learn as we all seek to go from good to great.\n\nWhen the pecan becomes the national nut of the United States of America, it\u2019s what I will expect.\n\nWe in Louisiana will know who\u2019s behind it. And I look forward to it.\n\nBackground\n\nIn April, Cassidy highlighted Amanda Ratcliff of New Orleans, Louisiana. Ratcliff\u2019s business, Buttery Spell, offers products that reflect flavors and culture of her hometown.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-30T06:11:53Z", "2026-05-30T06:13:24Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-cassidy-pens-op-ed-calling-for-return-to-unity/", "ICYMI: Cassidy Pens Op-Ed Calling for Return to Unity", "2026-05-26", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) posted an op-ed to X calling for a renewed commitment to unity, bipartisan cooperation, and principled leadership to address America\u2019s greatest challenges.\n\n\u201cThat unity is not some sentimental \u2018can\u2019t we all get along\u2019 aspiration. It is a practical necessity. The country\u2019s largest challenges cannot be solved without it,\u201d wrote Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cAmericans should reject those who say that our divisions are greater than our shared identity. We must remain one nation, united not by uniformity of opinion but by devotion to constitutional government, individual liberty, and the rule of law,\u201d continued Dr. Cassidy.\n\nRead the full op-ed here or below:\n\nThe Hard Work of Unity and Hope for America\u2019s Future\n\nSince my recent election loss, I have been asked about the state of our politics and where our country goes from here. I am hopeful. America remains a strong and resilient nation, but the challenges before us require leadership grounded in steadiness, trust, constitutional principles, and a renewed sense of unity.\n\nThat unity is not some sentimental \u201ccan\u2019t we all get along\u201d aspiration. It is a practical necessity. The country\u2019s largest challenges cannot be solved without it.\n\nToday, the only policies out of Washington are partisan reconciliation bills or executive orders destined to be reversed by the next Democrat administration. That is not durable, fully representative governance. It creates instability for families, businesses, and allies who need confidence that American policy will endure beyond the next election cycle.\n\nThe nation\u2019s largest long-term challenges \u2014 including the debt and deficit, which cannot be solved without addressing Social Security and Medicare \u2014 require the political courage to engage in bipartisan cooperation.\n\nBut bipartisan cooperation requires trust. It requires leaders who keep their word, negotiate in good faith, and recognize a shared obligation to the country\u2019s future. In a word, unity.\n\nThat same principle applies abroad.\n\nThe United States needs a renewed sense of unity among democratic nations committed to freedom, open markets, and the rule of law. The challenges posed by China\u2019s growing power, instability in the Middle East, and the ambitions of authoritarian regimes cannot be effectively addressed by America acting alone.\n\nOur allies do not need to agree with us on every issue. But they do need confidence that the United States approaches alliances with seriousness, steadiness, and mutual respect.\n\nShort-term displays of dominance or public humiliation of allied leaders may create momentary political satisfaction, but they weaken the trust and cooperation needed to achieve long-term strategic goals. Successful alliances depend upon credibility, reliability, and shared purpose.\n\nThe United States has historically been most effective when it combines strength with stability and leadership with respect for its partners. Rebuilding confidence among Western allies is not an act of charity. It is a matter of national interest.\n\nAmericans are hungry for a politics that solves problems. To achieve this, loyalty must first be to country, Constitution, and fellow Americans, not to individuals.\n\nAt its best, America has renewed itself through leaders who understood that public office is a responsibility, not a performance. The most successful leaders in our history combined strength with restraint, conviction with humility, and patriotism with respect for constitutional limits. That tradition is worth reclaiming.\n\nI have spent much of my life as a physician. In medicine, words matter; decisions matter; conduct matters. Life and death can depend upon it. The same is true in government.\n\nThe American people do not expect perfection from their leaders, but they do expect seriousness. Leaders who are steady, not erratic. Thoughtful, not impulsive. Their words should lower the temperature rather than inflame division. Their actions should place the long-term interests of the country above short-term political or personal gain. Leadership is not using power to serve your own needs; it is using power to serve the needs of others. If someone does not understand this, they should not hold a position of leadership.\n\nAmericans are exhausted by a culture that treats every disagreement as betrayal. Our constitutional system was designed around debate, persuasion, and compromise. Ronald Reagan famously said that someone who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is a friend and ally, not an enemy. That philosophy helped build one of the most successful political coalitions in modern American history because it welcomed people into a movement instead of driving them away.\n\nIf leaders are going to meet the needs of the present moment \u2013 better-paying jobs; more affordable gas, groceries, and health care; families having the confidence that their children will inherit a stronger country \u2013 unity of the kind that Reagan built is a practical necessity. These challenges are too large and require too great a sacrifice for one party to go it alone.\n\nMost importantly, Americans should reject those who say that our divisions are greater than our shared identity. We must remain one nation, united not by uniformity of opinion but by devotion to constitutional government, individual liberty, and the rule of law.\n\nOur country has overcome far greater challenges than the political tensions of the present moment because great leaders have always called us to believe in one another and in the enduring promise of this nation.\n\nWe desperately need those leaders today \u2013 who understand both the necessity of unity and the hard work it demands at home and abroad. Difficult though it may be to forge, it remains the surest path to a better future.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-27T06:38:34Z", "2026-05-27T06:40:17Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-defends-jones-act-highlights-importance-for-louisiana-shipbuilding-economy/", "Cassidy Defends Jones Act, Highlights Importance for Louisiana Shipbuilding, Economy", "2026-05-15", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "(Click here to watch and here to download.)\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor defending the Jones Act and warning against waivers of the law, which protects Louisiana ports, shipyards, energy producers, and maritime workers from unfair competition from foreign vessels and labor.\n\n\u201c[The Jones Act] supports American industry. In my state, Louisiana ports, shipyards, energy producers, maritime workers, are a large portion of the state\u2019s economy,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-16T06:05:00Z", "2026-05-16T06:06:37Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-speaks-at-disabled-american-veterans-state-convention/", "Cassidy Speaks at Disabled American Veterans State Convention", "2026-05-15", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "BATON ROUGE \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) spoke at the State Convention for Disabled American Veterans (DAV) in Baton Rouge, where he committed to continue advocating for veterans and their families in Washington.\n\n\u201cIt is our duty to support our veterans, who risked their lives to defend our freedoms,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cIn Washington, I\u2019m working to make sure Congress works for them.\u201d\n\nIn December, Cassidy passed the VetPAC Act and the Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act through the Senate. These bills would make VA hospitals more effective and efficient and increase access to job counseling services for widows and widowers of deceased servicemembers.\n\nCassidy is also a co-sponsor of the Major Richard Star Act, which would allow veterans who were forced to medically retire due to combat or combat-related injuries to receive both their VA disability compensation and full military retirement pay.\n\nAt the state convention, Cassidy also met with attendees and discussed how his Baton Rouge office can help them with any individual problem they have with the VA. He was welcomed to the convention by Mr. Paul Hermann, Adjutant for the DAV Department of Louisiana.\n\n\u201cThe Disabled American Veterans Department of Louisiana appreciates the time that Senator Cassidy took to attend our department\u2019s convention and inform us on the work he is doing in DC to support veterans and especially disabled veterans,\u201d said Mr. Hermann.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-16T06:05:00Z", "2026-05-16T06:06:37Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-delivers-floor-speech-urging-congress-to-make-flood-insurance-affordable-again/", "Cassidy Delivers Floor Speech Urging Congress to Make Flood Insurance Affordable Again", "2026-05-14", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor highlighting the growing flood insurance affordability crisis ahead of hurricane season and calling for long-term reform of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). He urged colleagues to address rising costs driven by the Biden-era Risk Rating 2.0 policy and act before the next storm threatens Louisiana families.\n\n\u201cEvery year, more and more people have to drop their National Flood Insurance Program coverage because it is too expensive and too unreliable, so this is about making flood insurance affordable again,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cI tell folks, I wake up every morning and think about how to make life better for the people of my state and my country, and I can tell you that reliable, accountable, affordable flood insurance is part of that,\u201d continued Dr. Cassidy.\n\nCassidy\u2019s remarks as prepared for delivery are below:\n\nMadam President,\n\nHurricane Season is less than three weeks away.\n\nThree. Weeks.\n\nWe\u2019ve got to act now to make flood insurance affordable again before it\u2019s too late.\n\nLast year, thankfully, no hurricanes hit Louisiana.\n\nNow, no hurricanes hitting my state\u2014that\u2019s good news for everybody in Louisiana!\n\nBut especially for homeowners who do not have flood insurance.\n\nEvery year, more and more have to drop National Flood Insurance Program coverage because it\u2019s too expensive and unreliable.\n\nBetween 2022 and 2024, 70 THOUSAND people in Louisiana dropped coverage.\n\nLast year, another 52 THOUSAND did the same.\n\nWhy?\n\nThey need it.\n\nThey try to be responsible.\n\nThey can\u2019t afford it!\n\nThey\u2019re being priced out of flood protection by the rising costs of a post-Biden era flood insurance program.\n\nUnder Joe Biden, FEMA implemented Risk Rating 2.0 as a new risk assessment program, despite Congress never signing off.\n\nSince 2023, rates have increased, making people\u2019s flood insurance premiums so high they just cannot afford it.\n\nThey cannot pay their mortgage if they pay their flood insurance premium.\n\nMr. President, these are hardworking families just trying to do the right thing, having to choose between paying their mortgage, buying food, taking care of their kids, and having flood insurance.\n\nThey would like to have flood insurance.\n\nThey would like to go to sleep at night knowing that they are protected if some terrible flooding event occurs.\n\nFor example, in 2016, a 46-foot river crest swept the land completely out from underneath a Cypress Point home, even though they elevated it above the base Flood Elevation.\n\nThis is a family doing everything right, but a natural disaster still wiped out their home.\n\nIt would be great if they had flood insurance. But it\u2019s possible they can\u2019t afford it.\n\nSo, if Congress has the power to guarantee reliable flood insurance that people can afford, why don\u2019t we?\n\nInstead, nearly one-fifth of folks in Louisiana on the National Flood Insurance Program\u2014nearly a hundred thousand\u2014can no longer afford their insurance.\n\nBy the way, this is a problem nationwide.\n\nMillions of Americans across the nation rely on the National Flood Insurance Program.\n\nThey\u2019re all getting pounded by Risk Rating 2.0.\n\nI\u2019m leading a group of Republicans who, last year, tried to end the policy.\n\nI recently followed up with FEMA, asking that they be urgent in addressing the harm Risk Rating 2.0 is doing to the flood insurance program for people in Louisiana and across the nation.\n\nI understand, as does President Trump, that the American people need to be able to afford every day goods.\n\nAnd right now, they cannot afford flood insurance.\n\nIn 2019, President Trump and I worked together to delay Risk Rating 2.0 for a year. Let\u2019s do that again, but let\u2019s make it permanent.\n\nThe American people need flood insurance which is affordable and also reliable.\n\nRight now, the NFIP relies on Congress to both fund and authorize the program.\n\nFund, meaning that if funding is ever withheld by Congress\u2014like the Democrats have done multiple times this Congress\u2014the National Flood Insurance Program cannot operate effectively, leaving millions of Americans hanging in uncertainty.\n\nNow, Congress must vote every year to reinstate the program.\n\nI introduced legislation to automatically extend the program to operate during a lapse in authorization\u2014so it can still issue policies, renew contracts, pay claims, and access funding.\n\nCoverage should be there, whether politicians decide to get their act together or not.\n\nCongress needs to act, and soon.\n\nIn the meantime, federal support is critical.\n\nIn President Trump\u2019s first administration, he created a program called BRIC\u2014short for Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities.\n\nThe BRIC program provided cost- and life-saving grants that Louisiana benefited from.\n\nPresident Trump\u2019s second administration assured me they would release more BRIC funds, and I\u2019m pleased to say, FEMA just announced that a new round of BRIC funding has been released\u20141 BILLION dollars to help states impacted by natural disasters.\n\nLouisiana will certainly benefit.\n\nI have been fighting consistently to get this done, and I\u2019m pleased that it has.\n\nBut as much as we need recovery assistance, we in Louisiana know that the best way to lower the cost of flood insurance is by making sure you don\u2019t flood in the first place.\n\nThat\u2019s why, through my work negotiating the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, our state has gotten hundreds of millions for flood mitigation and coastal restoration.\n\nThis is a bargain for the federal taxpayer, because it\u2019s easier and cheaper to prevent a flood than it is to pick up the pieces afterward.\n\nOne example is if you go from Kenner to Baton Rouge, and you pass LaPlace, you\u2019ll see construction on a huge flood control structure, which I toured last August.\n\nThat has received over a BILLION dollars, which I\u2019ve obtained to prevent those people from flooding and to prevent the National Flood Insurance Program from having to pay out a benefit.\n\nI\u2019m a doctor. I know that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.\n\nIn this case, 1.2 BILLION dollars for prevention is worth maybe 70 billion in recovery.\n\nGo to Terrebonne or Lafourche Parish, and you\u2019ll go by the Morganza to the Gulf levee project.\n\nThis is a project with tremendous local support, for which I\u2019ve been able to get 615 MILLION dollars through the infrastructure bill and other mechanisms, including a funding package recently signed into law by President Trump.\n\nAnd you know the positive impact of this?\n\nEven before completion, when Hurricane Ida came, they said there were 10 THOUSAND homes that did not flood.\n\nThat\u2019s ten THOUSAND claims that did not have to be paid.\n\n10 THOUSAND homes that did not need to be cleaned out.\n\nThat saved the taxpayer money, aside from the fact that those families were able to continue working, going to school, living as usual, keeping our society and our economy running.\n\nI find that moms rest easier knowing their families will stay safe and dry when the next storm comes.\n\nThe funding I am delivering gives her that peace of mind.\n\nAnd there is more to come.\n\nI wake up every morning, and I think about how to make life better for the people in my state and in my country.\n\nI can tell you: reliable, accountable, affordable flood insurance makes life better.\n\nThat\u2019s what I\u2019m working towards as I continue sending tax dollars back to my state for flood prevention.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-15T06:17:41Z", "2026-05-15T06:18:51Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-announces-over-18-9-million-for-louisiana-hurricane-ida-francine-recovery/", "Cassidy Announces Over $18.9 Million for Louisiana Hurricane Ida, Francine Recovery", "2026-05-13", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Louisiana will receive $18,928,243.43 in federal funding from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support disaster recovery and emergency response efforts following Hurricanes Ida and Francine. The funding will assist with debris removal, coastal restoration, and management costs for local and state agencies.\n\n\u201cLouisiana communities know how to clean up, rebuild, and move forward after a storm,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThis funding supports those efforts.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-14T06:11:37Z", "2026-05-14T06:12:56Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-introduces-resolution-backing-law-enforcement-during-national-police-week/", "Cassidy Introduces Resolution Backing Law Enforcement During National Police Week", "2026-05-13", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) introduced a resolution recognizing the service and sacrifice of America\u2019s law enforcement officers during National Police Week. The resolution expresses support for police officers across the country, honors those killed or injured in the line of duty, and calls for increased resources for law enforcement.\n\n\u201cLaw enforcement officers run toward danger so the rest of us can live safely,\u201dsaid Dr. Cassidy. \u201cWe should stand with them, honor their sacrifice, and make sure they have the support they need.\u201d\n\nCassidy was joined by U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Katie Britt (R-AL), Steve Daines (R-MT), Jim Justice (R-WV), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Rick Scott (R-FL), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) in introducing the resolution.\n\n\u201cNational Police Week is an important time to recognize the sacrifices law enforcement officers have made to serve and protect our communities,\u201d said Senator Blackburn. \u201cAs Democrats work to undermine law enforcement at every turn, Republicans will do everything in our power to support the work these men and women do to safeguard the American people every day.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis National Police Week, we honor the unwavering commitment and dedication of our law enforcement officers, including those who made the ultimate sacrifice,\u201d said Senator Britt. \u201cAcross our nation, these brave men and women risk their lives to protect our communities, leaving their homes and putting themselves in harm\u2019s way so we can safely return to ours. Each and every day, they courageously put the safety of others above of their own. I am deeply grateful for their service in upholding the rule of law and strengthening the communities they serve.\u201d\n\n\u201cLaw enforcement officers and personnel dedicate their lives every day to selflessly protect their local communities. I\u2019m glad to work with Senator Cassidy on this resolution to celebrate National Police Week and recognize the contributions of our brave men and women in uniform,\u201dsaid Senator Daines.\n\n\u201cOur law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every single day to keep our communities safe and defend the rule of law. They deserve our respect, our gratitude, and our support\u2014not just during National Police Week, but every day of the year. That\u2019s why I\u2019m proud to sign onto the National Police Week Resolution. I\u2019ll keep fighting to make sure we do everything we can to protect those who protect us,\u201d said Senator Justice.\n\n\u201cLeadership is about service to others, and Pennsylvania\u2019s law enforcement officers live that out every day by putting their lives on the line to keep our communities safe,\u201d said Senator McCormick. \u201cDuring National Police Week, we honor their courage, sacrifice, and selfless commitment to serving the public. I\u2019m proud to support this resolution and stand with the brave men and women in blue across our Commonwealth and the nation who work tirelessly to uphold the rule of law and protect our families.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur police officers stand between chaos and law and order protecting Americans and keeping our communities safe. I\u2019m proud to join my colleagues in honoring the men and women in blue and ensuring their service, strength, and dedication does not go unnoticed,\u201dsaid Senator Schmitt.\n\n\u201cLaw does not enforce itself; we need men and women willing to risk their lives every day to do that. This National Police Week, we honor the brave men and women in blue who put their lives on the line to protect our communities. While we can never fully repay the debt we owe them, we are forever grateful for the unwavering dedication of our law enforcement officers across Florida and our nation,\u201d said Senator Scott.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-14T06:11:37Z", "2026-05-14T06:12:56Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-secures-14-9-million-for-louisiana-airport-upgrades-from-his-infrastructure-bill/", "Cassidy Secures $14.9 Million for Louisiana Airport Upgrades from His Infrastructure Bill", "2026-05-12", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Louisiana will receive $14,887,241.00 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation through his Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The funding will protect against flooding, expand taxiways, rehabilitate pavement, and support airport planning and development.\n\n\u201cI worked to bring this funding home to Louisiana so our airports can keep up with demand and stay safe,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThese projects help keep our people and our state\u2019s economy moving.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-13T06:12:22Z", "2026-05-13T06:13:52Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-leads-entire-louisiana-republican-delegation-in-protecting-women-babies-from-dangerous-abortion-drugs-upholding-louisiana-values/", "Cassidy Leads Entire Louisiana Republican Delegation in Protecting\u202fWomen & Babies from Dangerous Abortion Drugs, Upholding Louisiana Values", "2026-05-08", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, led the entire Louisiana Republican congressional delegation, including U.S. Senator John Kennedy (R-LA), U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), U.S. Representatives Clay Higgins (R-LA) and Julia Letlow (R-LA), in filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court supporting Louisiana\u2019s lawsuit to protect women and their unborn children from dangerous mail-order chemical abortion drugs. The brief argues mifepristone\u2019s in-person dispensing requirement must be reinstated. More than 100 Republican lawmakers, including U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), signed onto Cassidy\u2019s brief.\n\n\u201cI am grateful to my home state of Louisiana for leading the effort to defend women and babies in our state and across the country. Chemical abortion drugs kill innocent children and put mothers\u2019 lives at risk,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cSafeguards protecting against coercion, such as the in-person dispensing requirement, must be reinstated immediately. The Fifth Circuit got this right, and I urge the Supreme Court to affirm that decision.\u201d\n\n\u201cBy leading the way against dangerous mail-order chemical abortion drugs, Louisiana\u2019s proving once again that it stands strong for innocent life. I\u2019ll always be proud to support our state\u2019s pro-life values, and I hope and pray that the Fifth Circuit\u2019s ruling\u2014in favor of federalism and the safety of women and girls\u2014prevails at the Supreme Court,\u201d said Senator Kennedy.\n\n\u201cWe filed this brief because the Biden FDA\u2019s approval of chemical abortion drugs plainly puts young women and their unborn children at risk. The state of Louisiana has done heroic work in leading the fight against mail-order, on-demand abortion drugs, and the 5th Circuit was right to block the FDA from continuing this dangerous practice. We urge the Supreme Court to affirm that decision and protect women and babies nationwide,\u201d said Speaker Johnson.\n\n\u201cThere are legitimate concerns about these drugs putting women and girls at significant risk,\u201d said Leader Thune. \u201cI urge the Supreme Court to reinstate the safety guardrails that were in place before the Biden administration while the Department of Health and Human Services reviews these drugs.\u201d\n\nAs a strong pro-life leader, Cassidy has an A+ rating on Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America\u2019s 2025 National Pro-Life Scorecard. As Chairman of the HELP Committee, Cassidy led a hearing in January with Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill on the dangers of chemical abortion drugs. He is also leading conservative Republicans calling on U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary to fulfill their promise to complete a safety review of abortion drugs. Previously, Cassidy led 58 Republican lawmakers in an amicus brief to the district court, arguing that the illegal Biden policy must be overturned.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re deeply grateful to pro-life champions Senator Bill Cassidy and Representative Chris Smith for leading this amicus brief in support of Louisiana and courageous survivor Rosalie Markezich against the FDA\u2019s reckless mail-order abortion policy,\u201d said Marjorie Dannenfelser, President, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. \u201cThe FDA\u2019s decision to side with the abortion industry and allow dangerous abortion drugs to be shipped nationwide without an in-person doctor\u2019s visit is unacceptable. This policy kills countless unborn children, enables coercion and abuse, and gravely endangers women and girls, while the FDA callously ignores the well-documented harms that states and survivors have warned about for years. We are thankful for the members of Congress fiercely supporting pro-life states like Louisiana and survivors who are seeking justice in court.\u201d\n\n\u201cLouisiana has chosen to protect women and their babies by prohibiting mail-order abortion,\u201d said Erica Inzina, J.D., Policy Director, Louisiana Right to Life. \u201cIt is unconscionable that the FDA would allow abortion drugs to be openly distributed without any safeguards whatsoever. These actions harm women and hinder states like Louisiana from being able to protect its citizens and enforce its laws. The abortion industry\u2019s response to the 5th Circuit\u2019s ruling, including promoting even more unsafe methods of elective abortion, is telling. For the abortion industry, it was never about women\u2019s safety or health. Instead, it has always been about money and promoting abortion at all costs, even when it hurts the women they purport to help. The Supreme Court should uphold the 5th Circuit\u2019s decision to halt the 2023 REMS and reinstate basic health standards. We are grateful for Senator Bill Cassidy and all of our elected officials on the state and federal level who continue to support women\u2019s health and the lives of unborn babies.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m grateful for the Senators and Representatives who have signed this brief in support of Louisiana\u2019s right to protect unborn children and their mothers,\u201d said Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council. \u201cThe rise of mail-order abortion has not only endangered women and unborn children, but also created new avenues for coercion and abuse. The FDA\u2019s policy, which overrides state pro-life protections, undermines both the rule of law and the safety of those it claims to serve. It must be reversed.\u201d\n\nThe brief is also supported by U.S. Senators Jim Banks (R-IN), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Katie Boyd Britt (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), James Lankford (R-OK), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Rand Paul, M.D. (R-KY), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), James Risch (R-ID), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and Todd Young (R-IN).\n\nRead the full brief here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-09T06:00:32Z", "2026-05-09T06:02:31Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-highlights-669-million-in-retroactive-payments-for-beneficiaries-of-his-effort-to-repeal-wep-gpo/", "Cassidy Highlights\u00a0$669 Million in Retroactive Payments for Beneficiaries of His Effort to Repeal WEP & GPO", "2026-05-07", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "METAIRIE \u2013U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) hosted an event yesterday in Jefferson Parish highlighting the success of the bill he championed to fully repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). As a result, monthly Social Security retirement benefits have increased for Louisiana\u2019s retired teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other state and local government employees, and $669 million in retroactive payments have been made to compensate them for lost benefits.\n\n\u201cOur retired police officers, firefighters and teachers worked every day to keep us safe and educate our children,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cBecause of my work, they are finally getting the Social Security benefits they deserve.\u201d\n\nCassidy was a long-time cosponsor of the Social Security Fairness Act in the Senate, being an original cosponsor since he became a Member of Congress in 2009. Cassidy successfully demanded a vote, getting the bill signed into law.\n\nDuring the event, Cassidy was joined by Mr. Chad Major, the President of the Professional Firefighters Association of Louisiana, Mr. Gasper Migliore, Jr., a former Jefferson Parish Sheriff\u2019s Office lieutenant, and Ms. Annette Accomando, a former teacher at Chalmette High Schol.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019ve been working on this for years to the point where people were kind of exhausted, thinking it would never happen. But when it did, I started getting calls of joy, calls from widows that were crying on the phone,\u201d said Mr. Major. \u201cThere\u2019s lots of people whose lives have been bettered, Senator, for the things that you and other Members of Congress did. On behalf of over 5,000 active members that I represent, not including the retired members, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.\u201d\n\n\u201cI can tell you what this did for me personally. It went from me waiting until I was 70 to start collecting [Social Security] because that\u2019s when it would maximize out, to being able to draw it this past October at age 65,\u201d said Mr. Migliore. \u201cAs police officers, sometimes we find ourselves in very dangerous situations, and we don\u2019t know what\u2019s on the other side of that door that\u2019s waiting for us. We need to have the faith and belief that the person standing behind us has our back. Senator Cassidy, I want to thank you for having not only my back, but firemen, teachers, and all public service employees\u2019 backs. Thank you for that.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s great to be able to be with my grandchildren, and that\u2019s the one thing that this has allowed us,\u201d said Ms. Accomando. \u201cI was able to retire. I was able to just this January start getting my benefits, and my husband and I said, \u2018shall I wait until I\u2019m 70? I\u2019m 68 now, do I wait?\u2019 And we realized, \u2018no, we want to go see our grandchildren more. We want to be able to go out for our anniversaries and our birthdays. This is going to give us the opportunity to do those peace-of-mind things that everybody wishes to do.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-08T05:46:43Z", "2026-05-08T05:48:09Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-highlights-efforts-to-create-jobs-train-workers-in-new-orleans/", "Cassidy Highlights Efforts to Create Jobs, Train Workers in New Orleans", "2026-05-07", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "METAIRIE \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) on Wednesday spoke before the French Quarter Business Association, which helps small businesses in the French Quarter succeed. Cassidy also toured unCommon Construction, which trains apprentices to be skilled laborers in the construction trades.\n\n\u201cLouisiana businesses thrive when they have a skilled workforce, safe community, and the tools to keep building,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThat\u2019s exactly what I\u2019m working on in Congress.\u201d\n\nCassidy supported the Working Families Tax Cut bill which ended taxes on tips and overtime, extended the Child Tax Credit, allowed businesses to deduct 100% of their new business investments, and made permanent the 20% small business pass-through deduction. As Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, Cassidy also increased Americans\u2019 access to career and technical-based education by establishing Workforce Pell Grants.\n\nAt both stops, Cassidy was thanked for his leadership in making the Greater New Orleans area safer and more prosperous.\n\n\u201cWe thank Senator Cassidy for speaking at today\u2019s French Quarter Business Association luncheon at the Astor Crown Plaza,\u201d said Mr. Tony Viloria, Past President and Director of Development for the French Quarter Business Association. \u201cOur members truly valued the opportunity to hear from him and to share our perspectives. We appreciate his time, engagement, and continued support of the French Quarter business community.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re grateful to Senator Bill Cassidy for taking the time to visit our new campus and engage directly with our young people, hearing firsthand about their aspirations and hopes for their futures so he can represent them in DC,\u201d said Mr. Aaron Frumin, Founder and CEO of unCommon Construction. \u201cHis curiosity about unCommon\u2019s unique model for workforce development, and his willingness to connect authentically with the next generation of builders here in New Orleans means a great deal to our students and our community.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-08T05:46:43Z", "2026-05-08T05:48:09Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-hosts-veterans-town-hall-in-baton-rouge/", "Cassidy Hosts Veterans Town Hall in Baton Rouge", "2026-05-04", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "BATON ROUGE \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) hosted a veterans town hall at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Zachary Taylor Post in Baton Rouge, where they discussed Cassidy\u2019s work to ensure veterans have access to the health care and benefits they need.\n\n\u201cLouisiana veterans deserve a system that works for them,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThrough discussions like these, I can better serve them in Washington and ensure they get the benefits they\u2019ve earned.\u201d\n\nAs a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans\u2019 Affairs, Cassidy is taking a leading role in shaping legislation that will benefit veterans. He recently passed through the Senate the Veterans Health Administration Policy Advisory Commission (VetPAC) Act, which will facilitate a transparent, expert-driven review process for the Veterans Health Administration\u2019s operations, including their delivery of care at VA hospitals. He also added a provision in the Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act that will ensure benefits for disabled veterans don\u2019t count against them when applying for housing assistance.\n\nCassidy recently announced that the VA has awarded a lease for a new community-based outpatient clinic in St. George, which will serve veterans throughout the Capital Region. Also, Cassidy\u2019s casework team based in Baton Rouge regularly advocates for Louisiana veterans and their families before the VA. If a veteran or spouse of a veteran has an issue with the VA, they can call (225) 929-7711 for assistance.\n\nCassidy was thanked in advance by Mr. Jason Sedotal, Commander of Chapter 177 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, whose chapter hosted the town hall.\n\n\u201cWe appreciate Senator Cassidy visiting with our members and other veterans to discuss what he\u2019s doing to ensure we have access to quality health care and benefits,\u201d said Mr. Sedotal. \u201cWe also thank him for honoring the sacrifice we made as veterans by advocating for us in Washington.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-05T05:58:12Z", "2026-05-05T05:59:44Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-introduces-bill-to-help-louisiana-forest-landowners-recover-after-natural-disasters/", "Cassidy Introduces Bill to Help Louisiana Forest Landowners Recover After Natural Disasters", "2026-05-01", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) introduced legislation to help America\u2019s landowners recover from the loss of timber after natural disasters. The Save America\u2019s Family Forests Act amends and makes improvements to the tax code to allow forest owners to deduct more reforestation expenses caused by a natural disaster.\n\n\u201cThousands of Louisianians rely on our forest industries for work,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cSupporting our forest landowners as they rebuild is the right thing to do.\u201d\n\nThe Save America\u2019s Family Forests Act is supported by the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation, the Louisiana Forestry Association, the Forest Landowners Association, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the Association of Consulting Foresters, and the Congressional Sportsmen\u2019s Foundation.\n\n\u201cLouisiana\u2019s forestry producers have faced repeated setbacks from hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters that can wipe out decades of investment overnight. Recovery depends on the ability to reinvest quickly, and current tax policy slows that process down. The Save America\u2019s Family Forests Act helps address that by allowing landowners to expense reforestation costs when they are incurred, improving cash flow and speeding up recovery. Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation supports this commonsense approach to keeping working forests productive and supporting the rural communities that depend on them,\u201d said the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation.\n\n\u201cLouisiana\u2019s forest landowners know firsthand how difficult recovery can be after major disruptions like Hurricane Ida and the 2023 wildfires that impacted more than 60,000 acres across the state. Long timelines for cost recovery only add to that burden. By allowing faster reinvestment in reforestation, the Save America\u2019s Family Forests Act supports landowners in restoring their forests, sustaining forest-based jobs, and keeping Louisiana\u2019s working forests healthy and productive over the long term,\u201d said the Louisiana Forestry Association.\n\nCompanion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Buddy Carter (R-GA-1), Aaron Bean (R-FL-4), Greg Steube (R-FL-17), Greg Murphy (R-NC-3), Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-1), Terri Sewell (D-AL-7), and Mike Thompson (D-CA-4). Cassidy was joined by U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) in introducing the legislation in the Senate.\n\nBackground\n\nLouisiana timberland plays a critical role in the state\u2019s economy, communities, and environment. According to the Forest Landowners Association, they provide an impact of $13 billion on the Louisiana economy. 48,000 Louisiana jobs are supported by forestry providing $1 billion in salaries and wages and $328 million in state taxes.\n\nTax deductions for crop losses provide much-needed relief for agriculture crops and farmers after a disaster. However, they do not provide any economic relief for landowners whose timber crops were destroyed. The legislation allows landowners to immediately deduct more of the cost of replacing timber destroyed during disaster events.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-02T05:53:08Z", "2026-05-02T05:54:44Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-meets-with-business-community-leaders-from-one-acadiana/", "Cassidy Meets with Business, Community Leaders from One Acadiana", "2026-05-01", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "LAFAYETTE \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today visited Lafayette, where he met with Ambassadors for One Acadiana, the chamber of commerce for Lafayette and Acadiana\u2019s leading economic development organization. He discussed his work to create jobs, support local businesses, and make life more affordable for Louisianans.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re building a Louisiana where Acadiana\u2019s next generation wants to stay and raise a family,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cI\u2019ve cut taxes, secured funding for roads, bridges, and local airports, and strengthened public safety to do just that.\n\nCassidy has taken steps to support Lafayette\u2019s workers and business owners, including by supporting President Trump\u2019s Working Families Tax Cut bill. The legislation, which was passed into law last year, eliminated taxes on tips and overtime work and extended the Child Tax Credit. Cassidy also included provisions to expand access to workforce training and require the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to expand offshore lease sales for oil and gas.\n\nLafayette Parish has also benefitted from Cassidy\u2019s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. That includes millions for roads and bridges, including $163 million for the Atchafalaya Basin, $59 million for the Lafayette Regional Airport\u2019s terminal and safety projects, $30 million for a Cameron Parish Crown Substation to help it withstand flooding and wind, and $4 million for the St. Landry and St. Martin airports for runway signage, airfield lighting, and runway markings. Additionally on Wednesday, Cassidy unveiled a comprehensive plan to bring energy costs down, cut permitting delays, and end unnecessary restrictions on domestic energy production.\n\nOne Acadiana\u2019s Ambassadors meet monthly to discuss regional initiatives, chamber member recruitment and retention, and opportunities for community involvement with the chamber. They also support local businesses by attending ribbon cutting celebrations, grand openings, and other community events. Cassidy was thanked by Troy Wayman, President and CEO of One Acadiana, for speaking with them.\n\n\u201cWe appreciate Senator Cassidy joining our 1A Ambassador meeting and engaging directly with members of Acadiana\u2019s business community,\u201d said Mr. Wayman. \u201cIt was a valuable opportunity to hear about current priorities in the Senate, issues relevant to both our state and region, and how his office can serve as a resource for local businesses.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-02T05:53:08Z", "2026-05-02T05:54:44Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-secures-150m-for-i-10-calcasieu-river-bridge-celebrates-groundbreaking/", "Cassidy Secures $150M for I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge, Celebrates Groundbreaking", "2026-05-01", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) released a statement following the groundbreaking ceremony for the new I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Cassidy\u2019s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provided $150 million in funding for replacing the bridge.\n\n\u201cThis new bridge means more jobs and safer roads for Lake Charles,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cIt is great to see the $150 million I secured for this much-needed project in action.\u201d\n\nThe new I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge will improve public safety by providing a wider roadway for commuters with six lanes in total, shoulders and central barriers, updated interchanges, lower inclines, and increased overhead clearance.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-02T05:53:08Z", "2026-05-02T05:54:44Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/local-spotlight-cassidy-highlights-local-business-owners-journey-from-uncertainty-to-entrepreneurship/", "LOCAL SPOTLIGHT: Cassidy Highlights Local Business Owner\u2019s Journey from Uncertainty to Entrepreneurship", "2026-04-30", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), for his monthly Local Spotlight, recognized Amanda Ratcliff for her resilience and entrepreneurial spirit in turning life\u2019s challenges into opportunity. Her business, Buttery Spell, features uniquely crafted products that reflect her creativity and the unmistakable flavors and culture of New Orleans. Each month, Cassidy highlights a local story that truly reflects Louisiana values of humility, respect, and resiliency.\n\nRead his full April 2026 Local Spotlight below:\n\nFor this month\u2019s Local Spotlight, let\u2019s recognize somebody I met recently.\n\nI met her in Jefferson Parish, and her name is Amanda Ratcliff.\n\nNow, if you ever meet somebody and you instantly know that they are in the right place at the right time, that\u2019s Amanda.\n\nAnd her food business, Buttery Spell, is unique.\n\nNow, fast forward to 2020.\n\nShe, like a lot of people, found herself at home because COVID had shut the government down, shut the businesses down, shut our society down.\n\nSo she went to business school.\n\nShe figured out how to sell her product, and now she\u2019s a business owner.\n\nI met Amanda at a JEDCO Food Incubator celebration event a couple weeks ago.\n\nNow my weakness is sweets, and so I\u2019m tasting her peanut butter.\n\nI\u2019m thinking this peanut butter tastes exactly like the peanut butter in a Girl Scout cookie.\n\nSo I taste it.\n\nI come back, I say, \u2018Wow, Amanda.\n\nHow did you figure this out?\u2019\n\nSo to anyone listening, if you\u2019ve got an idea, a dream, a spark, follow it.\n\nYou don\u2019t quite know where it might take you.\n\nBut Buttery Spell is proof that you don\u2019t need a perfect plan.\n\nYou just need the courage to take that first step.\n\nAmanda, you may not be building cars like you once thought you would.\n\nBut I suspect your younger self would be extremely proud of who Amanda is today and of Amanda\u2019s business.\n\nAnd I\u2019m proud.\n\nLouisiana\u2019s proud.\n\nKeep up the great work.\n\nBackground\n\nIn March, Cassidy highlighted David Hoke of Lafayette, Louisiana. Hoke has dedicated himself to sharing the word of God by creating and distributing personalized leather-bound Bibles for elected leaders and their families across the country and around the world.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-01T06:06:26Z", "2026-05-01T06:08:22Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-announces-plan-to-lower-gas-prices/", "Cassidy Announces Plan to Lower Gas Prices", "2026-04-29", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today unveiled his energy plan to lower gas prices. Cassidy\u2019s agenda aims to produce more American energy, cut red tape, and lower costs so Louisiana families pay less at the pump and less on their energy bills.\n\n\u201cTo lower prices immediately, we must support President Trump\u2019s efforts to open the Strait of Hormuz. In the meantime, let\u2019s work on what else can be done,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cFor example, increasing oil and gas production off the coast of Louisiana and across the U.S., boosting imports to Louisiana\u2019s refineries, and passing permitting reform to get fuel to market faster. My plan does that, creating more jobs and lowering prices at the pump for Louisianians.\u201d\n\nThe Cassidy Energy Plan to Lower Gas Prices focuses on four areas of reform.\n\nBoost American Supply: Produce more American energy to bring prices down.\n\nSlash Costs & Fix Broken Permitting: Cut permitting delays, end unnecessary energy restrictions, and reject any domestic carbon tax.\n\nBuild a Stronger Energy System: Invest in reliable energy infrastructure to keep costs low and the lights on.\n\nCompete Globally: Stand up for American energy and workers by expanding U.S. energy exports, enforcing fair trade, and securing critical supply chains.\n\nBackground\n\nCassidy has consistently worked to bring down energy costs for American families. He played a critical role in expanding offshore lease sales and extending the length of said leases in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. Earlier this month, Cassidy secured $29 million to strengthen transmission lines and update an electrical substation in Cameron Parish.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-30T06:05:15Z", "2026-04-30T06:07:09Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-honors-martha-odom-mall-of-louisiana-shooting-victims-on-senate-floor/", "Cassidy Honors Martha Odom, Mall of Louisiana Shooting Victims on Senate Floor", "2026-04-29", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor honoring Martha Odom, a Louisiana high school senior who was tragically killed in a shooting at the Mall of Louisiana on April 23rd. Cassidy mourned the loss of Odom, offered condolences to her family, friends, and classmates, and wished the others injured in the shooting a full recovery.\n\n\u201cWe can say that all in my state, in my country, are deeply and profoundly sorry, and that all of Louisiana grieves with Martha\u2019s family,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cI ask that this body and all who hear join in a quiet moment for the life of Martha Odom, for everyone who loved her, loves her still, and will always love her,\u201d continued Dr. Cassidy.\n\nCassidy\u2019s remarks as prepared for delivery are below:\n\nMr. President,\n\nI am the elected representative of Louisiana, and sometimes I speak on behalf of the whole state.\n\nNow is one of those times.\n\nHow everyone in our state felt grief at the mass shooting in Shreveport, now we feel grief at the mass shooting in Baton Rouge.\n\nAnd our state as a whole feels this grief\u2014everyone in the state.\n\nWe all grieve.\n\nMy friend Collis Temple called me. He spoke to me about the grief he felt.\n\nThat compelled me to speak to this as well.\n\nEvery family can imagine no longer having their child or their sibling.\n\nWe all grieve.\n\nEvery classmate can picture walking into school and seeing an empty chair where their classmate once sat.\n\nWe all grieve.\n\nEvery friend can imagine going on a carefree senior skip day and having something awful happen.\n\nWe all grieve.\n\nM. President, what can we say when words fail?\n\nWe say that we are sorry\u2014deeply and profoundly sorry. And that all of Louisiana grieves with Martha\u2019s family.\n\nSo I ask this body and all who hear this to join me in a quiet moment for the life of Martha Odom, for everyone who loved her, loves her still, will always love her.\n\nI yield the floor.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-30T06:05:15Z", "2026-04-30T06:07:09Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-secures-release-of-wrongfully-detained-louisiana-woman-facing-life-imprisonment-in-philippines/", "Cassidy Secures Release of Wrongfully Detained Louisiana Woman Facing Life Imprisonment in Philippines", "2026-04-28", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Tina Becker, a Louisiana native wrongfully detained in the Philippines on baseless drug charges, has safely returned home to her family. Becker was facing life in prison for possessing an empty prescription drug container. Cassidy and his team worked for over a year to successfully facilitate her return.\n\n\u201cBringing Tina back home was a question of saving a person from life imprisonment in a foreign country,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cWe were in a position to help secure her freedom, so we fought to bring her home.\u201d\n\nOn September 1, 2024, Tina was arrested in the Pasay City airport in the Philippines when she was found with an empty prescription drug container. Following her arrest, for 18 months, she endured uninhabitable imprisonment conditions as she awaited trial.\n\nBackground\n\nCassidy continues to work secure freedom for other Louisianans wrongfully detained overseas, including Bossier City-native Nelson Wells, Jr. For years, Cassidy and his team have worked to help bring home Wells who has been imprisoned in China for over 13 years. Cassidy and his office have worked with the State Department, including the SPEHA Office of Hostage Affairs and the consular section, and have met with the Chinese Ambassador, embassy officials, and senior Politburo members to advocate for Wells release as well as improvements to his living conditions. They have also remained in contact with the Wells family throughout their ordeal.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-29T06:03:53Z", "2026-04-29T06:05:09Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-discusses-work-to-defend-unborn-with-louisiana-pastors/", "Cassidy Discusses Work to Defend Unborn with Louisiana Pastors", "2026-04-27", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "BATON ROUGE \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) had breakfast on Friday in Baton Rouge with pastors from across Louisiana to discuss his work to protect women and babies from dangerous chemical abortion drugs.\n\n\u201cWe have an obligation to keep mothers and their unborn babies safe,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cChemical abortion drugs kill innocent children and put mothers\u2019 lives at risk. The safeguards protecting women from coercion and abuse must be reinstated immediately.\u201d\n\nIn January, as Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Cassidy led a hearingon the dangers of the abortion drugs. He is also leading conservative Republicans calling on Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Marty Makary to reinstate commonsense safeguards that protect women from coercion and abuse.\n\nIn February, Cassidy led 58 Republican lawmakers in filing an amicus brief supporting Louisiana\u2019s lawsuit to protect women and their unborn children from chemical abortions. Additionally, he launched an investigation into chemical abortion drug manufacturers to determine if they are complying with FDA regulations in marketing these dangerous drugs.\n\nThe breakfast was organized by the Family Research Council, with their President Tony Perkins thanking Cassidy for his work.\n\n\u201cThis is not just another issue,\u201d said Mr. Perkins. \u201cThe shedding of innocent blood is not just another policy issue. Senator Cassidy has been leading on this issue in Washington, DC, even as late of this week. I appreciate Senator Cassidy\u2019s leadership on this. He gets it, he understands it, and he\u2019s not afraid to speak out about it.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-28T06:05:12Z", "2026-04-28T06:07:17Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-secures-over-67-7-million-for-louisiana-flood-mitigation-projects-from-his-infrastructure-bill/", "Cassidy Secures Over $67.7 Million for Louisiana Flood Mitigation Projects from His Infrastructure Bill", "2026-04-27", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Funding AmountRecipientProject Description$27,133,179.20St. John the Baptist ParishThis grant will provide federal funding for the FMA 2023 Elevation Project.$20,201,740.20HED-01 Diversion (Detention Pond & Culvert Project)This grant will provide federal funding to construct a diversion culvert and detention pond to improve drainage and reduce flooding in surrounding areas.$11,720,438.98Livingston ParishThis grant will provide federal funding for elevations & acquisitions to reduce flood risk.$2,456,972.13City of Mandeville (2025 Lakeshore Drive)This grant will provide federal funding for a 2023 FMA Elevation Grant.$964,407.52City of New OrleansThis grant will provide federal funding for the FY 2022 Elevation Project 12.$838,556.70City of New OrleansThis grant will provide federal funding for the FY2022 FMA Elevation Project 8.$720,926.00St. Charles ParishThis grant will provide federal funding for the FMA 2023 Elevation Project.$712,037.22City of New OrleansThis grant will provide federal funding for the FY2022 FMA Elevation Project 2.$675,000.00Bossier CityThis grant will provide federal funding for drainage master plan scoping.$675,000.00St. Charles ParishThis grant will provide federal funding for FMA 2023 Norco Drainage Project scoping.$570,624.57City of New OrleansThis grant will provide federal funding for the FY2022 FMA Elevation Project 9.$504,356.70Jefferson ParishThis grant will provide federal funding for mitigation reconstruction.$208,271.81City of New OrleansThis grant will provide federal funding for the FY2022 FMA Elevation Project 6$195,725.00City of Mandeville (2835 Lakeshore Drive)This grant will provide federal funding for a 2023 FMA Elevation Grant.", 1, "2026-04-28T06:05:12Z", "2026-04-28T06:07:17Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-announces-32-2-million-for-louisiana-grid-resilience-emergency-power-projects/", "Cassidy Announces $32.2 Million for Louisiana Grid Resilience, Emergency Power Projects", "2026-04-24", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Louisiana will receive $32,167,742.80 in federal funding from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to strengthen critical infrastructure and improve emergency preparedness across the state. The funding will support upgrades to an electrical substation in Cameron Parish and install backup power generators for key public safety facilities in Baton Rouge.\n\n\u201cLouisiana needs reliable power before, during, and after a storm,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThis funding strengthens our power grid so families aren\u2019t left in the dark when it matters most.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-25T05:38:36Z", "2026-04-25T05:40:21Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-announces-43-4-million-for-port-of-south-louisiana-from-his-infrastructure-bill/", "Cassidy Announces $43.4 Million for Port of South Louisiana from His Infrastructure Bill", "2026-04-24", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced the Port of South Louisiana will receive $43,361,426.00 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), which received increased funding through Cassidy\u2019s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This grant provides federal funding to support the construction of a new dock conveyance system in Donaldsonville to transport iron ore pellets from port berths to a new ultra-low carbon steel manufacturing facility.\n\n\u201cI worked to secure this funding because I know Louisiana\u2019s ports are vital to keep our state and country\u2019s economy moving,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cProud to have made this project possible to keep our state competitive.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-25T05:38:36Z", "2026-04-25T05:40:21Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-announces-over-29-9-million-for-louisiana-hurricane-laura-ida-recovery/", "Cassidy Announces Over $29.9 Million for Louisiana Hurricane Laura, Ida Recovery", "2026-04-23", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Louisiana will receive $29,872,642.08 in federal funding from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support hurricane recovery, school repairs, and rebuilding efforts across the state following Hurricanes Laura and Ida.\n\n\u201cAfter a storm, we need to get communities back up and running as quickly as possible,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThis funding helps rebuild schools, restore community spaces, and make sure Louisiana families can keep moving forward.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-24T05:51:25Z", "2026-04-24T05:53:00Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-calls-on-senate-to-pass-save-america-act-in-floor-speech/", "Cassidy Calls on Senate to Pass SAVE America Act in Floor Speech", "2026-04-23", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) delivered a floor speech pushing for the passage of the SAVE America Act, calling on Senate Democrats to stop blocking the bill. The legislation would require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections.\n\n\u201cThe SAVE America Act does not make it harder to vote; it ensures that only American citizens vote in American elections,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cFolks are asking for the assurance of a secure election. The SAVE America Act helps get that done,\u201d continued Dr. Cassidy.\n\nCassidy\u2019s remarks as prepared for delivery are below:\n\nMadame President,\n\nProtecting the integrity of our elections is a Constitutional principle.\n\nThat\u2019s why I\u2019m a proud co-sponsor of the SAVE America Act, which requires a photo ID when you go to vote.\n\nNow, Americans have to show a photo ID or proof of citizenship on a weekly, sometimes daily basis.\n\nYou open a bank account, you show a photo ID.\n\nYou cash a check, you show a photo ID.\n\nYou board a plane, you show a photo ID.\n\nSo to require the same thing when you go to the polls to vote in a federal election\u2014that\u2019s common sense.\n\nIt\u2019s also not new. It\u2019s already a requirement in a lot of states.\n\nThe SAVE America Act doesn\u2019t make it harder to vote; it ensures that only American citizens vote in American elections.\n\nThat\u2019s Constitutional.\n\nIt\u2019s also popular among the American people.\n\n71 percent of Democrats and 95 percent of Republicans agree you should have to show a photo ID when you go to vote.\n\nSo why isn\u2019t it popular in Congress?\n\nBecause Senate Democrats are dead set on pleasing their small left-wing base of 16 percent who oppose it.\n\nSo they come up with reasons NOT to pass the SAVE America Act.\n\nRepublicans have addressed them.\n\nAs an example, they say, \u201cWhat about people who have lost their documents and can\u2019t prove citizenship?\u201d\n\nWe\u2019ve said, if you are a citizen and you\u2019ve lost your documents, or never had them, you could go to a state election official, swear to the details of your birth date and location or naturalization details, and register to vote.\n\nWe have that option in Louisiana.\n\nThat alternative process is built into the SAVE America Act.\n\nSo, lack of documentation is not an issue.\n\nBut rather than accepting that, Senate Democrats just ignore the solution and get back to work trying to find another reason to oppose it, totally ignoring the fact that a majority of THEIR voters want the SAVE America Act passed into law.\n\nWe need to get back to serving the people.\n\nAnd the people are asking for secure elections.\n\nThe SAVE America Act helps get that done.\n\nWe need to get it passed.\n\nI have supported the talking filibuster since my first day as a Senator in 2015.\n\nI support using it now to pass the SAVE America Act, restore trust in our elections, and carry out the will of the people.\n\nWith that, I yield the floor.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-24T05:51:25Z", "2026-04-24T05:53:00Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-gets-commitment-to-fix-louisiana-medicaid-payments/", "Cassidy Gets Commitment to Fix Louisiana Medicaid Payments", "2026-04-23", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) addressed Louisiana\u2019s outstanding Medicaid directed payment pre-print with U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during a U.S. Senate Finance Committee hearing.\n\n\u201cCMS is working with Louisiana to approve Medicaid provider tax pre-prints after passing the Working Families Tax Cut Act. We have one more to be approved: the Physician 2026 pre-print. Louisiana\u2019s fiscal year starts in two months, and we just need to get this done ASAP as was congressional intent. Please prioritize getting it resolved and I\u2019ll follow up with you and Dr. Oz. But [it\u2019s] critical to my state\u2019s providers and my state\u2019s fiscal health, if you will, that this be complied with,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m happy to put my staff in touch. You can call me anytime to make sure it\u2019s happening,\u201d said Secretary Kennedy.\n\nBackground:\n\nMedicaid provider tax pre-prints allow Louisiana hospitals and physicians to access essential Medicaid funding. Senator Cassidy led efforts to insert language into President Trump\u2019s Working Families Tax Cuts Act that grandfathered in Louisiana providers, protecting them from future funding changes. HHS has already approved two separate Louisiana pre-prints since the passage of the Working Families Tax Cuts Act.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-24T05:51:25Z", "2026-04-24T05:53:00Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-votes-to-pass-republican-budget-resolution-for-second-reconciliation-bill/", "Cassidy Votes to Pass Republican Budget Resolution for Second Reconciliation Bill", "2026-04-23", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today released the following statement after voting for the Republican budget resolution, a necessary step in advancing a second reconciliation bill to reopen and fully fund the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to prevent another Democrat shutdown..\n\n\u201cRepublicans are working to protect the men and women who keep our border secure and Louisiana communities safe,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThis shutdown has gone on long enough. It\u2019s time for it to end.\u201d", 1, "2026-04-24T05:51:25Z", "2026-04-24T05:53:00Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-announces-14-9-million-for-louisiana-airport-improvements-from-his-infrastructure-bill/", "Cassidy Announces $14.9 Million for Louisiana Airport Improvements from His Infrastructure Bill", "2026-04-22", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Funding AmountRecipientProject Description$5,778,750.00City of New Orleans and New Orleans Aviation BoardThis grant provides federal funding to reconstruct the existing north terminal by installing new automated passenger exit lanes to improve the movement of passengers and baggage.$4,232,101.00Shreveport Airport AuthorityThis grant provides federal funding to reconstruct 8,882 square feet of the existing terminal, including the Federal Inspection Station, that has reached the end of its useful life.$1,875,000.00City of New Orleans and New Orleans Aviation BoardThis grant provides federal funding to improve 22,000 square feet of the existing terminal north, including concessions, security, and ground transportation areas.$712,500.00City of SlidellThis grant provides federal funding to clear land for the relocation of transmission lines to enhance safety at Slidell Airport.$563,000.00Beauregard Parish Airport District No. 1This grant provides federal funding to construct a new 5,000 square foot hangar for aircraft storage to support airport self-sustainability.$447,366.00Concordia Parish Airport AuthorityThis grant provides federal funding to construct a new 3,300 square foot hangar for aircraft storage to support revenue generation and self-sustainability.$325,000.00Shreveport Airport AuthorityThis grant provides federal funding to reconstruct 5,750 square yards of the Northwestern Apron pavement that has reached the end of its useful life.$300,457.00City of SpringhillThis grant provides federal funding to expand an existing fuel farm by adding two self-service pumps to increase fuel availability and support airport operations.$289,800.00City of BastropThis grant provides federal funding to construct a new airfield drainage system to bring the airport into conformity with current standards.$120,000.00Town of VivianThis grant provides federal funding to construct a new fuel farm by adding one fuel tank to expand fuel availability and support airport self-sustainability.$108,038.00St. Mary Parish GovernmentThis grant provides federal funding for design work to rehabilitate 5,399 feet of Taxiway A pavement to maintain structural integrity and extend its useful life.", 1, "2026-04-23T05:48:52Z", "2026-04-23T05:50:10Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-pays-tribute-to-eight-children-killed-in-shreveport-shooting/", "Cassidy Pays Tribute to Eight Children Killed in Shreveport Shooting", "2026-04-21", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor honoring the eight young lives lost in a tragic act of violence in Shreveport.\n\n\u201cAll of us have experienced someone in our life who has died, but the murder of a child defies comprehension,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cWe pray for the families, for the communities, that they can recover as much as families and communities can recover from something so horrific,\u201d continued Dr. Cassidy.\n\nCassidy\u2019s remarks as prepared for delivery are below:\n\nAll of us have experienced someone in our life who has died, but the murder of a child defies comprehension.\n\nIt can\u2019t be measured, understood, or compared to anything else.\n\nIt is, in a word, awful.\n\nBut today, the Shreveport community in Louisiana grieves the loss of eight children.\n\nA man shot seven of his own, and a cousin, between the ages of three and 11.\n\nHe shot the mothers.\n\nI\u2019m told they\u2019re hospitalized in serious condition, but expected to survive.\n\nA 13-year-old was injured jumping off a roof to escape.\n\nNow I asked my people in my office: Why do we grieve so much?\n\nPeople die all the time.\n\nAnd I think what we agreed upon is that they look to their parents for protection, and not to be killed.\n\nAnd it is, if you will, a sacrifice of a sacred bond between a parent and a child.\n\nAnd of course, when that comes to mind\u2014what is sacred?\n\nAnd then also, when we read of these dying, we think of our own children, and we feel protective of them.\n\nAnd we know no matter how much emotion we feel, they died.\n\nNow we thank the officers who acted quickly and bravely to pursue the shooter and stop him from doing it again.\n\nWe pray for the families, for the communities, that they can recover as much as families and communities can recover from something so horrific.\n\nMadam President, I request a moment of silence for these eight young souls, for Shreveport, for us all.\n\nI yield the floor.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-22T05:46:42Z", "2026-04-22T05:48:06Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-tours-lsu-health-speaks-on-dyslexia-in-new-orleans/", "Cassidy Tours LSU Health, Speaks on Dyslexia in New Orleans", "2026-04-20", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "METAIRIE \u2013 On Friday, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) visited New Orleans, where he first visited and toured LSU Health to discuss how they are working to make Louisiana families healthier and address chronic health concerns.\n\n\u201cLSU Health is helping patients defeat obesity and lower their risk of cancer,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cI will continue to support these efforts, so our loved ones can live longer, healthier lives.\u201d\n\nAs Chairman of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Cassidy recently chaired a hearing on how to modernize NIH, so they can create innovative, lifesaving cures for Americans. Additionally, Cassidy has passed into law legislation to improve research into childhood cancer, and has proposed the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act, which would increase access for senior citizens to weight management medications.\n\nWhile at LSU Health, Cassidy toured their new research laboratory space in their Medical Education Building and specifically learned how they are taking advantage of the All of Us Research Program sponsored by NIH. Cassidy discussed LSU Health\u2019s work with Dr. Lucio Miele, the director of the LSU-LCMC Health Cancer Center and their Cancer Crusaders Professor of Genetics.\n\n\u201cLarge-scale efforts like the All of Us Precision Medicine Research Program and its ancillary studies such as Nutrition for Precision Health are key to tackling the burden of chronic disease in Louisiana, including diabetes, obesity and cancer,\u201d said Dr. Miele. \u201cOur participation in All of Us, NPH, and future All of Us-based studies will play a major role in our drive to achieve NCI designation for Louisiana. These cutting-edge programs would allow us to accelerate discoveries that will ultimately reduce the cancer burden in our state.\u201d\n\nLater, Cassidy attended the Annual National Conference of the American Language Therapy Association (ALTA) to speak on his passion for helping people with dyslexia.\n\n\u201cI know first-hand how you can change a dyslexic child\u2019s life if she gets the support she needs,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cBy diagnosing dyslexia early and supporting schools which specialize in helping dyslexic students, we can help every child reach their full potential.\u201d\n\nCassidy is an advocate for dyslexic students and adults, starting when he created the Bipartisan Congressional Dyslexia Caucus as a U.S. Representative. Again as Chairman of the HELP Committee, he introduced the 21st Century Dyslexia Act, which would include dyslexia in a list of disabilities which define a \u201cchild with a disability,\u201d thus encouraging early diagnosis of the condition. He also held a roundtable earlier this week on how to support students with dyslexia and ensure all students have an opportunity to succeed. Finally in 2018, Cassidy inserted language in the First Step Act to screen inmates for dyslexia, so they can become literate and be less likely to break the law again when they leave the prison system.\n\nBefore his remarks at the conference, Cassidy was welcomed by conference chairwoman Traci Barrientos, M.Ed., who thanked Cassidy for being a champion of those with dyslexia.\n\n\u201cSenator Cassidy\u2019s presence at ALTA\u2019s 40th Anniversary National Conference marks a historic milestone \u2013 the first time a federal legislator has stood before our professional body to speak directly to our mission,\u201d said Ms. Barrientos. \u201cHis leadership on the First Step Act and the 21st Century Dyslexia Act reflects a deep understanding of how unidentified written language disorders shape outcomes in education, the workforce, and the justice system. We are profoundly grateful for Senator Cassidy\u2019s commitment to individuals with dyslexia and honored to welcome him to this landmark conference in his home state of Louisiana.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-21T05:46:59Z", "2026-04-21T05:48:34Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-meets-with-constituents-at-catch-up-with-cassidy-event-in-washington/", "Cassidy Meets with Constituents at \u201cCatch Up with Cassidy\u201d Event in Washington", "2026-04-16", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) met with Louisianans visiting Washington, D.C. at his \u201cCatch Up with Cassidy\u201d event yesterday. The event provided an opportunity for Louisianans from across the state to connect with Senator Cassidy and discuss real issues facing their communities.\n\n\u201cNobody knows what Louisiana needs better than the folks who live there,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThese conversations give me exactly what I need to keep delivering real results for our communities.\u201d\n\nAttendees included representatives from the City of Minden, the Tulane University School of Medicine, AARP Louisiana, Kipp Public Schools, Louisiana BIO, Franklin Medical Center, the Small Shipyard Grant Coalition, the Mortgage Bankers Association, the Louisiana Independent Pharmacies Association, the Downtown Development District of New Orleans, the Baton Rouge Downtown Development District, the National Limousine Association, and the American Traffic Safety Services Association.\n\nSee photos from the event below.\n\nAARP Louisiana\n\nThe City of Minden\n\nDowntown Development District of New Orleans & Baton Rouge Downtown Development District\n\nKipp Public Schools\n\nMortgage Bankers Association\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-17T05:47:03Z", "2026-04-17T05:48:33Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-saves-350-jobs-secures-tariff-relief-for-louisiana-railcar-manufacturing/", "Cassidy Saves 350 Jobs, Secures Tariff Relief for Louisiana Railcar Manufacturing", "2026-04-16", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) helped save 350 Louisiana jobs by successfully pushing for rail tank cars to be included in the Section 232 tariff list. Thanks to President Trump, there will be a 25 percent tariff on imported tank cars, preventing foreign manufacturers from undercutting American prices and protecting jobs at the Union Tank Car Company\u2019s facility in Alexandria, which is the last remaining plant producing these railcars in the United States.\n\n\u201cThis is a win for Louisiana and for our country,\u201dsaid Dr. Cassidy. \u201cWe\u2019re keeping 350 Louisiana jobs here at home while making sure America is still building the equipment we depend upon.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe decision to include tank cars under Section 232 underscores the strategic importance of domestic tank car manufacturing and sustaining a skilled workforce in Louisiana. We appreciated Senator Cassidy\u2019s visit to our Alexandria facility and value the strong partnership with his office and the White House. These policies help ensure that critical infrastructure, like tank cars, continues to be manufactured in America,\u201d said Randy McDougal, General Manager, UTLX Manufacturing.\n\nBackground\n\nOver the past two decades, U.S. tank car production declined from nearly 100 percent of the market to roughly one-third, with production increasingly shifting to Mexico. Cassidy engaged with the U.S. Department of Commerce to ensure that this vulnerable domestic industry was not undercut by unfair foreign competition\u2014particularly from Mexico.\n\nIn August, Cassidy met with UTLX employees and toured their Alexandria plant.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-17T05:47:03Z", "2026-04-17T05:48:33Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-introduces-bill-to-make-irs-easier-to-navigate-for-taxpayers/", "Cassidy Introduces Bill to Make IRS Easier to Navigate for Taxpayers", "2026-04-15", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) introduced the Improving IRS Customer Service Act to improve customer service at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Among other things, the legislation would expand information regarding refunds available to taxpayers online and help taxpayers with payment plans if they need it.\n\n\u201cTaxpayers deserve a simple, stress-free experience when dealing with the IRS,\u201dsaid Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThis bill makes the process quicker and easier for taxpayers to get the information they need.\u201d\n\nIn a U.S. Senate Finance Committee hearing today, Cassidy secured a commitment from President Donald Trump\u2019s IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano that the IRS would work with Congress to implement these reforms if the legislation were signed into law.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m happy to meet with the team \u2026 and do all I can to make it as good as you want it to be,\u201dsaid Mr. Bisignano.\n\nThe Improving IRS Customer Service Act would:\n\nEstablish a dashboard to inform taxpayers of backlogs and wait times;\n\nExpand electronic access to information and refunds;\n\nExpand callback technology and online accounts;\n\nInform individuals facing economic hardship of collection alternatives.\n\nCassidy was joined by U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) in introducing the legislation.]\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-16T05:48:36Z", "2026-04-16T05:50:08Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidyrepublican-colleagues-call-to-stop-enforcing-rule-violating-second-amendment-rights/", "Cassidy,Republican Colleagues Call to Stop Enforcing Rule Violating Second Amendment Rights", "2026-04-15", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), John Barrasso (R-WY), John Cornyn (R-TX), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), John Hoeven (R-ND), Jim Justice (R-WV), James Risch (R-ID), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) urged Acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Daniel Driscoll to cease the agency\u2019s enforcement of a vacated Biden era rule labeling braced pistols as short-barrel rifles under the National Firearms Act (NFA).\n\n\u201cThe new Rule, which classified virtually all braced pistols as short-barrel rifles under the NFA, exposed millions of Americans to criminal penalties \u2026 Thankfully, the Rule was soon vacated in August 2024, albeit on procedural grounds, following rulings by both the Fifth and Eighth Circuits. Now, however, it appears that ATF has no intention of backing down,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\n\u201cWe believe that any attempt to extend the NFA\u2019s onerous requirements to the untold millions of citizens who already own braced pistols cannot pass constitutional muster,\u201d continued the senators.\n\nRead the full letter here or below.\n\nWe write with deep concern regarding the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives\u2019 (ATF) attempts to continue enforcing the legal theory behind its unconstitutional and since-vacated rule entitled: \u201cFactoring Criteria for Firearms with an Attached Stabilizing Brace\u201d (Rule). Issued by the Biden Administration in 2023, this Final Rule expanded the scope of the National Firearms Act (NFA) to include virtually all pistols equipped with stabilizing braces. In our view, this since-vacated Rule does not comply with the statute and cannot pass constitutional muster, and we urge ATF to cease any efforts to continue enforcing it either in substance or in form.\n\nFirst developed around 2012, stabilizing braces attach to the rear of a pistol and allow it to be braced against, strapped to, or hooked around the forearm, giving the user more control and stability when firing. ATF initially determined that using a stabilizing brace would not convert the weapon into a short-barrel firearm under the NFA. And over the course of the next decade, millions of Americans relied on that advice, purchasing stabilizing braces for the purpose of improving the safety and stability of their firearms. Indeed, a Congressional Research Service report estimates that there were between 10 and 40 million pistol braces in circulation as of 2021. Current ownership rates are likely to be far higher.\n\nIn 2023, the Biden Administration issued its now-vacated rule reversing more than a decade of guidance overnight. The new Rule, which classified virtually all braced pistols as short-barrel rifles under the NFA, exposed millions of Americans to criminal penalties if they did not surrender their lawfully acquired property to the government, dismantle or destroy it, or comply with the NFA\u2019s onerous registration and fee requirements. In fact, it\u2019s estimated that only 0.6% to 8% of braced pistols were successfully registered within the allotted 120-day \u201camnesty\u201d period, leaving millions of Americans who had acquired or assembled their braced pistols in good faith and had never misused them as potential felons. Thankfully, the Rule was soon vacated in August 2024, albeit on procedural grounds, following rulings by both the Fifth and Eighth Circuits.\n\nNow, however, it appears that ATF has no intention of backing down. In another ongoing case brought by the State of Texas and Gun Owners of America, ATF suggests that it can and will continue enforcing the underlying legal theory behind the Rule\u2014that braced pistols qualify as short-barreled rifles under the NFA. In court documents filed on March 16th, ATF acknowledged that it \u201ccontinue[s] to enforce the . . . regulation of short-barreled rifles against some brace-equipped pistols, even though the Rule has been universally vacated.\u201d According to ATF, this \u201cshould come as no surprise\u201d because the absence of a formal rule does not prevent ATF from interpreting and carrying out its statutory obligations.\n\nIn our view, the Final Rule cannot be salvaged either in substance or in form. We believe that any attempt to extend the NFA\u2019s onerous requirements to the untold millions of citizens who already own braced pistols cannot pass constitutional muster. In Heller v. District of Columbia, the Supreme Court affirmed the right of individuals to keep and bear arms for self-defense. The Court struck down a ban enacted by the District of Columbia on handgun registration, noting that handguns are the \u201cquintessential self-defense weapon.\u201d Again, in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, the Supreme Court made clear that the Second Amendment protects firearms that are \u201cin common use for self-defense today\u201d and which fall outside the category of \u201cdangerous and unusual\u201d weapons historically subject to regulation.\n\nStabilizing braces, like the handguns they modify, are neither dangerous nor unusual. They are owned by tens of millions of Americans who rely on these attachments to improve the stability of their handguns. Far from being a dangerous modification, pistol braces make these weapons safer. As Judge Willett noted in his concurrence in the Fifth Circuit litigation:\n\nRearward attachments, besides making a pistol less concealable, improve a pistol\u2019s stability, and thus a user\u2019s accuracy. Accuracy, in turn, promotes safety. Even for attachments that convert a pistol into a rifle under the statutes, ATF has not identified any historical tradition of requiring ordinary citizens to endure a lengthy, costly, and discretionary approval process just to use accessories that make an otherwise lawful weapon safer.\n\nUltimately, we agree with Judge Willett that \u201ccommon, safety-improving modifications\u201d like pistol braces fall under the protection of the Second Amendment. And we fail to see any compelling historical analogue for subjecting such safety-improving devices to the \u201clengthy, costly, and discretionary\u201d regulatory regime of the NFA.\n\nATF must immediately provide clear and permanent clarity on this issue. Right now, millions of Americans continue to languish in uncertainty, fearing that they may be prosecuted simply for exercising their constitutional rights. Accordingly, we urge you to:\n\nIssue a public statement that the ATF will not take further enforcement action regarding the classification of braced pistols as short-barrel rifles under the NFA;\n\nIssue an interpretive rule clarifying that firearms equipped with stabilizing braces do not qualify as short-barreled rifles under the NFA; and\n\nThrough ongoing litigation, enter into a judicially-enforceable consent agreement, which would 1) permanently enjoin the ATF from attempting to revive its pistol brace regulations through new rulemaking and 2) permanently enjoin the ATF from taking any further enforcement action related to the classification of braced pistols as short-barreled rifles under the NFA.\n\nThank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-16T05:48:36Z", "2026-04-16T05:50:08Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-announces-millions-of-dollars-for-jedco-food-and-beverage-incubator-in-jefferson-parish/", "Cassidy Announces Millions of Dollars for JEDCO Food and Beverage Incubator in Jefferson Parish", "2026-04-09", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Yesterday, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) joined the leaders of the Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission (JEDCO) and Greater New Orleans (GNO), Inc. to celebrate the $3.65 million he secured for JEDCO\u2019s Food and Beverage Incubator.\n\n\u201cPeople travel from around the world just for Louisiana\u2019s food scene,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cBy supporting this project, we\u2019re supporting local businesses, creating jobs, and continuing a culinary legacy.\u201d\n\nCassidy announced that the $3.65 million has been secured from the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act of 2026 for this project, bringing the total secured for the incubator up to $8.7 million. Other contributors include the U.S. Economic Development Administration, Louisiana Economic Development, the Jefferson Parish Council, and JEDCO itself.\n\nWhen completed, it will be the only major wholesale food production incubator in the Greater New Orleans region. It will feature three commercial kitchens with a demonstration/teaching kitchen, equipment for bottling, baking, blending and general production, a loading dock, dry, cold, and freezer storage, and an outdoor plaza and culinary garden.\n\nAfter the announcement was made about the appropriation, Cassidy visited with small business owners who will benefit from the project and JEDCO\u2019s efforts. He was also joined by Mr. Jerry Bologna, President and CEO of JEDCO, and Mr. Michael Hecht, President and CEO of GNO, Inc.\n\n\u201cThis project signals JEDCO\u2019s commitment to the food and beverage industry,\u201d said Mr. Bologna. \u201cWith this additional federal investment, we are accelerating our ability to deliver a world-class resource that empowers entrepreneurs to launch, grow, and scale food and beverage businesses right here in Jefferson Parish. This incubator will remove barriers, unlock innovation, and create new pathways for economic growth across our region. We are tremendously grateful for Senator Cassidy\u2019s support of this project and the meaningful impact it will have on our community.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis project represents the kind of strategic, collaborative, delicious investment that drives regional economic growth,\u201d said Mr. Hecht. \u201cBy providing the infrastructure and support needed to scale food and beverage businesses, we\u2019re helping to strengthen one of Southeast Louisiana\u2019s most culturally significant and economically promising industries.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-10T05:46:57Z", "2026-04-10T05:48:19Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-cassidy-pens-op-ed-calling-to-ban-congressional-stock-trading-restore-faith-in-congress/", "ICYMI: Cassidy Pens Op-Ed Calling to Ban Congressional Stock Trading, Restore Faith in Congress", "2026-04-09", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) penned an op-ed in the Daily Wire highlighting his Stop Insider Trading Act, which would ban members of Congress and their families from trading individual stocks. Cassidy called attention to the conflict of interest that arises when lawmakers, who have access to nonpublic information, are allowed to trade individual stocks, and emphasized the need for his legislation to restore trust in Congress.\n\n\u201cIn his State of the Union address, President Trump highlighted the need to ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks,\u201d wrote Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cSo, to join President Trump\u2019s call to end this loophole that is eroding the trust of the American people, I introduced the Stop Insider Trading Act,\u201d continued Dr. Cassidy.\n\nRead the full op-ed here or below:\n\nWe Don\u2019t Let Referees Bet On Games. So Why Does Congress Get To?\n\nIn his State of the Union address, President Trump highlighted the need to ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks. He pointed to stopping members like Nancy Pelosi, whose stock portfolio has performed extremely well \u2014 imagine that.\n\nTo the American citizen working hard, paying the bills, and trying to do the right thing, this is not only suspicious but also extremely frustrating. Trust is already at an all-time low. A recent Pew Research study found that just 17% of Americans say they trust the government. That is partly because members of Congress, like Nancy Pelosi, are trading stocks.\n\nTo show you how big a deal this is, Nancy Pelosi earned an estimated $130 million while in Congress, often purchasing or selling stocks just before legislative announcements affecting the industries in which she had investments. In 2024 alone, her portfolio grew by 70%. Unfortunately, this isn\u2019t just Nancy Pelosi \u2014 it\u2019s a problem across Congress.\n\nWhat happens when Americans believe the system is rigged? They disengage. They stop believing their votes make a difference and that their government is working on their behalf. We need to restore confidence in elected leaders. That will not happen until the line is clearly drawn. Rebuilding trust requires accountability \u2014 and that starts with ending practices that put private profit ahead of the public interest. It also requires transparency and rules that apply equally, without exception or delay.\n\nSo, to join President Trump\u2019s call to end this loophole that is eroding the trust of the American people, I introduced the Stop Insider Trading Act. It says that if you are a member of Congress, or you\u2019re married to one, or you\u2019re the child of one, you cannot purchase individual, publicly traded stocks. To do so is wrong. This legislation is clear, enforceable, and leaves no room for loopholes. The bill also requires a seven-day public notice before sales of stocks that members and those closest to them already own can take place.\n\nThere have been previous attempts to ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks, but no final ban has passed. Every day, lawmakers are attending committee hearings and briefings, meeting with stakeholders, and writing and voting on legislation that could change the course of an industry. Clearly, there is a conflict of interest. How can the American people be sure their elected officials are making decisions for the public good, and not for private gain? The answer is, they can\u2019t.\n\nThat is why there is such strong public support for the Stop Insider Trading Act. In fact, one poll by the Program for Public Consultation shows that 86% of people support banning stock-trading in individual companies by members of Congress. That includes 87% of Republicans, 88% of Democrats, and 81% of Independents. Clearly, most Americans are on the same page when it comes to this issue. Yet, Congress has done nothing, further fueling public skepticism.\n\nThe American people deserve more out of their elected officials, and rightfully so. Considering the overwhelming support for banning members of Congress from trading individual stocks, every single member of Congress should support my Stop Insider Trading Act. If they don\u2019t, it says exactly where their priorities lie.\n\nElected leadership is about public office, not private profit. We don\u2019t let referees bet on games. Congress should not be any different. My bill makes sure that public service is actually about serving the public, not getting ahead of it.\n\nIf you are a lawmaker, you should not be a day trader. That\u2019s a good principle that most people agree on. Now, let\u2019s make it a law.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-10T05:46:57Z", "2026-04-10T05:48:19Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-announces-2-6-million-for-louisiana-airport-improvements-from-his-infrastructure-bill/", "Cassidy Announces $2.6 Million for Louisiana Airport Improvements from His Infrastructure Bill", "2026-04-08", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Louisiana airports will receive $2,550,111.00 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation through his Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The funding will support weather equipment, pavement markings, perimeter fencing, apron construction, runway lighting, and airport planning updates across the state.\n\n\u201cWhen you fly into a town, the airport is the first impression,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThese improvements help Louisiana airports stay safe, updated, and ready to serve the people who depend on them.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-09T05:39:42Z", "2026-04-09T05:40:59Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-touts-job-creation-local-projects-in-houma/", "Cassidy Touts Job Creation, Local Projects in Houma", "2026-04-08", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Yesterday, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) met with local business owners, educators, health care providers, and government officials at a roundtable discussion hosted by the South Central Industrial Association (SCIA) and COLAB. Cassidy discussed his efforts to support flood prevention and recovery, local projects, and job creation in the Bayou Region.\n\n\u201cWe want the Bayou region to be a place where our children and grandchildren grow up and raise their children,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cBy lowering flood insurance rates and providing resources for ports, flood protection, and workforce development, together, we can make that happen.\u201d\n\nThanks to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and his work as one of the U.S. Senate\u2019s top appropriators, Cassidy has secured $615 million to support the Morganza-to-the-Gulf project. He also obtained over $170 million in total to support Conrad Shipyards and Metal Shark as they build vessels to be used by our military. Additionally, over $772,000 is coming from the IIJA for the Morgan City Harbor and Terminal District in March for equipment upgrades.\n\nAdditionally, Cassidy was a key supporter of the President\u2019s Working Families Tax Cuts Act. The legislation ended taxes on tips and overtime for workers and guaranteed at least two lease sales every year for 15 years in the Central and Western areas of the Gulf of America. Finally, Cassidy remains committed to ending Risk Rating 2.0 hikes and reforming the National Flood Insurance Program, and wrote an op-ed on this subject for the Lake Charles American Press in March.\n\nCassidy was welcomed by SCIA Executive Director Hillary Charpentier, M.Ed.\n\n\u201cWe are honored to have hosted the Bayou Region Roundtable with Senator Bill Cassidy,\u201d said Ms. Charpentier. \u201cOpportunities like this are vital in ensuring the voices of our local industries are heard. We are deeply thankful for the ongoing support of Senator Cassidy and the Louisiana delegation, for their continued efforts to secure critical funding opportunities that support the growth and sustainability of the Bayou Region.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-09T05:39:42Z", "2026-04-09T05:40:59Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-announces-millions-to-make-burbank-drive-safer-visits-womans-hospital/", "Cassidy Announces Millions to Make Burbank Drive Safer, Visits Woman\u2019s Hospital", "2026-04-02", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "BATON ROUGE \u2013 This morning, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) attended an event celebrating the $2 million he secured for Burbank Drive safety improvements through the appropriations process. These improvements will ensure families coming to and from the Burbank Soccer Complex can do so safely.\n\n\u201cCreating a turning lane so that the thousands of people who go into the Burbank Soccer Complex can enter safely is common sense,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThis is me working on the federal level with local officials to better serve the people of St. George, Baton Rouge, and Louisiana.\u201d\n\nBurbank Drive is one of the busiest thoroughfares in St. George, and the Burbank Soccer Complex serves hundreds of families and children each week. Due to the current lack of intersection control, there have been many traffic incidents as families have to cross multiple lanes of fast-moving traffic to return home. The Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development appropriation will help improve access to Burbank Drive and add additional J-turn lanes, making the area safer and improving traffic flow.\n\nDuring his announcement, Cassidy stood with many local officials praising the project, including St. George Mayor Dustin Yates.\n\n\u201cThe Burbank Drive Project is exactly the kind of infrastructure investment our community needs \u2013 targeted, impactful, and focused on safety,\u201d said Mayor Yates. \u201cWe\u2019re proud to partner with Senator Cassidy to deliver real improvements that will benefit residents in a major way and enhance safety for families who use this area every day.\u201d\n\nLater, Cassidy visited Woman\u2019s Hospital, where he met with their Chief Executive and Medical Officers, and toured their hospital. Cassidy recently introduced legislation to improve telehealth services for pregnant and postpartum women. Additionally, as Chairman of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Cassidy is leading the Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act, helping doctors better identify patients at risk for lung cancer.\n\n\u201cAs Louisiana looks to improve how mothers do before, during, and after their pregnancy, Woman\u2019s Hospital is on the leading edge, including having only one of 5 maternal mental health units in the nation,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cAs we strive to be the best, Woman\u2019s Hospital shows how it can be done.\u201d\n\nMr. Rene Ragas, CEO of Woman\u2019s Hospital, welcomed Cassidy to the hospital.\n\n\u201cWe were pleased to welcome Senator Bill Cassidy to our campus today, providing an opportunity to learn more about Woman\u2019s Hospital, our mission to improve the lives of women and infants, and to see firsthand the care we provide to our community through a tour of key areas, including our NICU, Perinatal Mental Health Unit, and Cancer Pavilion,\u201d said Mr. Ragas.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-03T05:34:17Z", "2026-04-03T05:35:48Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-discusses-jobs-infrastructure-health-care-on-northshore/", "Cassidy Discusses Jobs, Infrastructure, Health Care on Northshore", "2026-04-02", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Yesterday afternoon, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) spoke in Mandeville at a luncheon hosted by the St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce and the Northshore Business Council on his work to make life better for families and business owners in St. Tammany Parish, including by authoring the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which has funneled millions into the area for roads, bridges, and flood mitigation.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve worked with the Northshore community to understand their needs,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cTo address these needs, I\u2019ve delivered things such as $1.2 billion to tackle drainage, sewage, and flood risk around Lake Pontchartrain, and $92 million for road projects such as widening I-12. These are your tax dollars returning to work for you.\u201d\n\nCassidy also was a major supporter of the Working Families Tax Cut Act, which ended taxes on tips and overtime work, and included provisions to expand school choice and increase oil drilling in the Gulf of America. As Chairman of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Cassidy also inserted provisions to strengthen Pell Grants, encourage individuals and businesses to fund scholarship awards for K-12 students, and end inflationary loan programs that drive up the cost of college.\n\nCassidy was greeted at the luncheon by both Ms. Lacey Osborne, CEO of the St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce, and Mr. Kevin Davis, Executive Director of the Northshore Business Council.\n\n\u201cWe are grateful for our senior Senator\u2019s visit to St. Tammany during the recess to provide our members an opportunity to meet him in person,\u201d said Ms. Osborne. \u201cWith the many current concerns that affect business and families \u2013 gas prices, the future of healthcare funding to name just a few \u2013 we welcome this opportunity to hear first-hand from Senator Cassidy. We appreciate all that he has done to make our growing parish and region better. He understands that education and economic development work hand in hand to deliver a stronger workforce for all northshore businesses.\u201d\n\n\u201cSenator Cassidy has worked to fund road projects, support mental health providers, and help create an environment on the Northshore where we can create good-paying jobs for our neighbors,\u201d said Mr. Davis. \u201cWe appreciate his partnership, and thank him for visiting with us today.\u201d\n\nEarlier in the day, Cassidy visited the North Oaks Medical Center in Hammond, where he met with doctors and nurses and discussed his recent work as Chairman to make health care affordable and improve patient outcomes.\n\n\u201cThe doctors, nurses and support staff at North Oaks told me what works and what doesn\u2019t work in health care across Tangipahoa Parish,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cI\u2019ll take what I learned back to Washington to deliver better care for families back home.\u201d\n\nCassidy has recently convened HELP Committee hearings on lowering the cost of health care, improving patient outcomes by strengthening health information, and delivering lifesaving cures to American families. He also recently introduced legislation to eliminate the Medicare 190-day lifetime cap on impatient psychiatric care, which removes barriers to mental health care for Louisiana seniors.\n\nAt North Oaks, he was welcomed by Ms. Michelle Sutton, President and CEO of the North Oaks Health System.\n\n\u201cWe are grateful to Senator Cassidy for visiting North Oaks Health System to provide a congressional update on health care,\u201d said Ms. Sutton. \u201cEngaging directly with federal leaders allows our physicians, team members, and leadership to stay informed on initiatives and priorities that affect our industry and the patients and communities we care for every day.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-03T05:34:17Z", "2026-04-03T05:35:48Z"], ["https://kennedy.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2405", "Statement from Congressman Kennedy on Erie County Medical Examiner Report on Cause of   Death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam", "2026-04-01", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "John Kennedy", "K000393", "kennedy.house.gov", "kennedy", "https://kennedy.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "BUFFALO, N.Y. - Congressman Tim Kennedy issued the following statement today following the completion of the Erie County Medical Examiner\u2019s report of the death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam:\n\n\u201cThe Erie County Medical Examiner has confirmed what we suspected: Mr. Shah Alam\u2019s death has been ruled a homicide.\n\n\u201cMr. Shah Alam would be alive today with his family if he had access to medical care. Instead, he was callously abandoned on a cold winter night by Donald Trump\u2019s Department of Homeland Security.\n\n\u201cIn light of this determination, DHS must fully cooperate with New York State Attorney General James, and newly-confirmed DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin must order an independent and transparent investigation.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-02T05:33:17Z", "2026-04-06T21:06:43Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-speaks-to-ul-turning-point-usa-chapter/", "Cassidy Speaks to UL Turning Point USA Chapter", "2026-04-01", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 This afternoon, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) spoke to members of the Turning Point USA Chapter at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL) on what he\u2019s doing to advance conservative values and Charlie Kirk\u2019s legacy in Washington.\n\n\u201cCharlie Kirk advocated for the next generation to stand in faith, defend freedom, and stay true to American values,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cI\u2019m supporting those principles in Washington for a better future for us all.\u201d\n\nAs Chairman of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Cassidy led 14 Republican senators in nominating Charlie Kirk to be included in the National Garden of American Heroes for his historic contributions to the nation.\n\nCassidy was welcomed to the meeting by chapter President Louis Cohn, who thanked him for attending.", 1, "2026-04-02T05:33:17Z", "2026-04-02T05:34:59Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/local-spotlight-cassidy-highlights-lafayettes-david-hoke-for-sharing-scripture-following-gods-call/", "LOCAL SPOTLIGHT: Cassidy Highlights Lafayette\u2019s David Hoke for Sharing Scripture, Following God\u2019s Call", "2026-03-31", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), for his monthly Local Spotlight, recognized David Hoke of Lafayette, Louisiana. Hoke has dedicated himself to sharing the word of God by creating and distributing personalized leather-bound Bibles for elected leaders and their families across the country and around the world. Each month, Cassidy highlights a local story that truly reflects Louisiana values of humility, respect, and resiliency.\n\nRead his full March 2026 Local Spotlight below:\n\nThis month\u2019s Local Spotlight is about David Hoke\u2014a man with a vision.\n\nA vision of the power of Scripture presented in a personal way.\n\nDavid lives in Lafayette and is saying yes to God\u2019s call to minister to others by presenting elected leaders with personalized Bibles.\n\nDavid has been obedient in doing what God has asked him to do.\n\nAnd he, I think, found God asking him a little bit more.\n\nAnd so, David began to not only do these wonderful leather-bound Bibles for the elected official, but also for his or her spouse.\n\nAnd he\u2019s now sent one to my wife and to many other spouses.\n\nNow, Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit and of joint and of marrow, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.\n\nNow, you know, I\u2019m not quite sure why David started giving these first with politicians.\n\nPerhaps he thinks we\u2019re in particular need of guidance, and I particularly agree to him.\n\nDavid, we, the people\u2014we, the elected leaders\u2014thank you for your efforts to fulfill the Great Commission by other means, not just in our country, but around the world.\n\nYour work calls to mind the parable in Matthew of the farmer sowing his seed.\n\nSome fall into the rocky ground. It can\u2019t take root.\n\nSome into weeds that grow up and choke the plant.\n\nBut other onto the good soil, and it produces a hundred, sixty, or thirty times more than that which was sown.\n\nWe trust that this is the good seed landing in the fertile ground that yields a hundredfold.\n\nThank you, David Hoke.\n\nBackground\n\nIn February, Cassidy highlighted Theo Chaisson of the United Houma Nation in Southeast Louisiana. Theo left school in the third grade to help his family make a living and later began operating the Isle de Jean Charles Marina, which he still visits every day. Theo\u2019s hard work, love for family, and dedication to the bayou help make Louisiana special. Each month, Cassidy highlights a local story that truly reflects Louisiana values of humility, respect, and resiliency.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-announces-1-billion-in-fema-funding-for-disaster-prevention-projects/", "Cassidy Announces $1 Billion in FEMA Funding for Disaster Prevention Projects", "2026-03-30", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has made $1 billion in federal funding available through the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program to support disaster mitigation projects in Louisiana and across the country.\n\n\u201cInvesting before a disaster strikes saves lives and taxpayer dollars,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThis funding will help Louisiana protect families, reduce flood risk, and save money both now and in the future.\u201d\n\nBackground\n\nCassidy has consistently supported the BRIC grant program and repeatedly pushed to continue and strengthen it.\n\nIn May, Cassidy urged the Administration to reinstate the BRIC grant program within FEMA.\n\nIn April, Cassidy delivered a speech on the Senate floor calling for the continuation of the BRIC grant program.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-lummis-introduce-bill-to-boost-u-s-digital-asset-mining-back-president-trumps-strategic-bitcoin-reserve/", "Cassidy, Lummis Introduce Bill to Boost U.S. Digital Asset Mining, Back President Trump\u2019s Strategic Bitcoin Reserve", "2026-03-30", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) introduced the Mined in America Act to bring critical digital infrastructure back to the United States. Additionally, this bill codifies President Donald Trump\u2019s Executive Order to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.\n\n\u201cDigital asset mining is a big part of our economy. We should be doing it here in America,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThis bill will secure supply chains, back U.S. manufacturing, and support this industry.\u201d\n\n\u201cPresident Trump pledged to make the United States the digital asset capital of the world\u2014 and we\u2019re not backing down,\u201d said Senator Lummis. \u201cThe Mined in America Act brings this industry home through forward-thinking initiatives to secure our financial future. I\u2019m proud to join Senator Cassidy to ensure the future of digital assets is built right here in America.\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND\n\n1. Creates a voluntary \u201cMined in America\u201d certification: Directs the Department of Commerce to establish a voluntary certification program for cryptocurrency mining facilities and mining pools.\n\n2. Phases out foreign adversary-linked mining hardware: Certified facilities must transition away from mining equipment manufactured by companies tied to foreign adversaries.\n\n3. Uses existing federal energy and rural programs to support the transition: Integrates certified projects into existing federal programs rather than creating new spending authorities.\n\n4. Supports domestic manufacturing of mining hardware: Directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership to help U.S. manufacturers develop secure and energy-efficient cryptocurrency mining equipment.\n\n5. Codifies President Trump\u2019s Strategic Bitcoin Reserve: Establishes a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve within the Department of the Treasury.\n\nThe Mined in America Act is supported by the Satoshi Action Fund.\n\n\u201cAmerica controls 38 percent of the world\u2019s Bitcoin hash rate, but 97 percent of the hardware powering it comes from China. That is not leadership, that is a liability. The Mined in America Act breaks that dependency by building a virtuous cycle of domestic manufacturing, certified mining operations, grid-strengthening energy infrastructure, and a pipeline to the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. If we are serious about leading on Bitcoin, we cannot let adversaries hold the keys to our supply chain,\u201d said Dennis Porter, CEO and Co-Founder of Satoshi Action Fund.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-pays-tribute-to-former-rapides-parish-sheriff-william-hilton/", "Cassidy\u00a0Pays Tribute to Former Rapides Parish Sheriff William Hilton", "2026-03-27", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor honoring former Rapides Parish Sheriff William Earl Hilton who was tragically killed on Monday. Sheriff Hilton\u2019s sense of duty and service to his community are reflected in his 50-year career in law enforcement.\n\n\u201cSheriff Hilton was a sheriff in every positive, meaningful sense of the word,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cHe was steady. He was committed. He was there to answer the call when the community needed him,\u201d continued Dr. Cassidy.\n\nCassidy\u2019s remarks as prepared for delivery are below:\n\nMr. President, I rise today to honor my good friend William Hilton, who was tragically killed on Monday.\n\nWilliam was a great Sheriff. Safe, steady, committed, always there when his community needed him. That kind of service is more than just a job\u2014it\u2019s a calling.\n\nWilliam lived that calling every single day.\n\nHe was also a devoted husband to his wife Billie, a loving father to Shane and Christy, and a proud grandfather to Slade.\n\nBehind a man who carried such a heavy responsibility was a strong family\u2014one who loved him, supported him, and stood by him through long, difficult, often seven-day work weeks.\n\nHe was a true servant. A man others leaned on. As Sheriff Wood, his deputy and mentee, said: \u201cI talked to him almost every day. If I had any questions, who else could I ask but him?\u201d\n\nThat tells you everything you need to know about William. He just had a lot of wisdom.\n\nEven though he retired in 2008, he was asked to come back as sheriff, and he served two more terms.\n\nBy the time he retired for good in 2020, he had served in law enforcement for fifty years.\n\nHe could have lived comfortably in retirement, but he chose to come back because he had a sense of duty.\n\nIn 2016, there was a police ambush in Baton Rouge\u2014a gunman killed four officers and wounded two more.\n\nWilliam came to a ceremony for one of them, which I appreciated.\n\nIn fact, he and I rode down to that together from Alexandria to pay homage to a fallen lawman.\n\nAnd you know, there is something to be said for lawmen\u2019s realism. William certainly had it.\n\nHe told me: When you\u2019re fighting crime, it\u2019s like mowing the grass. You never stop, you just have to keep on going.\n\nNo anger, no bitterness, just a realism.\n\nThere\u2019s a quote about losing a friend that says, \u201cthe melody he played upon the lives of those around him will never be played quite the same way again.\u201d\n\nSo, while the melody may not be played quite the same way, it will be echoed by his family, by his community, by all of us.\n\nMr. President, I ask now that we take a moment of silence to honor the life of William Earl Hilton.Thank you.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-calls-on-senate-democrats-to-stop-inflicting-pain-end-the-dhs-shutdown/", "Cassidy Calls on Senate Democrats to Stop Inflicting Pain, End the DHS Shutdown", "2026-03-26", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor, calling on Senate Democrats to fund the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Transportation Security Administration (TSA).\n\n\u201cAt some point, [Senate Democrats] have to be willing to make an agreement,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cYou should consider the pain that you are exacting upon fellow Americans, upon people who are not getting paid for six weeks even though they have bills to pay,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\nCassidy\u2019s remarks as prepared for delivery are below:\n\nMr. President,\n\nSomeone asked me today, since Senate Democrats keep moving the goalpost on DHS funding, what\u2019s the level of frustration amongst Republicans?\n\nYou know what I said?\n\n\u201cAsk the American people how frustrated they are!\u201d\n\nSenate Democrats are hurting Americans for their own gain.\n\nThe lines at the airport get longer.\n\nJust look at the people lined up at the airport in New Orleans.\n\nIf you\u2019re one of the people waiting in line at the airport, you should call up a Senate Democrat and ask them to end this shutdown.\n\nThe rate of call-outs from TSA staff exceeded 40 percent over the weekend.\n\nThey\u2019re calling out because they\u2019re driving an Uber or Lyft to pay the bills.\n\nIran gives us more reasons to guard our borders and coasts.\n\nYet Democrats say no every time.\n\nBy the way, we HAVE a solution\u2014a solution that Democrats initially agreed to, first when they negotiated the bill, and then once more!\n\nAnd now, they\u2019ve moved the goalpost again.\n\nClearly, they care more about appeasing their left-wing base than they do about solving this problem for the American people.\n\nIt is greedy, it is dangerous, and it is totally un-American.\n\nThey are intentionally inflicting pain on the people in this country who are just trying to make a living and do the right thing.\n\nWhen we, Republicans, the White House, try meeting Senate Democrats halfway\u2014even MORE than halfway\u2014they still won\u2019t budge!\n\nAnd the American people suffer the consequences.\n\nThe TSA agent I spoke to at Louis Armstrong Airport in New Orleans\u2014he is desperate for his paycheck.\n\nTroops and officers trying to keep our country safe and prevent Iranian cyber-attacks\u2014they are stretched thin.\n\nFolks traveling, trying to get back home or to a wedding or a funeral\u2014they can\u2019t!\n\nThey\u2019re showing up five hours early for a flight, just to miss it by ten minutes because the security line is so backed up.\n\nBy the way, DHS includes FEMA\u2014pretty important for Louisiana!\n\nWe don\u2019t know when the next hurricane could hit.\n\nBut we know that Hurricane Season starts 10 weeks from now.\n\nThe funds have GOT to be in place in case the worst happens.\n\nIf it does, if a storm hits our state and homes flood, FEMA won\u2019t be able to help.\n\nSenate Democrats know this. And if they wanted to fix it, they would.\n\nSo when you start to wonder, \u201cI wonder how frustrated politicians are?\u201d\n\nTry asking an everyday American how frustrated they are.\n\nProtect our country and pay our people.\n\nFund DHS.\n\nWith that, I yield the floor.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-presents-plan-to-save-social-security-protect-benefits-at-budget-hearing/", "Cassidy Presents Plan to Save Social Security, Protect Benefits at Budget Hearing", "2026-03-26", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) outlined his plan to save Social Security in light of looming benefit cuts at a U.S. Senate Budget Committee hearing. Cassidy\u2019s proposal would protect benefits for current and future retirees and strengthen the program\u2019s long-term solvency.\n\n\u201cEveryone watching\u2014everyone sitting here\u2014if they live to be retirement age will be affected by Social Security \u2026 This is just not luxury income. This is what people need to live,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cThe question is, Mr. Chairman and Mr. Ranking Member, are we going to fulfill our obligations to the American people in a way which is actually both politically and by policy viable to fix social [security]\u2014not just now, but for future generations,\u201d continued Dr. Cassidy.\n\nBackground\n\nIn August, Cassidy introduced a resolution designating August 14th as National Save Social Security Day, commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Social Security Act and highlighting the program\u2019s role in providing retirement security for generations of Americans.\n\nCassidy released a statement following the most recent Social Security Trustees\u2019 annual report, which predicts that Social Security will become insolvent by 2033.\n\nCassidy\u2019s plan to save Social Security infuses money into the program by creating a sovereign wealth fund\u2014separate from the Social Security Trust Fund\u2014which would consistently deliver benefits to those currently enrolled in Social Security and ensure the program remains solvent for future generations.\n\nCassidy released the inaugural Bill on the Hill video, where he asked Capitol Hill visitors from across the country their thoughts on the looming benefit cuts to Social Security and presented his plan.\n\nCassidy has discussed his plan at a public forum with AARP and delivered a keynote speech at the National Institute on Retirement Security\u2019s (NIRS) 15th Annual Retirement Policy Conference on the future of Social Security.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-announces-over-1-5-million-for-louisiana-ports-and-airport-improvements-from-his-infrastructure-bill/", "Cassidy Announces Over $1.5 Million for Louisiana Ports and Airport Improvements from His Infrastructure Bill", "2026-03-25", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Louisiana will receive $1,528,378.00 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation through his Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The funding will support improvements to ports and airports across the state to help move goods and support local economies.\n\n\u201cStronger ports and airports mean a stronger Louisiana economy,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThis funding helps move more goods, support local jobs, and keep our state competitive for decades to come.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-votes-to-confirm-president-trumps-nominee-for-department-of-homeland-security/", "Cassidy Votes to Confirm President Trump\u2019s\u00a0Nominee for Department of Homeland Security", "2026-03-23", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today voted to confirm U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) as President Donald Trump\u2019s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security. He was confirmed in the United States Senate by a vote of 54-45.\n\n\u201cAs my friend and colleague, I know Markwayne is a great choice for the job,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cI look forward to working closely with him to continue President Trump\u2019s success in securing the southern border, ensuring FEMA delivers for Louisiana families, and keeping our country safe.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-cassidy-pens-op-ed-calling-to-make-flood-insurance-affordable-again/", "ICYMI: Cassidy Pens Op-Ed Calling to Make Flood Insurance Affordable Again", "2026-03-23", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) penned an op-ed in the American Press highlighting the need to make flood insurance more affordable and reliable for Louisiana families ahead of hurricane season. He called for reforms to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), including ending FEMA\u2019s Risk Rating 2.0 rate hikes and ensuring coverage continues even in the event of a government shutdown.\n\n\u201cI understand, as does President Trump, that Americans are tired of being ripped off. In 2019, we worked together to delay Risk Rating 2.0 for a year. Now, I want to do it again\u2014permanently.\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cLet\u2019s make flood insurance reliable, accountable, and affordable again. \u201d continued Dr. Cassidy.\n\nRead the full op-ed here or excerpts below:\n\nHurricane Season Is 12 Weeks Away\u2014It\u2019s Time to Make Flood Insurance Affordable Again\n\nAnother hurricane season is behind us, and for the first time since 2015, not a single hurricane made landfall in Louisiana. That\u2019s good news for people with flood insurance, but even better news for people without it\u2014a group that is growing fast because the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has become too expensive.\n\nIn Louisiana, roughly 70,000 policyholders dropped their coverage between 2022 and 2024. The following year, another 52,000 followed suit. These aren\u2019t negligent homeowners\u2014they are families priced out of protection by the astronomical costs of a post-Biden NFIP. And they are the people who need coverage most.\n\n\u2026\n\nUnder President Biden, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) implemented a new risk assessment program\u2014Risk Rating 2.0\u2014in 2023, despite Congress never approving it. It jacks up rates, making premiums so expensive that people have no choice but to go without flood insurance.\n\nI understand, as does President Trump, that Americans are tired of being ripped off. In 2019, we worked together to delay Risk Rating 2.0 for a year. Now, I want to do it again\u2014permanently. Last June, I led a group of Republican colleagues in the effort to do so, and I won\u2019t stop working until we succeed. Last month, I followed up with FEMA, emphasizing the urgent need to address the harm that Risk Rating 2.0 is doing to the NFIP as well as policyholders in my state and across the nation.\n\n\u2026\n\nCongress needs to act, and soon. In the meantime, federal support is critical. I\u2019ve secured about $13 billion for Louisiana through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), much of it going directly to flood protection projects throughout the state.\n\n\u2026\n\nLet\u2019s make flood insurance reliable, accountable, and affordable again.", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-delivers-floor-speech-urging-senate-to-pass-save-america-act-2/", "Cassidy\u00a0Delivers Floor Speech Urging Senate to Pass SAVE America Act", "2026-03-21", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today delivered a floor speech urging the passage of the SAVE America Act as Senate Democrats continue to block the bill. The legislation would require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections.\n\n\u201cTo my Democratic colleagues, I ask you to listen to the people. Pass the SAVE America Act,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\nCassidy\u2019s remarks as prepared for delivery are below:\n\nMr. President, it\u2019s a lot easier to show your photo ID when you go to vote than it is to read that poster.\n\nBut Democrats insist on making it difficult.\n\nThey insist on making a common-sense, widely supported bill a huge fight.\n\nIt\u2019s funny, you don\u2019t hear any Democrats complaining that you have to show a photo ID to buy a gun.\n\nBut when it comes to this Constitutional principle of protecting the integrity of our elections, suddenly that\u2019s too far.\n\nThe SAVE America Act is supported by 71 percent of Democrats and 95 percent of Republicans.\n\nThat\u2019s why I\u2019m a proud co-sponsor, and why you might scratch your head when you hear that Democrats broadly refuse to support it.\n\nDemocrats know that most of their constituents are for verifying citizenship to vote; they\u2019re just ignoring them\u2014presumably to appease the small left-wing base of 16 percent who are against it.\n\nIt does not prevent any eligible American citizen from casting a ballot.\n\nIt does not take away anyone\u2019s constitutional rights.\n\nIt just says that only American citizens may participate in federal elections.\n\nWe have even worked with Democrats to address some of their concerns.\n\nFor example, there is concern that those eligible to vote may not be able to obtain physical documents, like a birth certificate.\n\nBut we\u2019ve addressed that concern!\n\nIf you are a citizen and you\u2019ve lost your documents, or never had them, you could go to a state election official, swear to the details of your birth date and location or naturalization details, and register to vote.\n\nThe SAVE America Act allows that alternative process to accommodate those who need an affidavit option.\n\nSo, lack of documentation is not an issue.\n\nAmericans have to show a photo ID or proof of citizenship on a weekly, sometimes daily basis.\n\nOpening a bank account, cashing a check, boarding a plane.\n\nThey\u2019re throwing mud against the wall to see what sticks, because that\u2019s easier than admitting the real reason they oppose the SAVE America Act: Senate Democrats are controlled by the far left, not the majority of their constituents.\n\nBut you know what\u2019s ironic about that?\n\nWhen Mayor Mamdani offered New Yorkers a chance to make a few bucks snow shoveling during the blizzard last month, he required not one, but TWO, forms of valid ID.\n\nDemocrats make a weak argument that even those in their own party are having trouble defending.\n\nAs far as the talking filibuster is concerned, I have supported returning to the talking filibuster since I joined the Senate in 2015.\n\nLet\u2019s see a proposal and get it done.\n\nWe should look at every avenue to push the SAVE America Act.\n\nI have voted for it, and I will do so again.\n\nTo my Democratic colleagues: Listen to the people. Pass the SAVE America Act.\n\nWith that, Mr. President, I yield the floor.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-02T05:33:17Z", "2026-04-02T05:34:59Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-hosts-catch-up-with-cassidy-event-in-washington/", "Cassidy Hosts \u201cCatch Up with Cassidy\u201d Event in Washington", "2026-03-20", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) hosted a \u201cCatch Up with Cassidy\u201d event, meeting with constituents from across Louisiana visiting Washington, D.C. The event provided an opportunity for Louisianans to share their priorities, ask questions, and discuss issues impacting their communities.\n\n\u201cI wake up every morning thinking about how I can make Louisiana and our country a better place to live,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cIt was great to talk with folks back home about how we can keep delivering for our state.\u201d\n\nAttendees included representatives from the Louisiana Fire Chiefs Association, the City of Pineville, the Richland Parish Police Jury, the St. Mary Community Action Agency, the Foundation for Parkinson\u2019s Research, Citadel Aviation, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.\n\nSee photos from the event below.\n\nCystic Fibrosis Foundation\n\nRichland Parish Police Jury\n\nLouisiana Fire Chiefs Association\n\nSt. Mary Community Action Agency\n\nCystic Fibrosis Foundation\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-02T05:33:17Z", "2026-04-02T05:34:59Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-introduces-bill-to-expand-mental-health-care-for-seniors/", "Cassidy Introduces Bill to Expand Mental Health Care for Seniors", "2026-03-18", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) introduced the Removing Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Limitations Act to eliminate the Medicare 190-day lifetime cap on inpatient psychiatric care.\n\n\u201cLouisiana seniors deserve easier access to the care they need,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cBy removing barriers to mental health care, we\u2019re making their lives easier and providing peace of mind for their families.\u201d\n\nUnder Section 1812 of the Social Security Act, inpatient psychiatric care under Medicare is limited to 190 days over a lifetime. The Removing Medicare Mental Health Impatient Limitations Act would erase this cap, ensuring seniors have complete and uninterrupted access to the mental health care they need.\n\nThe Removing Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Limitations Act is supported by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Legal Action Center, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Mental Health America, American Nurses Association, American Psychiatric Association, REDC Consortium, Oceans Healthcare, and the Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy & Action.\n\n\u201cMedicare\u2019s 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric care is an outdated policy that creates an arbitrary barrier we would never accept for patients with cancer or any other chronic disease \u2014 and patients with serious behavioral health needs deserve no less. As Louisiana\u2019s leading provider of inpatient psychiatric services, Oceans Healthcare has witnessed this inequity firsthand and Senator Cassidy\u2019s bill is an important step in patient care, and we urge Congress to move it forward,\u201d said Stuart Archer, CEO of Oceans Healthcare.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-ricketts-introduce-bill-to-ban-congressional-stock-trading-restore-trust-in-congress/", "Cassidy, Ricketts Introduce Bill to Ban Congressional Stock Trading, Restore Trust in Congress", "2026-03-18", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) today introduced the Stop Insider Trading Act to prohibit Members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from purchasing publicly traded stocks and mandate a seven-day public notice period before any stock sales can be executed.\n\n\u201cMembers of Congress shouldn\u2019t cash in on information the public doesn\u2019t have. That\u2019s wrong,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cLet\u2019s put a stop to it.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo lawmaker should ever profit from insider information. Nebraskans send us to Congress to build a better country. Public service is a privilege, not a profit center,\u201d said Senator Ricketts. \u201cTrust in Congress remains at an all-time low. To fix that, we need to prove we are playing by the same rules as everyone else.\u201d\n\nThe Stop Insider Trading Act will:\n\nProhibit Members, spouses, and dependent children from purchasing any new stocks in publicly traded companies.\n\nRequire public notice at least seven days, but no more than 14 days, in advance of any intended sale.\n\nEstablish a penalty of $2,000 or 10% of the investment value, whichever is greater, plus the forfeiture of any net gain realized from the sale.\n\nStop insider trading without preventing successful people from the private sector from serving.\n\nCassidy and Ricketts were joined by U.S. Senators Dave McCormick (R-PA), Jon Husted (R-OH), Deb Fisher (R-NE), Roger Marshall (R-KS), and Todd Young (R-IN) in introducing the legislation. This is the Senate companion bill to legislation led by U.S. Representative Bryan Steil (R-WI-01) in the U.S. House of Representatives.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-01T05:41:29Z", "2026-04-01T05:42:36Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-votes-to-confirm-president-trumps-judicial-nominee-for-the-eastern-district-of-louisiana/", "Cassidy Votes to Confirm President Trump\u2019s Judicial Nominee for the Eastern District of Louisiana", "2026-03-17", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today supported President Donald Trump\u2019s judicial nominee, Anna St. John, to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. St. John was confirmed in the United States Senate by a vote of 51-45.\n\n\u201cAnna stood up for Americans in court,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cBecause of this, we can trust her to put the Constitution and Louisianans first.\u201d\n\n\u201cI know the Eastern District of Louisiana is in good hands with Anna St. John on the federal bench. She knows our Constitution like the back of her hand and has the smarts and experience to be a great, fair judge. I was pleased to see my Senate colleagues agree with me today and am grateful for President Trump\u2019s confidence in her,\u201d said Senator Kennedy.\n\nMs. St. John began her legal career clerking for the Honorable Rhesa H. Barksdale of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and spent several years as an attorney in the Washington, D.C. office of Covington & Burling LLP. She is a graduate of Columbia Law School, where she was named a James Kent Scholar; received a Master of Arts from the Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; and received a Bachelor of Arts from Louisiana State University. Prior to her nomination, Anna St. John served as president and general counsel of Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-participates-in-annual-st-patricks-day-parade-in-baton-rouge/", "Cassidy\u00a0Participates in Annual St. Patrick\u2019s Day Parade in Baton Rouge", "2026-03-16", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) on Saturday rode in the annual St. Patrick\u2019s Day Parade in Baton Rouge, which has occurred every year since 1986 thanks to the leadership of Mr. Pat Shingleton and his family. The parade route was surrounded by thousands of people and helped local businesses across the city.\n\nBeforehand, Cassidy spoke at an opening ceremony where he congratulated the Shingletons and others involved for their efforts.\n\n\u201cSt. Patrick\u2019s Day, the Shingletons brought it to Baton Rouge,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cIt means family and fun and a beautiful day at home.\u201d\n\nOthers who were at the opening ceremony included Grand Marshal Jim Cantore with The Weather Channel and Catholic Bishop of Baton Rouge Michael Duca, among others. Cassidy was introduced at the ceremony by State Representative Dixon McMakin, who said the following:\n\n\u201cOver these years, we are blessed and lucky to have Senate and Congressional leadership capable of putting petty politics to the side, and focus on winning for Louisiana,\u201d said Rep. McMakin. \u201cSince 2015, [Cassidy] has utilized his talents and abilities to focus on healthcare, energy, [and] delivering over $10 billion dollars for our great state. He\u2019s passed legislation on mental health, tax cuts, the HALT Fentanyl Act, and the 2025 Social Security Fairness Act.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-advances-senate-legislation-to-make-housing-more-affordable-secures-three-key-louisiana-priorities/", "Cassidy Advances Senate Legislation to Make Housing More Affordable, Secures Three Key Louisiana Priorities", "2026-03-12", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) issued the following statement after voting for the Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act. The package includes Cassidy\u2019s priorities to support veterans, boost disaster recovery, and make housing affordable again. All are major Louisiana priorities that Cassidy worked to secure.\n\n\u201cFamilies are working hard, doing everything right, and still can\u2019t afford a home,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThe wins I helped secure in this bill help make that dream of homeownership achievable.\u201d\n\nProvisions Cassidy helped champion for Louisiana in the ROAD to Housing Act:\n\nLegislation to fix a broken disaster recovery system that has left Louisiana families waiting too long for help. The legislation strengthens HUD\u2019s disaster recovery grants, improves federal coordination, and establishes a dedicated office to ensure communities can rebuild faster and stronger.\n\nLegislation to ensure disabled veterans\u2019 benefits don\u2019t count against them when applying for housing assistance. The legislation includes provisions to support other related housing needs.\n\nLegislation to unlock additional private capital for affordable housing and community development in rural Louisiana communities. This legislation is market-driven, deregulatory, and directly beneficial to the state.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-delivers-floor-speech-urging-senate-to-pass-save-america-act/", "Cassidy Delivers Floor Speech Urging Senate to Pass SAVE America Act", "2026-03-11", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor calling on the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act, legislation that would require proof of citizenship when voting in federal elections.\n\n\u201cSenate Democrats know that most of their constituents are for verifying citizenship to vote. They are ignoring the will of the people they represent,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cI ask my Senate Democratic colleagues to remember this: you demand ID to buy a gun, one constitutional right, but you won\u2019t require it to cast a vote, another constitutional right. Listen to the people. Pass the SAVE America Act,\u201d continued Dr. Cassidy.\n\nCassidy\u2019s remarks as prepared for delivery are below:\n\nMr. President,\n\nAmerica was founded on the principle that the right to vote is sacred. Protecting it is our responsibility.\n\nI\u2019d like to read a quote from the Boston Gazette, published April 16, 1781.\n\n\u201cLet each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote\u2026that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country.\u201d\n\nSamuel Adams wrote that nearly 245 years ago, when our country was just five years old.\n\nI often find that the principles which are described in history become more relevant as time goes on.\n\nAnd today, Mr. President, as this Congress debates whether proof of citizenship should be required to vote in federal elections, those words from 1781 speak as clearly as they did then.\n\nNow, when you ask the American people about this, there isn\u2019t really that much debate.\n\nOver 83 percent of Americans say, \u201cYes! You should have to show a government-issued ID to vote!\u201d\n\nThis is the position of most Americans\u201471 percent of Democrats and 95 percent of Republicans.\n\nThat\u2019s why I\u2019m a proud co-sponsor of the SAVE America Act\u2014that is, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act.\n\nNow, I\u2019m from Louisiana.\n\nIn EVERY state, you\u2019re required to show your ID to buy alcohol.\n\nSo, when you hear that Democrats are refusing to support the SAVE America Act, you might scratch your head.\n\nLike, I\u2019ve got to show my government-issued ID to buy a gun, which is another Constitutional right.\n\nI\u2019ve got to show it to board an airplane or cash a check.\n\nBut when it comes to choosing the leaders who will steer the future of the United States of America\u2014suddenly showing an ID is too much to ask?\n\nThere\u2019s something really backwards about that.\n\nEspecially considering how clearly the American people are speaking on this issue.\n\nAs far as the talking filibuster is concerned, I have supported returning to the talking filibuster since I joined the Senate in 2015.\n\nLet\u2019s see a proposal and get it done.\n\nWe should look at every avenue to push the SAVE America Act.\n\nIt is common sense and overwhelmingly supported by the American people.\n\nOnly 1 percent of people say they are undecided.\n\nSenate Democrats know that most of their constituents are for verifying citizenship to vote; they\u2019re just ignoring them\u2014presumably to appease the small left-wing base of 16 percent who are against it.\n\nIt does not prevent any eligible American citizen from casting a ballot.\n\nIt does not take away anyone\u2019s constitutional rights.\n\nIt simply strengthens trust in our system by ensuring that only citizens participate in federal elections, as our founding fathers intended.\n\nOur constitutional republic was founded on the principle that every lawful vote should count, and no unlawful vote should dilute the voices of American citizens.\n\nThe SAVE America Act is simple, reasonable, and widely supported.\n\nWhen it comes to the Senate floor for a vote next week, I ask my Democratic colleagues to remember this: you demand ID to buy a gun, one constitutional right, but you won\u2019t require it to cast a vote, another constitutional right.\n\nListen to the people. Pass the SAVE America Act.\n\nWith that, Mr. President, I yield the floor.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-helps-secure-new-aviation-pilot-program-in-louisiana/", "Cassidy Helps Secure New Aviation Pilot Program in Louisiana", "2026-03-10", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) applauded the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for approving Houma-Terrebonne Airport for the Advanced Air Mobility and Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) Integration Pilot Program (eIPP). The Houma-Terrebonne Airport will be utilized for testing cargo and personnel transportation capabilities for flights over the Gulf of America to neighboring commercial facilities in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi. Senator Cassidy spoke with FAA Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau and urged the administration to choose Louisiana as one of the sites for this program.\n\n\u201cAmerica\u2019s aviation is moving into the 21st century,\u201dsaid Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThat\u2019s why I pushed to bring this program right here to Houma so that Louisiana can lead the way.\u201d\n\n\u201cSenator Cassidy\u2019s leadership and responsiveness have been instrumental in bringing this opportunity to Louisiana. Our state is grateful for his commitment and tireless work on our behalf,\u201dsaid Joshua Alford, Chairman of the Houma-Terrebonne Airport Commission.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-introduces-bill-to-address-americas-debt/", "Cassidy Introduces Bill to Address America\u2019s Debt", "2026-03-10", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) introduced the Fiscal Commission Actto establish a commission that would address our nation\u2019s debt and provide a better future for our children.\n\n\u201cIf Louisiana families have to budget, so should the federal government,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cWe\u2019re addressing this to protect our economy today and make sure our kids aren\u2019t stuck with the bill.\u201d\n\nCassidy was joined by U.S. Senators John Curtis (R-UT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Todd Young (R-IN), Angus King (I-ME), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mark Warner (D-VA) in introducing the Fiscal Commission Act.\n\nBACKGROUND\n\nUnder this legislation, a Fiscal Commission would be established to educate the American public on the escalating risk of our national debt while charting a course for the United States to stabilize its debt-to-GDP ratio below 100% by 2039. The commission would consist of 12 members of Congress and 4 outside experts. The commission would be required to submit a report to Congress by November 13, 2026, with an option to extend the deadline to April 13, 2026. Upon the commission completing its recommendations, each chamber of Congress would be required to vote on passing or rejecting said recommendations without amendment.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-introduces-bill-to-protect-u-s-markets-from-fraud/", "Cassidy Introduces Bill to Protect U.S. Markets from Fraud", "2026-03-09", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) introduced the Securing Accountability in Foreign Entries (SAFE) Act, which would ensure the U.S. customs system provides fair and enforceable conditions for reliable trade partners to access the U.S. market.\n\n\u201cAmerican markets should be safe from foreign fraudsters,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cWe\u2019re making it easier to do business with the partners we trust, and harder for those we don\u2019t.\u201d\n\n\u201cPresident Trump has taken decisive action to confront unfair global trade practices, but Congress must do its part to close loopholes that allow foreign companies \u2013 often backed by adversaries like China \u2013 to skirt U.S. trade enforcement,\u201d said U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-TX-19). \u201cMy Securing Accountability in Foreign Entries (SAFE) Act requires every Importer of Record to have a real and verifiable presence in the United States and subjects them to enforcement by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). I\u2019m proud to support the President\u2019s America First trade agenda by leading this effort to safeguard taxpayer dollars and ensure a level playing field for American businesses and workers.\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND\n\nFor decades, U.S. customs law allowed foreign entities\u2014without a meaningful U.S. presence\u2014to act as importers of record (IOR). The SAFE Act ensures that only verifiable and accountable parties can serve as importers of record across all entry types, aligning bonding requirements with current trade system while recognizing the significant trading relations with trusted allies and partners. The bill enhances the integrity of the U.S. customs system and levels the playing field for compliant companies.\n\nThe SAFE Act is supported by the Coalition for a Prosperous America, Flexport, the International Trade Surety Association, the Alliance for Trade EnforcementNOW, and the Northern Border Customs Brokers Association.\n\n\u201cCPA strongly supports Senator Cassidy\u2019s Securing Accountability in Foreign Entries Act because it rewinds a disastrous undermining of core customs principles. The concept of a \u2018Non-Resident Importer\u2019 is incompatible with the core principle of customs law that whomever is making customs declarations to an officer is someone that can be arrested for lying. Overseas, judgment-proof vendors should not be able to act as importers,\u201d said Jon Toomey, President of the Coalition for a Prosperous America\n\n\u201cRight now, the U.S. is the only major economy that allows foreign companies to import without meaningful accountability. That creates a huge enforcement gap and an uneven playing field for businesses that are doing things the right way. The fix here is actually pretty simple. We should continue allowing foreign companies to import into the U.S., but require basic accountability\u2014like establishing a U.S. subsidiary, having at least one local employee, and a U.S. bank account. That\u2019s a common-sense standard that would weed out bad actors while still supporting open trade,\u201d said Ryan Petersen, Founder and CEO of Flexport\n\n\u201cThe International Trade Surety Association recognizes the need for new legislation and enhanced CBP processes to meet the increasingly fraudulent use of Non-Resident-Importer privileges and the ability to easily create new importers of record that later are found to be insolvent shell companies. This legislation provides new tools important for protecting US revenue and enforcement of law,\u201d said the International Trade Surety Association\n\n\u201cThe Alliance for Trade EnforcementNOW supports the Securing Accountability in Foreign Entries (SAFE) Act. The Alliance\u2019s platform reflects the lived experience of companies and industry associations that operate in compliance with trade laws and rely on effective enforcement to compete fairly and sustain their businesses. Importer transparency, traceable financial responsibility, and clear jurisdictional accountability are not only practical requirements for a fair trading environment \u2013 they are necessary conditions for the viability of American industry,\u201d said David Rashid, Founding Member of the Alliance for Trade EnforcementNOW\n\n\u201cThe Northern Border Customs Brokers Association appreciates the opportunity to participate in the dialogue surrounding the \u2018Securing Accountability in Foreign Entries Act\u2019 legislation and thanks Senator Cassidy and his staff for the engagement with stakeholders. We are particularly supportive of the legislation\u2019s recognition of reciprocal relationships with trusted trading partners, including Canada. As an organization representing customs brokers operating along the northern border, we see firsthand the importance of reciprocity in promoting efficient, secure, and predictable cross\u2011border trade. Aligning treatment for reciprocal programs strengthens supply chains and reinforces longstanding economic and security partnerships between the United States and Canada,\u201d said Brian Barber, President of the Northern Border Customs Brokers Association\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-lankford-republican-colleagues-introduce-bill-to-stop-fraud-protect-taxpayers/", "Cassidy, Lankford, Republican Colleagues Introduce Bill to Stop Fraud, Protect Taxpayers", "2026-03-09", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and James Lankford (R-OK), and a group of Republican colleagues introduced the Stop Unemployment Fraud Act to strengthen safeguards against fraud in the unemployment insurance system and protect taxpayer dollars.\n\n\u201cThe unemployment system should benefit Americans who are looking to get back on their feet, not scammers,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cWe\u2019re eliminating the waste, fraud, and abuse in the system, saving taxpayer dollars and serving people who actually need it.\u201d\n\n\u201cMaking the government more efficient isn\u2019t a partisan issue, it\u2019s an American issue,\u201d said Senator Lankford. \u201cDuring COVID, fraudsters exploited loopholes in the unemployment system and stole billions while taxpayers were left with the bill. This legislation strengthens verification, improves coordination between states, and ensures benefits go to the Americans who actually qualify, not criminals exploiting the system.\u201d\n\nThe Stop Unemployment Fraud Act would:\n\nStrengthen identity verification requirements for unemployment claimants\n\nRequire states to cross-check claims using fraud detection systems to prevent duplicate or improper payments\n\nEnd the \u201cpay and chase\u201d model by ensuring benefits are not issued before eligibility is verified\n\nStrengthen work-search requirements and federal oversight of state compliance\n\nAllow states to retain a portion of recovered overpayments to invest in fraud prevention and program administration\n\nCassidy and Lankford were joined by U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Steve Daines (R-MT) and U.S. Representatives Lloyd Smucker (R-PA-16), Adrian Smith (R-NE-03), Beth Van Duyne (R-TX-24), Randy Feenstra (R-IA-04), Max Miller (R-OH-07), Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24), Mike Kelly (R-PA-16), Jodey Arrington (R-TX-19), Blake Moore (R-UT-01), Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-01), Carol Miller (R-WV-01), Vince Fong (R-CA-20), and Aaron Bean (R-FL-04) in introducing the legislation.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-legislation-to-protect-children-and-teens-online-passes-senate/", "Cassidy Legislation to Protect Children and Teens Online Passes Senate", "2026-03-06", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) applauded the Senate\u2019s passage of his Children and Teens\u2019 Online Privacy Protection (COPPA 2.0) Act to ensure children and teenagers are protected online by updating online data privacy rules for the 21st century.\n\n\u201cKids today grow up online. They should be protected when they do,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cWe\u2019re giving parents peace of mind by protecting their kids\u2019 personal information.\u201d\n\nThe Children and Teens\u2019 Online Privacy Protection Act would prohibit targeted advertising to children and teenagers. It would also establish data minimization rules and an \u201cEraser Button\u201d for users to delete all collected information on a child or teenager. This legislation would revise and extend COPPA by banning internet companies from collecting sensitive information on users ages 13-16 without consent and closing compliance loopholes.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://kennedy.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2382", "In the Face of Trump & Noem\u2019s Silence, Kennedy and Fellow Members of Congress Continue to Demand Answers on Death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam", "2026-03-05", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "John Kennedy", "K000393", "kennedy.house.gov", "kennedy", "https://kennedy.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Speaking on House Floor, Kennedy Reiterated the Need for a Complete and Independent Investigation into Shah Alam\u2019s Death After Being Abandoned by DHS\n\nKennedy\u2019s Colleagues, Including Ranking Member Raskin, Rep. Nadler, and U.S. Senator Padilla, Highlighted Shah Alam\u2019s Case in Oversight Hearings With Kristi Noem\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 More than a week after the preventable and tragic death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam, Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26) and his Democratic colleagues continue to shine a spotlight on his case and demand answers and accountability from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In a speech on the floor of the House, Kennedy underscored the tragic and inhumane circumstances of Mr. Shah Alam\u2019s death, noting it is part of an established pattern of cruelty, inhumanity, and injustice under Donald Trump and Kristi Noem\u2019s DHS. Though Kennedy formally requested to question Secretary Noem during her appearance before the House Judiciary Committee today, he was denied by Chairman Jim Jordan. Nevertheless, Kennedy\u2019s colleagues ensured that Mr. Shah Alam\u2019s case was discussed, with Ranking Member Jamie Raskin and Rep. Jerry Nadler pressing Secretary Noem on the tragic incident. Additionally, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla of California noted Mr. Shah Alam\u2019s death in his remarks in a Senate Judiciary hearing. Despite DHS's best efforts, Kennedy and his Democratic colleagues will continue to fight for truth and accountability for Mr. Shah Alam, his family, and all New Americans who have come here in search of a better life.\n\nKennedy\u2019s Full Remarks Available Here\n\n\u201cUnder Trump and Kristi Noem, we have seen a troubling pattern of cruelty, inhumanity, and injustice from their Department of Homeland Security,\u201d said Congressman Kennedy. \u201cA pattern rooted in hate, division, and intolerance, with a willful and complete disregard for human life. Leadership matters. Accountability matters. And the Department of Homeland Security under Kristi Noem has neither. Our communities deserve a government that protects the vulnerable, not one that neglects them in the cold in the dark of night. The death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam is a failure of our entire system, and those at the top must answer for it, starting with Kristi Noem.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou promised to use ICE and CBP to expel the worst of the worst undocumented immigrants guilty of committing violent crimes, like the people responsible for murdering the children of these angel families, these angel moms and dads who've joined us today. Instead, your mask agents have been indiscriminately rounding up any and all immigrants and citizens who your agents think look like they might be immigrants. Just last month, your agents picked up Nurul Shah Alam, a severely disabled and nearly blind Rohingya refugee lawfully in America who didn't speak English. You claimed your agents dropped him at a safe, warm location. Again, not the truth. They dropped him off miles from his home in the dark at a closed coffee shop in subfreezing temperatures. And now, because of this cruelty, this man too is dead,\u201d said Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (MA-08).\n\n\u201cTwo weeks ago, Mr. Shah Alam was left abandoned by US Customs and Border patrol agents outside of Tim Horton's coffee shop an hour after they closed in the cold and in the dark with no shoes on. Miles away from his home, five days later, he was found dead. Mr. Shah Alam escaped the genocide in his home country, just to die here, because border patrol could not be bothered to take him home or to tell his family where they had released him. When the story came out in the press, DHS claimed that they had dropped Mr. Shah Alam at a \u2018warm, safe location near his last known address,\u2019 your agents also claimed Mr. Shah Alam showed no signs of distress or ability issues or disabilities requiring special assistance. These are obvious lies. The coffee shop was closed. It wasn't safe and warm. He was nearly blind. He required special assistance,\u201d said Congressman Jerry Nadler (NY-12).\n\n\u201cSecretary Noem, before you even knew the facts or even allowed for a credible investigation to be conducted, you called Renee Good and Alex Pretti domestic terrorists for exercising their First Amendment rights,\u201d said U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) during a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing. \u201cAnd just last week, DHS lied yet again about abandoning a Rohingya refugee, a nearly blind man who couldn\u2019t speak or understand English in the parking lot of a closed coffee shop, only for him to die in the freezing streets of Buffalo.\u201d\n\nMr. Shah Alam, a Rohingya refugee from Burma who was living in Buffalo with legal status, was transferred to DHS custody following his release from the Erie County Holding Center. Upon release by DHS, given Mr. Shah Alam\u2019s legal status, he was abandoned in the parking lot of a closed Tim Hortons restaurant. Mr. Shah Alam spoke little to no English, was mostly blind, and had mobility issues. Additionally, he was not equipped with proper winter clothing. Tragically, he was found dead five days later. Kennedy has requested an independent investigation of the circumstances of Mr. Shah Alam\u2019s death in a letter to Attorney General Letitia James, and he was joined by colleagues Reps. Raskin, Thompson, and Meng in penning a letter to Secretary Noem requesting an investigation by DHS.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-01T05:41:29Z", "2026-04-06T21:05:58Z"], ["https://kennedy.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2383", "Congressman Kennedy Statement on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem Firing", "2026-03-05", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "John Kennedy", "K000393", "kennedy.house.gov", "kennedy", "https://kennedy.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26), a member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement today following the firing of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.\n\n\u201cI have called for Kristi Noem\u2019s resignation or impeachment for months. And while her firing is welcome news, the severe damage she caused is already done. Long before she was fired by President Trump, Kristi Noem trampled on our constitutional rights and civil liberties, established a culture of cruelty at DHS, and undermined our shared values. Though she is out of her job at DHS, she must still answer for her reckless actions to the American people. She, her successor, and the Trump Administration must be held accountable.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T21:05:58Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-announces-87-million-for-louisiana-flood-protection-wind-mitigation-emergency-preparedness-projects/", "Cassidy Announces $87 Million for Louisiana Flood Protection, Wind Mitigation, Emergency Preparedness Projects", "2026-03-05", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Funding AmountRecipientProject Description$14,616,967.00Jefferson ParishThis grant will provide federal funding to elevate 60 flood-prone structures in Jefferson Parish to reduce future flood risk and improve long-term resilience.$12,204,257.67Office of Risk ManagementThis grant will provide federal funding to acquire and install 43 permanent generators at 11 Louisiana colleges and universities to provide emergency power during outages caused by natural hazards.$9,645,788.00Livingston ParishThis grant will provide federal funding to elevate 35 flood-prone residential structures and acquire eight residential structures in Livingston Parish to reduce repetitive flood losses and risk to life.$7,576,705.50Jefferson ParishThis grant will provide federal funding to reconstruct 34 flood-prone residential structures in Jefferson Parish and elevate them to reduce future flood losses.$7,215,951.40Tangipahoa ParishThis grant will provide federal funding to elevate 35 residential structures and acquire one residential structure in Tangipahoa Parish to reduce repetitive flood damage and risk to life.$6,173,204.55East Baton Rouge Parish (City of Baton Rouge City Hall)This grant will provide federal funding for the wind retrofit of the City of Baton Rouge City Hall\u2019s ten-story building, including upgrading windows to withstand up to 140 mph wind speeds.$4,632,155.00Washington ParishThis grant will provide federal funding to elevate 21 flood-prone residential structures and acquire/demolish one severe repetitive loss property in Washington Parish to reduce future flood damages and risk to life.$4,444,414.00GOHSEPThis grant will provide federal funding for the Statewide 7% Initiative Planning project to help 49 parishes update hazard mitigation plans and strengthen statewide preparedness.$2,435,070.00Concordia Parish (Vidalia LWI Canal)This grant will provide federal funding for Vidalia LWI Canal drainage improvements to reduce flood risk and improve drainage flow within the Vidalia Canal watershed.$1,747,564.05St. Martin ParishThis grant will provide federal funding to elevate nine flood-prone residential structures in St. Martin Parish to reduce repetitive flood losses and improve life safety.$1,619,680.00Jefferson ParishThis grant will provide federal funding to elevate eight flood-prone residential structures in Jefferson Parish, including wind retrofit components and subsidence mitigation measures.$1,467,380.00SOWELA Technical Community CollegeThis grant will provide federal funding for design and mitigation work to retrofit the Charleston Building with impact-resistant opening protection and related repairs needed to meet current code.$1,441,584.90Washington ParishThis grant will provide federal funding for construction of a hurricane safe room meeting FEMA P-361 standards to protect essential staff and support continuity of operations during severe weather.$1,346,730.00Livingston Parish Sewer DistrictThis grant will provide federal funding for draining, treating, and closing one detention pond at the Lockhart Road Sewer Treatment Plant, including sludge treatment and disposal to reduce future public health hazards.$1,184,442.00St. Mary ParishThis grant will provide federal funding for Phase I activities to enhance pumping capacity at Pump Station 9, including design work and technical studies to support flood protection improvements.$1,170,128.75Tangipahoa ParishThis grant will provide federal funding for Phase II of the David Drive flood mitigation project, including replacing drainage outlets and certain driveways with larger culverts and new grate inlets to reduce flooding risk.$1,148,358.00Jefferson ParishThis grant will provide federal funding to rebuild seven flood-prone structures in Jefferson Parish in compliance with FEMA and local elevation requirements to reduce future flood damages and NFIP claims.$1,070,233.20City of New Orleans (Audubon Park)This grant will provide federal funding for Phase I drainage activities for the Audubon Park Lagoon Drainage Improvement Project, including data collection, surveys, engineering, and permitting.$1,005,596.54GOHSEP (Louisiana Watershed Initiative Region 4)This grant will provide federal funding to develop the Imperial Calcasieu Regional Planning Commission Network Plan to address repetitive flooding and support creation of the West Louisiana Public Coordination District.$1,000,000.00Louisiana Watershed Initiative Region 4This grant will provide federal funding for LiDAR hazard mitigation data collection and analysis across nine West Louisiana parishes to identify repetitive flooding and address data gaps.$726,720.00Jefferson ParishThis grant will provide federal funding for subrecipient management costs for Jefferson Parish to administer the Jefferson Parish Ida HMGP Round II Elevation project.$610,212.88Office of Risk ManagementThis grant will provide federal funding for subrecipient management costs to administer the ORM Generators project from application development through closeout.$482,289.00Livingston ParishThis grant will provide federal funding for subrecipient management costs for Livingston Parish to administer the Livingston Parish Elevation & Acquisition Project.$372,028.00Jefferson ParishThis grant will provide federal funding for subrecipient management costs for Jefferson Parish to administer the Jefferson Parish Ida HMGP Round 2 Reconstruction project.$360,797.55Tangipahoa ParishThis grant will provide federal funding for subrecipient management costs for Tangipahoa Parish to administer the Tangipahoa Parish Elevation/Acquisition project.$231,607.00Washington ParishThis grant will provide federal funding for subrecipient management costs for Washington Parish to administer the Washington Parish Elevation/Acquisition project.$121,753.50Concordia Parish (Vidalia LWI Canal)This grant will provide federal funding for subrecipient management costs for the Vidalia LWI Canal Drainage Improvements project, including engineering procurement, analysis, investigations, permitting, and testing.$87,378.20St. Martin ParishThis grant will provide federal funding for subrecipient management costs for St. Martin Parish to administer the St. Martin Parish Elevations project.$80,816.00Jefferson ParishThis grant will provide federal funding for subrecipient management costs for Jefferson Parish to administer the Jefferson Parish LWI Region 8 E2 elevation project.$77,580.00Washington ParishThis grant will provide federal funding for subrecipient management costs for Washington Parish to administer the Washington Parish Safe Room project.$71,764.00Jefferson ParishThis grant will provide federal funding for subrecipient management costs for Jefferson Parish to administer the Jefferson Parish Reconstruction project.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://kennedy.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2381", "Statement from Congressman Kennedy on Iran Strikes Following Classified Briefing", "2026-03-04", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "John Kennedy", "K000393", "kennedy.house.gov", "kennedy", "https://kennedy.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Senior Trump Administration officials delivered a classified briefing to Members of Congress regarding the attack on Iran. Rep. Tim Kennedy released the following statement:\n\n\u201cDonald Trump campaigned on keeping our nation out of foreign wars. Instead, he has launched one without a defined mission, without a plan, and without Congress. Yesterday\u2019s briefing did nothing to convince me otherwise.\n\n\u201cNo evidence has been presented that Iran posed an imminent threat to our homeland or our interests abroad. This is a war of choice. President Trump has decided to send our sons and daughters into combat instead of pursuing peace through diplomacy.\n\n\u201cThe Constitution entrusts Congress with the power to declare war, a responsibility we do not take lightly because we know who bears the true cost of conflict. We have already paid the highest price a nation can pay. Six service members have given their lives, and their families will carry that loss forever. The President says more U.S. servicemembers will be lost.\n\n\u201cCongress must act now.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T21:05:58Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-cassidy-pens-op-ed-highlighting-support-for-save-america-act/", "ICYMI: Cassidy Pens Op-Ed Highlighting Support for SAVE America Act", "2026-03-03", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) penned an op-ed in State Affairs highlighting his strong support for the SAVE America Act. He also emphasized the need to protect the integrity of American elections by verifying citizenship before registering to vote and urged the U.S. Senate to pass the legislation.\n\n\u201cThe right to vote is sacred, and it belongs to American citizens,\u201d wrote Dr. Cassidy.\n\n\u201cThe SAVE America Act is simple, reasonable, and widely supported. Democrats demand ID to buy a gun, but they won\u2019t require it to cast a vote. It\u2019s time to stop the hypocrisy. Pass the SAVE America Act and protect the American people\u2019s right to vote,\u201dconcluded Dr. Cassidy.\n\nRead the full op-ed here or excerpts below:\n\nAmericans Want the SAVE America Act\n\nThe right to vote is sacred, and it belongs to American citizens.\n\n\u2026\n\nPolling shows that over 80 percent of U.S. adults support requiring a photo ID to vote. The American people are speaking clearly on this issue. Democrats know their constituents support verifying citizenship to vote, yet party leaders are choosing to ignore them. If 80 percent of Americans back this common-sense measure, then we should have at least 80 votes in the Senate to support this bill. Therefore, inaction isn\u2019t about public opposition; it\u2019s about appeasing a small, fringe left-wing base.\n\n\u2026\n\nOur constitutional republic was founded on the principle that every lawful vote should count, and no unlawful vote should dilute the voices of American citizens. The SAVE America Act is simple, reasonable, and widely supported. Democrats demand ID to buy a gun, but they won\u2019t require it to cast a vote. It\u2019s time to stop the hypocrisy. Pass the SAVE America Act and protect the American people\u2019s right to vote.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-celebrates-groundbreaking-of-new-lipseys-headquarters/", "Cassidy Celebrates Groundbreaking of New Lipsey\u2019s Headquarters", "2026-03-02", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) last Friday spoke at the groundbreaking for the new headquarters of Lipsey\u2019s Guns in Baton Rouge, which will open next year. Cassidy thanked Mr. Richard Lipsey and his team for creating jobs and supporting the Baton Rouge community.\n\n\u201cLipsey\u2019s is a family business committed to our state which made tough decisions in order to go from a good business to a great business, and we all benefit from them,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThey went from one sporting goods store with a single location, to the largest gun wholesaler in the nation.\u201d\n\nThen known as S&S Wholesale Sporting Goods, Lipsey\u2019s was founded in 1953 and has evolved into a major wholesale firearms and shooting-sports distributor, supplying products to gun dealers and retailers. Those products include handguns, rifles, shotguns, suppressors, optics, and accessories. They employ about 200 people in Louisiana.\n\nCassidy was joined at the groundbreaking by Mr. Richard Lipsey, who thanked the Senator for his attendance.\n\n\u201cSenator Cassidy, thank you for being here today,\u201d said Mr. Lipsey. \u201cMoments like this reminds us that Lipsey\u2019s has never been about buildings, it has always been about people. Your support helps us continue serving our community with honor, excellence, and heart.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://kennedy.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2374", "Statement from Congressman Kennedy on Trump Administration Strikes on Iran", "2026-02-28", "2026", "2026-02", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "John Kennedy", "K000393", "kennedy.house.gov", "kennedy", "https://kennedy.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26) released the following statement:\n\n\u201cLast night, Donald Trump launched pre-emptive military strikes against Iran without Congressional authorization or making the case to the American people.\n\n\u201cIran is a dangerous, murderous regime. However, the Constitution is clear: Congress declares war. Trump chose escalation over diplomacy, putting American lives at risk in a volatile region.\n\n\u201cOur service members deserve better than to be sent to war without a plan, without Congressional authorization, and without the will of the American people.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T21:03:58Z"], ["https://kennedy.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2373", "Congressman Kennedy Leads Congressional Letter Demanding Federal Investigation into Death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam", "2026-02-27", "2026", "2026-02", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "John Kennedy", "K000393", "kennedy.house.gov", "kennedy", "https://kennedy.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Kennedy Joined by Ranking Members Thompson and Raskin, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair Meng in Oversight Letter to DHS Secretary Noem\n\nBUFFALO, N.Y. \u2013 Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26), alongside Ranking Members Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair Grace Meng (NY-06), sent an oversight letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem demanding an immediate and comprehensive federal investigation into the death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam in Buffalo, New York.\n\n\u201cThe tragic death of Mr. Shah Alam is a moral failure that demands answers and a thorough investigation,\u201d said Congressman Tim Kennedy. \u201cA man who fled persecution, who was nearly blind, and unable to communicate in English, was left alone in the dead of winter to fend for himself. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident, but rather a predictable result of the culture of cruelty that has taken hold at DHS under Trump and Kristi Noem. His family is owed clarity, and the American people deserve a full accounting of how this happened, and how similar tragedies will be prevented from ever happening again.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat happened to Mr. Shah Alam is a heartbreaking failure that raises serious questions DHS must answer for,\u201d said Rep. Bennie Thompson, Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security. \u201cDHS\u2019s actions were a stunning display of carelessness and cruelty that Congress has a responsibility to fully investigate and ensure never happens again. I thank Congressman Kennedy for leading on this matter.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe death of Mr. Shah Alam is the result of at least staggering recklessness and coldhearted indifference. It is an American tragedy and an American disgrace. This kind of cruelty is now one more five-alarm wake-up call for a country already reeling from violent deaths caused in American streets by federal agents,\u201d said Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee. \u201cI salute my colleague Rep. Tim Kennedy on his fierce leadership and determination not to let this catastrophe be swept under any MAGA bureaucrat\u2019s rug.\u201d\n\n\u201cNurul Amin Shah Alam should be alive today. He is dead because U.S. Border Patrol agents abandoned a blind refugee miles away from home and then lied to cover it up. Video footage proves that Mr. Alam was left outside of a coffee shop that was closed, not a \u2018warm, safe location\u2019 as they claimed. The Department of Homeland Security\u2019s cruelty, callousness, and indifference to human life is absolutely sickening. As Members of Congress, we demand answers and justice for his family. The Department of Homeland Security must be held accountable,\u201d said Rep. Grace Meng, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.\n\nMr. Shah Alam, a Rohingya refugee with legal status in the United States, was reported missing on February 19, 2026, shortly after being released from custody and transported by U.S. Border Patrol (USBP). According to publicly available reporting and information provided by his family, Mr. Shah Alam was nearly blind, did not speak English, and was unable to independently navigate transportation. He had fled persecution in Burma and arrived in the United States in December 2024 seeking safety.\n\nThe letter outlines serious concerns about the circumstances surrounding his release. USBP reportedly transported Mr. Shah Alam from Erie County custody and left him at a coffee shop miles from his family\u2019s residence during winter. He was not reunited with family members, and questions remain about what accommodations, if any, were made to account for his severe visual impairment and language barriers. Mr. Shah Alam was found deceased on February 24, several days after he was reported missing.\n\nIn the letter, Congressman Kennedy and his colleagues demand a full timeline of events and a transparent accounting of DHS policies and actions that may have contributed to this tragedy. The letter makes clear that this case raises broader questions about federal transportation and release practices for vulnerable individuals in custody. It calls for coordination with state and local officials, full transparency to the public, and accountability where failures occurred.\n\nSee the full text of the letter below:\n\nFebruary 27, 2026\n\nThe Honorable Kristi Noem\n\nSecretary\n\nDepartment of Homeland Security\n\n2707 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, S.E.\n\nWashington, D.C. 20528\n\nDear Secretary Noem,\n\nWe write to demand an immediate investigation into the tragic death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a Burmese refugee who was found deceased in the City of Buffalo on Tuesday, February 24th, 2026, after being transported and subsequently neglected by U.S. Border Patrol (USBP). As Members of Congress with the responsibility to conduct oversight of this administration\u2019s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its inhumane \u2013 at times deadly \u2013 treatment of immigrants, we must hold this administration accountable for any negligence, wrongdoing, or breach of protocol that resulted in a death. Accordingly, we demand a comprehensive investigation into the sequence of events that led to Mr. Shah Alam\u2019s death, including DHS\u2019s responsibility that may have contributed to this preventable tragedy.\n\nMr. Shah Alam, a Rohingya refugee with legal status, was reported missing on February 19, 2026, shortly after release by USBP. Mr. Shah Alam was largely blind and did not speak English, coming to the United States on December 24, 2024 after fleeing persecution in Burma, where Rohingya people have faced systemic oppression and genocide. According to publicly available information, on February 19th, USBP took Mr. Shah Alam from Erie County custody, transporting him to a coffee shop miles from his family\u2019s residence. According to his family, Mr. Shah Alam had a severe disability, could not read, write, or use a phone, and could not communicate independently. Despite these significant occupational challenges and the inability to find shelter or safety on his own, USBP abandoned Mr. Shah Alam at an unsafe location in the middle of winter, without proper care, and without his family to ensure his safety.[1] Tragically, several days after he was reported missing, Mr. Shah Alam was found dead on the night of February 24th.\n\nThis tragedy raises serious questions about USBP\u2019s responsibility surrounding the circumstances that contributed to Mr. Shah Alam\u2019s death, as well as DHS\u2019s transportation and release protocols for vulnerable individuals from federal law enforcement custody. This administration\u2019s inhumane, abhorrent treatment of immigrants has resulted in entirely preventable deaths and it is our responsibility as Members of Congress to conduct oversight into these matters. In addition to a full timeline of the events involving USBP, we demand a comprehensive, transparent investigation into Mr. Shah Alam\u2019s case and request that the Department provide answers to the following questions no later than March 5, 2026.\n\nWhat was the justification behind USBP\u2019s involvement in transporting Mr. Shah Alam? Were any other DHS components involved in his transport?\n\nWhat is CBP\u2019s protocol for transporting and releasing vulnerable individuals with disabilities?\n\nWhat are the standard protocols for \u201ccourtesy rides\u201d for transportees that USBP has referenced in statements? Given Mr. Shah Alam was blind and barely spoke English, how was the decision made to drop him somewhere other than his home?\n\nWhat steps, if any, were taken to ensure Mr. Shah Alam\u2019s continuity of care upon his release, given his complex medical conditions?\n\nWhat translation or interpretation services were offered to Mr. Shah Alam during transit?\n\nWhy was Mr. Shah Alam left at a coffee shop rather than a home address?\n\nWhat clothing was Mr. Shah Alam wearing when he was released by USBP? Was he provided any warm clothing given the winter weather?\n\nWhen was DHS notified of Mr. Shah Alam\u2019s release, and why was USBP made responsible for his custody?\n\nAt what point did USBP coordination with Erie County officials fail?\n\nA USBP spokesperson stated that Mr. Shah Alam was \u201cnot amenable to removal.\u201d When was this determination made?\n\nWhat contact, if any, was made with Mr. Shah Alam\u2019s family prior to his release?\n\nMr. Shah Alam had been missing since February 19th. What actions, if any, were taken by DHS between February 19th and February 24th to attempt to locate Mr. Shah Alam?\n\nWill CBP\u2019s Office of Professional Responsibility conduct any disciplinary or remedial actions to ensure DHS personnel involved are held accountable for any potential wrongdoing?\n\nHow will CBP classify Mr. Shah Alam\u2019s death?\n\nWhat processes or procedures have been immediately put in place following Mr. Shah Alam\u2019s death to ensure this never happens again?\n\nThe death of Mr. Shah Alam was entirely preventable. DHS has a moral and legal obligation to conduct a full and transparent investigation, in coordination with state and local officials, to ensure accountability, answer to the American people, and provide justice for the Shah Alam family. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we look forward to your response.\n\nSincerely,\n\nCongressman Timothy M. Kennedy\n\nHouse Committee on Homeland Security\n\nRanking Member Bennie G. Thompson\n\nHouse Committee on Homeland Security\n\nRanking Member Jamie Raskin\n\nHouse Judiciary Committee\n\nCongresswoman Grace Meng\n\nChair, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T21:03:58Z"], ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-announces-over-70-5-million-for-louisiana-disaster-recovery-emergency-preparedness/", "Cassidy Announces Over $70.5 Million for Louisiana Disaster Recovery, Emergency Preparedness", "2026-02-27", "2026", "2026-02", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Louisiana will receive $70,508,828.60 in federal funding from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support disaster recovery and emergency preparedness efforts following Hurricanes Laura, Ida, and Francine, as well as response efforts to saltwater intrusion in Plaquemines Parish. The funding will support emergency protective measures, infrastructure repairs, and rebuilding efforts for communities, schools, and ports across the state.\n\n\u201cLouisiana families count on good roads, clean drinking water, and help they can trust when disasters hit,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThis funding helps communities recover, rebuild stronger, and prepare for future storms.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T17:26:08Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 1056, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"chamber\" = :p0 and \"party\" = :p1 and \"state\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Senate", "p1": "Republican", "p2": "LA"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Republican&state=LA", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 1056, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=LA", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Republican&state=LA", "results": [{"value": "Senate", "label": "Senate", "count": 1056, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=LA", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Republican&state=LA", "results": [{"value": "LA", "label": "LA", "count": 1056, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Republican", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Republican&state=LA", "results": [{"value": "2025", "label": "2025", "count": 471, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Republican&state=LA&year=2025", "selected": false}, {"value": "2024", "label": "2024", "count": 241, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Republican&state=LA&year=2024", "selected": false}, {"value": "2020", "label": "2020", "count": 188, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Republican&state=LA&year=2020", "selected": false}, {"value": "2026", "label": "2026", "count": 155, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Republican&state=LA&year=2026", "selected": false}, {"value": "2021", "label": "2021", "count": 1, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Republican&state=LA&year=2021", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2026-02-27,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ecassidy~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fpress-releases~2Fcassidy-announces-over-70-5-million-for-louisiana-disaster-recovery-emergency-preparedness~2F", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Republican&state=LA&_next=2026-02-27%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ecassidy~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fpress-releases~2Fcassidy-announces-over-70-5-million-for-louisiana-disaster-recovery-emergency-preparedness~2F&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 808.1774660386145, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}