{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Democrat\", state = \"LA\" and year = 2022 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-secures-35-million-southeast-louisiana-constituents", "Congressman Troy Carter Secures $35 Million for Southeast Louisiana Constituents in Government Funding Bill", "2022-12-23", "2022", "2022-12", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) voted to keep the government functioning and pass the 2023 omnibus government funding package, a budget that reflects American values of defending democracy, building safer communities, and lowering costs for the American people. It includes many important wins for the people of Louisiana, including over $35 million of investments into 14 community funding projects that Congressman Carter successfully secured for the state\u2019s Second Congressional District.\n\n\u201cThis budget delivers tangible wins for the American people write large and the people of southeast Louisiana specifically,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cI am especially proud to have secured over $35 million for important projects in the Second Congressional District to improve infrastructure, public recreation sites, healthcare research and services, STEM education, job training, and much more within my approved community funding projects. With the passage of this measure, Congress has not only completed its duty in funding the government, but has also launched our nation forward into 2023 with the funds it needs to better support and uplift the American People. While I wish it included critical anti-poverty measures like the Child Tax Credit, I do believe this budget is a strong piece of legislation that will undoubtedly power our nation forward.\u201d\n\nCongressman Carter\u2019s successfully funded FY2023 Community Funding Projects total $35,007,000, and will serve the people of Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District in a wide variety of ways.\n\nThis appropriations package includes $11.8 million requested by Congressman Carter for hard infrastructure and resiliency measures in LA-02:\n\n$4,000,000 - City of Donaldsonville Natural Gas System Improvements\n\nDonaldsonville\u2019s gas pipes are crumbling and dangerous, after decades of corrosion the system has left the city in a state of emergency. This project will complete phase one of needed improvements, and allow Donaldsonville to move forward toward fully replacing the pipes to protect the community from potential gas leaks. Congressman Carter learned of this need and committed to doing everything he could do to help when out in the community and is proud to have made good on this promise.\n\n$3,800,000 - Community Lighthouse Solar and Energy Storage Resilience Pilot Project Networks\n\nThis project will fund a pilot project to establish a network of disaster resilience hubs throughout the region with solar power and back up batteries at churches and civic institutions. Following a natural disaster or power outage, these Community Lighthouses will provide emergency services, including food and water, cooling and charging stations, and support for people with medical needs. These clean-energy hubs will enable community organizations to continue operations in the event of a grid failure like was experienced during Hurricane Ida.\n\n$4,000,000 - New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal (UPT) Upgrade Project\n\nThis project will make improvements to the UPT so that it will be able to house the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) headquarters and improve regional transit options across the New Orleans Metro Area.\n\nThe budgeted community funding projects for the Second District of Louisiana also includes investments that will create and conserve community spaces and outdoor recreation opportunities such as:\n\n$4,000,000 - Natatorium in Cut Off, New Orleans\n\nThis project will provide an operating swimming pool in an area without one allowing recreation and water safety training for residents of the Cut Off and Lower Coast Algiers.\n\n$2 million \u2013 Nature Trail Improvements in Lower Ninth Ward, New Orleans\n\nThis funding will allow for improvements to the Sankofa Wetlands Park and Nature Trail in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans to improve access for recreation and research.\n\nThrough these 2023 Community Funding Projects, Congressman Carter secured a total of $7.95 million for Youth Services, Education, & Development with four projects:\n\n$750,000 - Dodwell House Community Resource Center, New Orleans\n\nThis project will convert a previously abandoned 1846 historic Trem\u00e9 home into a community resource center that will house community impact programs including an after school program, summer camp, food pantry, community support hub and homeless outreach center.\n\n$2,000,000 - Center for the Innovative Training of Youth STEM NOLA, New Orleans\n\nThis funding will equip the STEM Innovation Center with the programmatic and technical resources it needs to engage up to 20,000 K-12 kids each year with hands-on science, technology, engineering and math educational programs to help ready them to careers in STEM.\n\n$2,000,000 - National World War II Museum, New Orleans\n\nThis investment will allow the world renown National WWII Museum in New Orleans develop educational materials for an interactive exhibit telling the all too often overlooked story of the women who served our country during World War II with the most comprehensive display of educational material ever produced on the subject.\n\n$1,200,000 - Urban League of Louisiana\u2019s Career Pathways Program, Orleans and East Baton Rouge Parish.\n\nThis project will help build out the Urban League of Louisiana\u2019s programming to create comprehensive career pathways through connecting diverse participants with unique educational and apprenticeship opportunities across Orleans Parish and East Baton Rouge Parish.\n\n$2,000,000 - Louisiana Chamber of Commerce Foundation (LCCF) Small Business Technical Assistance and Workforce Training Center, New Orleans East\n\nThis project will bolster the state chamber of commerce\u2019s program to help disadvantaged business entities receive technical assistance and training needed to enter the agri-aquaculture industries. The LA Chamber of Commerce Foundation\u2019s Southeast Louisiana AgriAquaculture Small Business Technical Assistance and Workforce Training Center (Center) will provide technical assistance geared to Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) small business owners and valuable workforce training services to under-employed, unemployed, or hard to employ residents. The Center will serve as a small business incubator, providing over 30 businesses a year with the skills, support, and training they need to grow their businesses, improve the economic foundation of their communities, and provide stable, good-paying jobs for low-income residents.\n\nThe Congressman\u2019s projects will allocate $4.35 million toward healthcare advances in the district through two projects, including:\n\n$2,000,000 - Louisiana Children's Medical Center, New Orleans\n\nThis project would expand the current capacity of the Cancer Center at UMC by increasing the number of infusion chairs, medical exam rooms and radiation therapy exam rooms, while also incorporating a nurse station.\n\n$2,350,000 - LSU Health Sciences Center - New Orleans\n\nEstablishes a new, state of the art scientific research lab that will help LSU Health Sciences Center achieve an NCI designation and be better positioned to attract faculty and provide services to companies as well as conduct clinical trials. This lab will focus on research on cancer treatment and prevention\n\nThe budget also includes $1 million to support housing and addiction treatment services for the Congressman\u2019s constituents of the Second Congressional District:\n\n$1,000,000 - Odyssey House Louisiana Inc., New Orleans\n\nThis funding for this community project will fund a renovation to increase accessibility and add 48 more beds to Odyssey House Louisiana\u2019s (OHL) historic facility in the Trem\u00e9-Lafitte neighborhood, increasing their capacity to provide residential, long-term recovery addiction treatment services to the people of New Orleans. These funds will also allow OHL to renovate and expand its onsite Federally Qualified Health Center, which provides health care to underserved populations in New Orleans, including such services as Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction, primary care services to the community at large, and screening and treatment for infectious diseases.\n\nCongressman Carter also secured close to $4 million for a project that will support reentry programs and criminal justice reforms in our community:\n\n$3,907,000 \u2013 Orleans Parish Sheriff\u2019s Office Justice Reform Initiatives\n\nThis funding would allow the Orleans Parish Sheriff\u2019s Office (OPSO) to design internal job training and education programs, release protocols, and post-release procedures to minimize the disruption of being detained and smooth the reentry transition. This effort requires funding to upgrade and modernize its information technology and data system infrastructure to track and analyze data needed to aid the office\u2019s processes and capabilities.\n\nAlong with these district-specific investments, the FY 2023 omnibus government funding package that Congressman Carter supported also includes many other important victories and investments for the American people.\n\nThough not a complete list, this budget includes the following:\n\n$1 billion for LIHEAP, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which can help households cover their energy bills, cutting costs for American families.\n\nIncreases the maximum Pell Grant award by $500.\n\nSupports the 9-8-8 mental health crisis lifeline with $502 million, a $390 million increase over 2022 levels.\n\nProvides $18.4 billion for Title I education programs, an increase of $850 million over 2022 levels.\n\nProvides $4.4 billion in grants for state & local law enforcement, a $506 million increase over last year.\n\n$700 million for Violence Against Women Act prevention and prosecution programs, and 21.7% increase as compared to 2022 levels.\n\nIncludes $560 million for the Legal Services Corporation, 14.5% above 2022 levels to help expand the availability of free legal aid for low-income persons.\n\nIncludes $45 million in grants to prevent and respond to hate crimes\u2014nearly double the 2022 level.\n\nProvides $3.5 billion in discretionary funding for FDA, an increase of $226 million above 2022, to address the opioid crisis and medical supply chain issues. This would also fund efforts to better respond to food outbreaks, improve the food inspection system, and address heavy metals in baby food.\n\nProvides $10.6 billion, $347 million over 2022 funding levels, for water infrastructure throughout the country through the Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation.\n\nIncludes $15.3 billion, $1.2 billion over 2022 levels, to respond to the climate crisis by investing in research, development, demonstration, and deployment of clean energy and secure, domestic energy supply chains.\n\nProvides $161.5 billion for procurement efforts, including eleven Navy ships.\n\nIncludes over $2 billion to tackle the climate crisis in our national defense programs.\n\nProvides $75 million for Election Security Grants to augment State efforts to improve the security and integrity of elections for Federal office.\n\nPromotes safety among our transportation networks with $1.7 billion for competitive grants for multimodal, transit, bicycle and pedestrian, and passenger rail to support local projects that promote green infrastructure, invest in resilient communities, and help address climate change.\n\nProvides $388 million to create 21,500+ affordable housing units for low-income families, survivors of domestic violence, veterans, and the elderly and disabled.\n\nInvests an additional $225 million for a new program to preserve and revitalize manufactured housing.\n\nEstablishes a new $75 million construction and rehabilitation program for permanent supportive housing to expand housing options for people experiencing homelessness.\n\nIncludes a record $118.7 billion, $21.7 billion over last year, for veteran\u2019s medical care.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-introduces-lift-act-smooth-incentivize-americas-transition", "Congressman Carter Introduces LIFT Act to Smooth & Incentivize America\u2019s Transition to Clean Energy", "2022-12-21", "2022", "2022-12", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.), member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, introduced the House version of the Local Infrastructure Funding & Technical Assistance Act of 2022, or the LIFT Act. This is the companion bill to Senator Edward J. Markey\u2019s (D-Mass.) version in the Senate, S.2552.\n\nThis legislation would give the federal government the tools it needs to create the next generation of resilient climate infrastructure innovation. Too often, these types of projects face roadblocks in conducting predevelopment tasks such as market assessments, community engagement, site acquisition, and permitting costs. Because these steps are a requisite for construction, barriers to completing them can often stymie completion of climate-smart infrastructure needed to adapt to the climate crisis. The LIFT Act would provide $15 billion in grants to help communities across America overcome these stumbling blocks and launch their green infrastructure projects through the critical predevelopment stage.\n\n\u201cAs our nation continues to battle COVID-19 and a severe economic downturn, the LIFT Act picks up where other historic legislation like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act left off to continue our nation\u2019s economic recovery and energize our existential battle against the climate crisis,\u201d said Congressman Troy Carter. \u201cBy providing funding into the communities that need it the most \u2013 the LIFT Act will allow our country to better overcome predevelopment roadblocks and realize the enormous potential that recent historic federal investments have to jumpstart transformative climate-resilient infrastructure.\u201d\n\n\u201cCommunities that have been historically left behind should be helped, not hindered, in their efforts to access the historic investments passed by the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,\u201d said Senator Edward J. Markey. \u201cI am proud to be joining Congressman Carter in introducing the LIFT Act, which would provide technical assistance and create a pipeline of climate-ready infrastructure projects that will keep communities across the country safe and healthy.\u201d\n\nThe full text of the LIFT Act as introduced in the House is available here.\n\nSpecifically, the LIFT Act promotes long-term economic recovery and job creation in underserved communities through a total of $15 billion in grants up to $500,000 through the Economic Development Agency. It is estimate that these projects will leverage $16-$20 in economic benefits for every dollar spent, unleashing up to $300 billion in total. Out of these funds, $10 billion are reserved for climate resilient infrastructure project predevelopment and $5 billion for technical assistance.\n\nThe grants authorized by this legislation will finance tasks that need to be completed before project construction and outside investment can occur, such as:\n\nMarket assessments and economic feasibility studies\n\nBusiness plan preparation\n\nArchitectural, design and engineering work\n\nCapacity building for local governments, institutions, and nonprofits including strategic reviews\n\nResearch and grant-writing technical support\n\nCommunity engagement, including stipends for planning process participation\n\nSite/lease acquisition costs\n\nPermitting and pre-interconnection costs\n\nTraining for unionized labor to execute on pre-development projects\n\nEquity provisions included in the legislation would ensure these grant investments support community-driven projects and reach historically disinvested communities and those with the greatest need. The bill directs at least 50 percent of funding to be allocated to eligible groups in this category such as economic development districts, Tribal communities, cities and states, institutions of higher education, and non-profit organizations.\n\nThe legislation further prioritizes projects with goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, to increase climate adaptation and resiliency, that result in major public health improvements, and will help modernize communities.\n\nThis legislation is also supported by many advocacy organizations including Groundswell, Elevate, Northeast Clean Energy Council, Capacity Building at the Greenling Institute, American Flood Coalition, Center for Financial Markets, Milken Institute, Hummingbird, Partnership for Southern Equity, GreenRoots, Inc.\n\n\u201cRepresentative Carter and Senator Markey\u2019s leadership on the LIFT Act will equip local communities to build climate resilient futures by eliminating a hugely frustrating roadblock - equitable access to predevelopment funding and technical support,\u201d commented Michelle Moore, CEO of Groundswell, a nonprofit that builds community power. Michelle continued, \u201cGroundswell sees it every day in our work. Neighborhoods that were subjected to redlining and other policies that were designed to deprive people of wealth, health, and opportunity suffer infrastructure gaps that make everything harder and more expensive to plan and build. While policies like redlining are no longer the law of the land, they\u2019re still hurting people because they're literally built into the infrastructure. The LIFT Act helps close the gap by directing vital planning and development resources to the places where it\u2019s needed the most and will make the biggest difference. It\u2019s a practical and very thoughtfully designed solution to a pressing problem that impacts every state and territory in the US, and I applaud Representative Carter and Senator Markey for their vision.\"\n\n\u201cFor the first time in our nation\u2019s history, we are seeing massive federal investment to combat climate change. But investment alone is not enough,\u201d said Emi Wang, Associate Director of Capacity Building at the Greenlining Institute. Lawmakers have a responsibility to ensure the communities on the frontlines of climate change\u2013often low-income communities and communities of color\u2013can equitably access pre-development resources. That\u2019s why The LIFT Act is so important. Not only is it the right thing to do to center the needs of communities that have long faced systemic disinvestment, but it is necessary to ensure no one gets left behind in our collective efforts to combat climate change.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-statement-confirmation-judge-dana-douglas-fifth", "Congressman Troy Carter Statement on Confirmation of Judge Dana Douglas to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals", "2022-12-13", "2022", "2022-12", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) released a statement after the confirmation of Judge Dana Douglas to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which is based in New Orleans. She will be the first Black woman to ever serve on this circuit.\n\n\u201cJudge Douglas\u2019 confirmation to the Fifth Circuit is undoubtedly historic, but she additionally has the experience, temperament, and integrity to also be a historic judge on the Fifth Circuit,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cI was proud to recommend her appointment to President Biden and applaud the Senate on her successful confirmation. Congratulations to Judge Douglas on this momentous achievement. This is a wonderful day for Louisiana and our entire nation.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-announces-2022-congressional-app-challenge-winners", "Congressman Troy Carter Announces 2022 Congressional App Challenge Winners", "2022-12-09", "2022", "2022-12", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 Every fall the U.S. House of Representatives sponsors a Congressional App Challenge for America\u2019s middle school and high school students to encourage them to learn to code, think creatively, and perhaps even inspire them to pursue careers in computer science.\n\nIn his first year hosting this competition for students in his district, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr.\u2019s office received dynamic submissions from students across the district. After thorough consideration, today Congressman Carter has announced the first-place winner of Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District 2022 Congressional App Competition is 11th grader Srija Tamidela of Westwego, Louisiana. Ms. Tamidela\u2019s application is titled WesIgn and gives users the opportunity to explore and embrace their cultural identity through art.\n\nAs the district-wide winner, Ms. Tamidela will be invited to Capitol Hill to demonstrate her application at a celebration called #HouseOfCode. At this annual event, students will also have the unique opportunity to have their app displayed and connect with other coders across the United States. Ms. Tamidela will also be invited to the celebrate with the Congressman\u2019s office in the district to recognize her achievement.\n\n\u201cThank you to all of the wonderful applicants and coders who entered my office\u2019s 2022 Congressional App Challenge,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cA special congratulations to first-place winner Srija Tamidela, whose app uplifts our rich, local culture by teaching users about different art styles and introducing them to New Orleans artists and culture bearers. I am so impressed by the creativity and innovation displayed by all of our app creators, and I cannot wait to see what they achieve next.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-brings-home-big-wins-louisiana-defense-bill", "Congressman Troy Carter Brings Home Big Wins for Louisiana in Defense Bill", "2022-12-08", "2022", "2022-12", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the bipartisan defense funding measure that will strengthen our national security, invest in our service members, and bring home tangible wins for the people and enlisted Louisianians.\n\n\u201cThe security of our nation is not only measured in our military might \u2013 but also in the well-being of our service members, the superiority of our technology and the strength of our alliances,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cAs our nation confronts accelerating threats to democracy \u2013 here at home and around the world \u2013 this legislation is a strong step forward to ensure that Americans remain safe and America remains secure. I am also proud to have fought for the inclusion of so many projects within this package that will benefit Louisianians, including my amendment to improve safety along the Mississippi River in Louisiana and to kickstart billions of dollars in critical ecosystem restoration in the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet.\u201d\n\nCongressman Carter continued, \u201cI am grateful that my amendment, the Recreation Hazards of the Banks of the Mississippi River Study, was included in the 2022 NDAA bill. My constituents deserve to enjoy the majesty of our Mississippi River without fearing for their safety. I offered this amendment in memory of the children who tragically lost their lives, and I believe we need to improve the insufficient measures needed to alert the public of the hazards along the riverbank and dangerous river conditions. I hope this amendment will help ensure no other lives are lost and greatly minimize threats to all who enjoy the banks of the Mississippi River.\u201d\n\nThe National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is the foundation of American national security policy and has passed Congress for 62 consecutive years, doing so on a strongly bipartisan, bicameral basis. Along with pay raises for our servicemembers, financial investments in Ukraine and our allies, and strengthening protections for people for who have experienced sexual assault in the military, this year\u2019s NDAA also includes the entire Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), the major funding measure for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers work for flood control, water navigation, and ecosystem restoration.\n\nBoth these bills are critically important to our nation and to Louisiana, and that\u2019s why Congressman Carter fought to include specific funding and support for priorities and projects within this entire package that will help improve daily life for his constituents and the people of Louisiana. These include:\n\nFunding for Louisiana National Guard Needs:\n\nAbbeville Readiness Center - $1.65 million\n\nThe Abbeville Readiness Center is severely outdated and degraded, which impacts the readiness of the state during All-Hazard events and federal mission preparation. The readiness center will serve as central hub for local units located in the vicinity of Abbeville, LA and will increase efficiency, response efforts, and mitigate unsafe conditions, which currently exist for the service members who operate out of the facility.\n\nCamp Beauregard Energy Resilience Conservation Investment Project \u2013 $765,000\n\nThe Camp Beauregard Energy Resilience Conservation Investment Program Project (ERCIP) will provide a base-wide 2MW natural gas generator back-up. This project will also include a main backbone (Grid), water and energy resiliency measures, and switchgears to improve isolation capabilities. This project will improve emergency operations by allowing for a consistent energy solution for Camp Beauregard, which is home to Louisiana\u2019s Joint Operations Center.\n\nMunitions Administrative Facility in Belle Chase: $1.65 million\n\nThe current Munitions Administrative Facility houses both Air National Guard and active-duty Navy personnel. Munitions build up occurs in the same complex that administrative personnel are housed, which is a violation of munitions safety protocols, and requires all personnel to evacuate the facility while build up is being conducted. This process is not only unsafe, but severely inefficient.\n\nThe current Munitions Administrative Facility is located in a joint use building plagued with deteriorating infrastructure that drains resources to keep it viable. As a joint use facility the ANG is reliant on Navy to conduct repairs. This proposal would allow for a separate facility to ensure our service members are performing their duties in safe conditions, and without the need to stop performing their duty while munitions are being handled.\n\nWRDA Bills:\n\nCongressman Carter\u2019s Mississippi River Safety Review of Recreational Hazards\n\nThe final bill included Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr.\u2019s amendment to improve safety along the banks of the Mississippi River, especially after the tragic drowning of three children who resided in his home community of Algiers, New Orleans.\n\nU.S. Army Corps Water Management Projects\n\nAn amendment stating that the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) will be funded at a 100% federal cost share and that the U.S. Army Corps should continue paused ecosystem restoration and construction work to protect coastal habitat and communities on the MRGO. Without this amendment, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had determined that the State of Louisiana would be required to cover 10% of the project\u2019s cost.\n\nThe Lower Mississippi River Comprehensive Management Study was authorized within the bounds of the Mississippi River & Tributaries project with a 100% federal cost share.\n\nAuthorized a project for hurricane and storm damage risk reduction for the Upper Barataria Basin and for South Central Coastal Louisiana with a federal contribution of: $1.18 billion toward the $1.82 billion project.\n\nOn Louisiana\u2019s South Central Coast, funded a project for hurricane and storm damage risk reduction with a $809.3 million contribution toward the $1.24 million cost.\n\nU.S. Army Corps water management and flood control in the Lake Pontchartrain vicinity, which gives $950.3 million in federal funding out of the $1.46 billion cost as well as in the West Bank vicinity, with a 508.33 million contribution out of the full $783.05 million price tag.\n\nIncreased the cost cap for the Baton Rouge Environmental Assistance project to $90 million.\n\nAuthorized $36 million for St John, St Charles, and St James Parishes to plan, design, and construct comprehensive water and wastewater treatment facilities.\n\nAuthorized $70 million for St. Charles, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines Parishes for water related infrastructure.\n\nAssigning the U.S. Army Corps Secretary the operation, maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, and replacement of the Algiers Canal Levees at full federal expense.\n\nSupport for studies and projects to reduce flood and hurricane and storm damage hazards or to restore the natural functions and values of rivers and shorelines including in the Louisiana Coastal Area.\n\nFunding for U.S. Army Corps programs to address the harmful algal blooms in the coastal and tidal waters of Louisiana.\n\nOrleans Parish $100,000,000 authorized for water and wastewater infrastructure needs in the parish.\n\nFormally designates The Gulf of Mexico Alliance, comprised of the States of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, as Regional Ocean Partnerships.\n\nOther key Democratic wins in this year\u2019s NDAA include:\n\n4.6% pay raise for service members to help ease the sting of inflation. The bill also empowers the Pentagon to raise the basic housing allowance, bringing down food prices by directing more funding to commissaries, and expanding support for child care.\n\nRejecting House Republicans\u2019 top extreme MAGA anti-choice demands: protecting President Biden\u2019s DoD program that ensures service members are able to travel to access legal abortion if they are stationed in a state that criminalizes reproductive care.\n\nStrengthening fight against sexual harassment in the military by requiring independently trained investigators outside the immediate chain of command to investigate sexual harassment, and placing it under the jurisdiction of the Special Trial counsel.\n\nIncluding a version of the Federal Firefighters Fairness Act \u2013 a long-sought Democratic priority to make it easier for federally employed firefighters who contract certain diseases to qualify for federal workers\u2019 compensation.\n\nMaking major investments in diversity and inclusion, including a record amount of funding for defense research at HBCUs and MSIs. It also creates a new fellowship program to provide additional opportunities for those from underrepresented communities to serve within DoD.\n\nSupporting our growing domestic semiconductor industry: requiring government contractors to use exclusive semiconductor chips that were Made in America. This will help create good-paying American jobs, secure our supply chains and bolster our economic competitiveness on the world stage.\n\nSecuring significant investments in clean energy and energy efficiency at DoD, harnessing solar and electric technologies to ensure that our defense facilities and vehicle fleets are resilient to climate disaster and energy disruptions.\n\nThe most consequential Oceans package in generations, focusing on conserving oceans, coasts and Great Lakes in order to protect jobs and businesses, ensure resilient access to clean water and preserve invaluable aquatic life and their natural habitat. At the same time, this package modernizes the NOAA Corps and secures more hurricane hunter aircrafts, to help protect communities from extreme weather and climate disaster.\n\nPromoting American leadership in the global arena by investing in our alliances and partnerships. The NDAA ensures that America and our allies maintain a military edge: delivering more than $11 billion in funding for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, more than $6 billion for the European Deterrence Initiative, and an additional $800 million in funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-votes-enshrine-marriage-equality-under-federal-law", "Congressman Troy Carter Votes to Enshrine Marriage Equality Under Federal Law", "2022-12-08", "2022", "2022-12", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, amid extreme MAGA Republicans\u2019 continued threats to American\u2019s personal freedoms, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. voted to send the Respect for Marriage Act to President Biden\u2019s desk. This landmark legislation takes several key steps to defend marriage equality: officially repealing the bigoted and unconstitutional \u201cDefense of Marriage Act\u201d (DOMA), upholding couples\u2019 right to equal protection under federal law and requiring states to recognize valid out-of-state marriages.\n\n\u201cToday, I proudly voted to ensure the federal government never stands in the way of marrying the person you love,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cAs extreme MAGA Republicans threaten more of Louisianian and American personal liberties, the Democratic Congress is fighting to honor the dignity and equality of every American. The Respect for Marriage Act is a historic step forward in that fight \u2013 sending a clear signal that hate and bigotry have no place in America. This landmark legislation will uphold marriage equality under federal law: tearing DOMA off the books for good, enshrining married couples\u2019 right to equal protection and barring discriminatory officials from invalidating out-of-state marriages.\u201d\n\nThe only member of the Louisiana Congressional Delegation to vote in support of the Respect for Marriage Act,\n\nCongressman Carter has been a lifelong advocate for the rights and issues of the LGBTQ+ community. In 1993 as a Louisiana State Senator, he filed the first ever state bill to prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. He continued advocating in a Republican-run State Capitol to pass that bill throughout his tenure as a state legislator.\n\nSarahJane Guidry, Executive Director for the Forum for Equality, Louisiana\u2019s leading lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender human rights organization, shared the following statement: \"Today's victory is a shining example of how far we\u2019ve come towards fully accepting and celebrating love, family, and the freedom to be our authentic selves. The Respect for Marriage Act will provide clarity and stability for hundreds of thousands of same-sex and interracial couples who are connected through the commitment of marriage. The momentum for the Respect for Marriage Act mirrors the overwhelming support for equal treatment for LGBTQ people among a supermajority of Americans, and here at home. It is a clear indication that the State of Louisiana needs to follow the example of Rep. Troy Carter, and work together to pass fundamental, basic rights for the LGBTQ community through bipartisan leadership.\"\n\nSince the Republican-appointed Supreme Court\u2019s outrageous Dobbs decision, extreme MAGA Republicans have set their sights on other basic personal freedoms. In his concurring opinion, Clarence Thomas explicitly called for the Court to reconsider its Obergefell decision upholding marriage equality.\n\nThe Respect for Marriage Act will take several steps to protect the inviolability of same-sex and interracial marriages:\n\n\u00b7 Repealing the \u201cDefense of Marriage Act\u201d: While the Supreme Court has effectively voided DOMA, this unconstitutional and discriminatory federal law still remains on the books. The Respect for Marriage Act will repeal this statute once and for all.\n\n\u00b7 Enshrining Marriage Equality Into Federal Law: This legislation will uphold married couples\u2019 right to equal protection in all areas covered under federal law, such as Social Security, tax filings and veterans\u2019 benefits.\n\n\u00b7 Barring Discrimination By State Officials: This legislation prohibits state officials from denying recognition of an out-of-state marriage on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity or national origin.\n\nPreviously passed by the House earlier this year, the Respect for Marriage Act was amended and advanced by the Senate last week. With today\u2019s House vote, the final bill now goes to the President\u2019s desk for his signature.\n\nThe Respect for Marriage Act is strongly supported by leading advocacy organizations, including the ACLU, Center for American Progress, Equality Federation, Family Equality, Forum for Equality (Louisiana), Freedom for All Americans, GLAD, Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal, National Black Justice Coalition, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Women\u2019s Law Center and PFLAG.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-elected-regional-whip-colleagues", "Congressman Troy Carter Elected Regional Whip by Colleagues", "2022-12-07", "2022", "2022-12", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Last night, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. was unanimously elected to the leadership position of Regional Whip in a vote conducted by members of the Democratic Caucus. Louisiana is a part of Region 7, which includes the states of Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina and the territory of the Virgin Islands.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m honored to take on this role and add our voice, Louisiana\u2019s voice, to the Democratic leadership team,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cThe states and territory of Region 7 have many unique issues facing our constituents, including natural disaster response and recovery. I am eager to work with our new Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, and Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar to uplift the voices of consituents and members of Region 7.\u201d\n\nCarter will formally assume the position when the 118th Congress is sworn on January 3rd, 2023 when the 118th Congress convenes.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-elected-congressional-black-caucus-second-vice-chair", "Congressman Carter Elected Congressional Black Caucus Second Vice-Chair", "2022-11-30", "2022", "2022-11", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) was elected to serve as the Congressional Black Caucus\u2019 (CBC) Second Vice-Chair in the 118th Congress. This is the third-most senior position in caucus leadership and is a member of the Executive Committee. This role was previously filled by Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence of Michigan, who is finishing her fourth term in Congress. Congressman Carter will take on this role during his sophomore congressional term.\n\n\u201cI am humbled and grateful to for the opportunity to serve as Second Vice-Chair in the powerhouse institution that is the Congressional Black Caucus, and I thank my colleagues for entrusting me with this leadership position\u201d said Congressman Troy Carter. \u201cI came to Congress to be the voice of my constituents, and it is a job that I take very seriously. I also serve on Capitol Hill as the only Black congressmember in a delegation representing a state that is one-third African American. This is an enormous responsibility, and I know that the greater Black community in my state depends on me to advocate for our shared community within systems that too-often are designed to silence our voices. I will not be silent. In this leadership role in the Congressional Black Caucus, and everyday as a Congressman, I will continue fighting for the issues that make a difference to all Louisianans and Americans.\u201d\n\nSince its establishment in 1971, the Congressional Black Caucus has been committed to using the full Constitutional power, statutory authority, and financial resources of the federal government to ensure that African Americans and other marginalized communities have a shot at the American Dream. The CBC is often referred to as the \u201cConscience of the Congress.\u201d\n\nWhile the CBC has predominately been made up of members of the Democratic Party, the founding members of the caucus envisioned a non-partisan organization. Consequently, the CBC has a long history of bipartisan collaboration and members who are both Democrat and Republican.\n\nThe full results of the 118th Congressional Black Caucus leadership election will be shared by the Congressional Black Caucus here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-issues-statement-celebrating-thanking-speaker-nancy", "Congressman Troy Carter Issues Statement Celebrating & Thanking Speaker Nancy Pelosi", "2022-11-17", "2022", "2022-11", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. released the following statement following Speaker Nancy Pelosi\u2019s announcement that she will not seek a leadership post in the Democratic party in the upcoming Congress.\n\n\u201cLast week the American people used their voices to vote at the ballot boxes. While the final tally did not ultimately result in a continuing Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, it did show that the institution of democracy is strong, a robust rejection of political conspiracy and violence, and that the people\u2019s voice will prevail.\n\n\u201cSpeaker Nancy Pelosi\u2019s historic, dedicated, and accomplished leadership as Speaker of the House of Representatives will go down in history as an era of progress, service, and success for the American people. She is woman of faith, a true public servant and patriot, and her style of leadership inspires hope, loyalty, and hard work.\n\n\u201cAn entire generation of Americans has been inspired by her shining example of leadership, grace, and moral fortitude, even through dark times and dangerous days. My prayers are with her and her family as her husband, Paul Pelosi, continues to recover from the terrible attack he faced last month.\n\n\u201cOur nation is undoubtedly better for her 35 years of service in the House of Representatives, and I am so grateful that her expertise, knowledge, and immense strategic ability will remain in the chamber as she continues to serve the people of San Francisco.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/celebrate-veterans-day-congressman-troy-carter-introduces-bipartisan-workforce", "To Celebrate Veteran\u2019s Day, Congressman Troy Carter Introduces Bipartisan Workforce Reentry and Training Program for Veterans", "2022-11-11", "2022", "2022-11", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 On Veteran\u2019s Day 2022, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) and Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R, S.C.) introduced important legislation to support veterans and V.A. systems in their districts and across the country. The bipartisan WARTAC Improvement Bill would help raise awareness about and bring improvements to the Warrior Training Advancement Course of the Veterans Benefit Administration, or WARTAC. This is a program within the Department of Veteran\u2019s Affairs that helps veterans re-enter the civilian workforce into meaningful roles that also support their fellow veterans. However, just 373 veterans were enrolled in WARTAC last year, leaving a lot of opportunity to grow programmatic participation.\n\nEvery year, over 200,000 brave service members transition out of the Armed Forces and back into civilian life. Due to the unique nature of life in the military, this transition can be daunting and difficult for many. These hardships were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, during which veteran unemployment shot up to 6.5% in 2020, with service members of color and women veterans disproportionately impacted.\n\n\u201cOur veterans give so much to us, we owe it to them to make sure we do all we can to help them live healthy, productive, and meaningful lives after their service,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cThis Veteran\u2019s Day, I\u2019m proud to introduce legislation to improve job opportunities and services for our veterans as they re-enter civilian life. We know that many veterans struggle with mental health, housing, and employment after their military service. By connecting returning service members with critical jobs in the V.A., the WARTAC Improvement Bill can be a win-win for veterans and our wider communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe transition back into civilian life can be a challenge for many of our brave service members,\u201d said Congresswoman Mace. \u201cThe Warrior Training Advancement Course is an important workforce training program that not only prepares transitioning service members for a career at the VA but gives the VA more qualified employees to process veterans\u2019 benefits claims. This bipartisan legislation helps us learn more about and improve the Warrior Training Advancement Course and is an important step forward in not only improving this crucial transition but allowing more veterans to receive their disability benefits faster.\u201d\n\nWhile the V.A. and partners have worked hard to bring the veteran unemployment rate back down, there are still over 220,000 unemployed veterans nationwide. With the Veteran\u2019s Benefit Administration (VBA) already dealing with a severe backlog in cases, and with many more coming due to passage of the PACT Act, the VBA is in dire need of qualified Veteran Service Representatives and Rating Veteran Service Representatives to process these claims.\n\nThis bipartisan legislation will direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to report to the bicameral Committees on Veterans Affairs annually on the Warrior Training Advancement Course of the Veterans Benefit Administration, create a structural opportunity to process feedback, and analyze the program for effectiveness and opportunities to grow and improve.\n\nSeveral groups including Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and The American Legion also support the legislation.\n\nDAV National Commander Joe Parsetich said, \u201cAs an organization of veterans serving veterans for over 100 years, DAV understands that a service member\u2019s successful transition to civilian life is not complete until they secure meaningful employment, which is why VBA\u2019s WARTAC program is so invaluable. It\u2019s imperative, though, that the VA analyzes and reports the efficacy of WARTAC to Congress to ensure the department receives the proper resources to serve our nation\u2019s veterans through such programs. We thank Rep. Carter for introducing this legislation and his leadership on this issue.\u201d\n\nMore specifically, The WARTAC Improvement Bill would:\n\nInclude recommendations for best practices and will also include data sets on the number of eligible participants, enrolled participants, participants who successfully complete the program, information on how the Secretary provides the training, and other information deemed relevant.\n\nRequire that the Secretary will report on hiring information and the cost savings of the program including the determination of the Secretary whether other federal agencies may also save money by establishing a program like WARTAC.\n\nHelp veterans receive their benefits more efficiently by increasing the VBA\u2019s hiring capacity\n\nThe bill text as introduced is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-statement-his-re-election", "Congressman Carter Statement on His Re-Election", "2022-11-09", "2022", "2022-11", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. -- Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. released the following statement after winning his race to be re-elected as Congressman for Louisiana's Second District.\n\n\"I am humbled and grateful that the people of Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District have re-elected me to serve another term in Congress.\n\n\"It is an honor to represent southeast Louisiana in the House of Representatives and I want to thank you for placing your trust in me. As I continue to fight for a better tomorrow, I will always be guided by the opinions, perspectives, and stories of my constituents.\n\n\"I promise that every day that I\u2019m blessed to serve you, I will be the voice of the people.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-celebrates-834-million-disaster-relief-louisianas", "Congressman Troy Carter Celebrates $834 Million in Disaster Relief for Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District", "2022-11-03", "2022", "2022-11", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 Today , Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) was pleased to announce Housing and Urban Development\u2019s (HUD) latest allocation of disaster relief funding for Louisiana of Community Development Block Grant \u2013 Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds. This comes as a part of the $1.447 billion in CDBG-DR that HUD allocated nationally to help communities recovering from these disasters and to build inclusive resilience to climate change.\n\nThese funds will be allocated to state and local governments that previously received only partial CDBG-DR allocations for 2021 and 2022 disasters, including Hurricane Ida. Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District \u2013 which Congressman Troy Carter proudly represents \u2013 will receive around $834.5 million in CDBG-DR funding.\n\n\u201cThe road to recovery after a natural disaster can be long and winding for impacted communities struggling to rebuild their lives,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cThe federal government should never make a tough situation worse. We must always step up to effectively and efficiently meet the needs of these disaster survivors, not only building back what was lost, but thoughtfully strengthening communities to weather future storms. I have been a vocal advocate for additional disaster aid after last year\u2019s terrible storm, and I\u2019m proud to have helped bring these funds home. The allocation of these millions of dollars in disaster relief grants will help power Louisiana, and its people, toward full recovery from Hurricane Ida.\u201d\n\nHUD is allocating the $1.447 billion to 10 local governments and 13 state governments that previously received partial CDBG-DR allocations for 2021 disasters.\n\nThe allocations in Louisiana are as follows:\n\nThe State of Louisiana is receiving: $831,502,000\n\nLake Charles is receiving: $7,042,000\n\nBaton Rouge is receiving: $3,038,000\n\nWith the additional funds allocated today, HUD has now allocated a total of $3.66 billion to these 23 communities to recover from 2021 disasters, prepare for future disasters, and build resilience to the impacts of climate change.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-statement-wind-energy-zone-designation-gulf-waters", "Congressman Troy Carter Statement on Wind Energy Zone Designation in Gulf Waters off Louisiana", "2022-10-31", "2022", "2022-10", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA-02) celebrated the designation of a zone for offshore wind production in the Gulf of Mexico offshore from Louisiana. As part of the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) today announced it has finalized two Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) in the Gulf of Mexico, with the potential to produce enough clean wind energy to power nearly 3 million homes. One of the WEAs is located approximately 56 nm off the coast of Lake Charles, LA. The area totals 174,275 acres and has the potential to power over 740,000 homes.\n\nIn response to this news, Congressman Troy Carter released the following statement:\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s announcement represents an important step forward for our country\u2019s efforts to transition to clean, reliable energy. Offshore wind is a key component to achieving our nation\u2019s clean energy goals to lower costs and cut pollution, while creating good jobs for Americans.\n\n\u201cAs we launch major offshore wind projects to power millions of American homes and businesses, we should institute appropriate financial systems to keep investment in local communities providing the infrastructure for the energy production.\n\n\u201cI introduced the bipartisan BREEZE Act with Congressman Steve Scalise to ensure that revenue from offshore wind projects will come back to states and important projects like coastal restoration that are currently paid for by offshore oil and gas drilling.\u201d\n\nThe next steps in BOEM\u2019s renewable energy competitive leasing process include issuing a Proposed Sale Notice with a 60-day public comment period later this year or early next year.\n\nUnder President Biden\u2019s leadership and during Congressman Carter\u2019s time in Congress, the federal government has approved the nation\u2019s first large-scale offshore wind projects, held record-breaking lease sales, and ushered in billions of dollars in private investment. This growing industry will provide Americans with cleaner and cheaper energy, create thousands of good-paying jobs, and invest billions in new American energy supply chains, manufacturing, shipbuilding and servicing.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:20:33Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-responds-epas-recommended-closure-reserve-elementary", "Congressman\u00a0Troy\u00a0Carter Responds to EPA\u2019s Recommended\u00a0Closure of Reserve Elementary School Due to Toxic Exposure", "2022-10-25", "2022", "2022-10", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "RESERVE, L.A. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. released a statement responding to the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s (EPA) recommendation to close Fifth Ward Elementary School due to toxic exposure. The findings follow a 56-page letter outlining environmental injustice against Black community members in Louisiana\u2019s Industrial Corridor.\n\n\u201cA society can be judged on how it treats its children and the most vulnerable members of its community.\n\n\u201cThe high level of toxic exposure from the nearby Denka Plant on a primarily African AmericanElementary School is a classic case of environmental injustice.\n\n\u201cWe cannot accept the reality that people in our community \u2013 especially our beloved children \u2013 are being exposed to dangerous toxins.\n\n\u201cYour zip code should never define your destiny, and certainly not your health.\n\n\u201cWhile our state\u2019s Industrial Corridor\u2019s economy largely centers around petrochemical plants, we cannot put industry above the health of the people.\n\n\u201cI came to Congress with a promise that I would engage, listen to, and fight for the people of the River Parishes. I intend to keep that promise.\n\n\u201cI will be following up and working closely with the EPA, Louisiana DEQ, and local leaders, activists, and residents on this issue. The safety and well-being of our community and our community\u2019s children must be a top priority.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-calls-equity-lunch-counter-pushes-usda-provide-soy", "Congressman Troy Carter Calls for Equity at the Lunch Counter, Pushes USDA to Provide Soy Milk in Schools", "2022-10-19", "2022", "2022-10", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 Last week, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. led thirty other members of Congress on a letter to Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack calling for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make soy milk available in schools. It also requests that the Equity Commission at USDA\u2019s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) reassess the milk program and provide a new Civil Rights Impact Analysis (CRIA).\n\nIn 2020, USDA\u2019s Dietary Guidelines for Americans annual report recognized soy milk as being nutritionally equivalent to dairy milk, opening the door to expand access to cow\u2019s milk alternatives in schools. This is especially important because high rates of minority children, particularly Black, Latino, Native American, and Asian-American, are lactose intolerant. It is estimated that 65 percent of Latino students, 75 percent of Black students, and 90 percent of Asian students unable to digest dairy milk without detrimental effect.\n\n\u201cAmerica needs to embrace its diversity at the school lunch counter,\u201d writes Congressman Carter and his fellow signatories. \u201cThis is especially important because large numbers of minority children are lactose intolerant and experience adverse health effects simply because, in practice, dairy is the only type of milk offered in schools. We\u2019d like to work together to ensure the health and nutritional needs of all our nation\u2019s school children. We also believe an awareness campaign about lactose intolerance and maldigesting is essential, so that kids can more readily make food choices that will improve their health, wellness, and school performance.\u201d\n\nCurrent law states schools can only be reimbursed for school lunches by the milk rate \u2013 requiring that a carton of milk is included on each lunch tray. Because of this, there is a \u201cmilk note\u201d requirement that students must produce a doctor\u2019s note if they choose not to accept traditional milk with their lunch. Since the rates of lactose intolerance in BIPOC communities are startlingly high, the letter raises the issue that this requirement causes equity concerns, as it places an unfair burden onto minority children and their families.\n\nThe letter continues to highlight that the \u201cmilk note\u201d approach not only doesn\u2019t benefit the students, but it also fills lunchroom garbage bins with unopened containers of milk. A USDA report in 2019 calculated the value of unopened, discarded milk at $300 million annually \u2013 this is money that would be better spent providing nutritious sustenance to our kids.\n\n\u201cThe reality is, millions of kids across America\u2019s schools are given milk on their lunch trays that will make them feel sick, or that will immediately be discarded\u201d said Congressman Troy Carter. \u201cIt\u2019s time that our school lunches reflect the reality that many of our children, including the majority of Black, Asian, and Hispanic kids, are lactose intolerant. By providing a nutritionally-equivalent substitute such as soy milk, we can help keep our kids healthier, full, and decrease food waste. I look forward to working with Secretary Vilsack and the USDA to help bring equity to our nation\u2019s lunch counters.\u201d\n\nAlong with Congressman Troy Carter (La.), the letter was also signed by: Ted W. Lieu (Calif.), Nanette Diaz Barrag\u00e1n (Calif.), Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.), Bennie G. Thompson (Miss.), Peter A. DeFazio (Ore.). Ro Khanna (Calif.), Andr\u00e9 Carson (Ind.), Veronica Escobar (Texas), Nikema Williams (Ga.), Marc A. Veasey (Texas), J. Luis Correa (Calif.), Seth Moulton (Mass.), Katie Porter (Calif.), James P. McGovern (Mass.), Debbie Dingell (Mich.), Mark DeSaulnier (Calif.), Mike Quigley (Ill.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.), Jamaal Bowman (N.Y.), Tony C\u00e1rdenas (Calif.), Judy Chu (Calif.), Mondaire Jones (Ny.), Susan Wild (Pa.), Andy Levin (Mich.), Ed Case (Hawaii), Michael F. Q. San Nicolas (Guam), Donald M. Payne, Jr. (N.J.), Marie Newman (Ill.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (Texas), and Bobby L. Rush (Ill.).\n\nSeveral advocacy organizations have also endorsed the effort to offer soy milk alternatives in school lunches or have written to the USDA Racial Equity Commission, including The Center for a Humane Economy, Animal Wellness Action, Switch4Good, National Urban League, and the National Action Network.\n\n\u201cThe stated purpose of the National School Lunch Program is to serve kids with foods to promote health and aid learning,\u201d said Wayne Pacelle, President of The Center for a Humane Economy and Animal Wellness Action. \u201cBut the USDA has been using the program as a marketing and profit-making opportunity for the dairy industry and denying choice to kids to consume nutritious beverages that don\u2019t make them sick. Rep. Carter deserves plaudits for initiating a campaign see food-assistance programs help kids, not hurt them.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/powering-our-future-congressman-troy-carter-celebrates-319-million", "Powering Our Future: Congressman Troy Carter Celebrates $319 Million Infrastructure Law Investment to Supercharge Louisiana\u2019s Battery Supply Chain", "2022-10-19", "2022", "2022-10", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. is celebrating today\u2019s announcement from the United States Department of Energy that the recently-passed Infrastructure Law is allocating $2.8 billion to 20 manufacturing and processing companies projects across 12 states to bolster America\u2019s battery supply chain. $319.8 million will be heading to two projects in Louisiana, including $100 million to the St. Gabriel LiPF6 Manufacturing Plant located in Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District. A fact sheet on the funding for the St. Gabriel plant, which will be the first U.S. manufacturing plant for lithium hexaflurophosphate (LiPF6) in the nation, is here. Electrolytes allow lithium ions to flow through a lithium-ion battery used in electric vehicles (EVs), and LiPF6 is the primary salt used in the electrolytes. The second grant in Louisiana is for a $219,820,610 investment in the expansion of Syrah\u2019s Commercial-Scale Natural Graphite Active Anode Material Facility in Vidalia (page 21).\n\nCongressman Carter and the Biden-Harris Administration are focused on tackling climate change and have launched an ambitious goal to help cut carbon emissions by making half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 electric. These goals are launching historic investments in electric vehicle and battery manufacturing, which is expected to increase demand for the materials and minerals using in the battery supply chain. Today\u2019s announcements demonstrate how the United States is poised to meet this challenge while growing our economy and creating high-quality union jobs in the battery supply chain.\n\n\u201cWe know there is a path to a cleaner, greener, safer future for our nation, we just have to be bold enough and strategic enough to bring it into reality,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cElectric vehicles and the advanced batteries that power them are vital to the clean energy economy, and the investments announced today will help power our domestic manufacturing and battery supply chain into the future. As we expand these manufacturing initiatives we must simultaneously protect the health and well-being of the people who live in close proximity to these plants. Environmental justice cannot be put on the backburner.\u201d\n\nThe first set of projects funded by the President\u2019s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to expand domestic manufacturing of batteries for EVs and the electrical grid including $2.8 billion for 20 manufacturing and processing companies in 12 states, including Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee, and Washington.\n\nWhen matched by recipients, the funding leverages a total of more than $9 billion to boost American production of EV batteries. The projects will have positive impact on their own and will catalyze a whole U.S. industry in the critical phases of the battery supply chain.\n\nThe funding for the selected projects will support:\n\nDeveloping enough battery-grade lithium to supply approximately 2 million EVs annually.\n\nDeveloping enough battery-grade graphite to supply approximately 1.2 million EVs annually.\n\nProducing enough battery-grade nickel to supply approximately 400,000 EVs annually.\n\nInstalling the nation\u2019s first large-scale, commercial lithium electrolyte salt (LiPF6) production facility.\n\nDeveloping an electrode binder facility capable of supplying 45% of the anticipated domestic demand for binders for EV batteries in 2030.\n\nCreating the first commercial scale domestic silicon oxide production facilities to supply anode materials for an estimated 600,000 EV batteries annually.\n\nInstalling the first lithium iron phosphate cathode facility in the United States.\n\nAll projects will develop enough lithium to supply over 2 million EVs annually and establish significant domestic production of graphite and nickel.\n\nPresident Biden is also announcing the American Battery Materials Initiative, a new effort to mobilize the entire government in securing a reliable and sustainable supply of critical minerals used for power, electricity, and EVs. Together, these actions will improve America\u2019s energy independence, strengthen national security, support good-paying jobs across battery supply chains, and lower costs for working families.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-lowers-health-care-costs-louisiana", "Congressman Troy Carter Lowers Health Care Costs for Louisiana", "2022-10-12", "2022", "2022-10", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. shared new data on the impact of the historic Inflation Reduction Act, which he passed with his Democratic colleagues to lower health care costs.\n\nIn August, the Inflation Reduction Act passed with Congressman Carter\u2019s support. It slashes kitchen table costs for working families in Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District. The historic legislation forces pharmaceutical companies to negotiate lower prescription drug prices, caps insulin at $35 per month for Medicare patients, and cuts health insurance premiums for millions of Americans.\n\n\u201cI know that life-saving prescription drugs and health care costs are just too high, which is why I voted with my fellow Democratic colleagues to pass this transformational legislation,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cWith the Inflation Reduction Act, we are continuing to put People Over Politics by lowering drug costs and expanding access to affordable health care coverage for all Louisianians. While extreme MAGA Republicans put their own political agenda over the working-class Americans, I\u2019ll continue fighting for these critical cost reductions that benefit the majority.\u201d\n\nAccording to Congress\u2019 Joint Economic Committee, because of Congressman Carter\u2019s support of the Inflation Reduction Act:\n\n14,000 people in Congressman Carter\u2019s Congressional district are accessing more affordable health care coverage, and the legislation brought down annual ACA premiums in Louisiana by an average of $1,020.\n\n118,000 seniors in Congressman Carter\u2019s Congressional district will soon pay less for their medications, including having out-of-pocket costs capped at $2,000 a year and paying no more than $35 per month for insulin.\n\nExtreme MAGA Republicans opposed this critical, cost-saving legislation, which received no Republican votes in either the House or the Senate.\n\nHouse Republicans have also threatened that they would repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, threatening health care for millions of Americans and raising seniors\u2019 drug prices while handling a multi-billion giveaway to Big Pharma. Meanwhile, Democrats are laser-focused on fighting inflation and lowering costs for America\u2019s working families.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:20:33Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-celebrates-new-partnership-between-lcmc-health-tulane", "Congressman Troy Carter Celebrates New Partnership Between LCMC Health & Tulane University to Expand Healthcare Services in Southeast Louisiana", "2022-10-11", "2022", "2022-10", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 Yesterday, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. celebrated LCMC Health and Tulane University\u2019s new formal collaboration to provide the best of community healthcare and academic medicine right here in Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District. Their partnership places three Tulane hospitals, including Tulane Medical Center (TMC), back into the hands of local nonprofits.\n\nUnder this new arrangement, TMC will be repurposed as the home base of a new nursing program, clinical trials, research space and more. The new partnership is expected to yield substantial additional job and economic opportunities for the community, and will enable the development of new academic, medical and research facilities. This move builds upon Tulane\u2019s already transformational investment in the downtown region of New Orleans.\n\n\u201cThis is a pivotal moment not just for Tulane University and LCMC Health, but also for the wider community\u2019s health and wellness,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cThis extraordinary partnership will allow these powerhouse institutions to combine their collective strengths to not only reach more patients, but also to enhance patient care to the highest level. The long-term potential of this partnership\u2019s impact on the clinical, economic, and educational innovation is enormous, and I am thrilled to celebrate this partnership that will help improve quality of life across the entire region.\u201d\n\nMore details on this new LCMC Health and Tulane University partnership are available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:20:33Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-celebrates-awarding-over-201-million-federal-grants", "Congressman Troy Carter Celebrates Awarding of Over $201 Million in Federal Grants to Louisiana\u2019s 2nd District in September", "2022-10-07", "2022", "2022-10", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. announced that during the month of September, Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District received over $201.347million in federal funding and grant awards. Awarded from many different agencies, these funds will help communities in southeast Louisiana recover from natural disasters, fight the scourge of domestic violence and crime, fund academic research projects, transition to clean energy, train public health workers, and much more.\n\n\u201cAs my constituents face rising costs, concerns about crime, and increased threats of natural disaster, I am proud to say that the federal government is showing up for the people of southeast Louisiana,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cJust in the month of September this year, my district was awarded over $201 million in federal grants to help improve daily life in our community. I am proud to have helped secure these funds for the people.\u201d\n\nThe grants awarded include:\n\n$50,000,000 to the Greater New Orleans Development Foundation\u2019 s H2TheFuture project to transition the regional hydrogen energy sector to green hydrogen. This was funded by the American Rescue Plan, was selected by the White House American Rescue Plan Regional Challenge and is administered by the U.S. Commerce Department\u2019s Economic Development Administration.\n\n$3,000,000 to Marillac Community Health Centers\u2019 Community Health Worker Training Program. This grant is funded by the Department of Health and Human Services.\n\n$900,000 for the New Orleans Jazz Museum to upgrade and remodel its facility. It is funded by the American Rescue Plan\u2019s \u201cTravel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation Program.\u201d It is administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration.\n\n$550,000 for the City of New Orleans to launch its \u201cConnect and Protect\u201d Law Enforcement Behavioral Health response Program.\u201d This is funded by the Department of Justice\u2019s Office of Justice Programs.\n\n$900,000 for Operation Restoration, a program between the Department of Public Safety and Corrections and Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women to improve vocational education programs available to incarcerated women while in custody and upon return to the community. This is funded by the Department of Justice\u2019s Office of Justice Programs.\n\n$1,298,310 for Jefferson Parish\u2019s sewer lift station damage restoration following Hurricane Ida. This is funded by FEMA under the Department of Homeland Security.\n\n$700,000 for the 19th Judicial District Court\u2019s which will establish a post-adjudication Veteran\u2019s Treatment Court in East Baton Rouge Parish. This is funded by the Department of Justice\u2019s Office of Justice Programs.\n\n$1,299,996 for the City of New Orleans\u2019 Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program to fight against opioid overdose. This is funded by the Department of Justice\u2019s Office of Justice Programs.\n\nThese are just a few of the more than 75 grants totalling over $201.3 million awarded to Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District in the month of September. The full list compiled by Congressman Troy Carter\u2019s office can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:20:33Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-statement-presidential-pardons-simple-marijuana-convictions", "Congressman Carter Statement on Presidential Pardons for Simple Marijuana Convictions", "2022-10-06", "2022", "2022-10", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. -- Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. released the following statement celebrating President Joe Biden's move to pardon those incarcerated for simple, federal marijuana convictions.\n\n\"On April 7, 2022 I met at the White House to discuss pardons and clemency for individuals incarcerated for marijuana possession. I\u2019m so grateful that President Biden has taken this step to return citizens to their lives.\n\nNow, we must pass my misdemeanor expungement legislation so that these returning citizens can fully move on with their lives.\"\n\nThe Congressman is the lead sponsor of the bipartisan Marijuana Misdemeanor and Expungement Act, which would clear the records of the people who have been pardoned by the President's actions.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:20:33Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-statement-passage-841m-ida-disaster-relief-government", "Congressman Troy Carter Statement on Passage of $841M in Ida Disaster Relief in Government Funding Bill", "2022-09-30", "2022", "2022-09", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. provided the following statement after he voted to support a Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the government until December 16th, 2022 and provide Louisiana with $841.5 million for Hurricane Ida relief. It has passed both chambers of Congress and now heads to the President for his signature.\n\n\u201cEven though it\u2019s been over a year since Hurricane Ida, there is still a long way to go,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cThe disaster recovery funding included in this government funding measure is a welcome source of relief for families and communities in southeast Louisiana who have been rebuilding for over a year.\u201d\n\nThe CR provides a total of $2 billion in disaster relief nationwide. Louisiana will receive $841.5 million of the $1.4 billion set aside for unmet needs for 2021 disasters with the ability to apply for a portion of the remaining $600 million for 2021 and 2022 disasters.\n\nAlong with the $1.272 billion Louisiana received in the Disaster Relief Supplemental passed last March, Louisiana has now received a total of $2.1 billion in Hurricane Ida recovery.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:08:33Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressmen-carter-evans-propose-expansion-supports-small-businesses-seeking", "Congressmen Carter, Evans Propose Expansion of Supports for Small Businesses Seeking to Participate in Federal Contracting", "2022-09-23", "2022", "2022-09", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) and Congressman Dwight Evans (D-Pa.) introduced the Small Business Set-Aside Extension Act of 2022. This legislation would extend the Small Business Administration\u2019s 8(a) Program, which provides business development support and assistance to eligible small, disadvantaged businesses (SDBs) seeking to participate in federal contracting. This bill would allow the minority, veteran and women-owned business owners that participate one more year to utilize the program.\n\nThe 8(a) Program is currently a nine-year program within the Small Business Administration that offers business development and assistance to eligible small, disadvantaged businesses seeking to participate in federal contracting. A major benefit of the program is that participants have access to training, technical assistance, and contracting opportunities in the form of set asides or sole-source opportunities.\n\n\u201cWe need to help level the playing field so that business owners of all backgrounds can benefit from federal contracting opportunities,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cThis one-year extension will help more, small, historically-disadvantaged business owners greater utilize the business development supports and resources that this program provides. It\u2019s a small but important step forward to uplift our SBE business community.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased to support this extension of the 8(a) program and the help that it provides to small businesses, which are a vital part of our neighborhoods in Philadelphia and across the country,\u201d said Congressman Evans.\n\nThe text of this legislation was previously passed out of the House of Representatives as an amendment by Congressman Troy Carter within the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). It is being reintroduced as a standalone bill while discussions on NDAA continue between differing versions in the House and Senate. The full text of the bill is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:08:33Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-celebrates-400000-federal-grant-promote-black-youth-mental", "Congressman Carter Celebrates $400,000 Federal Grant to Promote Black Youth Mental Health in Southeast Louisiana", "2022-09-21", "2022", "2022-09", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. announced that the U.S. The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health has awarded more than $3 million to eight organizations nationwide for a new initiative to demonstrate policy effectiveness to promote Black youth mental health. Southeast Louisiana will receive a total of $400,000 under one grant for the Institute of Woman and Ethnic Studies.\n\n\"Our system is failing to help our dear children stay healthy inside and out,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cIt truly is a crisis, and like most crises we face, the situation is exacerbated further for communities of color. We cannot accept this tragic reality, and I\u2019m grateful that HHS has granted the Institute of Women and Ethnic Studies of New Orleans $400,000 to fight for the lives and well-being of young Black people. This is a powerful step forward.\u201d\n\n\u201cOver the past decade, Black children under age 13 are twice as likely to die by suicide compared to their White peers,\u201d said RDML Felicia Collins, M.D., Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health. \u201cWith this new initiative, we intend to identify specific policies that exhibit a meaningful impact on mental health for Black youth and to spread the word about these effective policy efforts.\u201d\n\nIn October 2020, HHS released a report to Congress on African American Youth Suicide, which analyzed National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) data between 2014-2017. This data examined the risk and precipitating factors in non-Hispanic Black children and non-Hispanic White children aged 10 to 17, who died by suicide. The report examined youth suicide demographics, risk factors associated with higher rates of suicide among Black youth and evidence-based interventions towards prevention.\n\nGrant Awardees are expected to use a policy assessment framework to identify existing policies to promote mental health in Black youth and test the impact of policies in various settings, such as schools, faith based organizations, community centers, health centers, or other community agency settings.\n\nLater tonight, Congressman Carter plans to share remarks on the floor of the House of Representatives on the importance of improving mental health services for America\u2019s young people. The video will be posted on his congressional YouTube page. Tomorrow morning, Thursday September 22nd, Congressman Carter will participate in a press conference about the impact of the climate crisis and natural disasters on youth mental health. The event will be livestreamed on the Moms Clean Air Force Facebook and Twitter pages at 9:30am ET / 8:30am CT.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:08:33Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-celebrates-federal-grants-improve-access-good-jobs", "Congressman Troy Carter Celebrates Federal Grants to Improve Access\u00a0to Good Jobs, Training in Southeast Louisiana", "2022-09-20", "2022", "2022-09", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. announced that the U.S. Department of Labor \u2013 in partnership with the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Delta Regional Authority \u2013 has awarded over $34.3 million to support education, training and supportive services in regions that have suffered significant job losses in the energy extraction industry. Southeast Louisiana will receive a total of $2,427,213 under two grants for NextOp Inc. ($1,143,215) and New Orleans Career Center ($1,283,998).\n\n\u201cInvesting in workforce development is a key tool for economic growth in both our urban and rural communities,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cThese investments will allow southeast Louisiana to address local industry demands head-on by both developing a skilled workforce and establishing a vibrant talent pool that will attract new businesses to the region.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities Initiative provides grants to engage local communities and help build pathways for workers to good-paying jobs,\u201d explained Acting Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Brent Parton. \u201cThe awards we\u2019re announcing today reflect the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s commitment to ensure the benefits of its investments in climate, clean energy, training and workforce development reach and serve disadvantaged communities.\u201d\n\nThese investments will complement efforts funded by the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to create good-paying, effective jobs that help achieve our nation\u2019s goals of strengthening our nation\u2019s infrastructure and fighting the climate crisis.\n\nIn keeping with Executive Order 14008, signed by President Biden, the WORC Initiative aligns with the Justice40 initiative, a whole-of-government approach to deliver 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to communities historically marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution.\n\nThe WORC Initiative helps rural communities address historic inequities and to produce good, quality jobs for dislocated and other workers in rural communities in the Appalachian and Delta regions. The grants also help communities diversify their local economies by developing a skilled workforce and providing equitable access to underserved and underrepresented communities.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:08:33Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-hosts-high-school-congressional-essay-contest-winner", "Congressman Troy Carter Hosts High School Congressional Essay Contest Winner in Washington, D.C.", "2022-09-15", "2022", "2022-09", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 This week, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. hosted his High School Congressional Essay Contest winner and her mother in Washington, D.C. A junior at Arden Hill Academy in New Orleans, Sydnee Ragas\u2019 essay won first place in the Congressman\u2019s inaugural essay contest during Black History Month. In response to the essay\u2019s prompt about creating a new dream for the future, Ms. Ragas wrote about America\u2019s changing understanding of equality in America.\n\n\u201cI was so thrilled to have Sydnee Ragas, our 2022 Essay Contest winner, join me on Capitol Hill yesterday,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cA young, talented, and bright individual, she represents the spirit of Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District. Sydnee, we are so proud of you and look forward to all of your accomplishments!\u201d\n\nDuring her day at the Capitol, Congressman Carter presented her with a celebratory certificate, gave her a tour, and introduced her to members of the Congressional Black Caucus.\n\nSince winning the Congressman\u2019s essay contest, Ms. Ragas has also appeared on WBOK radio and submitted a letter to the editor to The Advocate on reproductive rights.\n\nPhotos and videos of the day are available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:08:33Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/video-congressman-troy-carter-advocates-level-playing-field-marijuana", "VIDEO: Congressman Troy Carter Advocates for Level Playing Field for Marijuana Businesses at National Cannabis Conference", "2022-09-14", "2022", "2022-09", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "CHICAGO, IL. \u2014 Yesterday, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. presented to the Benzinga National Conference on his legislation the Cannabis Lending and Investment in Marijuana Businesses Act \u2013 better known as the CLIMB Act.\n\nThe CLIMB Act would allow cannabis companies the ability to access critical lending and investment opportunities by offering protections to financial lenders and government agencies tasked with promoting economic growth. Congressman Carter introduced the bipartisan legislation with Representative Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.) in June this year.\n\nCarter outlined the proposed legislation, which goes beyond what the SAFE Banking Act can provide, Tuesday at Benzinga's Cannabis Capital Conference in Chicago.\n\n\u201cSAFE Banking is obviously a strong tool, and the CLIMB Act augments that critical proposal to create yet another opportunity to achieve safe harbor for business owners to access capital and thrive in the cannabis industry,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cBy clarifying what historically has been a little bit of a gray area, we can boost our economy and help not just license businesses, but allow them to access the capital they need to stand up businesses on their own two feet and allow them to thrive.\u201d\n\nAlong with providing access to capital, a critical barrier for business owners from historically marginalized communities, the CLIMB Act would also permit public agencies to provide financial support to the cannabis industry, such as the Small Business Administration (SBA). It would also provide access to the American public capital markets.\n\nVideo footage of the Congressman\u2019s presentation at the conference is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:08:33Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carters-3-million-federal-funds-make-dream-ninth-ward-public", "Congressman Carter\u2019s $3 Million in Federal Funds Make Dream of Ninth Ward Public Stadium Closer to Reality Than Ever Before", "2022-09-07", "2022", "2022-09", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. was joined by students, coaches, as well as city, state, and school officials at George Washington Carver High School as he presented a check for $3 million to the 9th Ward Stadium Project, a non-profit committed to bringing a publicly accessible athletic stadium into the heart of this community.\n\nThe 9th Ward of New Orleans has never had a public recreation stadium for its students, athletes, musicians, and residents to enjoy. Students from the Ninth Ward travel across the city to play sports or music on other people\u2019s fields, However, the community will soon have access to a high-quality, publicly accessible facility for the community to enjoy.\n\n\u201cI am proud to have secured $3 million in federal funds to help build a state-of-the art stadium to the 9th Ward,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cThis will be more than just a stadium for the community to share with the students and public of New Orleans. This is a chance to level the playing field for the 9th Ward, create opportunities for the neighborhood to recreate, build community pride, and ultimately to boost homeownership and energize the surrounding economy. This stadium will be a long-awaited win for this community, and I\u2019m grateful to have played a part in bringing it to fruition.\u201d\n\nPhotos of the event are available for download here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:08:33Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-vows-keep-working-prevent-gun-violence", "Congressman Troy Carter Vows to Keep Working to Prevent Gun Violence", "2022-09-07", "2022", "2022-09", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. reaffirmed their commitment to put People Over Politics and continue to work to end gun violence.\n\n\u201cGun violence is a tragedy that strikes every community and weighs on the heart every American. Whether it is in the streets, in our stores, or in our schools, we cannot stand by and watch more innocent Americans lose their lives,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cTragically, guns are the leading cause of death among children and teens in Louisiana, killing an average of 112 of our babies every year. I am proud to work for Safer Communities, putting People Over Politics with commonsense reforms to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.\u201d\n\nOn average, 1,036 Louisianiansdie from gun violence \u2013 the third-highest rate of gun deaths in the United States. Gun violence costs Louisiana $14.3 billion each year, of which $457.6 million is paid by taxpayers (Every Stat).\n\nCongressman Carter shared his support for commonsense gun violence prevention laws, including legislation to require background checks for all gun sales, close loopholes that let dangerous people get guns, and keep our children safe that hevoted to pass in Congress, including:\n\nThe Bipartisan Background Checks Act: Establishes new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties, closing loopholes that allow criminals and abusers buy weapons unchecked. Nearly every House Republican voted against this commonsense, bipartisan measure to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals.\n\nEnhanced Background Checks Act: Closes the Charleston loophole, which allows dealers to transfer a firearm to a buyer after 3 business days if the FBI background check has not been completed. Nearly every House Republican voted against closing a loophole that allows guns to get into the hands of people who are legally barred from owning guns.\n\nThe Protecting Our Kids Act: Raises the purchasing age for semi-automatic weapons from 18 to 21 years old, outlaws high-capacity magazines, requires the safe storage of firearms, and bans bump stocks and untraceable and deadly ghost guns. Nearly every House Republican voted against making our communities safer for our kids.\n\nThe Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act: Keeps guns out of the hands of people who pose a threat to themselves or others through a federal red-flag program. Nearly every House Republican voted against this life-saving legislation that protects victims of domestic abuse.\n\nExtreme MAGA Republicans continue to oppose life-saving gun violence prevention legislation at every turn, siding with the gun lobby \u2013 not the vast majority of Americans who support laws, like universal background checks, that would help prevent these recurring tragedies with commonsense policies that still protect the Second Amendment rights of our citizens.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:08:33Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-honors-passing-maurice-edwin-moon-landrieu", "Congressman Troy Carter Honors The Passing Of Maurice Edwin \u201cMoon\u201d Landrieu", "2022-09-05", "2022", "2022-09", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. issued the following statement on the passing of Maurice Edwin \u201cMoon\u201d Landrieu.\n\n\u201cState Representative, City Councilman, Mayor, Cabinet Secretary, Judge, but most importantly a husband and father. Moon Landrieu served his City, State and Country well. My prayers go out to his family as this good and faithful servant returns home,\u201d said Congressman Troy Carter.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:08:33Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/carter-releases-reports-showing-inflation-reduction-act-will-lower-health-care", "Carter Releases Reports Showing the Inflation Reduction Act Will Lower Health Care Costs for Local Families", "2022-08-31", "2022", "2022-08", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2014 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. announced that families in the Second Congressional District of Louisiana will soon see more affordable prescription drugs for Medicare recipients and lower health insurance premiums made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act.\n\n\u201cFor far too long, big corporations have forced many Americans to choose between paying for health care, including lifesaving medication and insurance coverage, and putting food on the table. With the Inflation Reduction Act now the law of the land, Democrats in Congress have taken bold steps to rein in out-of-control health care costs,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cI\u2019m proud to have voted for this transformational legislation to lower health care costs for families across my district.\u201d\n\nCongressman Carter\u2019s reports released today show that Inflation Reduction Act benefits for Second Congressional District residents include:\n\nAffordable Health Care\n\nBy extending critical tax credits set to expire this year, the Inflation Reduction Act will help 15,000 people in the district currently enrolled in subsidized marketplace health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act save an average of $1,770 in premiums starting next year.\n\nThanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, a family in the district with two adults, two children, and a household income of $75,000 could save $2,832 on their premiums next year.\n\nA single-parent household with one adult, one child, and a household income of $30,000 could save $1,260 on their premiums next year.\n\nA household of two adults over the age of 60 with a joint income of $70,000 could save $17,400 on their premiums next year.\n\nLower Prescription Drug Costs\n\nThe Inflation Reduction Act caps Medicare beneficiaries\u2019 annual out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs covered by Medicare Part D at $2,000 per year starting in 2025. An estimated 4,000 Medicare Part D beneficiaries in the district had out-of-pocket costs above $2,000 in 2020 and will therefore see savings due to this legislation.\n\nFor the estimated 7,800 Medicare beneficiaries receiving insulin in the district, the new law will cap monthly copayments for insulin products at $35 per month.\n\nThe Inflation Reduction Act finally allows the government to negotiate lower drug prices with Big Pharma. If the Inflation Reduction Act\u2019s drug pricing provisions had been fully in effect in 2020:\n\nThe total cost of prescriptions filled by Medicare beneficiaries in the district could have been $35million lower.\n\nMedicare beneficiaries in the district could have saved a total of $11million in reduced premiums and out-of-pocket costs.\n\nThe urgent need for these reforms was demonstrated by Committee on Oversight and Reform\u2019s landmark drug pricing investigation, which revealed how the pharmaceutical industry\u2019s uninhibited pricing practices lead to price gouging and runaway costs for Americans.\n\nThe report on benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act health coverage provisions for 2nd District residents can be found here, and the report on benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act Medicare drug pricing provisions for 2nd District residents can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:59:24Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/womens-equality-day-congressman-troy-carter-promises-protect-womens-health", "On Women\u2019s Equality Day, Congressman Troy Carter Promises To Protect Women\u2019s Health Freedom", "2022-08-26", "2022", "2022-08", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. commemorated Women\u2019s Equality Day 2022 by reiterating his commitment to fight for reproductive freedoms for all women.\n\nThe recent attack by the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade restricts the constitutional right to reproductive autonomy and privacy. Abortion laws do not eliminate abortions; they eliminate safe abortions. The United States\u2019 maternal mortality rate is already abysmal. From 2019 to 2020, the U.S. maternal mortality rate increased 18%, resulting in 861 total maternal deaths, which does not account for unreported cases.\n\nIn Louisiana, the situation is even more bleak. According to the Louisiana Health Department, the state\u2019s maternal mortality rate exceeds the majority of the rest of the nation\u2019s rate. Additionally, for every 1 pregnant White woman that dies from pregnancy-related or associated complications, 4 pregnant Black women die. These disparities cross across all healthcare for Black women.\n\nTragically, around two-thirds of these pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. As one of the most technologically advanced and developed nations in the world, this reality is unacceptable.\n\nIn order for us to move forward, we must continue to fight and defend women. We cannot move backwards.\n\nIn just the past two months, Congressman Carter advocated for and voted to pass:\n\nThe Women\u2019s Health Protection Act \u2013 Congressman Carter once again passed targeted legislation to make the protections of Roe v. Wade the law of the land. Not a single House Republican voted for this bill to respect the basic freedoms and the lives of women in every corner of the country.\n\nThe Ensuring Women\u2019s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act \u2013 legislation to stop Republicans from criminalizing, fining, or suing women who exercise their constitutional right to travel across state lines to obtain an abortion or other reproductive healthcare. Nearly every House Republican voted against this life-saving legislation.\n\nThe Right to Contraception Act \u2013 legislation to guarantee the right for Americans to obtain and use birth control including oral contraception, emergency contraception, and IUDs. Nearly every House Republican voted that they don\u2019t believe women have a right to birth control.\n\n\u201cWith women\u2019s rights and reproductive healthcare under attack, this Women\u2019s Equality Day is more important than ever,\u201d said Congressman Troy Carter. \u201cAs an advocate for equity and human rights \u2013 as well as the highest-ranking pro-choice official in Louisiana \u2013 I\u2019m taking this day to recommit myself to the fight for a brighter, more just future for women in Louisiana and across the United States. The Senate must stop the stalemate and take action on House-passed legislation to protect women\u2019s rights and healthcare freedom.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:59:24Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-celebrates-presidential-action-forgive-thousands-federal", "Congressman Carter Celebrates Presidential Action to Forgive Thousands in Federal Student Loan Debt for Millions of Americans", "2022-08-24", "2022", "2022-08", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. celebrated President Biden\u2019s announcement that his administration will provide targeted debt relief for millions of federal student loan debt borrowers.\n\nSince 1980, the full cost of both four-year public and private colleges has nearly tripled, even accounting for inflation. However, federal support has not kept up. Pell Grants previously covered almost 80 percent of the cost of a four-year public college degree for students from working families, but now cover just 33 percent. That gap and skyrocketing tuitions have left many students with no choice but to borrow if they want to get a degree. The Department of Education estimates that undergraduate students with loans now graduate with an average of $25,000 in debt.\n\nSpecifically, the President\u2019s action today forgives $20,000 in federal student debt for Pell Gant recipients and forgives $10,000 for non-Pell recipients who make under $125,000 each year. It also extends the student loan payment pause for a final time until December 31, 2022, implements several structural changes to make the student loan system more manageable for current and future borrowers, and protects borrowers and taxpayers from steep increases in college costs. More details on the student loan forgiveness announcement are available here and in this fact sheet.\n\nCongressman Carter has been a vocal advocate for student loan forgiveness in Congress \u2013 one of the first bills he introduced on Capitol Hill was the Student Loan Relief Act of 2021. Following the President\u2019s announcement, Congressman Carter released the following statement:\n\n\u201cAmerica regularly forgives the debt of businesses, industries, and even small countries. Today, President Biden stood with working Americans and communities of color to forgive up to $20,000 of federal student loan debt and extend to the payment pause for four more months.\n\n\u201cAlong with helping Americans struggling with higher costs pay their bills, President Biden\u2019s bold actions today will bring long-needed relief to student loan borrowers and allow them to seek more opportunities in the future.\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s historic student debt cancellation brings possibility and new hope for the approximately 43 million Americans burdened by the heavy load of federal student loan debt \u2013 a symptom of the greater affordability crisis within our nation\u2019s higher education system.\n\n\u201cIn the long term, we must fix our broken higher education and workforce development system that drives people, especially people of color, into enormous debt for the degrees and education required to be successful in today\u2019s workforce.\n\n\u201cPursuing a dream today should not put a permanent shadow over the future. Education is a lifelong endeavor, key to growing and evolving \u2013 it should not come with a lifelong sentence of debt.\n\n\u201cAs an advocate for my constituents and for student loan forgiveness, this is a great day, but we still need to do more. Congress must build on the President\u2019s action today and pass legislation such as my Student Loan Relief Act of 2021 so that every American can pursue their dreams.\u201d\n\nToday\u2019s announcement adds to the Biden Administration\u2019s previously demonstrated commitment to equitable student loan forgiveness. Since January 2021, they have also cancelled $32 billion in student loans for public servants, disabled students, and students who experienced instances of fraud or closure.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:59:24Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/progress-congress-congressman-troy-carter-celebrates-historic-legislation", "\u201cProgress in Congress:\u201d Congressman Troy Carter Celebrates Historic Legislation to Invest in Climate Solutions and to Lower Healthcare and Energy Costs", "2022-08-12", "2022", "2022-08", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. was proud to vote in support of the historic Inflation Reduction Act to lower healthcare costs for working Americans, bring down home energy costs, fight the climate crisis, and bring fairness back into our tax code. The measure passed the House of Representatives 220-207 and now heads to the President\u2019s desk for his signature.\n\nThe Inflation Reduction Act is historic legislation that is fully paid for and will lower families\u2019 kitchen table costs, create millions of good-paying jobs delivering the most significant action on climate in history, and dramatically reduce the deficit.\n\n\u201cToday we showed that Democrats are committed to putting people over politics and bringing progress to Congress,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cLouisianians sent me to Washington to fight for a better America, and to help make their lives a little bit better. Today\u2019s passage of the Inflation Reduction Act is a significant step toward that goal, and its investments in clean energy and provisions to lower healthcare and energy costs are undoubtedly historic victories for America\u2019s families and for our entire planet. Today we showed the American people that Congress is listening, and Congress is working.\u201d\n\nDuring debate, Congressman Carterspoke on the Floorof the House, and hereleased this video statement following the final passage of the legislation.\n\nMore specifically for Louisiana and the entire nation, the bill:\n\nLowers the cost of health care by extending enhanced ACA subsidies.\n\nThis bill reduces the cost of health care for millions by extending these subsidies for three more years, locking in lower health care premiums that save 13 million Americans an average of $800 a year. Without these provisions, these enhanced ACA subsidies would expire in January, leading roughly 3 million Americans to lose their health coverage. Following the implementation of these subsidies the first time with the American Rescue Plan, over 99,000 Louisianians saw their health care costs lower through the Health Insurance Marketplace, 20% more than before the American Rescue Plan passed. This legislation will protect these cost savings for Louisianians and offer more opportunities for more residents to get coverage and save money.\n\nEmpowers Medicare to Negotiate Drug Prices.\n\nFor the first time, Medicare can negotiate lower prices for the highest cost single-source drugs in Medicare. This provision will save the public more than $100 billion over 10 years by allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prices for about 100 drugs over the next decade, with 10 high-cost drugs beginning in 2026.\n\nProtects Drug Costs Against Inflation for Seniors on Medicare.\n\nOver the past 20 years, price increases for brand-name drugs in Medicare Part D have risen at more than two times the rate of inflation. After the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, beginning in October 2022 if drug companies raise prices in Medicare faster than the rate of inflation, they must pay rebates back to Medicare for the difference. Senate Republicans forced the removal of a provision that also applied inflation rebates to drug sales to families with private health insurance.\n\nCaps Out-Of-Pocket Cap for Part D Drugs for Medicare Beneficiaries to $2,000.\n\nCaps Part D out-of-pocket drug costs to $2,000 a year for seniors and individuals with disabilities on Medicare, starting in 2025.\n\nCaps Insulin Costs at $35 A Month for Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities on Medicare.\n\nCaps Medicare beneficiaries\u2019 insulin costs at $35 a month. Republicans voted against capping insulin out-of-pockets costs for Americans with private health insurance keeping this vital protection out of the bill. Sadly, Louisiana consistently experiences higher rates of both adult and pediatric diabetes as compared to the rest of the country. In 2020, 14.1% (around 330,000 individuals) of Louisiana\u2019s adults had some form of diabetes. An analysis of 2019 data by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services\u2019 (CMS) Chronic Conditions Data Warehouse indicates that around 27.5% of Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries had a diagnosis of diabetes, suggesting that about 91,000 Louisianians could have $35 monthly caps on their insulin costs following the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act.\n\nInvests approximately $370 billion in investments to tackle climate change. By far the single biggest climate investment in U.S. history, this bill will combat the existential crisis of climate change and restore American global leadership on climate change by reducing carbon emissions by roughly 40 percent by 2030. Climate change which is threatening Louisiana\u2019s coast, people, culture, and infrastructure. Louisiana\u2019s infant offshore wind industry could take off in earnest if buoyed by investments and incentives from this legislation.\n\nJumpstarts American Energy Security and Domestic Manufacturing: over $60 billion for American clean energy manufacturing, helping to alleviate inflation by bringing down the cost of clean energy and clean vehicles and relieving supply chain bottlenecks.\n\nThe Inflation Reduction Act lowers costs for American consumers. Modeling by RFF finds that this bill\u2019s effect on the U.S. power sector would help lower retail electricity costs about decline 5-7 percent over the next decade, compared to a scenario without the IRA, and would bring hundreds and savings to households, on average.\n\nBlack households spend more of their income on energy and experience a median energy burden 64 percent greater than white households \u2013 so this is also an environmental justice concern.\n\nThis legislation contains provisions to promote clean energy technologies, facilitate domestic energy production, and tackle climate change. This is achieved by extending and expanding tax credits for renewable energy and storage, and bolstering tax credits for clean energy projects located in energy communities\n\nLow-Income Consumer Home Energy Rebate Programs\n\n10 Years of Consumer Tax Credits to Make Homes Energy Efficient\n\nConsumer Tax Credits to Buy Used or New Clean Vehicles\n\nEnergy Efficient Housing\n\nMethane Emissions Reduction Program\n\nOver $60 Billion in Investments for Environmental Justice Communities, including:\n\nEnvironmental and Climate Justice Block Grants ($3 billion): Provides Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grants, funded at $3 billion, that invest in community-led projects in disadvantaged communities and community capacity building centers to address disproportionate environmental and public health harms caused by pollution and climate change.\n\nNeighborhood Access and Equity Grants ($3 Billion): Grants that support neighborhood equity, safety, and affordable transportation access with competitive grants to reconnect communities divided by existing infrastructure barriers, mitigate negative impacts of transportation facilities or construction projects on disadvantaged or underserved communities, and support equitable transportation planning and community engagement activities.\n\nGrants to Reduce Air Pollution at Ports ($3 billion): grants to reduce air pollution at ports that support the purchase and installation of zero-emission equipment and technology at ports.\n\n$1 Billion for Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles: Includes school and transit buses and garbage trucks.\n\nClean Energy Tax Credits: Many of the clean energy tax credits also include either a bonus or a set-aside structure to drive investments and economic development in disadvantaged communities\n\nGrants to Conserve and Restore Coastal Habitats ($2.6 billion): To conserve and restore coastal habitats and protect communities that depend on those habitats.\n\nThe historic Inflation Reduction Act is fully paid for by requiring the biggest corporations and ultra-wealthy pay their fair share. This will be achieved by:\n\nStrengthening IRS enforcement against wealthy tax cheats\n\nClosing tax loopholes exploited by the wealthiest few\n\nImplementing a 15 percent corporate minimum tax \u2013 which applies only to the 150 corporations making earning over $1 billion in profits that pay less than 15% in taxes.\n\nThe top 1% is estimated to avoid payments of around $160 billion in owed taxes each year. This bill will allow us to ensure the IRS has the resources to take on those wealthiest few using well-heeled armies of lawyers and accountants to break the law and cheat on their taxes.\n\nThis legislation includes no new taxes on families making $400,000 or less and no new taxes on small businesses, and Treasury Secretary Yellen has specifically directed the IRS Commissioner not to increase the audit rate for households making under $400,000 a year.\n\nAn overwhelming majority of the American public supports the Inflation Reduction Act\u2019s key health care, climate and inflation-fighting measures. Data for Progress found that 73 percent of voters back the Inflation Reduction Act, including 95 percent of Democrats, nearly three-quarters of Independents, and more than half of Republicans. This legislation also enjoys broad support from a wide range of advocacy organizations, including the AFL-CIO, Natural Resources Defense Council, League of Conservation Voters, AARP, UnidosUS, Small Business Majority, Protect Our Care and U.S. Conference of Mayors.\n\nThe bill now goes to President Biden\u2019s desk for his signature, which he is expected to sign.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:59:24Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-announces-688-million-transportation-grant-funding", "Congressman Carter Announces $6.88 Million in Transportation Grant Funding for Jefferson Parish", "2022-08-10", "2022", "2022-08", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. announced today that the Department of Transportation, in conjunction with the Federal Transit Administration, will award $6.88 million in funding to Jefferson Parish through the \u2018Low or No Emission Grant Program\u2019, a program under the \u2018Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program\u2019.\n\nThe funding from this grant will assist in the financing of buses and bus facilities capital projects, including replacing, rehabilitating, purchasing, or leasing buses or related equipment, and rehabilitating, purchasing, constructing, or leasing bus-related facilities. The purpose of the Low-No Program is to support the transition of the nation\u2019s transit fleet to the lowest polluting and most energy efficient transit vehicles. The Low-No Program provides funding to state and local governmental authorities for the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses, including acquisition, construction, and leasing of required supporting facilities.\n\n\u201cI am proud to share this transformative investment in my district. Investments like these are why I\u2019ve worked tirelessly on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to secure funding that will improve our hard and soft infrastructure alike. While this project will help us upgrade and expand public transit on the West Bank, the Infrastructure and Jobs Act that I helped craft will continue to bring resources like this throughout the District and State\u201d, said Congressman Carter. \u201cThis grant enables us to improve traffic safety, tackle the climate crisis, create good-paying union jobs, and invest in communities that have historically been left behind.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:59:24Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-sends-letter-pushing-flood-insurance-affordability", "Congressman Troy Carter Sends Letter Pushing for Flood Insurance Affordability, Transparency", "2022-08-04", "2022", "2022-08", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. led a group of all six Louisiana House delegation members on a letterto Federal Emergency Management Agency\u2019s Deputy Associate Administrator of Insurance and Mitigation, David Maurstad.\n\nTogether, Reps. Troy Carter, Steve Scalise, Garret Graves, Mike Johnson, Clay Higgins, and Julia Letlow wrote a letter calling for a commitment from FEMA to increase transparency and affordability within the National Flood Insurance Program\u2019s (NFIP) Risk Rating 2.0 system.\n\n\u201cIn Louisiana, many have experienced dramatic increases in the cost of policies without any explanation of what risk factors are causing these increases,\u201d reads the joint letter. \u201cWe continue to be extremely concerned about Risk Rating 2.0\u2019s treatment of flood protection and mitigation measures when setting individual rates. We have discussed these concerns with the people of Louisiana who are experts on flood protection and mitigation, including levee protection, home elevation, and coastal restoration, and it is increasingly concerning that there is still inadequate and insufficient information on how these protection efforts will be recognized under Risk Rating 2.0.\u201d\n\nIn Louisiana, some NFIP customers have seen their premiums double or triple. An investigation from The Advocate found that about 50% of Louisiana policyholders will likely see phased-in increases of more than 129%, but around 10% will see premiums increase 400%. The Associated Press found that FEMA has estimated that 1 million Americans across the country will be unable to afford flood insurance by the end of the decade under the new Risk Rating 2.0 policy.\n\nTragically, in too many cases these skyrocketing premiums are causing homeowners to choose between paying their other household bills and maintaining active flood insurance coverage \u2013 a choice the Louisiana House congressional delegation decry in their letter.\n\n\u201cPeople should be rewarded, not penalized, for taking lifesaving measures to mitigate and protect against future floods,\u201d the signers of the letter concluded. \u201cAs such, we look forward to your prompt response regarding this serious matter.\u201d\n\nLast week Congressman Carter also launched the Bipartisan Congressional Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Caucus, a group of four co-chairs from across the political spectrum allied in the fight to strengthen and streamline our nation\u2019s disaster preparedness and response systems. The National Flood Insurance Program and Risk Rating 2.0 is expected to be discussed by the caucus as well.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:59:24Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressmen-troy-carter-rodney-davis-introduce-bipartisan-criminal-justice", "Congressmen Troy Carter, Rodney Davis Introduce Bipartisan Criminal Justice Reform Bill to Expunge\u00a0Federal Marijuana Misdemeanors", "2022-07-29", "2022", "2022-07", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 This week, Congressmen Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA) and Rodney Davis (R-IL) introduced bipartisan legislation to create an expungement mechanism for low-level violations of federal marijuana law and provide an expedited, orderly process that clears the deck of non-felony marijuana offenses lingering in the federal system. The Marijuana Misdemeanor Expungement Actwould deliver justice for countless Americans whose lives have been disrupted and deprived because of a misdemeanor Marijuana offense, activity now lawful for either recreational or medical purposes in 38 states.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to introduce The Marijuana Misdemeanor Expungement Act, bipartisan legislation that will restore justice to millions of Americans who have suffered inordinate collateral consequences associated with marijuana-related misdemeanors,\u201d said Congressman Troy Carter. \u201cThese misdemeanors \u2013 even without a conviction \u2013 can result in restrictions to peoples\u2019 ability to access educational aid, housing assistance, occupational licensing and even foster parenting. Delivering justice for our citizens who have been impacted by marijuana-related misdemeanors is a key component of comprehensive cannabis reform.\u201d\n\n\u201cGiven the number of states, like Illinois, where marijuana has long been legalized for adult-use, we must ensure that our criminal justice system keeps pace so that individuals with low-level misdemeanor violations related to its use does not preclude them from getting jobs and participating in society,\u201d said Congressman Rodney Davis.\n\nSeveral cannabis reform advocates and activists also shared their support for this legislation to create a federal mechanism to expunge the records of marijuana-related misdemeanors:\n\n\u201cFor far too long, millions of Americans have been affected by the lifelong consequences of marijuana-related convictions on their record for simply possessing a small quantity of cannabis,\u201d said Weldon Angelos, President of the Weldon Project. \u201cI want to thank Congressman Troy Carter for introducing this bill, which will be nothing short of lifechanging for so many people and their families. Our country must move toward a post-prohibition approach to federal cannabis law and create a mechanism to expunge low-level violations of federal marijuana law.\u201d\n\n\u201cI want to thank the cosponsors for introducing this important legislation, which offers an approach to marijuana expungement that is coherent, efficient, and just \u2013 all without threatening public safety,\u201d said Professor Erik Luna of Arizona State University and founder of the Academy for Justice at the Sandra Day O\u2019Connor College of Law at Arizona State University.\n\n\u201cThis landmark legislation will allow countless Americans to move forward with their lives, remove an impediment to economic progress and restore the ability to maximize their full potential \u2013 both for themselves and their families,\u201d said Roz McCarthy, Founder and CEO of Minorities 4 Medical Marijuana. \u201cAddressing the negative societal & economic effects permeated by marijuana prohibition at both the federal and state level will be critical as we seek to deliver comprehensive cannabis reform in this country. I want to thank Representative Carter for introducing The Marijuana Misdemeanor Expungement Act, support expeditious movement through the procedural process and I look forward to working with them to move this bill forward in the weeks to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe National Cannabis Roundtable and our members are committed to cannabis reforms that right past wrongs and advance social equity. The Marijuana Misdemeanor Expungement Act does just that,\u201d said Saphira Galoob, Executive Director of the National Cannabis Roundtable. \u201cWe applaud Representative Carter for his strong leadership on cannabis reform, and we wholeheartedly support this landmark legislation.\u201d\n\n\"It is unacceptable that those who have been convicted of low-level marijuana offenses, often disproportionately black and brown people, continue to have the conviction hang over their heads \u2013 especially as cannabis legalization, research, and reform efforts are more supported by the American people than ever before,\u201d said Dr. Chanda Macias, CEO of National Holistic Healing Center. \u201cI applaud Congressman Carter for introducing this important piece of legislation that continues to reduce the harm caused by the War on Drugs and pushes towards a more equitable playing field for patients of the plant.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:49:02Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-votes-chips-and-science-act-lower-families-costs-power", "Congressman Carter Votes for CHIPS and Science Act to Lower Families\u2019 Costs, Power American Economic Independence", "2022-07-28", "2022", "2022-07", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. voted for historic, bipartisan legislation to strengthen the financial future of families in Louisiana, boost America\u2019s research advantage and safeguard our economic and national security for generations to come. The CHIPS and Science Act will deliver a powerful investment in America\u2019s global competitiveness \u2013 creating jobs, slashing kitchen table costs, ending dependence on foreign manufacturers and turbocharging American innovation. Already passed by the Senate, this legislation now heads to the President\u2019s desk to be signed into law.\n\n\u201cThe CHIPS and Science Act is a major victory for Louisianians and our local economy,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cThis bold investment will create good-paying union jobs while ensuring America continues to compete and succeed on the world stage. By turbocharging our production of semiconductors, the CHIPS and Science Act will reinvigorate manufacturing here at home, lower kitchen table costs and bolster our independence from foreign suppliers. And by powering American innovation, this legislation will expand the path to opportunity in the 21st century \u2013 bringing research investments to local communities and broadening Louisiana\u2019s STEM workforce. This is the latest step forward in House Democrats\u2019 fight For The People, and we remain laser-focused on creating jobs, growing wages and slashing costs.\u201d\n\nA nationwide shortage of semiconductor chips has severely disrupted American manufacturing \u2013 slowing down production, spiking prices and increasing dependence on unfriendly foreign nations. Only 12 percent of semiconductor chips are currently manufactured domestically \u2013 a dramatic drop from 37 percent in the 1990\u2019s \u2013 while foreign competitors are investing heavily to dominate this critical national security industry. Other nations have also begun to outpace the United States\u2019 research advantage \u2013 threatening American preeminence in technology and scientific innovation.\n\nThe bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act will reverse these dangerous trends, reasserting America\u2019s economic independence and scientific dominance. Thanks to the strong leadership of House Democrats, this legislation:\n\nLowers costs for American consumers \u2013 by making more critical semiconductor components in America, helping end the shortage of chips that have driven up the price of everything from cars to consumer goods.\n\nCreates 100,000 new good-paying jobs \u2013 creates strong Davis-Bacon jobs building hi-tech manufacturing facilities here in America.\n\nEnds our dangerous dependence on foreign manufacturers \u2013 bringing critical semiconductor manufacturing back to America instead of overseas where it can be threatened by our adversaries.\n\nTurbocharges American R&D \u2013 powering America\u2019s preeminence in both basic research and next-generation technologies and ensuring that the technologies of the future are made here in America.\n\nDiversifies and expands the innovation workforce \u2013 broadening the pool of brainpower and talent so that we are embracing the full potential from all our communities, helping to diversify our STEM workforce and advancing regional technology hubs to ensure communities across the country can help in American research and development.\n\nThis legislation also includes strong guardrails to ensure that federal semiconductor investments go straight into Louisiana\u2019s economy \u2013 not corporate pockets or unfriendly nations. The CHIPS and Science Act will:\n\nProhibit companies from using chips funding for stock buybacks or dividend payments.\n\nBar funding recipients from expanding semiconductor manufacturing in countries of concern.\n\nRequire strong oversight and tight Congressional control over the use of federal funds.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:49:02Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressmembers-announce-new-bipartisan-congressional-disaster-preparedness", "Congressmembers Announce New Bipartisan Congressional Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Caucus", "2022-07-27", "2022", "2022-07", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. (D-La.), Congressman Carlos A. Gimenez (R-Fl.), Congressman Joe Neguse (D-Co.), and Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) announced the formation of the Bipartisan Congressional Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Caucus. This caucus is committed to working across the aisle to advance legislation and policies that provide efficient, equitable relief for disaster survivors and promotes measures that pave the path for impacted communities to make a full recovery. The caucus will also advocate for disaster preparedness measures and programs that help save lives, while readying America\u2019s communities for the disasters ahead.\n\nThe co-chairs of this caucus represent regions that experience a wide variety of natural disasters ranging from hurricanes to wildfires to flooding, and have all directly navigated the disaster recovery process for their districts. They are coming together from across the political spectrum and across the country to speak in a united voice for better and improved systems for our disaster preparedness and recovery systems.\n\n\u201cDisasters don\u2019t recognize borders or political party, and neither should our nation\u2019s disaster preparedness or recovery system,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cAs extreme weather events increase in frequency and intensity due to climate change, we need to work together to strengthen our systems and save lives. I am proud to join with my fellow co-chairs to launch this bipartisan caucus that is committed to advocating for effective preparedness and recovery measures and programs that best serve the American people and don\u2019t leave anyone behind.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe creation of the new Bipartisan Congressional Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Caucus will serve as a phenomenal tool in crafting legislation to better protect our communities prone to natural disasters,\u201d said Congressman Gimenez. \u201cSouth Florida remains a high-risk area for flooding and storm damage. Advocating for crucial funding and programs through the caucus will fortify our ability to keeping South Florida the greatest place to live, work, and raise a family.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn launching the bipartisan Disaster Recovery Caucus, we are affirming our commitment to policies that provide real relief for disaster survivors and promote measures that pave the path for impacted communities to make a full recovery. With wildfires on the rise in Colorado and across the West, it is clear that these catastrophic events are not going away any time soon and we must be prepared to do all we can to prepare our communities.\u201d said Congressman Neguse.\n\n\u201cIn a coastal district like mine, natural disasters are an inevitable part of life. As coastal areas face increased risks from flooding and sea level rise, we must take preemptive steps to prepare and protect our most vulnerable communities,\u201d said Congresswoman Mace. \u201cThis caucus will serve as an important bipartisan platform to ensure our nation is prepared for and able to recover from natural disasters whenever and wherever they strike.\u201d\n\nSeveral organizations have also voiced their support for the creation of this caucus.\n\n\u201cMain Street America applauds the formation of the Bipartisan Congressional Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Caucus. Each community impacted by climate disasters faces a challenging recovery for residents, small businesses, and overall quality of life. Providing increased Congressional attention and visibility to help communities large and small prepare for and recover from natural disasters is vitally important to the physical and economic health of communities.\u201d \u2013 Hannah White, Interim President and CEO, Main Street America\n\n\u201cWe at LISC understand the unique challenges and opportunities to provide the resources needed to rebuild, expand resilience capabilities, and strengthen post-disaster opportunities in rural and urban communities,\u201d said Matt Josephs, Senior Vice President of Policy at the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). \u201cThat is why we applaud the creation of the Bipartisan Congressional Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Caucus and thank Representatives Carter, Gimenez, Neguse, and Mace for their commitment to enhancing disaster recovery, resiliency, and preparedness across the nation.\u201d\n\n\u201cFrom rampant wildfires, to increasingly frequent storm and flooding events, to extreme heat waves \u2013 climate-fueled disasters touch the lives of more people with each passing year, and show no near-term signs of abating\u201d said Jessie Ritter, senior director of water resources and coastal policy at the National Wildlife Federation. \u201cThe Disaster Recovery Caucus will provide a critical forum for discussion and pursuit of solutions that help our nation prepare for and respond to disasters in a way that is smarter, and more equitable and sustainable.\u201d\n\n\"The climate crisis is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events and other natural hazards, from deadly heat waves to destructive floods\" said Joel Scata, senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council. \"Frontline communities disproportionately bear the brunt of these events, but decisions made at all levels of government can lessen these harms\u2014or make them worse. The work of this caucus can be essential to ensuring government minimizes the harms climate change is having on the nation.\"\n\n\"When a disaster of any kind strikes a community the impact on the local and regional economy can be catastrophic, often requiring significant investments spanning years in order to rebuild. Beyond critical first-response needs following disasters, individuals and businesses experiencing significant hardships need longer-term, targeted assistance to ensure a complete and equitable recovery. IEDC applauds Congressmen Carter and Gimenez for introducing this important legislation that recognizes the vital role that the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) plays in local economic recovery. Creating an Office of Disaster Response at EDA keeps a dedicated focus on recovering communities and provides the agency with commonsense flexibility and resources to respond, while also removing the prohibitive match requirements which will ensure that the most underserved communities receive the necessary resources to rebuild. IEDC further welcomes the establishment of the Bipartisan Congressional Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Caucus and thanks Congressmen Carter and Gimenez for their vision and leadership in creating this new voice supporting economic recovery.\" Nathan Ohle, President & CEO, International Economic Development Council\n\nTo correspond with the announcement of the Bipartisan Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Caucus, Congressman Carter and other co-chairs also introduced two bipartisan disaster recovery bills today.\n\n\u201cThe Delivering Equity and Justice for Disaster Survivors Act of 2022\u201d would establish a Disaster Equity and Justice Subcommittee within FEMA to help amplify the voices, needs, and experiences of disaster survivors. This legislation was also endorsed by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF).\n\n\u201cThe Office of Disaster Recovery Act\u201d directs the Secretary of Commerce to create an Office of Disaster Recovery to support and coordinate economic recuperation for communities after a natural disaster. This legislation was endorsed by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:49:02Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/carter-amendment-3-billion-hurricane-ida-recovery-funds-passes-house", "Carter Amendment for $3 Billion in Hurricane Ida Recovery Funds Passes the House of Representatives", "2022-07-20", "2022", "2022-07", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a funding bill that included Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr.\u2019s amendment urging Congress to allocate $3 billion for the state of Louisiana\u2019s Hurricane Ida recovery efforts.\n\n\u201cNatural disasters and extreme weather know no boundary, especially in the era of climate change,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cWe must rally together to help all communities recover, heal, and build back stronger after a disaster. Last year, Louisiana was hit by the Category 4 Hurricane Ida, leaving in its wake immense destruction. Congress saw the devastation of the storm and made an immediate down payment to kickstart recovery efforts in Louisiana as we assessed the incredible damage. Implied in that payment was a commitment to come back once our state had determined its final, full level of need. I am grateful that my colleagues stood with me, and the people of Louisiana, by passing my amendment outlining Congressional intent to provide $3 billion more in funds for our state\u2019s recovery from Hurricane Ida.\u201d\n\nThe Carter amendment received bipartisan support and was included and passed as a part of a larger congressional appropriations bill referred to as the minibus. Congressman Carter spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives in support of his amendment, the video of his speech is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:49:02Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressmen-carter-scalise-introduce-bill-increase-coastal-restoration-funding", "Congressmen Carter, Scalise Introduce Bill to Increase Coastal Restoration Funding, Set Stage for Offshore Wind Revenue Sharing", "2022-07-20", "2022", "2022-07", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. and House Republican Whip Steve Scalise introduced bipartisan legislation that puts Louisiana first by updating the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) to increase coastal states' share of oil and natural gas revenue. The Budgeting for Renewable Electrical Energy Zone Earnings (BREEZE) Act equalizes the percentage of revenue sharing to match those of onshore states, improves South Louisiana's resiliency against hurricanes, provides hundreds of millions more dollars to restore our coast, and sets the stage to invest and collect revenue from offshore wind energy.\n\n\u201cLouisiana\u2019s coastline is facing an existential threat, and our state needs and deserves a sufficient and reliable funding stream to protect against erosion and more intense hurricanes due to climate change,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cAfter long being shortchanged in our state\u2019s share of energy revenues, the BREEZE Act would help level the playing field for Louisiana while building a framework to bring home more funds for coastal restoration from the growing sector of offshore wind. The scale of this challenge is enormous, and I\u2019m glad to collaborate on this problem-solving bill with Congressman Scalise to protect the people, environment, and economy of Louisiana.\u201d\n\n\u201cOffshore energy production provides crucial dollars for our state to use to restore our coast, which is the first line of defense against powerful Gulf storms. For years, I have fought to increase the share of oil and gas revenue that Louisiana receives from GOMESA to 50 percent, leveling out the playing field with interior states. The BREEZE Act not only achieves that goal but goes even further by allowing Louisiana to collect revenue from future offshore wind development in the Gulf of Mexico, which our state can use to continue to make major investments in coastal restoration and hurricane protection projects that protect Louisiana families from storms. I\u2019m proud to partner with Congressman Carter to improve our state\u2019s resiliency against Gulf storms and further support our coastal communities,\u201d said Whip Scalise.\n\nLouisiana leaders and stakeholders also praised the introduction of the BREEZE Act:\n\n\u201cParishes Advocating for Coastal Endurance (PACE) is a proud supporter of the BREEZE Act. GOMESA funding is vitally important to our working coast and parishes as we use these funds for restoration and hurricane protection. Establishing another revenue sharing opportunity for our coastal parishes for wind lease sales would be another opportunity to protect, restore and create a more resilient coast,\u201d said Matthew Jewell, President, St. Charles Parish, President, Parishes Advocating for Coastal Endurance.\n\n\u201cThe BREEZE Act makes the long needed legislative changes to give a greater portion of OCS hydrocarbon revenue to the coastal states and makes similar allotments for future revenue from offshore wind projects on the OCS. Most importantly, it includes a mandate that the funds be spent on coastal resiliency / restoration, wildlife preservation, or improved infrastructure projects,\u201d said Joseph Orgeron, Ph.D., Executive Director, Restore Or Retreat.\n\n\u201cThis critical funding stream allows us to continue making historic investments in restoration and hurricane protection while benefiting Louisiana for years to come. The Gulf of Mexico has great potential for offshore wind lease sales starting next year, and we are directly investing in Louisiana\u2019s future by securing revenue sharing from offshore wind. The BREEZE Act makes the necessary amendments to GOMESA to better serve coastal Louisiana and aligns us with other states with energy and mineral development on federal land that face no cap and share 50% of the revenues produced. We are appreciative of Congressman Steve Scalise and Congressmen Troy Carter for authoring this bipartisan bill and prioritizing the restoration of our coast,\u201dsaid Chip Kline, Chairman, Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority.\n\n\u201cThe BREEZE Act enables coastal economies to invest in, and protect, themselves. The BREEZE Act is a win for both industry and communities, while fairly funding ecological restoration. As nearly 50 percent of refining and 15 percent of production domestically occurs along the Gulf Coast, investing in coastal restoration not only serves Gulf states, but further doubles as an investment in stabilizing energy prices nationwide. Moreover, the BREEZE Act captures the crosswinds of the energy sector by establishing revenue-sharing provisions for offshore wind, facilitating a future for clean industrial hydrogen,\u201dsaid Michael Hecht, President and CEO, GNO, Inc.\n\nBackground on the BREEZE Act:\n\nIncreases states' share of revenue from oil and natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico from 37.5 percent to 50 percent and eliminates the annual cap on funds received by Gulf states under GOMESA.Interior states get 50 percent of revenues from their energy leases, without being subject to an annual cap like Louisiana is.\n\nThe BREEZE Act corrects this disparity by increasing Gulf states\u2019 share of oil and gas revenues to 50 percent \u2013 matching the interior states\u2019 share \u2013 and removes the annual cap. This increase will ensure more funding goes towards our coastline so we can continue to make the major investments in coastal restoration and hurricane protection that our state needs and Louisiana families deserve.\n\nEstablishes a revenue sharing structure for coastal states for wind lease sales and production on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). All qualified OCS revenue shall be distributed as follows:\n\n12.5 percent to the U.S. Treasury.\n\n37.5 percent to the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund.\n\n50 percent to each eligible state.\n\nAuthorizes the funds received under the bill to be used for:\n\nProjects and activities for the purposes of coastal protection and resiliency, including conservation, coastal restoration, estuary management, beach nourishment, hurricane and flood protection, and infrastructure directly affected by coastal wetland losses.\n\nMitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, or natural resources, including through fisheries science and research.\n\nImplementation of a federally approved marine, coastal, or comprehensive conservation management plan.\n\nMitigation of the impact of outer Continental Shelf activities through the funding of onshore infrastructure projects.\n\nPlanning assistance and the administrative costs of complying with this section.\n\nGroups Supporting the BREEZE Act:\n\nAmerican Clean Power Association\n\nCongressional Sportsmen's Foundation\n\nDucks Unlimited\n\nNational Audubon Society\n\nNational Ocean Industries Association\n\nNational Wildlife Federation\n\nBayou Industrial Group\n\nCoast Builders Coalition\n\nGNO, Inc.\n\nGreater Lafourche Port Commission\n\nHouma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce\n\nJefferson Chamber of Commerce\n\nLA-1 Coalition\n\nLafourche Parish Government\n\nMorganza Action Coalition\n\nParishes Advocating for Coastal Endurance\n\nPontchartrain Conservancy\n\nTangipahoa Chamber of Commerce\n\nTangipahoa Parish Government\n\nSouth Central Industrial Association\n\nSt. Bernard Parish Government\n\nSt. Tammany Chamber of Commerce", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:49:02Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-votes-protect-marriage-equality-amid-right-wing", "Congressman Troy Carter Votes to Protect Marriage Equality Amid Right-Wing Threats", "2022-07-19", "2022", "2022-07", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 In response to continued right-wing threats to Louisianians personal liberties, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. today voted to enshrine marriage equality into federal law. The Respect for Marriage Act will officially repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a defunct and discriminatory statute excluding same-sex couples from marriage under federal law. This legislation will also codify new protections ensuring that no married couple can be denied protections and benefits under federal law based on sex, race, ethnicity or national origin.\n\nCongressman Carter has been a longstanding supporter the rights of minorities and the LGBTQ community. In 1993 as a State Representative he sponsored legislation to ban discrimination of people based on their sexual orientation, and he has continued to be a strong ally of the LGBTQ+ community.\n\n\u201cToday, I proudly voted to protect marriage equality in Louisiana and across the country,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cWith its decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court\u2019s Republican-appointed supermajority tossed out nearly 50 years of legal precedent and severely weakened the Constitutional right to privacy. Now, right-wing extremists are leading a cruel assault on even more of American most cherished and hard-won freedoms \u2013 including the right to marry the person they love. The bipartisan, bicameral Respect for Marriage Act will enshrine marriage equality into federal law and prohibit state officials from discriminating against same-sex and interracial couples.\u201d\n\nFollowing the Supreme Court\u2019s heart-wrenching decision overturning Roe v. Wade, right-wing extremists have set their sights on other rulings upholding basic rights and freedoms. In his concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas explicitly called for the Court to consider overturning other landmark rulings, including the Obergefell v. Hodges decision recognizing the Constitutional right to marriage equality.\n\nThe Respect for Marriage Act will take several steps to combat this assault on our freedoms:\n\nEnshrining Marriage Equality into Federal Law: This legislation will require the federal government to fully recognize any marriage considered valid in the state where it was performed \u2013 providing same-sex and interracial couples additional certainty that they will continue to receive equal treatment under federal law.\n\nRepealing the Defense of Marriage Act: While the Supreme Court has effectively voided the Defense of Marriage Act, this unconstitutional and discriminatory federal law remains on the books. The Respect for Marriage Act would repeal this statute once and for all.\n\nBarring Discrimination by State Officials: This legislation prohibits state officials from denying recognition of an out-of-state marriage on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity or national origin.\n\n\u201cThis legislation is a key step forward in House Democrats\u2019 fight against the right-wing assault on freedom,\u201d continued Congressman Carter. \u201cI have been working to protect the rights of minorities and the LGBTQ+ community for decades, and I won\u2019t stop now. I remain fully committed to preserving the rights and dignities of every person, everywhere.\u201d\n\nThe Respect for Marriage Act is strongly supported by leading advocacy organizations, including the ACLU, Center for American Progress, Equality Federation, Family Equality, Freedom for All Americans, GLAD, Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal, National Black Justice Coalition, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Women\u2019s Law Center and PFLAG.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:49:02Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-secures-important-amendments-and-priorities-2022", "Congressman Troy Carter Secures Important Amendments and Priorities in 2022 Defense Spending Bill", "2022-07-15", "2022", "2022-07", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. secured several critical priorities in the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023. This legislation will strengthen U.S. national security by supporting the development of new technologies, coordinate with America\u2019s global network of allies and partners, and uplift service members and their families, who form the foundation for America\u2019s defense.\n\nThe bill included an amendment by Congressman Carter that would extend the Small Business Administration\u2019s 8(a) Program. This program provides business development support and assistance to eligible small, disadvantaged businesses (SDBs) seeking to participate in federal contracting. This amendment would allow the minority, veteran and women-owned business owners that participate one more year to utilize the program.\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s House passage of the NDAA proves our commitment to those who serve our country in uniform is stronger than ever,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cThis year\u2019s defense bill includes bold initiatives to support a diverse and talented military and civilian workforce, provides historic funding for research activities at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), supports pay raises for service members and civilians, and deepens our alliances and partnerships during a critical moment for democracies worldwide. I am also proud that this legislation includes a $15 an hour minimum wage for workers on federal service and construction contracts as well as my amendment to add an additional year to the Small Business Administration\u2019s 8(a) program. This extension of one year will help more, small, historically-disadvantaged business owners greater utilize the business development supports and resources that this program provides.\u201d\n\nThe 8(a) Program is currently a nine-year program within the Small Business Administration that offers business development and assistance to eligible small, disadvantaged businesses seeking to participate in federal contracting. A major benefit of the program is that participants have access to training, technical assistance, and contracting opportunities in the form of set asides or sole-source opportunities. The Congressman\u2019s amendment would add an additional year for businesses to participate in the program.\n\nThe House version of FY23 NDAA includes a range of key national security priorities for Louisianians and Americans, including:\n\nVital benefits for service members and their families, including a 4.6% pay raise for service members and civilian personnel, 2.4% inflation bonuses for service members earning less than $45,000/year and a $15/hour minimum wage for workers on federal service and construction contracts.\n\nOver $4 million in funds to update, green, and bring resiliency to military bases and buildings in Louisiana, including the Louisiana National Guard Munitions Administrative Facility Base in Belle Chase, the Abbeville Readiness Center in Abbeville, and Camp Beauregard in Pineville.\n\nSupport for HBCUs and other minority serving institutions, allocating over $111 million for research activities at HBCUS and establishing a pilot program to increase research capacity at minority serving institutions.\n\nCivilian harm mitigation measures, including the establishment of a Commission on Civilian Harm and a Center for Excellence in Civilian Harm Mitigation at the Department of Defense.\n\nNew investments in science and technology competitiveness, including $275 million in additional funding for next-generation capabilities in hypersonics, electronic warfare, directed energy, artificial intelligence, and software.\n\nSupply chain security, including an assessment of dual-use technology and improving risk management in DoD supply chains involving pharmaceutical products.\n\nResources for U.S. allies and partners, including $1 billion for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) and funding for the European Deterrence Initiative (EDI) and Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI).\n\nFighting for Safety in Haiti, As a member of the Congressional Haitian Caucus Congressman Carter supported measures to require Commerce and the AG to submit a report on arms trafficking in Haiti as well as a resolution asserting the importance of the Haiti-US relationship and that the nation\u2019s recovery from these recent crises to be democratic and driven by the Haitian people.\n\nA summary of the provisions in the FY23 NDAA is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:49:02Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-introduces-bill-study-and-protect-integrity-louis", "Congressman Troy Carter Introduces Bill to Study and Protect the Integrity of Louis Armstrong Park", "2022-07-11", "2022", "2022-07", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr introduced legislation to study and protect the culture and integrity of Louis Armstrong Park within the former New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park for future generations. A park at the heart of the New Orleans community, Congressman Carter\u2019s bill The New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park Study Act of 2022 would authorize a study with meaningful community input to assess the suitability and feasibility of re-establishing an area of Louis Armstrong Park as the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park with federal status under the Department of the Interior.\n\n\u201cThe rich culture of New Orleans is deeply rooted in the places, people, and history of our community, and it must be valued, uplifted and protected for generations to come,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cThe New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park Study Act of 2022 would bring together the community, government, and stakeholders to collectively study and determine a path forward for this park that protects the integrity of this true treasure of the Crescent City.\u201d\n\nCongressman Carter continued, \u201cThe Trem\u00e9 is a historically Black and culturally significant neighborhood in the city. We must have the impacted community members not just at the table, but meaningfully involved in these conversations on the future of Louis Armstrong Park to help best preserve the culture and history of this cultural landmark and the city we love.\u201d\n\nThe study will analyze the assemblage of historic and cultural resources and their best use of management through partnerships among public and private entities that reflects traditions, customs, beliefs, and folklife that are a valuable part of the story of the United States and Louisiana.\n\nIt will fully develop a conceptual plan that outlines the roles of all participants and stakeholders in the park, including the Department of the Interior\u2019s National Park Service.\n\nThis study for the future of the park will be done in consultation with the Sec. of Interior, State Historic Preservation Officers, State Historical Societies, State Tourism Offices along with local residents, community advocates, organizers, business interests, nonprofit organizations, and State and local governments that\u2014are involved in the planning of the park.\n\nThe study must also provide a conceptual boundary map that has demonstrated support by the public for the designation of the park.\n\nThe full text of the bill as introduced is here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:20:25Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-announces-52-million-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding", "Congressman Carter Announces $5.2 Million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding for Baton Rouge Airport", "2022-07-07", "2022", "2022-07", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. announced today that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award $5.2 million in funding from the recently-passed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR). The airport will use the money to replace two passenger boarding bridges, bringing reliability, energy efficiency, improved customer experience, and enhanced access for people with disabilities to the airport.\n\n\u201cI am so proud to share that the Infrastructure Law is bringing home $5.2 million to improve accessibility and reliability at the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cSafe and efficient airports are essential to the economic well-being of Louisiana. As our entryways to the world, we must ensure our airports put our best foot forward and are as accessible, dependable, and as energy efficient as possible. The Infrastructure Law will help make this a reality here in Louisiana and across the country.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmericans deserve modern airports that meet the needs of their families and growing passenger demand,\u201d said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. \u201cFunded through President Biden\u2019s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, today\u2019s grants will improve airport terminals while also creating good jobs in communities across the country.\u201d\n\nToday\u2019s funding is from the Airport Terminal Program, one of three aviation programs created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The law provides $1 billion annually for five years for Airport Terminal grants.\n\nBTR is one of 90 airports to receive a grant from the fund, two of which are in Louisiana. Lake Charles Regional Airport is also a recipient, receiving $2.5 million from the grant for similar improvements. These updates in addition to the update of MSY last October make for three Louisiana airport renewals in the past eight months, all funded by federal grants.\n\nThe President\u2019s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, makes a historic investment in our nation\u2019s infrastructure and competitiveness. It will rebuild America\u2019s roads, bridges and rails, upgrade and expand public transit, modernize the nation\u2019s ports and airports, improve safety, tackle the climate crisis, advance environmental justice and invest in communities that have too often been left behind. It will drive the creation of good-paying union jobs and grow the economy sustainably and equitably to help everyone get ahead for decades to come.\n\nAs a member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, Congressman Carter worked on, advocated and voted for this transformative legislation. Despite the Infrastructure Law bringing home over $7 billion to Louisiana, he was the only member of the state\u2019s House Delegation to vote in support.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:20:25Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-denounces-supreme-courts-ruling-dilute-voices-black", "Congressman Troy Carter Denounces Supreme Court\u2019s Ruling to Dilute the Voices of Black Voters", "2022-06-28", "2022", "2022-06", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. released the following statement after the Supreme Court released a shadow docket ruling reinstating Louisiana's GOP-drawn, unrepresentative congressional maps.\n\n\u201cWars were fought, movements were launched, and constitutional amendments were passed to give every American of every race and gender full citizenship and the right to vote.\n\n\u201cToday, the Supreme Court released a shadow docket ruling that sends Louisiana back to our tarnished history of diminishing and silencing the voices of African Americans.\n\n\u201cIt is shameful that the court refused to let the process here in Louisiana play out to draw maps that fairly represent the population of Louisiana.\n\n\u201cWe need maps that follow the math and give Black Louisianians their rightful representation in our democratic system. There should be no political gamesmanship when it comes to our representative democracy.\n\n\u201cThis Supreme Court is out of control in so many ways, but this and other recent rulings make one thing is clear: It will stop at nothing to silence the voice of Black and Brown voters in the South and across the country.\n\n\u201cToday shows that many of these justices are partisan hacks, loyal not to the Constitution, but to a far-right political agenda.\n\n\u201cWe must speak in one voice against the age-old pattern of silencing and diluting Black votes and voices in our democratic system.\n\n\u201cWhile the forces of injustice may have won this battle we, as we have before, will win the war.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:13:54Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-announces-food-purchase-assistance-agreement-support-local", "Congressman Carter Announces Food Purchase Assistance Agreement to Support Local Agriculture, Increase Food at Five Louisiana Food Banks", "2022-06-27", "2022", "2022-06", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. and the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced a new cooperative agreement under the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA). LFPA funds will be used to fund the Nourishing Louisiana program which aims to support Louisiana producers and underserved communities.\n\n\u201cFarmers and agricultural producers feed our nation and food banks fill a critical gap in our social safety net, but they are all currently struggling to overcome rising costs\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cThat\u2019s why I am proud to announce that thanks to funding from the American Rescue Plan, the USDA and Louisiana will create economic opportunities for producers while bringing food to five food banks in Louisiana \u2013 including two in the Second Congressional District.\u201d\n\n\u201cUSDA is excited to partner with Louisiana to promote economic opportunities for farmers and producers and to increase access to locally sourced, fresh, healthy, and nutritious food in underserved communities,\u201d said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. \u201cThe Local Food Purchase Cooperative Agreement Program will improve food and agricultural supply-chain resiliency and increase local food consumption around the country.\u201d\n\nThe Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) will partner with Feeding Louisiana, five Feed America food banks, non-profit organizations, and community members to support Louisiana producers. Through its partnership with Feed Louisiana, LDAF will purchase food, including fresh produce, meats, seafood, and rice from local growers, targeting underserved farmers, ranchers, and fishers.\n\nPurchased food will then be provided to five Louisiana food banks which will distribute the food to Louisiana residents experiencing food insecurity. In addition to sharing Louisiana-grown food with hundreds of existing partners working in underserved communities, the food banks will work to establish new partnerships in communities where need is high, and resources are limited. Over the two-year grant period, it is anticipated the Nourishing Louisiana program will purchase 1.8 million pounds of food and impact over 130,000 people experiencing food insecurity.\n\n\u201cReports show that at the height of the pandemic, the number of Louisianans experiencing food insecurity totaled over 900,000. That\u2019s a staggering need that this program can help meet,\u201d said the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain. \u201cThe program will be providing fresh, delicious, and nutritious food to those that need it most while partnering with our underserved farmers, ranchers, and fishers to help them move their products. That\u2019s an investment into Louisiana on multiple levels and an all-around win for our state.\u201d\n\nThe LFPA program is authorized by the American Rescue Plan to maintain and improve food and agricultural supply chain resiliency. Through this program, USDA will award up to $400 million through non-competitive cooperative agreements with state and tribal governments to support local, regional, and underserved producers through the purchase of food produced within the state or within 400 miles of delivery destination.\n\nMore information about the program is available on AMS\u2019s Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program webpage.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:13:54Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-releases-statement-scotus-ruling-overturn-reproductive", "Congressman Carter Releases Statement on SCOTUS Ruling to Overturn Reproductive Rights", "2022-06-24", "2022", "2022-06", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. released the following statement after the Supreme Court took the extraordinary, unprecedented step of taking away individual rights for the first time in history.\n\n\u201cToday the Supreme Court acted not to expand, but to take away the rights and freedoms of the American people for the first time in our nation\u2019s history.\n\n\u201cToday, five members of the Supreme Court have inserted themselves between patients and doctors. They have interrupted these private conversations with far-right legal principles that limit personal healthcare decisions like when to start a family.\n\n\u201cThis is an infuriating trampling of privacy that should anger every single American, and it puts many people at risk.\n\n\u201cAs a person of faith, I have faith in God first. But I also hold faith in the people \u2013 in my brothers, sisters, and neighbors. I have faith in America, and the liberties and freedoms that we hold dear. I have faith that we must all have the chance to make the right choices for ourselves, our health and our families. That\u2019s what freedom is all about.\n\n\u201cFor Louisianians, we have entered a dark new stage of our state\u2019s history. New restrictions have been triggered outlawing all abortion in our state, with minimal exceptions for safety or circumstance.\n\n\u201cEven under Roe we were already failing our mothers \u2013 the United States has the worst maternal mortality rate among developed nations, and Black women face disproportionately terrible outcomes.\n\n\u201cIt breaks my heart that those who already had the fewest resources in Louisiana and many other states are now left without any options at all. This is especially true for low-income, Black, Indigenous, and women of color in our state who already faced devastatingly high rates of maternal mortality and poor maternal health outcomes.\n\n\u201cFor them and many others, the post-Roe reality we now face is even more perilous than it was before. This new reality not only includes forced birth, but potentially death from unsafe medical procedures, or a dangerous pregnancy itself.\n\n\u201cThis ruling and wider debate is not about life, it\u2019s about control. If it were truly about life, our nation and Louisiana would be investing in prenatal care, early childhood education, food assistance, universal pre-K, and other policies that improve outcomes for children.\n\n\u201cNow, we must ask ourselves the question: if some rights are not sacred in this nation, are any rights sacred in this nation?\n\n\u201cTrump planted far-right judges into our judiciary, and now we are witnessing the first sprouts of those evil seeds. Unfortunately, there is more harvest to come.\n\n\u201cThe courts gave women the right to birth control, the courts gave women the right to open their own credit card. The courts gave everyone in America the right to marry the person they love, regardless of race or gender.\n\n\u201cJust like reproductive freedom, many states like Louisiana still have original laws on the books and only the Supreme Court prevents these laws from snapping back into effect.\n\n\u201cElections have consequences, but those consequences should never be the deprivation of rights once given. This decision is lawless and flies in the face of precedent. Not only the precedent of Roe and Casey, but every precedent in American history.\n\n\u201cIn Congress, I will continue to do all I can to expand access to the full complement of reproductive healthcare and fight to re-instate the rights and freedoms of the American people.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:13:54Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-votes-historic-gun-safety-package", "Congressman Troy Carter Votes for Historic Gun Safety Package", "2022-06-24", "2022", "2022-06", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. voted for bipartisan legislation that takes historic steps to combat gun violence and protect communities in Louisiana. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act will help save lives by keeping weapons out of dangerous hands, strengthening mental health services and bolstering school safety. The first major gun violence prevention legislation passed by Congress in nearly three decades, this bill now heads to the President\u2019s desk to be signed into law.\n\n\u201cToday, the Democratic Congress passed our nation\u2019s first major gun violence prevention legislation in nearly three decades,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cLouisianians are horrified by the epidemic of gun violence that continues to steal away lives, devastate families and shatter communities across the country. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act will implement common-sense measures to curb the violence and keep weapons away from those who pose a danger to themselves and others.\u201d\n\nGun violence in America is responsible for more than 45,000 deaths per year, and an average of 1,183 deaths in Louisiana every year. Every day, 30 Americans are murdered with a gun \u2013 a number that rises to more than 100 when counting suicides and accidental shootings. Communities across the nation have been torn apart by nearly 300 mass shootings since 2009 \u2013 attacks that have killed more than 1,500 people and wounded 1,000 more.\n\nThe Bipartisan Safer Communities Act will implement common-sense, bipartisan measures to protect America\u2019s children, keep our communities safe and curb gun violence across our country, including:\n\nSupport for State Crisis Intervention Orders: Incentivizing states to implement extreme risk protection order laws to keep weapons out of the hands of individuals who pose a danger to themselves or others.\n\nProtections for Victims of Domestic Violence: Closing the \u201cBoyfriend Loophole\u201d by adding convicted abusers to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.\n\nCracking Down on Gun Trafficking and Straw Purchases: Preventing dangerous individuals from illegally evading background checks by establishing new federal criminal offenses that cover straw purchasing and trafficking.\n\nEnhanced Background Checks for Buyers Under 21: Requiring longer, enhanced background checks of up to ten days for gun buyers under 21 years of age.\n\nAnti-Violence Community Initiatives: Providing $250 million in funding for community-based violence prevention initiatives.\n\nChild and Family Mental Health Services: Improving access to mental health services for children, youth and families through Medicaid, CHIP and other programs.\n\nInvestments in School Safety: Expanding mental health and supportive services in schools, including early identification and intervention programs.\n\n\u201cHouse Democrats have voted again and again for bold action to combat gun violence,\u201d continued Congressman Carter. \u201cThe legislation we voted on today is not perfect, but it is an important step forward. However, we cannot stop here. House Democrats remain committed to fighting for additional gun safety legislation and finally putting an end to our nation\u2019s daily drumbeat of gun violence.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:13:54Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-introduces-bipartisan-cannabis-bill-provide-access-lending", "Congressman Carter Introduces Bipartisan Cannabis Bill to Provide Access to Lending Services, Investments and Grants for State-Legal American Businesses", "2022-06-23", "2022", "2022-06", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Congressmen Troy A Carter, Sr. (LA-02) and Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14) today introduced bipartisan legislation, The Capital Lending and Investment for Marijuana Businesses (CLIMB) Act, to allow state legal American cannabis companies, including small, minority and veteran-owned businesses the ability to access critical lending and investment opportunities currently available to other domestic and regulated industries. The CLIMB Act offers protections to financial lenders and government agencies tasked with promoting economic growth for American businesses and communities, which will help level the playing field against larger, global competitors in the cannabis industry.\n\n\u201cThe bipartisan CLIMB Act is a huge opportunity to bring equity and equal opportunity into our nation\u2019s burgeoning cannabis industry,\u201d said Congressman Troy Carter. \u201cFrom my work on the Small Business Committee and by working directly with small, minority, and veteran-owned cannabis businesses, it\u2019s clear that access to capital remains one of the biggest barriers to entry and to success in the industry. By bringing symmetry into the business ecosystem with the CLIMB Act, we can help communities that have long been harmed by the criminalization of marijuana move to now be leaders in the business sphere \u2013 and that\u2019s what the American Dream is all about.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerican cannabis companies are currently restricted from receiving traditional lending and financing, making it difficult to compete with larger, global competitors,\u201d said Rep. Reschenthaler. \u201cThe CLIMB Act will eliminate these barriers to entry, and provide state legal American cannabis companies, including small, minority, and veteran-owned businesses, with access to the financial tools necessary for success. This bipartisan legislation will boost the economy, create jobs, and level the playing field for American businesses.\u201d\n\nDue to federal prohibition, state legal cannabis operators do not have equal access to traditional lending and financing options as non-U.S. companies, which creates significant barriers to entry for American cannabis companies, including minority-owned and ancillary businesses. Among other items, the CLIMB Act does the following:\n\nProvides safe harbor for private financial institutions to offer lending services state-legal American businesses. Due to federal prohibition, a majority of American banks will not offer loans or lending options to small, minority and veteran-owned cannabis businesses.\n\nProtects government agencies such as Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) and Minority Business Development Association (MBDA) from issuing grants and other sources of government funding. The CLIMB Act will allow entrepreneurs and small businesses to apply for funding to start and grow their business in the cannabis industry, particularly in areas most adversely impacted by the War on Drugs.\n\n\u201cThe National Cannabis Roundtable is proud to support House Members Troy Carter and Guy Reschenthaler\u2019s bipartisan Capital Lending and Investment for Marijuana Businesses Act,\u201d said Saphira Galoob, Executive Director of the National Cannabis Roundtable. \u201cThe CLIMB Act is critical because it provides state legal American businesses with traditional funding and support mechanisms for this emerging industry, which other domestic industries currently enjoy. The more financing sources available to cannabis businesses the better, particularly for entrepreneurs, small and minority-owned businesses that may have otherwise face challenges in obtaining access to capital. This bill provides a suite of options including institutional investments, CDFI and MBDA protections that will create good jobs and ensure inclusive economic growth and stability.\u201d\n\n\u201cSmall businesses entering the cannabis industry face extraordinary challenges accessing capital,\u201d said Michael Bronstein, President, American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp. \u201cBy creating funding avenues through the Minority Business Development Agency and Community Development Financial Institutions, as well as providing avenues for institutional investment, the cost of capital will continue to decrease, and the opportunity of the United States cannabis economy will become more inclusive and within reach for the many not just the few.\u201d\n\n\u201cCLIMB offers imperative financial access for women and minority entrepreneurs in cannabis,\u201d said Gia Mor\u00f3n, President, Women Grow. \u201cWhile SAFE Banking presents a security harbor for cash deposits, that only addresses one critical role in business banking. Women and minority owned enterprises in cannabis continue to face lack of access to lending, grants, and investment options. CLIMB proposes vital financial tools that will work through MBDA and CDFI to support entrepreneurs in our communities as they aim to scale their businesses.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe CLIMB Act is sound policy and will provide long-awaited critical financial support for small, minority and women-owned cannabis businesses,\u201d said Roz McCarthy, Founder and CEO of Minorities 4 Medical Marijuana. \u201cM4MM is grateful for the bipartisan leadership on this issue, and encourages congress to work together and advance this key piece of cannabis reform legislation.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs a veteran and executive in the cannabis industry, I welcome the opportunities that The CLIMB Act will provide as I work to grow my business,\u201dsaid Gary Hess, Founder and Executive Director of the Veterans Alliance for Holistic Alternatives (VAHA). \u201cHaving access to loans and grants will allow American cannabis entrepreneurs and businesses to reinvest in their employees and communities. The CLIMB Act will unlock these long-awaited, critical funding streams and promises to build a more fair and equitable industry.\u201d\n\n\"Small cannabis businesses cannot effectively compete in the highly regulated and complex cannabis industry without access to capital and lending services,\u201d stated National Cannabis Industry Association CEO Aaron Smith. \u201cThis bill is a much-needed reform that will help level the playing field for main street cannabis businesses across the country.\u201d\n\nAs of January 2022, over 425,000 full-time jobs are supported by the regulated U.S. cannabis industry. Further, the state legal cannabis industry produced nearly $25 billion in sales in 2021, outpacing many other industries in terms of size and growth, and the domestic industry is expected to grow to $41.5 billion by 2025\u2014representing the fastest growing sector in the U.S. over the last decade.\n\nThe full text of the bill can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:39:01Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-statement-presidents-proposed-federal-gas-tax-holiday", "Congressman Troy Carter Statement on the President\u2019s Proposed Federal Gas Tax Holiday to Lower Prices for Americans", "2022-06-22", "2022", "2022-06", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. released the following statement in response to President Biden\u2019s proposal for a three-month federal gas tax holiday.\n\n\u201cI support the President\u2019s proposal for a temporary federal gas tax holiday in order to provide direct relief to American families. American consumers are trying to stay afloat, and action like a short-term federal gas tax holiday will soften the blow of inflation and help tackle Putin\u2019s price hike at the pump. I agree that the final proposal of a federal gas tax holiday should be structured so that it does not have any negative impact on the Highway Trust Fund.\n\n\u201cCongress and the President understand that high gas prices pose a significant challenge for working families here in Louisiana and across the country. That\u2019s why in recent months we have acted to boost the supply of oil and gas, including historic releases from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, advancing anti-price gouging legislation, and encouraging oil companies and refiners to get more supply to market.\u201d\n\nThe White House released the following fact sheet about the President\u2019s call for this action, linked and below:\n\nFACT SHEET: President Biden Calls for a Three-Month Federal Gas Tax Holiday\n\nThe price of gas is up dramatically around the world, and by almost $2 per gallon in America, since Putin began amassing troops on the border of Ukraine. President Biden understands that high gas prices pose a significant challenge for working families. That\u2019s why he has taken action in recent months to boost the supply of oil and gas, including an historic release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and encouraging oil companies and refiners to boost capacity and output to get more supply on the market.\n\nToday, he is calling on Congress and states to take additional legislative action to provide direct relief to American consumers who have been hit with Putin\u2019s Price Hike. Specifically, he is calling on Congress to suspend the federal gas tax for three months, through September, without taking any money away from the Highway Trust Fund. And he is calling on states to take similar action to provide some direct relief, whether suspending their own gas taxes or helping consumers in other ways.\n\nFederal Gas Tax Holiday\n\nRight now, the federal government charges an 18 cent tax per gallon of gasoline and a 24 cent tax per gallon of diesel. Those taxes fund critical highways and public transportation, through the Highway Trust Fund. But in this unique moment, with gas prices near $5 a gallon on average across the country, President Biden is calling on Congress to suspend the gas tax for three months \u2013 until the end of September \u2013 to give Americans a little extra breathing room as they deal with the effects of Putin\u2019s war in Ukraine.\n\nThe President is also calling on Congress to make sure that a gas tax holiday has no negative effect on the Highway Trust Fund. With our deficit already down by a historic $1.6 trillion this year, the President believes that we can afford to suspend the gas tax to help consumers while using other revenues to make the Highway Trust Fund whole for the roughly $10 billion cost. This is consistent with legislation proposed in the Senate and the House to advance a responsible gas tax holiday.\n\nPresident Biden understands that a gas tax holiday alone will not, on its own, relieve the run up in costs that we\u2019ve seen. But the President believes that at this unique moment when the war in Ukraine is imposing costs on American families, Congress should do what it can to provide working families breathing room.\n\nState and Local Action\n\nIn addition to federal gas tax relief, the President is calling on state and local governments to provide additional consumer relief. Already, some states and local governments have acted: for example, in Connecticut and New York, governors temporarily suspended their gas taxes, and in Illinois and Colorado, governors delayed planned tax and fee increases. And, around the country, in states like Michigan and Minnesota, states and local leaders are considering a number of forms of consumer relief \u2013 from temporary suspensions and pauses on state sales tax on gas to consumer rebates and relief payments. The President believes more states and local governments should do so.\n\nOngoing Actions to Blunt the Impact of the Putin Price Hike\n\nToday\u2019s announcements follow a series of actions the President has taken to lower gas prices for American families.\n\nThe President announced the release of a record 1 million barrels per day from our Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which just last week a leading oil market analyst confirmed has been critical to keeping prices from rising even more.\n\nHe rallied international partners to join us, releasing a combined 240 million barrels of oil on the market.\n\nHe expanded access to biofuels like E15\u2014gasoline that uses a 15 percent ethanol blend\u2014to increase supply and lower prices at thousands of gas stations across the country.\n\nHe and his Administration are engaging with oil and refining companies to ask them to work with the Administration to bring forward concrete solutions that increase refinery capacity and output. Secretary Granholm is meeting with these CEOs this week.\n\nAlready, the United States produced more oil under the first year of this Administration than it did under the first two years of the prior Administration, and is on track to set new records next year. At the same time, the President understands that our efforts to increase energy production in the near-term must be coupled with medium- and long-term efforts to transition our economy away from fossil fuels produced by autocrats and to clean energy.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:39:01Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-celebrates-juneteenth-2022", "Congressman Carter Celebrates Juneteenth 2022", "2022-06-19", "2022", "2022-06", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 On the first anniversary of Juneteenth\u2019s celebration as a federal holiday, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. released the following statement:\n\n\u201cI had only been serving in Congress for thirty-seven days when I had the chance to vote yes to make June 19th \u2013 Juneteenth \u2013 our nation\u2019s newest federal holiday.\n\n\u201cThis joyous day recognizes how in 1865, enslaved African Americans in Texas received the thrilling news of their freedom \u2013 more than two years after the passing of the Emancipation Proclamation. They were finally free.\n\n\u201cToday, 157 years later, we celebrate Juneteenth 2022 \u2013 its second year as a National Holiday.\n\n\u201cWhether this is your first Juneteenth or your most recent celebration in a long line of traditions, I hope every Louisianian and American will join us in jubilantly commemorating the history, progress, and power of the African American community.\n\n\u201cBut this anniversary is not only a celebration. It is also an urgent reminder to continue to combat the injustices of our present and future.\n\n\u201cToday, we remember the resilience of our enslaved ancestors, and recommit to never forgetting their struggle by working to end the systemic racism that still plagues our country.\n\n\u201cFrom protecting the right to vote to building safe communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, Juneteenth is a joyous challenge to build a better, equitable, and safe future for all.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:39:01Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-and-mayor-president-sharon-weston-broome-announce", "Congressman Troy Carter and Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome Announce Mental Health Initiative", "2022-06-18", "2022", "2022-06", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "BATON ROUGE, L.A. \u2013Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. and Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome announced a congressional allocation of $1 million to East Baton Rouge Parish to establish a network of mental and behavioral health resource centers that will offer traditional clinical services by licensed practitioners for communities that have high indicators of need for trauma-informed care based on factors like crime, substance abuse, housing insecurity and violence.\n\n\u201cMental healthcare is healthcare. We need to take care of body, our spirit, and mind to build happy, fulfilling lives and a strong, safe community,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cThat\u2019s why today I am so proud to announce that I have secured $1 million in community project funding for mental health services in Baton Rouge through the BRIGHT Initiative. We all deserve to feel safe in our communities and with ourselves. Serving our community\u2019s mental health needs \u2014 as well as physical health needs \u2013 is a way to achieve a stronger, safer, Baton Rouge. Thank you to Mayor-President Broome and the City of Baton Rouge for their ongoing partnership and dedication to this important issue.\u201d\n\n\u201cIncreasing access to mental health and trauma resources for East Baton Rouge families is critical to supporting a safe, hopeful and healthy community. Congressman Carter is a tremendous partner, helping to bring these resources into neighborhoods of greatest need, which improves public safety and quality of life.\u201d\n\nThis community project was funded through Congress\u2019 annual Appropriations process, and was selected and advocated for by Congressman Carter after comprehensive outreach to local groups and stakeholders. This one million in funding for BRIGHT is one of nine projects totaling $31.5 million that the Congressman secured for the people and communities of Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:39:01Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-senators-cassidy-kennedy-ask-fema-extend-hurricane", "Congressman Troy Carter, Senators Cassidy, Kennedy Ask FEMA to Extend Hurricane Katrina Recovery Deadline", "2022-06-18", "2022", "2022-06", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. and U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. and John Kennedy yesterday requested that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) extend the August 2023 deadline for the city of New Orleans to use the public assistance it received in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The city received nearly $2 billion in relief from FEMA to repair roads and pipes damaged during the storm.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to join Louisiana\u2019s Senators in a bipartisan manner to request FEMA extend the deadline on these important public assistance funds it received after Hurricane Katrina,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cNo matter the mistakes and failures in allocating these funds, and there have been many, we must do everything we can to secure these dollars and complete this critical work for the people of New Orleans. Our city needs these resources to fix our roads and pipes.\u201d\n\n\u201cFamilies in New Orleans had their lives uprooted by Hurricane Katrina. It changed the city forever,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cFEMA should not impose arbitrary deadlines on recovery and rebuilding.\u201d\n\n\u201cHurricane Katrina devastated our state, and Hurricanes Laura, Delta, Zeta and Ida have only slowed recovery and dealt their own blows. South Louisiana\u2019s communities and economy need this $2 billion in FEMA aid to keep rebuilding what Katrina damaged, and I hope the agency gives the state an extension quickly,\u201d said Senator Kennedy.\n\nThe lawmakers discussed the need for an extension further in the letter.\n\n\u201cWhen Hurricane Katrina ripped through the Gulf Coast in August 2005 with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph, it killed 1,833 people. It took some 43 days after Katrina made landfall for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to pump the last of the floodwaters out of the city\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cIn the more recent years, New Orleans\u2019 rebuilding has been challenged by the COVID pandemic and the unprecedented 2020 hurricane season that included Hurricanes Ida, Zeta, Barry, and Laura.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Louisiana Congressional Delegation requests the August 2023 deadline be extended in order to fulfill much needed maintenance to roads and pipe repair in New Orleans,\u201d continued the lawmakers.\n\nRead the full letter here or below:\n\nDear Administrator Criswell:\n\nFollowing Hurricane Katrina, the State of Louisiana received $2 billion of FEMA Public Assistance that was allocated for post-Hurricane Katrina road and pipe repairs in New Orleans. Recently, we learned that the City of New Orleans will be unable to spend all of the allocated funds before the federally imposed deadline. To address such situations, 44 CFR 206.204(d) allows FEMA to extend project deadlines if (1) requested by the recipient (in this case, the State of Louisiana) and (2) submitted to the Regional Administrator. Accordingly, we are writing to alert you to this matter and to seek your support for extending the deadline.\n\nAs required by regulation, the State of Louisiana\u2019s extension request includes a \u201cdetailed justification for the delay and a projected completion date.\u201d However, just a cursory understanding of Hurricane Katrina\u2019s magnitude and impact on New Orleans, as well as subsequent storms and events make a compelling case why the requested extension should be granted.\n\nWhen Hurricane Katrina ripped through the Gulf Coast in August 2005 with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph, it killed 1,833 people. It took some 43 days after Katrina made landfall for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to pump the last of the floodwaters out of the city. Even a month later, up to 600,000 households were still displaced, and by the fall of 2006, less than half of the residents had returned.\n\nIn the more recent years, New Orleans\u2019 rebuilding has been challenged by the COVID pandemic and the unprecedented 2020 hurricane season that included Hurricanes Ida, Zeta, Barry, and Laura. Despite all of the above challenges, New Orleans has made progress in completing work, which has previously been a bolstering factor in FEMA\u2019s granting of extensions.\n\nFinally, New Orleans\u2019 need for an extension has been expected by FEMA for some time. Within the Joint Infrastructure Recovery Request (\u201cJIRR\u201d) Report of 2019, it is noted that FEMA is aware a further extension of JIRR funds are likely. \u201cFEMA extended the work deadline for the JIRR program projects through June 30, 2023 as established per PW 21032, 21033 (DAC) and 20908 (ADA). Moreover, FEMA acknowledges an extended schedule to 2025 based on schedules established during the formulation of PW 21032 and anticipates time extensions will be required to complete the work.\u201d (p. 4).\n\nThe Louisiana Congressional Delegation requests the August 2023 deadline be extended in order to fulfill much needed maintenance to roads and pipe repair in New Orleans. A notice will be sent to the state to submit a formal request for your approval. Thank you for your continued attention to hurricane recovery efforts in Louisiana. We appreciate your consideration of this request and look forward to your response.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:39:01Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-calls-louisiana-conduct-fair-redistricting-process-protect", "Congressman Carter Calls for Louisiana to Conduct Fair Redistricting Process & Protect Black Voters", "2022-06-15", "2022", "2022-06", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. convened congressional colleagues and leaders outside of the U.S. Capitol to call for a fair redistricting process in Louisiana that protects Black voters and creates a second majority-minority congressional district.\n\nJoined by members of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressman Carter led the group to speak in one voice against the age-old pattern of silencing and diluting Black votes and voices in our democratic system.\n\n\u201cWe must begin to overcome our State\u2019s tarnished past and move toward fair maps that follow the math and give Black Louisianians their rightful representation in our democratic system,\u201d said Congressman Troy Carter. \u201cI call on my former colleagues in the Legislature to do the right thing for their constituents and their state by drawing fair districts that truly look like Louisiana. Then, at the federal level we must act to reinvigorate the voting rights of our nation. Recent negotiations have led to a bipartisan agreement on gun violence prevention. They can, and should, lead to action on voting rights and protecting our democracy.\u201d\n\nYou can see a video of Congressman Carter\u2019s remarks here.\n\nCongressional Black Caucus leaders joined Congressman Carter at this event and gave powerful remarks, drawing parallels between what is happening in Louisiana and what is happening in their states and communities across the country.\n\nCongresswoman Joyce Beatty, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said that, \u201cWe know all too well what is happening in your state, because it is happening across the United States. So we come today to tell you that we are standing fighting for our democracy. We are standing here protecting our right to vote.\u201d Video of Chair Beatty is here.\n\nCongressman G.K. Butterfield, a former voting rights attorney and Judge stated that, \u201cI have read the opinion of Judge Dick from the Middle District of Louisiana, and she has written a very, very, scholarly opinion. It interprets Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act very accurately.\u201d\n\nVideo of Congressman Butterfield is here.\n\nCongressman Hakeem Jeffries, Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus said, \u201cI want to thank my good friend and our colleague representative Troy Carter for his strong and steadfast leadership in ensuring that the African-American community in the great state of Louisiana has fair and equal representation and an opportunity to elect the candidate of their choice.\u201d\n\nVideo of Chairman Jeffries is here.\n\nCongresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee shared that, \u201cTo Congressman Carter, I am standing with you, now 57 years after the 1965 Voting Rights Act\u2026after all the work that has been done we are still working to ensure that there is representation for all people. \u2026 it is clear the math does not add up. I stand with the Congressman to ask for the Legislature to do its job, and for there to be the full representation of the people of Louisiana. Video of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee is here.\n\nCongresswoman Terri A. Sewell added that, \u201cI am proud to stand with my colleague from Louisiana. We do so because we are kindred spirits in Alabama. We share the same problem. And we have the same solution, which is to restore the full protections of the Voting Rights Act and pass the John Robert Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. These state legislatures must do their jobs and draw fair maps that will allow African Americans to have their fair share of these elected seats. Video of Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell is here.\n\nPhotos of the event are here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:39:01Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-announces-2022-congressional-art-competition-winners", "Congressman Troy Carter Announces 2022 Congressional Art Competition Winners", "2022-06-13", "2022", "2022-06", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 Every spring the House of Representatives sponsors a visual art competition for high school students across the nation to encourage and recognize artistic talent nationwide and in each congressional district.\n\nCongressman Troy A. Carter Sr.\u2019s office received many competitive submissions from high school students across the district but today, Congressman Carter has announced that the first-place winner of Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District 2022 Congressional Art Competition is Makayla Olivencia of New Orleans, Louisiana. A rising junior at New Orleans Charter Science & Mathematics High School, Ms. Olivencia\u2019s artwork is titled, \u201cThe Crescent City Connection\u201d and highlights a beautiful skyline, nightlife scenery, and bridge in New Orleans.\n\n\u201cCongratulations to Makayla Olivencia on winning the district\u2019s 2022 Congressional Art Competition,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cHer stunning artistic interpretation of our beautiful city of New Orleans was very powerful and instantly reminded me of home. Thank you to each and every student who submitted a piece to my office, it is clear that the district is full of talented young artists with bright futures.\u201d\n\nMakayla Olivencia\u2019s artwork, along with the other first-place winners, will be featured in a gallery in the Nation\u2019s Capitol. This gallery was placed in one of the busiest corridors of our nation\u2019s capitol building, allowing lawmakers and visitors from around the country and around the world to view Ms. Olivencia\u2019s artwork.\n\nCongressman Carter also selected additional winners for recognition for second and third place, as well as honorable mention.\n\nThe winners tied for second place are Blair Augillard with \u201cYoung Musician\u201d and Evan Bellow with \u201cSade.\u201d Both second-place winners are from New Orleans. These will be displayed in the Washington, D.C. office of Congressman Carter.\n\nThird place is awarded to Logan Grayman of LaPlace for his piece, \u201cAfter the Storm.\u201d This piece will be on display at the Congressman\u2019s New Orleans flagship office.\n\nHonorable Mentions will be on display in the satellite offices around the Second Congressional District. The Honorable Mention winners are Makayla Mundy with \u201cCosmic,\u201d Rionne Myles with \u201cUnited,\u201d Emma Prohphete with \u201cHope,\u201d Gabriela Sarai Perez Vasquez with \u201cOur Identity,\u201d and Jaylor Williams with \u201cThis is Not America.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:39:01Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-statement-us-fifth-circuit-ruling-allowing-fair", "Congressman Troy Carter Statement on U.S. Fifth Circuit Ruling Allowing Fair Redistricting to Occur in Louisiana", "2022-06-12", "2022", "2022-06", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. -- Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. released the following statement in response to the ruling by the U.S. Fifth Circuit vacating the administrative stay it issued last week after the Middle District Court ruled the maps of Louisiana\u2019s congressional districts violated the Voting Rights Act.\n\n\u201cI applaud the 5th Circuit for lifting its stay. Now, the Louisiana Legislature can honor Governor Edwards\u2019 call for a Special Redistricting Session and draw fair districts that truly look like Louisiana.\n\n\u201cOur state has a long, tragic history of diminishing and silencing the voices of African Americans. Today\u2019s ruling is a step away from that tarnished past and a move toward fair maps that follow the math and give Black Louisianians their rightful representation in our democratic system.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:39:01Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/aclu-louisiana-congressman-troy-carter-hail-federal-court-ruling-ordering", "ACLU of Louisiana, Congressman Troy Carter Hail Federal Court Ruling Ordering Legislature to Draw New Congressional Map with Two Majority-Black Districts", "2022-06-07", "2022", "2022-06", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS \u2014 A federal judge in Robinson v. Ardoin ruled in favor of Black voters challenging Louisiana\u2019s newly enacted congressional map as a violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The decision came after a week-long hearing in which Black Louisianans and civil rights groups presented their case for enjoining the discriminatory map, which severely dilutes Black voting power by packing Black voters from New Orleans and Baton Rouge into a single U.S. congressional district. As a result of the decision, lawmakers must draw a new map with two majority-Black districts to be used during upcoming elections, while litigation continues.\n\nThe lawsuit was filed on March 30, 2022 by the Legal Defense Fund (LDF), American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the ACLU of Louisiana, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, and Louisiana Lawyers John Adcock and Tracie Washington on behalf of the Louisiana State Conference of the NAACP, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, and nine individual voters. It was filed immediately after the Louisiana Legislature voted to overturn Governor John Bel Edwards\u2019 veto of the congressional plan passed by the Legislature in February.\n\n\u201cThe people of Louisiana are the real winners following this ruling,\u201d said Congressman Troy Carter. \u201cMinority voters in Louisiana should be heard commensurate with the actual numbers in our state. The foundational principle of our democracy, the right to vote, must be protected at all costs and I\u2019m glad that the courts agreed as they struck down these unfair, racially discriminatory maps. Now, the Legislature has a chance to follow the clear math and draw maps that lift every voice and create a second majority-minority congressional district that is truly representative of the population.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis ruling is a vindication of Black Louisianans\u2019 voting rights,\u201d saidACLU of Louisiana Executive Director Alanah Odoms. For decades, voters of color in this state have been disenfranchised and treated as second-class citizens by racially gerrymandered maps that dilute their voting strength. The Legislature needs to respect us all as equal citizens under the law.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe court was clear: Louisiana\u2019s Census data shows that the state's growth over the past decade was due to growth in communities of color,\u201d saidACLU of Louisiana Legal Director Nora Ahmed. For voters of color to be fully included in our democratic process, our maps have to fairly reflect our state\u2019s population.\u201d\n\nThe voting-age population in Louisiana is nearly one-third Black. Under the Legislature\u2019s proposed map, Black Louisianans comprise the majority in only one of the state\u2019s six congressional districts, and candidates supported by Black voters are routinely outvoted in the five other districts. The result is underrepresentation of Black voters in Louisiana\u2019s congressional delegation, with Black voters having an opportunity to elect candidates of their choice in only one of the six congressional districts (i.e., 16.7% of the districts). At the same time, Louisiana\u2019s white population is vastly overrepresented. While only 58% of Louisiana\u2019s population is non-Hispanic white, white voters control the outcome in five out of six (83.3%) districts under the maps. That control has meant that no Black candidate has won election to any of those seats since Reconstruction.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:49:55Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-calls-special-session-create-second-majority-minority", "Congressman Troy Carter Calls for Special Session to Create a Second Majority-Minority Congressional District", "2022-06-06", "2022", "2022-06", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 In response to today\u2019s federal court ruling, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. released the following statement:\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s not too late for the legislature to do the right thing.\n\n\u201cNow that the Congressional maps have been thrown out by a federal court, I am calling on Governor Edwards to call a special session to redraw maps that create a second majority-minority district and protect our sacred right to vote!\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:39:01Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-announces-2022-essay-contest-competition-winner", "Congressman Troy Carter Announces 2022 Essay Contest Competition Winner", "2022-06-04", "2022", "2022-06", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 Earlier this year, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. launched an essay contest challenging high schoolers to analyze Dr. Martin Luther King\u2019s Dream for the nation and to share their own vision for a brighter future in a short essay.\n\nHis office received a lot of competitive submissions from student writers, but today, Congressman Carter has announced that the winner of his inaugural Essay Contest is Sydnee Ragas of New Orleans. A rising junior at Arden Cahill Academy in New Orleans, Ms. Ragas\u2019 essay examined the action steps needed to make a more equitable and just world possible. Her dream, she writes, is a world that \u201csees equality no longer as a theoretical concept that we argue aimlessly about, or use as a tool of political leverage, but that becomes the way of life for every American.\u201d\n\n\u201cCongratulations to Sydnee Ragas on winning my 2022 Essay Contest,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cHer thoughtful argument arguing that we must move past semantics towards action is very powerful, and I agree that we must enable everyone\u2019s dreams so that they have not just the will to achieve it, but also the resources. I\u2019m grateful to each and every essayist who shared their thoughts, hopes, and dreams with my office. With all of these thoughtful young people coming into adulthood, it\u2019s clear that our future is in good hands.\u201d\n\nSydnee Ragas\u2019 essay will be published in the New Orleans Tribune, highlighted on Congressman Carter\u2019s platforms, and she will be invited to an award ceremony in her honor in Washington, D.C. this summer.\n\nThe winning essay by Ms. Ragas is below, a photo of her is here.\n\n\"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.\"\n\nWhen we reflect on the words of Dr. King's I Have a Dream speech, in which he expressed his goals for the future of America, the question comes up of did we achieve his goals, or do they remain unrealized dreams?\n\nAfter I get home from school, I always turn on the news. This is not only to unwind after a long day, but also to see what events have occurred while I was away.\n\nWhile in my own bubble during the day, the atrocities that occur in everyday life are easily\n\nforgotten. As I look at our nation and the citizens living in it, I can only think \"We have failed you, Dr. King.\"\n\nLiving in this seemingly endless cycle of struggle towards progress, and building upon that of Dr. King's inspirational words, I have been inspired to visualize a dream of my own. Dreams of making sure that a mother can see her son come home, instead of seeing him shot dead on the news. That people will continue to understand and learn from the stain that slavery left on this country, so that we may build a better nation going forward. That my children will understand the struggles that came before them, but not have to suffer under them. A dream that sees equality no longer as a theoretical concept that we argue aimlessly about, or use as a tool of political leverage, but that becomes the way of life for every American.\n\nI wish that, one day, we can reflect upon the vision of Dr. King, and find that his dream is no longer 'a dream,\u2019 but has become our reality. As history has shown, dreams without the means or will to achieve them are seldom realized. While anyone can \"dream\" for things to happen, few put in the effort needed to actualize them.\n\nMethods such as protests and petitions, while helpful, can only bring one's goal to a certain point. If true change is desired, the roots preventing it must be attacked first. This means breaking down social, economic, and political divisions that have left a rift in our nation. Dr. King spent his lifetime preaching and spreading his message of love, equality, and freedom. To push that agenda forward, it is required that we, as U.S. citizens, must come together and overcome the things that set us apart. There is no \"one road\" to succeeding in our fight for change, but there are things we can do to get there. We must close the gap that, throughout our entire history, has continuously kept us apart from making meaningful change.\n\nOnly by coming together will we be able to truly make a meaningful impact and create a better, more equitable society that even Dr. King would be proud of.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:39:01Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-announces-2022-essay-contest-competition-winner-0", "Congressman Troy Carter Announces 2022 Essay Contest\u00a0Competition Winner", "2022-06-04", "2022", "2022-06", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 Earlier this year, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. launched an essay contest challenging high schoolers to analyze Dr. Martin Luther King\u2019s Dream for the nation and to share their own vision for a brighter future in a short essay.\n\nHis office received a lot of competitive submissions from student writers, but today, Congressman Carter has announced that the winner of his inaugural Black History Month EssayContest is Sydnee Ragas of New Orleans. A rising junior at Arden Cahill Academy in New Orleans, Ms. Ragas\u2019 essay examined the action steps needed to make a more equitable and just world possible. Her dream, she writes, is a world that \u201csees equality no longer as a theoretical concept that we argue aimlessly about, or use as a tool of political leverage, but that becomes the way of life for every American.\u201d\n\n\u201cCongratulations to Sydnee Ragas on winning my 2022 EssayContest,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cHer thoughtful argument arguing that we must move past semantics towards action is very powerful, and I agree that we must enable everyone\u2019s dreams so that they have not just the will to achieve it, but also the resources. I\u2019m grateful to each and every essayist who shared their thoughts, hopes, and dreams with my office. With all of these thoughtful young people coming into adulthood, it\u2019s clear that our future is in good hands.\u201d\n\nSydnee Ragas\u2019 essay will be published in the New Orleans Tribune, highlighted on Congressman Carter\u2019s platforms, and she will be invited to an award ceremony in her honor in Washington, D.C. this summer.\n\nThe winning essay by Ms. Ragas is below and on the Congressman\u2019s website. A photo of her is here.\n\n\"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.\"\n\nWhen we reflect on the words of Dr. King's I Have a Dream speech, in which he expressed his goals for the future of America, the question comes up of did we achieve his goals, or do they remain unrealized dreams?\n\nAfter I get home from school, I always turn on the news. This is not only to unwind after a long day, but also to see what events have occurred while I was away.\n\nWhile in my own bubble during the day, the atrocities that occur in everyday life are easily forgotten. As I look at our nation and the citizens living in it, I can only think \"We have failed you, Dr. King.\"\n\nLiving in this seemingly endless cycle of struggle towards progress, and building upon that of Dr. King's inspirational words, I have been inspired to visualize a dream of my own. Dreams of making sure that a mother can see her son come home, instead of seeing him shot dead on the news. That people will continue to understand and learn from the stain that slavery left on this country, so that we may build a better nation going forward. That my children will understand the struggles that came before them, but not have to suffer under them. A dream that sees equality no longer as a theoretical concept that we argue aimlessly about, or use as a tool of political leverage, but that becomes the way of life for every American.\n\nI wish that, one day, we can reflect upon the vision of Dr. King, and find that his dream is no longer 'a dream,\u2019 but has become our reality. As history has shown, dreams without the means or will to achieve them are seldom realized. While anyone can \"dream\" for things to happen, few put in the effort needed to actualize them.\n\nMethods such as protests and petitions, while helpful, can only bring one's goal to a certain point. If true change is desired, the roots preventing it must be attacked first. This means breaking down social, economic, and political divisions that have left a rift in our nation. Dr. King spent his lifetime preaching and spreading his message of love, equality, and freedom. To push that agenda forward, it is required that we, as U.S. citizens, must come together and overcome the things that set us apart. There is no \"one road\" to succeeding in our fight for change, but there are things we can do to get there. We must close the gap that, throughout our entire history, has continuously kept us apart from making meaningful change.\n\nOnly by coming together will we be able to truly make a meaningful impact and create a better, more equitable society that even Dr. King would be proud of.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:39:01Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-announces-762-million-shore-southern-university", "Congressman Troy Carter Announces $7.62 Million to Shore Up Southern University from Facility-Threatening Erosion", "2022-06-01", "2022", "2022-06", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "BATON ROUGE, L.A. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A Carter Sr., alongside Governor Jon Bel Edwards, Southern University Chairman Edwin Shorty, and Southern University President-Chancellor Ray Belton, announced $7.62 million in funding for the Southern University Ravine Protection project in East Baton Rouge Parish.\n\nThis federal grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service will be awarded to the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) for the $35 million Bayou Baton Rouge erosion improvement project to preserve Southern University\u2019s ravine. The storm runoff and river fluctuations are eroding the bank of the bluff adjacent to the university, endangering the school\u2019s facilities, utilities, the historic oaks, as well as the safety of students, staff, and community members who visit the area. The estimated value of infrastructure that would be damaged by unmitigated erosion is $43 million.\n\n\u201cThis is more than funding for a drainage project, this is a move that will protect and shore up this historic HBCU for the next generation,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cThis $7.62 million investment from the USDA\u2019s Emergency Watershed Protection Program that I secured will do more than put a band-aid on this problem, it will be a long-term solution to protect Southern University \u2014 and this beautiful community space \u2014 from tumbling down the bluff. This is yet another example of this Congress and the federal government showing up to invest like never before in infrastructure solutions for the people of Louisiana.\u201d\n\n\u201cInvesting in our state\u2019s infrastructure is a top priority and funding plays a critical role in its preservation and expansion,\u201d said Gov. Edwards. \u201cThis administration has committed ourselves to not only securing additional funding on the state level, but also on the federal level to provide quality infrastructure projects throughout the state. I would like to express my gratitude to our congressional officials and want to thank Congressman Carter for his continued support to improve Louisiana\u2019s infrastructure and to DOTD who applied, and was awarded this grant.\u201d\n\nCongressman Carter has been at the center of this effort at the federal level, as he provided guidance to DOTD for this funding opportunity to support Southern University and the Bayou Baton Rouge watershed. Partnering with DOTD, Congressman Carter led the effort in Washington to ensure that the plan advanced by DOTD was approved by the USDA.\n\nThis project will construct permanent erosion control measures to stabilize the ravine, which is the outfall to an approximate 852-acre watershed of Bayou Baton Rouge along the Mississippi River. This project will consist of addressing the retaining wall at the ROTC complex, tying in the emergency work at the Health Services Center, installing a weir system to control river flow, improve erosion mitigation through channel alignment modifications and covering the entire ravine from F Street to the new weir system with block matting.\n\nIn a continued effort to combat the erosion issues along this ravine, DOTD has spent $9 million in 2019 to construct permanent erosion control and improve drainage at the F and H Street crossings. In 2021, through an emergency declaration by Governor John Bel Edwards, DOTD expended $3 million for an emergency repair project, which is currently under construction.\n\nPreconstruction began in September 2021, and full construction is expected to begin in fall 2024 and last for approximately two years.\n\nThese funds are coming to DOTD alongside the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which will bring over $7 billion back to Louisiana. Over $2.3 billion has already been allocated to the state since the legislation was signed into law in November, 2021.\n\nPhotos or video from the press conference will be available here for download following the event.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:39:01Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-statement-deadly-shooting-xavier-university-new-orleans", "Congressman Carter Statement on the Deadly Shooting at Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana", "2022-05-31", "2022", "2022-05", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. released the following statement after the heinous shooting in his district at Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, LA.\n\n\u201cToday there was another senseless loss of life to gun violence at the Morris Jeff graduation taking place on Xavier\u2019s campus.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis must stop!\u201d\n\n\u201cWe cannot be a community divided on this issue. It\u2019s time for federal, state, and local partners to join together to find real solutions. This is an issue of life!\u201d\n\n\u201cWhile no Xavier students were involved, I feel comfortable as part of the Xavier family saying firmly that there is no place at Xavier or in this community or anywhere in our country for heinous actions like these.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:09:24Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-response-president-bidens-police-reform-executive-order", "Congressman Carter Response to President Biden\u2019s Police Reform Executive Order on Second Anniversary of George Floyd\u2019s Murder", "2022-05-25", "2022", "2022-05", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. -- Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. released the following statement in response to President Biden\u2019s Executive Order on police reform, actions announced on the second anniversary of the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis.\n\n\u201cWhile the Senate is unable to move important policing reform legislation, today, on the second anniversary of George Floyd\u2019s murder, President Biden took the bold executive action to institute policing reform that will help build public trust while strengthening public safety.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve long talked about smart funding the police, and these are the types of actions I\u2019ve been speaking about. Body cameras, banning choke holds, identifying the bad police officers, and providing increased training will make a real difference. Importantly, this executive order will help recruit and retain good police officers while ensuring officers\u2019 physical and mental health are supported.\n\n\u201cIncidents like the murders of George Floyd and Ronald Greene here at home have forced Black parents to have conversations like the ones I must have with my sons. I counsel my sons that if they interact with police to just make it home so that I can fix it in the morning. These actions will help move the country to a place where no parent need have these conversations, and will help save lives while laying the path toward true public safety.\n\n\u201cWhile today\u2019s Executive Order is a powerful step, it isn\u2019t the end of the fight for justice in policing for all. I will stay in the fight as long as it takes.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:29:07Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-statement-deadly-school-shooting-uvalde-texas", "Congressman Carter Statement on the Deadly School Shooting in Uvalde, Texas", "2022-05-25", "2022", "2022-05", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. released the following statement after the terrible attack on Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas that killed at least 21 people, including 19 students under the age of ten.\n\n\u201cFor far too long many have stared at horror in the world and looked away. Many offer thoughts and prayers to soothe the unimaginable pain and anguish felt by the loved ones of the children lost yesterday, their community, and the world. As a man of faith, I join the community of Uvalde in their sorrow and offer them my prayers and love.\n\n\u201cAs a Congressman, however, I won\u2019t look away from the simple fact that this isn\u2019t an isolated incident. The United States of America is the only country in the world where this happens on a regular basis. It\u2019s time to take common sense steps to stop this senseless slaughter of our children. Expanded background checks, red flag laws, and other simple policy changes are low hanging fruit.\n\n\u201cFor those offering thoughts and prayers alone, 2 Corinthians 13:5 says, \u2018Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? \u2014 Unless indeed you fail to meet the test!\u2019\n\n\u201cColleagues we must meet the test. We must act.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:29:07Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressmen-carter-graves-successfully-advocate-bipartisan-inclusions-water", "Congressmen Carter, Graves Successfully Advocate for Bipartisan Inclusions in Water Resources Bill for the People of Louisiana", "2022-05-19", "2022", "2022-05", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 As the two members from Louisiana on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D, LA-02) and Congressman Garret Graves (R, LA-06) partnered to successfully advance several bipartisan amendments and funding priorities in the markup of the Water Resources and Development Act of 2022 (WRDA).\n\nWRDA is a bill passed by every session of Congress that authorizes and funds the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers activities for flood control, navigation, and ecosystem restoration. Louisiana\u2019s Second and Sixth Congressional Districts \u2013 those represented by Congressman Carter and Graves, respectively \u2013 makes up more than one third of all U.S. Army Corps project authorizations in the nation.\n\n\u201cWater is the lifeblood of our nation\u2019s economy, public health, and environment,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cIn Louisiana we also know that we must plan comprehensively to safely manage water in our communities. WRDA 2022 is the mechanism Congress uses to build a stronger, healthier, water system for our nation. As we try to untangle our supply chains and navigate threats from climate change, we can\u2019t delay critical water management, port upgrades, environmental, or safety projects. I am proud to have achieved meaningful bipartisan successes for Louisiana in this legislation alongside Congressman Graves, and I look forward to voting for its passage in the House.\u201d\n\n\u201cCongressman Carter hit the ground running with us right after Hurricane Ida,\u201d said Congressman Garret Graves. \u201cWe saw the devastating consequences of disasters in our community and committed to do all we can to protect and restore our region. This bill represents a number of good wins for the citizens of Louisiana and there will be more to come.\n\nYesterday, Congressman Carter and Congressman Graves successfully worked on a bipartisan basis on the following elements of the final WRDA bill passed by the committee:\n\nAn amendment clarifying that the U.S. Army Corps should fund and continue paused ecosystem restoration and construction work to protect coastal habitat and communities on the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO).\n\nThe LMR Comprehensive Management Study was authorized within the bounds of the Mississippi River & Tributaries project with a 100% federal cost share.\n\nAuthorized a project for hurricane and storm damage risk reduction for the Upper Barataria Basin and for South Central Coastal Louisiana.\n\nAuthorized project modifications to Lake Pontchartrain & Vicinity (LPV) and West Bank & Vicinity (WBV).\n\nDirects the Comptroller General to conduct a study on projects and activities to mitigate fish and wildlife losses resulting from the construction, or operation and maintenance, of an authorized water resources development project.\n\nAmends section 2010 by extending the authority to transfer excess credits by ten years from its current expiration in June 2024.\n\nProvide construction authorization for Port Fourchon Belle Pass Deepening Dredge Material Management Plan.\n\nIncreased the cost cap for the Baton Rouge Environmental Assistance project to $90 million.\n\nAuthorized $36 million for St John, St Charles, and St James Parishes to plan, design, and construct comprehensive water and wastewater treatment facilities.\n\nAuthorized $70 million for St. Charles, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines Parishes for water related infrastructure.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:29:07Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carters-amendment-review-recreation-safety-measures-along", "Congressman Carter\u2019s Amendment to Review Recreation Safety Measures Along Mississippi River Passes Out of Committee", "2022-05-18", "2022", "2022-05", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, of which Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. is a member, conducted its markup of the 2022 Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA). WRDA is a bill passed every session of Congress that authorizes and funds the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers activities for flood control, navigation, and ecosystem restoration across the nation, with a large presence in Louisiana.\n\nUltimately, the final version passed included Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr.\u2019s amendment to improve safety along the banks of the Mississippi River, especially in light of the recent tragic drowning of three children who resided in his home community of Algiers, New Orleans.\n\n\u201cOn behalf of my constituents, I am grateful that my amendment, the Recreation Hazards of the Banks of the Mississippi River Study, was included in the 2022 WRDA bill,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cMy constituents deserve to enjoy the majesty of our Mississippi River without fearing for their safety. I offered this amendment in memory of the children who tragically lost their lives. I believe we need to improve the insufficient measures needed to alert the public of the hazards along the riverbank and dangerous river conditions. I hope this amendment will help ensure no other lives are lost and greatly minimize threats to the life and safety of all who enjoy the banks of the Mississippi River.\u201d\n\nTo Congressman Carter this issue is personal.\n\n\u201cGrowing up as a child in Algiers, I spent the summers swimming in the river because we had no public pools in my area, and I\u2019m lucky to have made it out safely,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cI will continue my career-long effort to encourage more recreational facilities where our young people can recreate and refresh, but as we continue that effort I am grateful that this study will offer the maximum safety to all who would enjoy the Mississippi River.\u201d\n\nSpecifically, if passed the Carter amendment would do the following:\n\nRequire the Secretary of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to carry out a review of potential threats to human life and safety from use of designated recreational areas along the banks of the Mississippi River in Louisiana;\n\nThen, it would require the Army Corps to install any technologies or other measures, sirens, strobe lights, or signage at such recreational areas that the Secretary, based on the review, determines necessary for alerting the public of hazardous water conditions or to otherwise minimize or eliminate any identified threats to human life and safety.\n\nSince the levee system is under the U.S. Army Corps jurisdiction, much of the banks of the Mississippi River can be regulated through legislation under WRDA.\n\nA video of the Congressman\u2019s remarks in committee is available here, and you can read the text of the amendment here. The bill now heads to the full House for consideration.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:29:07Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-statement-dangerous-legislation-classifying-abortion", "Congressman Carter Statement on Dangerous Legislation Classifying Abortion as Homicide Advancing in Louisiana", "2022-05-06", "2022", "2022-05", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. released the following statement after the Louisiana State legislature\u2019s recent actions to try and further restrict reproductive rights and take away control from women and people in Louisiana. These bills would, among other things: classify abortion from the moment of fertilization as homicide, with no exception for rape, incest, or ectopic pregnancies where the mother\u2019s life is in danger.\n\n\u201cAs the highest-ranking Pro-Choice official from Louisiana, I cannot be silent when my constituents are being threatened with legislation that would criminalize bodily autonomy, personal freedom and choice.\n\n\u201cThis bill and this wider debate is not about life, it\u2019s about control. If it were truly about life, Louisiana would be investing in prenatal care, early childhood education, food assistance, universal pre-K, and other policies that improve outcomes for children.\n\n\u201cInstead of investing in children after they are born, this bill would establish a pregnancy to prison pipeline, punishing Louisianians for exercising control over their own bodies.\n\n\u201cThis legislation is a terrifying example of a post-Roe future for my constituents. In Congress, I will do all I can to codify access to the full complement of reproductive healthcare and put an end to devastating policy proposals like this.\n\n\u201cI call on my friends and former colleagues in the state legislature to vote against this dangerous bill that would strip away personal liberties and freedoms from the people of Louisiana.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:29:07Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/carter-presents-25m-check-xavier-university-pre-health-stem-student-center", "Carter Presents $2.5M Check to Xavier University for Pre-Health, STEM Student Center", "2022-05-02", "2022", "2022-05", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. -- Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. presented the President and representatives from Xavier University of Louisiana with a $2.5 million dollar check to jumpstart the university's renovations for a new STEM and Pre-Health student advising center in the historic St. Michael's Dormitory.\n\n\"I am so proud to have secured $2.5 million for Xavier University of Louisiana\u2019s new STEM and Pre-Health Advising Center in the historic St. Michael\u2019s Hall as one of my federal community funding projects,\" said Congressman Carter. \"Representation matters more than ever, and HBCUs across the country can follow Xavier\u2019s lead and help create a future where the doctors, nurses, technicians and scientists of our nation look like the Americans they serve. With this project here at St. Michael\u2019s, I am confident we will make a positive difference in both the lives of students and in our greater community.\"\n\nThanks to this infusion of cash, St. Michael\u2019s will be renovated to house a center for expanded pre-health advising, tutoring and career services on the ground floor. Additional funding will turn the upper two floors into new classrooms and labs for STEM education, and there will be historical markers and other artifacts honoring the Freedom Riders throughout the space.\n\nPresident Reynold Verrett, Xavier University students, and members of the City Council were able to attend the event.\n\nVideos and photos from the press conference are available here.\n\nThis is one of nine Community Funding Projects that Congressman Troy Carter advocated for and brought back to the 2nd Congressional District. These investments help increase livability, public health, research and education in the community, totaling $31.5 million across all projects.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:29:07Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-announces-new-transportation-climate-investments-headed", "Congressman Carter Announces New Transportation, Climate Investments Headed to Louisiana Under Bipartisan Infrastructure Law", "2022-04-26", "2022", "2022-04", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. announced that Louisiana will receive $118.34 million in funding under the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This initiative will provide Louisianians with more transportation options, ease congestion in local communities and reduce carbon pollution across the state.\n\nThe investments total more than $6.4 billion across the country and are administered under the Federal Highway Administration\u2019s Carbon Reduction Program, a new initiative established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. As working families grapple with Putin\u2019s Price Hike at the pump, this funding will allow Louisiana to deliver more transportation alternatives and reduce commute times.\n\n\u201cOur Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering historic investments in cleaner, more convenient transportation options for Louisianans,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cThis deeply needed funding will slash commute times, lower costs for working families, combat harmful carbon pollution and support good-paying, union jobs. I\u2019m proud to have voted for this critical victory for Louisianians, and I will continue partnering with our state and local leaders to put these game-changing investments to work.\u201d\n\nThese funds can be invested in a range of eligible projects, including:\n\nPublic transit services\n\nElectric vehicle charging infrastructure\n\nTraffic flow improvements\n\nCongestion management technology\n\nPedestrian and cycle trails\n\n\u201cBy strengthening Louisiana\u2019s clean transportation infrastructure, this funding will help reduce our reliance on foreign energy and protect working families from rising costs,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cAs these investments reach Louisiana communities, Congressional Democrats remain laser-focused on fighting Putin\u2019s Price Hike: lowering costs, growing paychecks and creating jobs for the people.\u201d\n\nMore details on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law\u2019s Carbon Reduction Program here, and the state-by-state funding allocations are here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:19:30Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carters-bill-uplift-small-business-global-economy-passes", "Congressman Troy Carter\u2019s Bill to Uplift Small Business in the Global Economy Passes the House of Representatives", "2022-04-26", "2022", "2022-04", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, the House of Representatives voted to pass Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr.\u2019s bipartisan bill, the Small Business Advocacy Improvements Act of 2022 (H.R. 128). It was passed without any opposition by voice vote.\n\nThe bill clarifies that the U.S. Small Business Administration\u2019s (SBA) Office of Advocacy has the authority to examine international economic data and represent small business interests in international discussions \u2013 particularly in trade negotiations.\n\n\u201cSmall businesses are the backbone of our economy. In my home state, they make up over 99% of Louisiana businesses and employ 53% of all workers,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cMy district is an international one, containing 3 of the 10 largest ports in the world. Across the nation, today's small businesses operate globally, selling their products and buying goods from countries around the world. Small business concerns must be considered as the United States makes decisions around trade and other international economic issues. I am proud to that my bill, the Small Business Advocacy Improvement Act of 2022 will ensure that our small business owners have advocates in the federal government representing their best interests both at home and abroad. I encourage its swift passage in the Senate.\u201d\n\nThe Office of Advocacy has acted as the independent voice for small businesses within the federal government since 1976. This office is also charged with overseeing the Regulatory Flexibility Act and is a source of small business statistics and research.\n\nSince 2012, the Office of Advocacy has participated in several international regulatory cooperation and international trade initiatives that have impacted small businesses, but their role would benefit from clarification in statute.\n\n\"Today's small businesses are more global than ever, selling their products and buying goods from countries around the world. So, when the U.S. makes decisions around trade and other international economic issues, the concerns of small firms must be considered,\" said Rep. Nydia M. Vel\u00e1zquez, Chairwoman of the House Small Business Committee. \"This bill will empower the SBA Office of Advocacy and help ensure that the interests of small businesses are represented when it comes to the international issues that impact them.\"\n\nH.R. 128 will now be considered by United States Senate.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:19:30Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/carter-announces-watershed-and-flood-protection-funds-louisiana-infrastructure", "Carter Announces Watershed and Flood Protection Funds for Louisiana from the Infrastructure Law", "2022-04-23", "2022", "2022-04", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 This week, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. and Biden-Harris Administration announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest $420 million in 132 infrastructure projects in 31 states, including rehabilitating dams, flood prevention, and watershed protection projects. This is part of the implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Congressman Carter was proud to advocate for and help pass. He was the only member of the Louisiana Congressional House delegation to vote in support.\n\nUpon announcement, Congressman Carter released the following statement:\n\n\u201cInvesting in communities that have long been overlooked is not only the right thing to do: it helps our entire community thrive.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m proud to announce that three programs in rural and underserved areas of Louisiana have been selected to receive millions from the Infrastructure Law for historic investment in our watersheds, two in the Second Congressional District. These projects will help to help our communities rebuild after natural disasters and prepare and strengthen our water management systems for future events.\n\n\u201cWhen I advocated and voted for the Infrastructure Law I knew it would provide a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rebuild our infrastructure and create good-paying jobs. I\u2019m so grateful that funds are already flowing and that now Louisiana will begin seeing the results of this game-changing policy.\u201d\n\nFunding in Louisiana will go to the following projects\n\nBayou Baton Rouge\n\nLafayette and St. Martin Flood Prevention\n\nPlaquemines Flood Prevention\n\nThis infrastructure announcement includes funding through two programs: the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations (WFPO) Program provides technical and financial assistance for new watershed infrastructure, and the Watershed Rehabilitation Program (REHAB) upgrades existing NRCS dams.\n\nFor more information, see the latest USDA press release here. A full list of projects is available on NRCS\u2019 Landscape Planning and Watershed Programs webpage.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:19:30Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/carter-statement-dangerous-chlorine-leak-polluter-accountability-earth-day", "Carter Statement on Dangerous Chlorine Leak, Polluter Accountability on Earth Day 2022", "2022-04-22", "2022", "2022-04", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 On Earth Day 2022, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. released the following statement in response to recent reports that an overnight chlorine leak on Monday near Plaquemine, Louisiana led to the hospitalization of at least 23 area residents.\n\n\u201cIt is extremely concerning to hear that dozens of my constituents were hospitalized due to a chlorine leak at Olin Chemical near Plaquemine, and it\u2019s even more distressing that environmental regulators and parish officials were left in the dark.\n\n\u201cThis is unacceptable, and sadly, is not the first time this has occurred in Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District.\n\n\u201cLouisianians deserve healthy communities. We must seek accountability from polluters, and stronger systems of monitoring and alerts that protect our communities. Much more to come from my office on this critical issue.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:19:30Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-celebrates-expansion-bayou-sauvage-wildlife-refuge", "Congressman Troy Carter Celebrates Expansion of Bayou Sauvage Wildlife Refuge with Interior Secretary Haaland", "2022-04-09", "2022", "2022-04", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. welcomed Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to southeast Louisiana for a visit to the Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge.\n\nDuring her visit, it was announced that the wildlife refuge has acquired the tract called Little Pine Island, a 2,500-acre addition of tidal marshes and hardwood forests to Bayou Sauvage. This is one of the last remaining marsh areas adjacent to Lakes Pontchartrain and Borgne.\n\nSecretary Haaland, Congressman Carter, and conservation leaders delivered remarks at the event highlighting the federal government\u2019s commitment to conserving and protecting nature, expanding equitable access to the outdoors, and collaborating with a variety of stakeholders on the Department\u2019s conservation efforts.\n\nFollowing her visit, Congressman Carter released the following statement:\n\n\u201cIt was an honor and a privilege to host Interior Secretary Deb Haaland in Louisiana this weekend to celebrate the expansion of the Bayou Sauvage Wildlife Refuge.\n\n\u201cMarsh ecosystems are a natural infrastructure that protects our communities against flooding, provides habitat for many species, and offers a unique form of outdoor recreation. It\u2019s in all of our best interest to conserve them.\n\n\u201cThe acquisition of the Little Pine Island tract will add 2,500 acres to the refuge and allows us to preserve more critical wetlands than ever before, while protecting our communities.\n\n\u201cProud to join Secretary Haaland today, and grateful to have an Administration in the White House that places a premium on the environmental, climate-resilience, and economic benefits that our natural areas bring to communities.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:19:30Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-carter-and-guest-introduce-legislation-revitalize-small-and-local", "Reps. Carter and Guest Introduce Legislation to Revitalize Small and Local Businesses", "2022-04-08", "2022", "2022-04", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA) and Congressman Michael Guest (R-MS) introduced the bipartisan Revitalizing Small and Local Businesses Act (RSLBA) in the House of Representatives. This bill would create a new program to infuse resources into national networks of local business district entities that support place-based entrepreneurship activities.\n\nSmall businesses are crucial to our nation\u2019s economic health \u2013 accounting for over 65% of all new jobs created over the past 20 years. A robust economic development framework requires investing in the success of entrepreneurs and the local business districts in which they operate. That\u2019s why Congressman Carter is advocating for this legislation\u2019s inclusion within the Economic Development Administration\u2019s (EDA) upcoming reauthorization. A companion bill has been introduced in the Senate by Senators Padilla (D-CA) and Wicker (R-MS).\n\n\u201cSmall businesses are the heartbeat of our economy and this bill is an innovative way to grow capacity in our business districts and create more equitable economic opportunities and outcomes in Louisiana and nationwide,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cThe passage of this legislation would increase needed resources for many organizations in my district that conduct critical, on-the-ground work to uplift small, local businesses. I will continue to advocate for the RSLBA\u2019s inclusion in the upcoming EDA reauthorization so we can further amplify the great work that local organizations do for small businesses in communities across America.\u201d\n\n\u201cCommunities across our nation rely on small businesses and local entrepreneurs for their goods, services, and as a primary driver of economic prosperity,\u201d said Congressman Guest. \u201cMany business owners endured economic hardships during the pandemic, but they were often among the first to offer help and services to their neighbors. I\u2019m proud to support this legislation that would provide grants to help spur local economic development in states like Mississippi. This program is a strong first step in helping business owners get back on their feet following the pandemic so they can continue to provide necessary services to their communities.\u201d\n\nRSLBA offers an opportunity to expand inclusive access to EDA resources by leveraging the expertise of national nonprofit partners with deep connections to small businesses to provide on-the-ground economic assistance to our nation\u2019s downtowns.\n\nThis legislation has been endorsed by a wide variety of national, Louisiana and Mississippi-based organizations. Many have provided supporting statements, listed below:\n\nPatrice Frey, President & CEO, Main Street America said,\n\n\u201cThe Revitalizing Small and Local Business Act will create opportunities to build the capacity of existing non-profit networks of place-based organizations and expand opportunity for rural and underserved small business districts. By investing in Main Street, this legislation can simultaneously activate places and create opportunities for entrepreneurs. We are grateful for the support of Representatives Carter and Guest to uplift this important legislation.\u201d\n\nRon Busby Sr., President and CEO, United States Black Chambers said,\n\n\u201cThe U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. is pleased to endorse the Revitalizing Small and Local Businesses Act, which aims to expand opportunities for organizations in our communities to reach small, Black businesses in underserved business districts. The new grant program would enable nonprofits who serve Black business districts to direct funding to communities where it is needed most, spurring economic opportunity and growth for future generations. We look forward to continuing this work with Representative Troy Carter\u2019s office to provide more ways for Black businesses to grow and invest in their communities.\u201d\n\nConnie E. Evans, President and CEO, Association for Enterprise Opportunity said,\n\n\u201cAEO applauds Representative Troy Carter and his staff for providing nonprofit organizations with members and partners across the country an innovative opportunity to make investments into low-and middle-income communities. Mission-driven organizations rooted in underserved areas understand the needs of their communities best and, through this program, they will gain an opportunity to further enhance their economy by targeting underserved neighborhoods across the country. AEO looks forward to the progress that will come of this grant program and is proud to have worked alongside Representative Carter's office in this endeavor.\u201d\n\nKelisha Garrett, Executive Director, Louisiana Chamber of Commerce Foundation said,\n\n\u201cThis bill will help to support the revitalization of our business community and provide the necessary funding for direct technical assistance and supportive services needed to stabilize and advance minority and rural business growth. Additionally, it will encourage utilization that will positively impact our local economy and workforce.\u201d\n\nTim Moore, Community Development Partnership, Philadelphia, MS said,\n\n\u201cAs Main Street is the \u2018heart\u2019 of Downtown America, our Small Businesses serve as our backbone. It is through this process that allows all of us a place to walk, shop, play and eat in. Thank you for your support of the heart of downtown.\u201d\n\nD. Lynn Spruill, Mayor, City of Starkville said,\n\n\u201cThe Revitalizing Small and Local Businesses Act is a vital piece of legislation to assist local municipalities in our recovery from the negative effects of COVID. While things are turning around, that reversal of fortune would be greatly and positively impacted by the passage of this legislation. The creation and sustaining jobs in our local downtowns keeps our communities thriving and Main Street is where we live our best lives.\u201d\n\nThomas Gregory, State Coordinator, Mississippi Main Street Association said,\n\n\u201cThe Mississippi Main Street Association is thankful for Representative Guest\u2019s partnership and support of this legislation. As Mississippi\u2019s leading organization for preservation-based community and economic development, we are excited about the potential of this funding to strengthen our network of organizations committed to supporting entrepreneurs.\u201d\n\nJohn Arensmeyer, founder and CEO of Small Business Majority, said:\n\n\u201cEven before the COVID-19 pandemic, under-resourced entrepreneurs struggled to access critical resources and funding needed to ensure their businesses are successful. That's why we're thrilled to support Representative Carter's and Representative Guest's Revitalizing Small and Local Businesses Act. This commonsense legislation will bolster our small business community by expanding access to vital economic development resources and providing new funding opportunities for small businesses in communities that greatly need these investments. These types of solutions are vitally important for small businesses that need support on their road to recovery from the pandemic.\u201d\n\nMarla Bilonick, President and CEO of NALCAB, The National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB) said,\n\n\u201cLatino startups or underserved small businesses looking to expand and grow are most likely to succeed when they receive support and expert technical assistance from community-based organizations that meet them where they are, and understand their needs. By investing in these national nonprofits and better equipping small businesses for success - the Revitalizing Small and Local Businesses Act enables today\u2019s startups to be tomorrow\u2019s job creators and a critical component of a strong US economy. NALCAB applauds the introduction of this bill.\u201d\n\nMatt Josephs, Senior Vice President of Policy, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) said,\n\n\u201cLISC thanks Representatives Carter and Guest for introducing the Revitalizing Small and Local Businesses Act. The legislation fosters inclusive access to EDA resources by strengthening the capacity of community-based groups working to revitalize historically underinvested main streets and commercial corridors in rural and urban communities. Increasing EDA support for the capacity-building of place-based business development organizations accelerates the growth of existing and aspiring entrepreneurs while contributing to the vibrancy and resiliency of the communities in which they operate.\u201d\n\nTed Stiger, Senior Director of Government Relations & Policy, Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) said,\n\n\u201cThe Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) thanks Representatives Carter and Guest for sponsoring the bipartisan Revitalizing Small and Local Businesses Act. The legislation is a commonsense approach at fostering inclusive rural place-based economic development initiatives and support for our local small business owners by investing in technical assistance and on the ground capacity building through EDA. This new program would directly support entrepreneurs in our rural places and beyond.\u201d\n\nWillow Lung-Amam, Director, Small Business Anti-Displacement Network (SBAN) said,\n\n\u201cSmall businesses, particularly those that are owned by immigrants and people of color are vital contributors to the health, vitality, and identity of neighborhoods. But they are also highly vulnerable to closure and displacement, particularly in light of COVID-19. This bill will help to provide them with the strategies, tools, resources, and assistance that they need to remain open. In doing so, it will help to ensure that disadvantaged business owners build greater wealth and long-term stability, and that residents get the goods and services they need and deserve.\u201d\n\nNorman E. Barnum, IV, Interim President and CEO of New Orleans Business Alliance (NOLABA) said,\n\n\u201cThe New Orleans Business Alliance embraces legislation such as the Revitalizing Small and Local Business Act. NOLABA views this bill as an extension of our standing work where we have established place-based initiatives that support collaborative ideas from the community and business leaders of our strategically chosen neighborhoods in hopes that additional leaders from our parish, region, state, and country will recognize the potential synergy and economic growth that will be gained for all when we invest in helping our most vulnerable community members. Our team endorses the need for such support in Orleans Parish where our citizens \u2013 majority of which are BIPOC community members \u2013 have been left out of economic opportunities for decades, contributing to the severe wealth and health disparities affecting our people.\u201d\n\nMayra Pineda, President and CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana said,\n\n\u201cThe Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana thanks Representative Carter for introducing this legislation to seek additional Economic Development Administration resources to foster the growth of minority and underserved minority businesses. This effort fully aligns with our organization's mission and meets the needs highlighted during the unprecedented pandemic.\u201d\n\nAudra Ladd, Director of Manufacturing Policy, Urban Manufacturing Alliance said,\n\n\u201cThe Urban Manufacturing Alliance provides a national voice on equitable economic development strategies that support manufacturers. The inclusion of the Revitalizing Small and Local Businesses Act into the EDA reauthorization will support community-based organizations as they deploy resources to local makers and manufacturers, particularly those of color, to enable sustainable growth of their businesses and further reinvestment in communities in which they are located.\u201d\n\nRashida Ferdinand, Founder and Executive Director, Sankofa Community Development Corporation said,\n\n\u201cSankofa Community Development Corporation is excited about how the Revitalizing Small and Local Businesses Act will offer opportunities to strengthen economic development initiatives in under-resourced and marginalized communities. We initiated the Lower Ninth Ward Main Street project in alliance with a network of organization, community stakeholders, and local businesses. We look forward to seeing its positive impact on the growth of small businesses and revitalization of our historic commercial corridor.\u201d\n\nNational supporters for the Revitalizing Small and Local Businesses Act also include: United States Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders, National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations, Council of Development Finance Agencies, Co.Starters, and Forward Cities.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:19:30Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-celebrates-historic-confirmation-judge-ketanji-brown", "Congressman Troy Carter Celebrates Historic Confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court", "2022-04-07", "2022", "2022-04", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, the United States Senate voted on a bipartisan basis to confirm Judge KetanjiBrownJackson as our nation\u2019s next Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.\n\nCongressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA-02), released the following statement, as well as a video statement:\n\n\u201cWith the confirmation of Justice KetanjiBrownJackson another glass ceiling came crashing down \u2013 and what a glorious sound it was. It is long past time the Supreme Court bench includes a Black woman Justice, and I am so grateful to President Biden for keeping his promise and selecting such an unimpeachable nominee. This is a moment for celebration.\n\n\u201cJudge KetanjiBrownJackson is the most qualified U.S. Supreme Court Justice nominee in almost two decades for a reason. She has shown resilience throughout her career and nomination process, even when faced with cruel attacks on her character. Throughout unfair characterizations, Judge Jacksonstill maintained extreme poise and composure \u2013 an experience far too many Black women face every day.\n\n\u201cJustice Jackson exemplifies the best of America. Throughout her career she has been a voice for the voiceless and a committed advocate in the pursuit of justice.\n\n\u201cHer confirmation today pays homage to our ancestors who, in front of the same Supreme Court bench that Judge Jackson will soon sit, were told that they were not citizens. Her confirmation defies the wrongs of our past, reaffirms the endless opportunities for the youth of our present, and offers hope for the generations of our future.\n\n\u201cWith this confirmation entered into the history books, America sends a message to Black girls and women everywhere that there is no goal too high, no ceiling that can\u2019t be broken. They too can be on the Supreme Court.\n\n\u201cWhile Judge KetanjiBrownJackson will be the first Black woman to serve as a Supreme Court Justice, she will not be the last.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:19:30Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-calls-delay-risk-rating-20-protect-constituents-damaging-0", "Congressman Carter Calls for Delay of Risk Rating 2.0 to Protect Constituents From Damaging Flood Insurance Rate Hikes", "2022-04-01", "2022", "2022-04", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressmen Troy Carter (D-LA), Congressman Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), and Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) sent a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell calling for FEMA to delay the rollout of the National Flood Insurance Program\u2019s Risk Rating 2.0 calculation system. Their letter focuses on their deep concerns of how Risk Rating 2.0 will ratchet up premium costs for homeowners in their districts.\n\nThe members write in the letter:\n\n\u201cFrom Hurricanes Katrina and Ida to Superstorm Sandy, our constituents have a firsthand experience of the negative impacts of climate change and understand well the importance of flood prevention, preparedness, recovery and mitigation. Without comprehensive affordable coverage, homeowners in our communities risk losing everything and so families place deep reliance on the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).\n\n\u201cBut under the Federal Emergency Management Agency\u2019s (FEMA) new Risk Rating 2.0 system, we fear many of our constituents, especially in low and moderate income communities, will be priced out of their homes by drastic premium increases and others will choose to forgo coverage entirely. Consequently, we ask you to continue previous precedent and delay implementation of premium increases for existing policy holders under Risk Rating 2.0.\u201d\n\nThe full text of the letter is here and below.\n\nDeanna Criswell\n\nAdministrator\n\nFederal Emergency Management Agency 500 C Street, S.W.\n\nWashington, D.C. 20472\n\nDear Administrator Criswell,\n\nWe write to you as elected representatives of districts that have experienced major flooding in recent years. From Hurricanes Katrina and Ida to Superstorm Sandy, our constituents have a firsthand experience of the negative impacts of climate change and understand well the importance of flood prevention, preparedness, recovery and mitigation. Without comprehensive affordable coverage, homeowners in our communities risk losing everything and so families place deep reliance on the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). But under the Federal Emergency Management Agency\u2019s (FEMA) new Risk Rating 2.0 system, we fear many of our constituents, especially in low and moderate income communities, will be priced out of their homes by drastic premium increases and others will choose to forgo coverage entirely. Consequently, we ask you to continue previous precedent and delay implementation of premium increases for existing policy holders under Risk Rating 2.0.\n\nIt is clear that America needs comprehensive flood insurance reform. But any major program changes must be affordable for policy holders regardless of geographic location. Risk Rating 2.0 is estimated to increase rates for 77% of policy holders. These price hikes will place the program well outside the price range for our constituents still struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and its enduring economic fallout. In Louisiana, policy holders will see increases that total more than 129%, and approximately one-in-ten homeowners in the state will see premiums more than quadruple. In New Jersey, 79% of policy holders \u2013 nearly four out of every five \u2013 will see their premiums increase.\n\nIf Risk Rating 2.0 goes into effect on April 1, 2022, countless families in our communities struggling to make ends meet will have to decide whether retain their policies in their face of massive premium spikes. No family should be forced to choose between filling up their gas tank, putting food on their table, or meeting their mortgage payment because of a NFIP premium hike out of their control. We worry that many of our neighbors will simply decide to opt out of the program, which would only further financially burden the program.\n\nWhile some officials may believe ample time has been given to existing homeowners to adjust to these proposed changes, our offices have heard from numerous policy holders who have expressed confusion and complaints about contradictory reports surrounding Risk Rating 2.0 and its expected impacts. For instance, even with these price hikes looming, policy holders and homebuilders still do not have adequate information about how specific mitigation measures could be implemented to reduce premium costs.\n\nThis issue is of momentous importance. With the worsening climate crisis, we know that devastating storms will continue occurring with increasing frequency. Without an affordable NFIP, our communities will be left with insufficient ways to protect themselves and recover. We support comprehensive and long-term reforms to the NFIP, but any changes must keep premiums down to rates that are actually affordable our communities. While we work on a legislative fix like cutting the current rate cap in half to ensure communities like ours are not left behind, a delay on the implementation of Risk Rating 2.0 is essential and we call on you to halt planned implementation.\n\nWe want to thank you for your and the President\u2019s involvement on the ground in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. We look forward to working together to ensure Risk Rating 2.0 will not price people out of essential flood insurance coverage.\n\nSincerely,\n\nTroy A. Carter, Sr.\n\nBill Pascrell, Jr.,\n\nFrank Pallone, Jr.\n\nMembers of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:19:30Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-carters-office-announces-curbside-constituent-service-events-give-person", "Rep. Carter\u2019s Office Announces \u201cCurbside\u201d Constituent Service Events to Give In-Person Help with Federal Programs to Communities", "2022-04-01", "2022", "2022-04", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. (4/1/22) \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. announced that his office will host at least six in-person constituent service events throughout Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District.\n\nThese curbside events in New Orleans East, St. Gabriel, Plaquemine, Baton Rouge and Harvey will provide opportunities for constituents dealing with issues with federal agencies or programs to drop in and receive in-person assistance.\n\nThe locations of these events were selected because they are in regions further away from the physical offices of Congressman Carter. Staff from the Congressman\u2019s office as well as representatives from agencies like the Small Business Association (SBA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), will also be present and available to answer questions or provide assistance.\n\nThese events are free and open to the public. Constituents are recommended to bring any necessary documents with them to the curbside casework event.\n\nNew Orleans East Event (flyer/graphic here)\n\nSaturday, April 2, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.\n\nNew Orleans East Regional Library, Enterprise Zone Room\n\n5641 Read Blvd.\n\nNew Orleans, LA 70127\n\nJefferson Parish (Westbank)\n\nWednesday, April 6, 2022, 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.\n\nJane O\u2019Brien Chatelain WB Regional Library\n\n2751 Manhattan Blvd.\n\nHarvey, LA 70058\n\nBaton Rouge (Eastbank)\n\nThursday, April 7, 2022, 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.\n\nDelmont Gardens Branch Library (Room #2)\n\n3351 Lorraine Street\n\nBaton Rouge, LA 70805\n\nIberville Parish (Westbank)\n\nTuesday, April 12, 2022, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.\n\nPlaquemine Library\n\n24605 J. Gerald Berrett Blvd.\n\nPlaquemine, LA 70764\n\nIberville Parish Library\n\nThursday, April 14, 2022, 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.\n\nLewis-Redditt-Williams Bldg.\n\n5717 Monticello Street\n\nSt. Gabriel, LA 70776\n\nRiver Parishes Open House\n\nTuesday, May 3, 2022, 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.\n\nReserve Office: Media Room\n\n181 Regala Park Road\n\nReserve, LA 70084", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:19:30Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-calls-delay-risk-rating-20-protect-constituents-damaging", "Congressman Carter Calls for Delay of Risk Rating 2.0 to Protect Constituents From Damaging Flood Insurance Rate Hikes", "2022-03-31", "2022", "2022-03", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressmen Troy Carter (D-LA), Congressman Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), and Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) sent a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell calling for FEMA to delay the rollout of the National Flood Insurance Program\u2019s Risk Rating 2.0 calculation system. Their letter focuses on their deep concerns of how Risk Rating 2.0 will ratchet up premium costs for homeowners in their districts.\n\nThe members write in the letter:\n\n\u201cFrom Hurricanes Katrina and Ida to Superstorm Sandy, our constituents have a firsthand experience of the negative impacts of climate change and understand well the importance of flood prevention, preparedness, recovery and mitigation. Without comprehensive affordable coverage, homeowners in our communities risk losing everything and so families place deep reliance on the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).\n\n\u201cBut under the Federal Emergency Management Agency\u2019s (FEMA) new Risk Rating 2.0 system, we fear many of our constituents, especially in low and moderate income communities, will be priced out of their homes by drastic premium increases and others will choose to forgo coverage entirely. Consequently, we ask you to continue previous precedent and delay implementation of premium increases for existing policy holders under Risk Rating 2.0.\u201d\n\nThe full text of the letter is here and below.\n\nDeanna Criswell\n\nAdministrator\n\nFederal Emergency Management Agency 500 C Street, S.W.\n\nWashington, D.C. 20472\n\nDear Administrator Criswell,\n\nWe write to you as elected representatives of districts that have experienced major flooding in recent years. From Hurricanes Katrina and Ida to Superstorm Sandy, our constituents have a firsthand experience of the negative impacts of climate change and understand well the importance of flood prevention, preparedness, recovery and mitigation. Without comprehensive affordable coverage, homeowners in our communities risk losing everything and so families place deep reliance on the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). But under the Federal Emergency Management Agency\u2019s (FEMA) new Risk Rating 2.0 system, we fear many of our constituents, especially in low and moderate income communities, will be priced out of their homes by drastic premium increases and others will choose to forgo coverage entirely. Consequently, we ask you to continue previous precedent and delay implementation of premium increases for existing policy holders under Risk Rating 2.0.\n\nIt is clear that America needs comprehensive flood insurance reform. But any major program changes must be affordable for policy holders regardless of geographic location. Risk Rating 2.0 is estimated to increase rates for 77% of policy holders. These price hikes will place the program well outside the price range for our constituents still struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and its enduring economic fallout. In Louisiana, policy holders will see increases that total more than 129%, and approximately one-in-ten homeowners in the state will see premiums more than quadruple. In New Jersey, 79% of policy holders \u2013 nearly four out of every five \u2013 will see their premiums increase.\n\nIf Risk Rating 2.0 goes into effect on April 1, 2022, countless families in our communities struggling to make ends meet will have to decide whether retain their policies in their face of massive premium spikes. No family should be forced to choose between filling up their gas tank, putting food on their table, or meeting their mortgage payment because of a NFIP premium hike out of their control. We worry that many of our neighbors will simply decide to opt out of the program, which would only further financially burden the program.\n\nWhile some officials may believe ample time has been given to existing homeowners to adjust to these proposed changes, our offices have heard from numerous policy holders who have expressed confusion and complaints about contradictory reports surrounding Risk Rating 2.0 and its expected impacts. For instance, even with these price hikes looming, policy holders and homebuilders still do not have adequate information about how specific mitigation measures could be implemented to reduce premium costs.\n\nThis issue is of momentous importance. With the worsening climate crisis, we know that devastating storms will continue occurring with increasing frequency. Without an affordable NFIP, our communities will be left with insufficient ways to protect themselves and recover. We support comprehensive and long-term reforms to the NFIP, but any changes must keep premiums down to rates that are actually affordable our communities. While we work on a legislative fix like cutting the current rate cap in half to ensure communities like ours are not left behind, a delay on the implementation of Risk Rating 2.0 is essential and we call on you to halt planned implementation.\n\nWe want to thank you for your and the President\u2019s involvement on the ground in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. We look forward to working together to ensure Risk Rating 2.0 will not price people out of essential flood insurance coverage.\n\nSincerely,\n\nTroy A. Carter, Sr.\n\nBill Pascrell, Jr.,\n\nFrank Pallone, Jr.\n\nMembers of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:06:17Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-carter-and-mace-introduce-bipartisan-va-flood-preparedness-act", "Reps. Carter and Mace Introduce the Bipartisan V.A. Flood Preparedness Act", "2022-03-31", "2022", "2022-03", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 This week, Congressman Troy Carter (D-LA) and Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC) introduced the bipartisan Veterans Affairs (V.A.) Flood Preparedness Act. This bill will incorporate weather resiliency into Veterans Affairs facilities by allowing the V.A. to contribute funds to local authorities for the purpose of mitigating flood risk near their properties. Additionally, it will require the V.A. to maintain a sufficient level of disaster preparedness by mandating a report to assess the extent of flood risk at each facility, including flooding associated with rising sea levels.\n\n\u201cIn southeast Louisiana we know the power and disruption that storms and floods can bring all too well,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cAfter Hurricane Katrina, the V.A. Center in New Orleans flooded badly, shutting down operations at this critical site. This bill will help position V.A. centers across the country so that they can better partner with local authorities on flooding studies to better identify the shortcomings of the past and shore up facilities to serve veterans for generations to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor years, veterans have been significantly impeded from accessing the Ralph H. Johnson V.A. Medical Center in Charleston due to constant flooding on the adjacent street and in the parking lot. This is in a very vulnerable area for flooding and the city is limited in what they can do to mitigate the problems because the facility is federal,\u201d said Congresswoman Mace. \u201cThis bill will increase collaboration between local authorities and the V.A. so the V.A. can participate in and contribute to flooding studies on roads adjacent to their facilities, paving the way for a future where the V.A. can substantially mitigate these problems.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:06:17Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-launches-2022-congressional-art-competition", "Congressman Troy Carter Launches 2022 Congressional Art Competition", "2022-03-29", "2022", "2022-03", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. launched his first Congressional Art Competition open to high school students who live in Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District.\n\nInitiated by Members of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982, the event is a nationwide annual art competition that allows high school students from all fifty states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories to showcase their artistic ability. The winning piece of art from each Congressional district is displayed in an eleven-month exhibit in the Cannon tunnel that leads into the U.S. Capitol and will be featured on The House of Representatives Congressional Art Competition page. This year\u2019s competition is titled \u201cAn Artistic Discovery.\u201d\n\n\u201cSoutheast Louisiana is a hub for art, creativity and culture,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cThis competition gives young artists an opportunity to share their work with a bigger audience. Contests like these are the way we build our next generation of culture bearers. I am thrilled to see the beautiful, insightful creations that young people in the Second Congressional District submit to this competition, and I hope the students are able to achieve some \u2018artistic discovery\u2019 of their own.\u201d\n\nTo enter a piece, LA-02 high school artists must print and fill out the \u201cStudent Information and Release Form,\u201d and securely attach it to the back of the artwork. The release form requires signatures from the student, parent/guardian (if a minor), and an art teacher. Then, drop off the piece at one of two drop-off sites.\n\nOffice of Congressman Troy Carter\n\n650 Poydras St\n\nSte 2435\n\nNew Orleans, LA 70130\n\nOffice of Congressman Troy Carter\n\nT.H. Harris Hall, Southern University Campus,\n\n801 Harding Blvd\n\nBaton Rouge, LA 70807\n\nIf artists cannot drop the piece off at a drop off site between 9am-6pm Monday through Friday, please call the office to coordinate a drop-off time: (504) 288-3777.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:06:17Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/carter-kennedy-confirm-judge-ketanji-brown-jackson-supreme-court", "Carter to Kennedy: Confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court", "2022-03-24", "2022", "2022-03", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013 Following the last day of Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearings, Congressman Troy A. Carter wrote a letter to Louisiana Senator Kennedy, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, urging his colleague to vote in support of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson\u2019s nomination to be the next Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.\n\n\u201cAs U.S. Representative for Louisiana\u2019s 2nd Congressional District that accounts for a large percentage of your constituency, I write to strongly urge your support and a \u201cyes\u201d vote for the confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States,\u201d write Congressman Carter. \u201cJudge Jackson is not only exceptionally well qualified, but thoughtful, capable, and conscientious. Her exemplary career clearly demonstrates that she will be an outstanding successor to retire Justice Stephen G. Breyer.\u201d\n\nThe full text of the Congressman\u2019s letter is here, and below.\n\nDear Senator Kennedy,\n\nAs U.S. Representative for Louisiana\u2019s 2nd Congressional District that accounts for a large percentage of your constituency, I write to strongly urge your support and a \u201cyes\u201d vote for the confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. Judge Jackson is not only exceptionally well qualified, but thoughtful, capable, and conscientious. Her exemplary career clearly demonstrates that she will be an outstanding successor to retire Justice Stephen G. Breyer.\n\nAs one of our nation\u2019s brightest legal minds, Judge Jackson\u2019s nomination is a triumph for Louisiana and the United States. The American Bar Association\u2019s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary gave the unanimous opinion that Judge Jackson is \u201cWell Qualified\u201d to serve on the United States Supreme Court. This is the highest rating that the committee awards and notes that the nominee is, \u201cat the top of the legal profession in their community; possess outstanding legal ability; breadth of experience; the highest reputation for integrity, and demonstrates the capacity for sound judicial temperament.\u201d These are the qualifications that a Supreme Court Justice should possess, and it is evident that Judge Jackson has them all. Her judicial record demonstrates that of a thorough and thoughtful jurist who is committed to fairness and justice. In short, Judge Jackson is more than qualified for this role.\n\nI fervently support Judge Jackson\u2019s swift nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. She has twice been unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate and I look forward to witnessing her expedient confirmation by the U.S. Senate once again.\n\nOn behalf of the Second Congressional District of Louisiana, I ask that you vote \u201cyes\u201d in support of her nomination.\n\nSincerely,\n\nTroy A. Carter, Sr.\n\nMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:06:17Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/over-one-billion-disaster-recovery-funds-ida-spring-floods-heading-louisiana", "Over One Billion in Disaster Recovery Funds for Ida, Spring Floods Heading to Louisiana", "2022-03-22", "2022", "2022-03", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, the Department of Housing and Urban Development announced a total allocation of nearly $3 billion in Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds to help communities recover from disasters, move back into permanent housing, and build inclusive resilience to climate change.\n\nLouisiana is receiving the following allocation, totaling nearly $1.3 billion:\n\nState of Louisiana is receiving $1,272,346,000.\n\nBaton Rouge is receiving $4,648,000.\n\nLake Charles is receiving $10,776,000.\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s announcement is yet another example of the federal government showing up for the people of Louisiana,\u201d said Congressman Troy Carter. \u201cThis more than $1.27 billion infusion into our state will not only help communities rebuild and recover from Hurricane Ida and recent floods, but will help build long-term strength and resiliency in our systems. These funds, along with the Infrastructure Law, are historic investments for Louisiana. I am proud to have supported and voted for these efforts.\u201d\n\nWith today\u2019s allocations, HUD has now allocated the remaining funds of the $5 billion for CBDG disaster recovery funds appropriated from the disaster aid supplemental measure that the House passed on September 30th, 2021. Congressman Carter was proud to vote in support of this measure and bring home billions to Louisiana.\n\nIn February, Congressman Carter joined his delegation members in a letter calling for more federal disaster relief resources as well as the allocation of funds from the September disaster supplemental. Today\u2019s announcement meets many of the letter\u2019s requests.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:06:17Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/carter-celebrates-vice-president-visit-new-infrastructure-funds-broadband-and", "Carter Celebrates Vice President Visit, New Infrastructure Funds for Broadband and Flood-prone Homeowners", "2022-03-21", "2022", "2022-03", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "SUNSET, L.A. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. joined Vice President Kamala Harris, Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves, and local and state officials in Sunset, Louisiana to celebrate the announcement of federal investments in Louisiana\u2019s broadband system and flood mitigation programs. He joined the Vice President and Deputy Secretary in their flight to Acadiana on Air Force Two.\n\nThe first major announcement of the day was the Department of Commerce\u2019s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) award of $29.9 million to expand broadband in the Acadiana region, including Acadia Parish, Evangeline Parish, and St. Landry Parish. The award will be used to fund the Acadiana Regional Public/Private Partnership project, which will fund last-mile broadband deployment to the Acadiana region of Louisiana and serve 22,196 households. These awards serve as a down payment on the Louisiana\u2019s broadband future and will pave the way for at least $100 million in investments to the state to expand broadband thanks to the President\u2019s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.\n\n\u201cToday I was proud to welcome the Vice President and Deputy Commerce Secretary Graves to Louisiana,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cWe heard directly from residents about the challenges they face due to lack of access to affordable, high-speed broadband and delivered a vision of a brighter future. Thanks to the President\u2019s Infrastructure Law, which I was proud to support, we are now one step closer to bridging the digital chasm that has held back parts of Louisiana for far too long. Thanks to this $29 million award and the anticipated total $100 million coming our way, we will ensure Louisianians, wherever they live, can better advance their pursuits through reliable access the internet.\u201d\n\nToday, Vice President Harris also announced a new federal grant initiative that will help four states affected by Hurricane Ida, one of the most intense storms to hit the United States in recent years, build resiliency against flooding.\n\nThe new $60 million Swift Current initiative, made possible by President Biden\u2019s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, allocates $40 million to Louisiana. This funding will equitably expedite mitigation grants to disaster survivors with repetitively flooded homes. This is the first FEMA initiative funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to strengthen national preparedness and resilience.\n\nCongressman Carter was one of just two members of the Louisiana congressional delegation to vote in support of the Infrastructure Law and was the only member of the delegation to attend today\u2019s event with the Vice President.\n\n\u201cThese investments show the federal government\u2019s commitment to helping communities in Louisiana impacted by flooding get back on their feet,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cWe need to build resilience within communities, and these Swift Current grants put money in the hands of homeowners to do exactly that. We must reduce the financial burden facing families struggling to rebuild after a storm, and the next step is to address the rising cost of flood insurance facing many Louisianians.\u201d\n\nThe Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes $3.5 billion in Flood Mitigation Assistance grants over five years. As part of the $3.5 billion, the Swift Current program will help communities reduce flood damage by offering more equitable access to mitigation grants for projects such as eligible projects include property acquisition and demolition, elevation, and relocation. This program includes increased federal cost shares which can allow participation from communities that often face barriers to meeting their non-federal match.\n\nLouisiana and three other states were selected because they hold the highest number of unmitigated severe repetitive loss and repetitive loss properties insured under the National Flood Insurance Program, as well as total flood insurance claims within their respective FEMA regions.\n\nThe $60 million in Swift Current funding will distribute $40 million to Louisiana, $5 million to Mississippi, $10 million to New Jersey, and $5 million to Pennsylvania.\n\nTo be eligible, buildings must be insured through the National Flood Insurance Program for FEMA to consider them for this funding opportunity.\n\nThe initiative promotes equity in line with the Administration\u2019s Justice40 Initiative, as the Swift Current funding opportunity aims to prioritize help by providing at least 40% of the benefits to disadvantaged communities.\n\nThe application process for federal grants can be burdensome for socially vulnerable communities. FEMA reduced grant application complexities by developing pre-calculated benefits to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of eligible mitigation projects. This enables communities with limited access to resources to apply for these grants, along with the savings from the increased federal cost-share match.\n\nThe application period opens on April 1 and closes Oct. 3. The Notice of Funding Opportunity is available on Grants.gov, and all applications must be submitted in the Mitigation eGrants system, by 12:00pm ET on Oct. 3, 2022.\n\nFor more information, interested parties should contact their state\u2019s hazard mitigation officer.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:06:17Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-applauds-house-passage-crown-act", "Congressman Troy Carter Applauds House Passage of the CROWN Act", "2022-03-18", "2022", "2022-03", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, the House of Representatives passed the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act, also known as the CROWN Act.\n\nIf passed into law, this legislation would prohibit discrimination based on a person's hair texture or hairstyle if that style or texture is frequently associated with a certain race or national origin. Specifically, the bill prohibits this type of discrimination against those participating in federally assisted programs, housing programs, public accommodations, and employment. Similar bills have already passed in 15 states and 30 cities. Congressman Troy A. Carter is a longtime advocate for this issue at the state and federal levels and was proud to vote in support today.\n\n\u201cFor far too long, Black and Brown people have been penalized or discriminated against for wearing natural hair styles in school, the workplace, and other settings,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cWe must affirm every person\u2019s right to show up in the world as their authentic self. I am proud to have worked on this issue in Louisiana and now the federal level alongside the leadership of my friend Adjoa B. Asamoah. After a long road, today I was proud to vote yes on the CROWN Act to finally end race-based hair discrimination. It\u2019s time for the Senate to finish the job and make it law.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs a lifelong racial equity champion who created the legislative and social impact strategy for the CROWN Act movement I lead nationwide on behalf of the CROWN Coalition I co-created, I couldn\u2019t be prouder today,\u201d said Adjoa B. Asamoah, CROWN Act Legislative and Social Impact Strategist & CROWN Coalition Co-Creator.\n\nThe CROWN Act is cosponsored by a bipartisan group of 116 Representatives. A companion bill is sponsored in the Senate by New Jersey Senator Cory Booker.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:06:17Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-highlights-police-misconduct-injustice-ronald-greene", "Congressman Troy Carter Highlights Police Misconduct, Injustice of Ronald Greene Death to Attorney General Merrick Garland", "2022-03-18", "2022", "2022-03", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "General Merrick Garland during the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) regional symposium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.\n\nThe Congressman used the conversation to push for further policies and actions to promote greater justice and policing, as well as to highlight the tragedy, failure, and coverup in the case of the 2019 death of Ronald Greene.\n\nThe Congressman issued the following statement:\n\n\u201cIn speaking with Attorney General Merrick Garland today I reiterated how critical it is that our nation move forward to advance federal policies that promote greater justice in policing and prevent further police misconduct. One especially tragic and disturbing example of this happened in Louisiana in 2019 with the death and consequent coverup of Ronald Greene in the custody of State Police.\n\n\u201cAlong with humanizing the story of Mr. Greene, I raised the issue to the Attorney General to reiterate my request that the Justice Department launch a patterns or practice investigation into the Louisiana State Police and hold bad actors accountable.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:06:17Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-meets-fbi-director-christopher-wray-hbcu-bomb-threats", "Congressman Troy Carter Meets with FBI Director Christopher Wray on HBCU Bomb Threats, Sense of Safety", "2022-03-18", "2022", "2022-03", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. met with FBI Director Christopher Wray as a part of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) regional symposium. The conversation focused on the FBI and federal law enforcement\u2019s response to recent bomb threats at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the country.\n\nFollowing the meeting, Congressman Carter released the following statement:\n\n\u201cWhen institutions refused to admit Black students, HBCUs offered a safe space and a high-quality education for many African American scholars. However, the recent bomb threats on scores of HBCUs across the country \u2013 including several in Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District \u2013 have shattered this sense of safety on many campuses. We need to ensure that our HBCUs, and all who spend time at them, are protected.\n\n\u201cToday I was grateful to discuss these bomb threats in a meeting with FBI Director Christopher Wray. He listened to my concerns and pledged that he and his agency would continue working to defend our HBCUs and bring cowards who threaten them to justice. Director Wray also committed to continuing a meaningful dialogue with my office and other stakeholders going forward.\n\n\u201cI am grateful to Director Wray and the entire Biden-Harris Administration for their attention to this important issue. Along with security efforts from agencies like the FBI, this week the Department of Education announced they will provide short-term grant funding for impacted schools to help restore a safe learning environment. Today\u2019s meeting reinforced that through good times and through bad, this President and his Administration stands with our nation\u2019s HBCUs.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:06:17Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-introduces-bill-expand-grants-public-works-and", "Congressman Troy Carter Introduces Bill to Expand Grants for Public Works and Economic Development Act", "2022-03-15", "2022", "2022-03", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. introduced legislation in the U.S. House that would create grants for eligible recipients to use for pre-development projects funded by the Public Works and Economic Development Act, commonly known as EDA.\n\nPre-development projects are tasks that need to be completed before construction in order to clear the way for infrastructure projects to move forward.\n\nThe bill amends the Public Works and Economic Development Act to create predevelopment grants for eligible recipients for:\n\nplanning and community asset mapping;\n\ntraining;\n\ntechnical assistance and organizational development;\n\nfeasibility and market studies;\n\ndemonstration projects;\n\norganizational capacity building;\n\norganizing and facilitating convenings; and\n\nother predevelopment activities determined by the Secretary to be appropriate.\n\n\u201cThe Public Works and Economic Development is a powerful law that has long helped communities boost their economic development and help struggling businesses make it through hard times,\u201d said Congressman Troy Carter. \u201cMany good ideas never move forward because they face barriers in the pre-development stage. The bill I introduced today will help these same communities jumpstart their projects by covering the costs of important pre-development activities such as inclusive community engagement and feasibility studies.\u201d\n\nThe Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 established the Economic Development Administration in the U.S. Department of Commerce to provide grants to economically distressed communities to support employment and industrial and commercial growth and requires reauthorization by Congress.\n\n\u201cWith a huge influx of infrastructure projects on the way thanks to funding from the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act, this legislation is designed to help more economic development projects efficiently get off the drawing board and become reality,\u201d said Congressman Carter.\n\nThis bill to support pre-development projects will be under the jurisdiction of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The full text of the bill can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:06:17Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/one-year-later-rep-carter-highlights-unprecedented-recovery-powered-democrats", "One Year Later, Rep. Carter Highlights Unprecedented Recovery Powered By Democrats\u2019 American Rescue Plan", "2022-03-12", "2022", "2022-03", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 One year since Democrats\u2019 American Rescue Plan Act was signed into law, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. highlighted how this legislation changed the course of the pandemic, put working Louisianians back on the path to financial security and supported police officers, firefighters, health care workers and other frontline heroes.\n\n\u201cThe American Rescue Plan gave Louisianians reason to hope that we could finally defeat this pandemic,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cThanks to Democrats\u2019 leadership, that hope has given way to results: 2.45 million Louisianians have been vaccinated and Louisiana\u2019s unemployment rate has plummeted to 4.4 percent. This historic legislation kickstarted an historic recovery, delivering the resources needed to get vaccines in arms, money in pockets, workers back in jobs and kids safely back in schools. The American people elected President Biden and Democratic Majorities in Congress to deliver \u2013 and with our Rescue Plan, that\u2019s exactly what we did. I am proud to have cast my vote to give our state the tools to beat the pandemic and support Louisiana\u2019s working families.\u201d\n\nDemocrats\u2019 Rescue Plan has deployed billions in funds to help Louisiana contain COVID-19 and build a strong, sustainable and just economic recovery, including:\n\n\u00b7 $3 billion for Louisiana\u2019s state and local governments, helping to preserve services, scale up testing, distribute vaccines, and keep essential workers on the job \u2013 including health care workers, police, firefighters, teachers, and food, sanitation, and transportation workers\n\n\u00b7 $2.6 billion for Louisiana\u2019s schools, helping students safely return to in-person learning\n\n\u00b7 $1,400 relief checks delivered to 2,393,823 people in Louisiana, totaling $5.76 billion\n\n\u00b7 $261.7 million in emergency rental assistance for Louisiana, keeping a roof over working families\u2019 heads\n\n\u00b7 $772.5 million in child care funds for Louisiana, helping early childhood educators and family child care providers keep their doors open\n\n\u00b7 $683 million supporting Louisiana\u2019s colleges and universities, including $196 million for community colleges\n\nNationally, these investments have powered an unprecedented economic recovery that has delivered:\n\n\u00b7 The greatest single year of job creation in American history: 6.6 million jobs created in the President\u2019s first year and 7.4 million over the course of the Biden Administration. More manufacturing jobs \u2013 nearly half a million \u2013 were created than in any year since 1994.\n\n\u00b7 The fastest economic growth in almost 40 years: with the GDP growing last year at 5.7 percent, the fastest rate since 1984.\n\n\u00b7 The biggest single year drop in the unemployment rate in our history: falling from 6.4 percent when Democrats took office to around 4 percent and now, 3.8 percent. When President Biden took office, over 18 million were receiving unemployment benefits; now, only 2 million are.\n\n\u00b7 A new record of 5.4 million new small businesses created: a full million more small businesses than in the year before.\n\n\u201cAs we mark this milestone, Congressional Democrats are continuing to build on the progress of the past year by lowering costs, growing paychecks and creating jobs,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cI am committed to fighting for and winning the resources we need to Build a Better Louisiana.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:06:17Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-funds-175-million-local-projects", "Congressman Troy Carter Funds $17.5 Million In Local Projects", "2022-03-09", "2022", "2022-03", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. will vote to fund $17.5 million in Community Project Funding that he previously secured for Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District. The committee released the full 2022 Appropriations budget bill earlier today, which includes funding for seven projects that were requested and advocated for by Congressman Carter in the summer of 2021, as one of his first acts upon being elected to Congress.\n\nThe full budget also includes critical funds to lower the cost of living for working families, $13.6 billion to support Ukraine and $15.6 billion to manage coronavirus at home and abroad. The text of the spending package, H.R. 2471, is available here and a full summary of the 12 regular appropriations bills is here.\n\nThe community projects announced today will directly benefit the people of Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District, funding upgrades to parks and student services at Xavier University, building a public athletic venue in New Orleans\u2019 9th Ward, implementing multi-modal transportation improvements, increasing mental health services and jumpstarting public health research.\n\n\u201cThis is a historic day for southeast Louisiana,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cThese seven projects have the potential to do an enormous amount of good in Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District, and I am so proud to have fought for their inclusion and funding in this Congressional appropriations package. This $17.5 million in funding announced today will go directly to our community, funding critical projects that will help boost our local economy as well as improve the health, well-being, environment, and public safety for the people of southeast Louisiana.\u201d\n\nCongressman Carter continued, \u201cThese funds are part of the overall government funding legislation, which delivers transformative federal investments to help lower the cost of living for working families, create American jobs, support our most vulnerable, tackle COVID-19 and support the people of Ukraine.\u201d\n\nThe funded projects for Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District are as follows:\n\nPROJECT SPONSOR: City of Baton Rouge\n\nAmount Awarded: $1,000,000\n\nPurpose: The funding will be used to create the Baton Rouge Institute for Growth and Healing After Trauma (BRIGHT), a community-based, trans-disciplinary resource and service center for trauma-healing in Baton Rouge. BRIGHT will build upon the success of several trauma-relief initiatives. It will create a center to support the health and well-being of Baton Rouge during a time of unprecedented collective trauma.\n\nPROJECT SPONSOR: LSU Health New Orleans\n\nAmount Awarded: $2,000,000\n\nPurpose: The funding will be used for a project to learn more about the enduring effects of COVID in Louisiana and better prepare for successfully managing any future epidemic through discovery, research, and training. As one of the first places with a major COVID surge, it is important to understand what effects COVID has had on our population including health care workers and students.\n\nPROJECT SPONSOR: Tulane University\n\nAmount Awarded: $1,000,000\n\nPurpose: The funding will be used for to create a permanent home for an important collection that helps better understand the pathology, etiology, and epidemiology of trauma-related neurodegenerative disorders. This research is vital to understanding and treating traumatic brain injuries, including among U.S. service members. It will also help treat post-traumatic stress and other physical and psychological health concerns.\n\nPROJECT SPONSOR: Xavier University\n\nAmount Awarded: $2,500,000\n\nPurpose: The funding will be used to renovate St. Michael\u2019s, a residence hall for first-year students. The hall is historic, having been a place of refuge for the Freedom Riders in 1963. The renovations would turn the building into a center for pre-health advising and STEM education.\n\nPROJECT SPONSOR: 9th Ward Stadium\n\nAmount Awarded: $3,000,000\n\nPurpose: The funding will be used for to create a public athletic venue for the 9th Ward of New Orleans. The 9th Ward Stadium project is a re-energized initiative which seeks to provide critically important recreational facilities for public school students throughout eastern New Orleans and which will serve as an economic catalyst for the 9th Ward community.\n\nPROJECT SPONSOR: City of New Orleans\n\nAmount Awarded: $5,000,000\n\nPurpose: The funding will be used for multi-modal transportation improvements along Morrison Road in New Orleans, Louisiana. Morrison Road is an important east-west major roadway that services a large part of the New Orleans East area. It directly accesses the interstate and is a major transit route in the Regional Transit Authority system and requires major improvements to enhance safety.\n\nPROJECT SPONSOR: Audubon Nature Institute\n\nAmount Awarded: $3,000,000\n\nPurpose: The funding will be used to renovate Woldenberg Riverfront Park in downtown New Orleans. This project would upgrade transportation and safety features for southeast Louisiana community members and millions of annual visitors. This project will revitalize this 30-year-old park and have safety, mobility, and economic benefits.\n\nThese community projects were selected after conducting comprehensive outreach to local groups and stakeholders. This new initiative is coupled with stringent eligibility, ethics, and transparency requirements.\n\nThe full twelve-bill government funding package that the House will vote on today will help middle class families with the cost of living, create American jobs, support the vulnerable, and give assistance small businesses and restaurants that are key to our economic future. Taken together, the funding for Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District and the funding increases for critical government programs will reverse decades of disinvestment in our communities and strengthen our nation.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:06:17Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/final-budget-bill-passes-house-includes-315-million-local-projects-second", "Final Budget Bill Passes House, Includes $31.5 Million in Local Projects for Second Congressional District", "2022-03-09", "2022", "2022-03", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Tonight, Congressman Troy A. Carter voted to pass the appropriations package to fund the government by providing critical services and lowering costs for American families.\n\nAlong with seven community projects allocating $17.5 million that he previously announced, the final version of the budget also included $14 million for two sewer and water management projects in New Orleans, resulting in a total of $31.5 million in direct community funding for Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District.\n\nThe final two project allocations are as follows:\n\n$6 million to the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans for wastewater and stormwater improvement.\n\n$8 million for the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center for New Gravity Sanitary Sewer and Storm Sewer Project.\n\n\u201cI am incredibly pleased to vote for this transformational budget that includes a total $31.5 million in Community Project Funding that I know will have a profound impact on Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cAlong with investing in our critical water management infrastructure, these funds will support underserved areas and foster economic development, making a real difference in the lives of so many in our community. I am proud to have fought for funding that will make our community healthier, safer, stronger, and even more resilient.\u201d\n\nEarlier today, Congressman Troy Carter announced the other seven projects funded at $17.5 million will provide mental health services, public health research, student services, upgrade parks, build a new public athletic venue, and more as part of the overall government funding package.\n\nThis government funding legislation also includes significant investments to:\n\nHelp Working Families With The Cost of Living: reducing costs by expanding child care and early learning programs to more working families, investing in America\u2019s K-12 public schools, increasing the maximum Pell Grant award by $400, expanding access to homeownership, and bringing the promise of rural broadband to more communities\n\nCreate American Jobs: putting folks to work in good-paying jobs rebuilding our infrastructure, helping small businesses grow and thrive, fostering the green energy jobs of tomorrow, and supporting high-quality job training and apprenticeship programs so every American can contribute and succeed\n\nSupport the Vulnerable: meeting Americans\u2019 basic needs by strengthening nutrition assistance, funding more affordable housing and strengthening the social safety net\n\nHonor Our Promise to Veterans: funding benefits, bolstering the VA\u2019s health care system and reducing backlogs\n\nDeliver Justice for Women and Girls: cracking down on gender-based violence with a long-overdue reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act\n\nThe legislation also addresses some of our nation\u2019s biggest challenges:\n\nProtecting Our National Security: with robust funding for defense, diplomacy and global development, a strong focus on cybersecurity, and investments in responsible border and maritime security that keeps us safe and respects the rights and dignity of migrants\n\nConfronting the Climate Crisis: through a renewed focus on environmental enforcement, pioneering funding for environmental justice, and historic investments in clean energy and climate science\n\nStrengthening Public Health: by rebuilding our health care infrastructure, establishing funding for President Biden\u2019s new cancer research initiative, and confronting urgent health crises \u2013 including maternal health, mental health, substance misuse, and gun violence\n\nAdditionally, the omnibus will provide $13.6 billion in assistance for the people of Ukraine, as they face Russia\u2019s unprovoked, premediated war. This legislation will also unlock critical infrastructure investments that have already been authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, creating good-paying jobs across Louisiana.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:06:17Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-statement-president-bidens-bold-action-ban-imports-russian", "Congressman Carter Statement on President Biden\u2019s Bold Action to Ban Imports of Russian Oil and Gas, Hold Putin Accountable", "2022-03-08", "2022", "2022-03", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, President Joe Biden announced that he will target a major artery of Russia\u2019s economy by banning all imports of Russian oil into the United States. Congressman Troy A. Carter released the following statement in response:\n\n\u201cThe haunting images of the Ukrainian people and the wanton destruction forced upon its citizens are just a few of the heroic stories and needless tragedies of Putin\u2019s unjustified war. I stand with the Ukrainian people as they defend their country, and so does our President.\n\n\u201cPresident Biden\u2019s action today to ban U.S. imports of Russian oil and gas is a bold measure that will inflict severe consequences on the Russian economy \u2013 holding President Putin accountable for his unprovoked attacks on Ukraine\u2019s sovereignty and citizenry. We cannot send American dollars back to the Kremlin and Putin\u2019s oligarchy.\n\n\u201cWhile I believe this ban is undoubtedly the right move for our nation, we must acknowledge the reality that this could lead to even higher prices for American consumers \u2013 especially at the gas pump. Many of my constituents live paycheck to paycheck or on a fixed income, and could suffer from the rising costs of fuel. I understand this fear, and I am committed to working to lower prices and cut costs through whatever means necessary.\n\n\u201cIn Congress, we are readying every tool at our disposal to protect American families and businesses from the economic costs of Putin\u2019s aggression. We will focus on further untangling supply chains, ensuring the stability of global oil markets and diversifying our energy supply \u2013 especially with renewables. The President has also already announced a coordinated release of 60 million barrels of oil from global Strategic Petroleum Reserves \u2014 half of that from the United States.\n\n\u201cHowever, it is essential that our nation\u2019s oil and gas companies \u2013 including those here in Louisiana \u2013 not use this global crisis as an excuse to price gouge the American people or pad their corporate profits. Nor is it a chance to turn away from our progress toward clean energy.\n\n\u201cOn a bipartisan basis in Congress and across the country, Americans strongly support the people of Ukraine and have made it abundantly clear we will not subsidize Putin\u2019s war. In this moment of geopolitical uncertainty, I am grateful for the President\u2019s leadership, industry leaders, and everyday Americans for unifying in support of democracy.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:06:17Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-extends-deadline-constituent-student-essay-contest", "Congressman Troy Carter Extends Deadline for Constituent Student Essay Contest", "2022-03-07", "2022", "2022-03", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Carter announced that his office\u2019s essay contest will have its submission deadline extended by one month, until April 8, 2022.\n\nIn recognition of Black History Month, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. launched his first annual Essay Contest, a chance for high school students in the Congressman\u2019s district to share their dreams for a stronger, more inclusive America. In order to allow more students the chance and time to participate, the deadline has been extended.\n\n\u201cFor this writing contest I am asking students to learn from the past to formulate their vision for an even brighter future,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cI encourage every 10th and 11th grade student who resides in the Second Congressional District to submit an essay to this contest and take some time to consider what their hopes and dreams are for our shared community. After all, we have to be able to imagine a better world in order to build a better world, and that dreaming doesn\u2019t stop in the month of February.\u201d\n\nThe prompt for the essay contest is as follows:\n\nAt the March on Washington, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. shared his dream for the future of America. Fifty-nine years later, our nation today still faces enormous challenges as we strive to become a more perfect union. In 500 words or less, share your dream for our nation and your vision of actions to make that \u201cDream\u201d a reality.\n\nThis essay contest is open to current 10th and 11th grade high school students whose official residence lies within Louisiana\u2019s Second Congressional District. The contest will close on April 8th at 6pm CT.\n\nThe essay contest winner will receive a certificate of recognition, their essay will be highlighted on the Congressman's online platforms, and they will be offered the opportunity for the student and a guardian to attend an unveiling ceremony celebrating their essay in Washington, D.C. To determine eligibility and answer other questions about the contest, visit the Frequently Asked Questions page on Congressman Carter\u2019s website.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:06:17Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-brings-mardi-gras-house-representatives", "Congressman Troy Carter Brings Mardi Gras to the House of Representatives", "2022-03-01", "2022", "2022-03", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. brought a taste of Carnival to Washington, D.C. by giving a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives celebrating Mardi Gras and distributing traditional King cakes to his colleagues.\n\nCongressman Carter said in his speech, \u201cAfter the challenges and isolation of the pandemic, this year\u2019s Mardi Gras is a chance for us to reunite, reconnect, and celebrate what makes New Orleans, New Orleans. While I am in D.C. for House business and for our President\u2019s State of the Union address, my heart is at home.\u201d\n\nWatch the Congressman\u2019s full speech here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:06:17Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-statement-following-president-bidens-first-state-union", "Congressman Troy Carter Statement Following President Biden\u2019s First State of the Union Address", "2022-03-01", "2022", "2022-03", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Tonight, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. attended President Biden\u2019s first State of the Union address. Following the event, he made the following statement.\n\n\u201cTonight, President Biden measured realism with relentless optimism, offering the American people a straightforward take of both the opportunities and the challenges that face our nation.\n\n\u201cUnder President Biden, we have accomplished so much, from the Infrastructure Law to the American Rescue Plan to the national vaccination effort. We now have a chance to finally reinforce the building blocks of our nation, recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and uplift communities too often left behind.\n\n\u201cOur nation\u2019s economy has come roaring back from the chaos of the pandemic, but there is still a lot of work ahead to lower costs for working families. President Biden has made this a top priority for his administration, and reaffirmed this commitment in his address tonight. I stand ready to support this effort, and am proud to have voted for the COMPETES Act.\n\n\u201cFurther, President Biden is the leader we need to guide our strategy through the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Our Commander-in-Chief has made clear that Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this war will bring, and the United States and its allies and partners will make sure Russia pays a steep price.\n\n\u201cWith President Biden\u2019s strong strategic leadership to unify our allies, instead of dividing the U.S. from its allies and partners, Russia\u2019s actions have united the world and further isolated it from the community of nations. NATO has been strengthened, not weakened, by Putin\u2019s actions.\n\n\u201cIn his speech tonight the President made it clear that he is fighting for the American people of all ages and all backgrounds and acknowledges that we still have many challenges ahead. We must protect democracy here and abroad, increase the federal minimum wage, and fight the climate crisis and natural disasters. We must defeat and recover from COVID, challenge hate and injustice in all forms, and ultimately make our communities safer.\n\n\u201cTonight, POTUS made his vision for our nation clear. I am confident that President Biden will lead our nation to a brighter future, and I am proud to serve in Congress to help support policies that will uplift families and protect our nation.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:06:17Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-applauds-president-bidens-historic-nomination-judge-ketanji", "Congressman Carter Applauds President Biden\u2019s Historic Nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as the Next U.S. Supreme Court Justice", "2022-02-25", "2022", "2022-02", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. released the following statement after the news broke of U.S. Circuit Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson nomination to serve on the United States Supreme Court:\n\n\u201cThe highest court in the land should be representative of all Americans. Two years ago today, President Biden recognized that it was past time for a Black women to have a seat on the Supreme Court bench. I am grateful to President Biden for keeping his word and following it up with action.\n\n\u201cJudge Ketanji Brown Jackson is qualified, thoughtful, capable, and conscientious. Her exemplary career demonstrates that she will be an outstanding member of the United States Supreme Court.\n\n\u201cAs we near the end of Black History Month 2022, Judge Jackson\u2019s historic nomination honors Black women\u2019s past and present role in guiding our country forward, while recognizing the work that still remains to achieve full equality.\n\n\u201cI urge the Senate to execute a swift but thorough consideration of her nomination \u2013 as they have several times before \u2013 and send her to take her rightful place as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:57:46Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-statement-russias-unprovoked-invasion-ukraine", "Congressman Troy Carter Statement on Russia\u2019s Unprovoked Invasion of Ukraine", "2022-02-24", "2022", "2022-02", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. released the following statement after the news broke of Russia and Vladimir Putin\u2019s invasion of Ukraine:\n\n\u201cThis unjustified attack on Ukraine is an unprovoked conflict by Russia and a terrible loss of life.\n\n\u201cMy thoughts are with the people of Ukraine as war descends upon them. I strongly condemn this attack and will fight for Putin to be held fully accountable for his needless war.\n\n\u201cIt is clear that President Putin wants to divide us by spreading disinformation about his violent aggression toward Ukraine. We cannot let him succeed.\n\n\u201cI stand ready to support the President\u2019s plan to impose severe consequences on Russia for this invasion, and to consider other congressional actions as appropriate.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:57:46Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/carter-and-louisiana-congressional-delegation-push-relief-recent-storms", "Carter and Louisiana Congressional Delegation Push for Relief from Recent Storms, Including Hurricane Ida", "2022-02-23", "2022", "2022-02", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Louisiana\u2019s Congressional Delegation is working to obtain more federal resources to address the needs of those impacted by Hurricanes Laura, Delta, Zeta and Ida. We respectfully request swift action to make good on the promise of the down payment in the September Continuing Resolution and appropriate additional supplemental funding dollars for unmet needs in Louisiana.\n\nThe three main asks of Louisiana\u2019s Congressional Delegation:\n\nProvide additional funding to those affected by 2020 Hurricanes Laura, Delta and Zeta. In September, $5 billion in disaster aid was included in response to the 2020 and 2021 disasters. So far, $600 million has been allocated for those impacted by Louisiana\u2019s 2020 hurricanes.\n\nHurricane Ida victims are yet to receive any of the $5 billion from the September 2021 law, the delegation seeks to increase disaster aid to comply with updated damage assessments from this powerful storm.\n\nComplementary hurricane protection, coastal restoration and flood control investments help to improve the safety and security of communities impacted by the 2020 and 2021 hurricanes. The delegation is working to include additional investment in key Corps of Engineers projects to prevent future hurricane damages.\n\nThe Congressional Delegation also asked for the previously approved hurricane recovery funding, included in the September government funding legislation, to be expedited as families continue to struggle across Louisiana \u2013 some still without housing, living in tents or lacking access to critical services.\n\nClick here to read the letter or see below:\n\nDear Chairman Leahy, Vice-Chairman Shelby, Chair DeLauro, and Ranking Member Granger:\n\nAs you know, the 2020 and 2021 Atlantic Hurricane seasons brought historic impacts to south Louisiana. State and local emergency response capabilities in Louisiana have been stretched to the limits by the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant freeze and historic May flood, Tropical Storm Cristobal, and Hurricanes Laura, Marco, Delta, Zeta, and Ida \u2013 all of which struck Louisiana in an 18-month period. The cumulative impact of these multiple disasters occurring in close geographical and chronological proximity has necessitated a robust federal response. We appreciate the opportunity to work with the Committees on Appropriation to secure $5 billion in the September Continuing Resolution for disaster relief funds for natural disasters in 2020 and 2021. However, Louisiana is only eligible for a fraction of these funds, and we believe that the needs of our constituents significantly exceed what has been appropriated and allocated thus far.\n\nOf the $2 billion presently allocated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Louisiana received $600,131,000 for areas impacted by Hurricanes Laura (DR-4559) and Delta (DR-4570) to use for unmet housing, infrastructure, and mitigation needs. The State of Louisiana estimates that the housing needs for Hurricanes Laura and Delta alone exceed $510 million, leaving a nearly $300 million shortfall to help house disaster survivors in Southwest Louisiana. These communities are exceptionally vulnerable: Hurricane Laura made landfall 18 months ago and many survivors still lack permanent housing solutions. Additionally, the Port of Lake Charles suffered over $240 million in damages. If economic drivers like the Port cannot recover, this will also hinder recovery efforts throughout the region.\n\nThe same is true for victims of Hurricane Ida, who have yet to receive an allocation of Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds. The State of Louisiana has estimated that unmet housing needs for victims of Hurricane Ida will exceed $1.5 billion. We can anticipate other necessary funds for public infrastructure, resilience measures, future flood mitigation, hardening critical infrastructure, and numerous other categories that are historically funded in emergency supplemental appropriations. In the meantime, thousands of Louisianians are living in tents or have found other means of temporary housing and still do not have access to critical unmet needs dollars.\n\nFinally, in addition to providing funds to the CDBG-DR program to get disaster survivors back on their feet, the Congress must match that investment in recovery with an equally critical investment in predisaster mitigation and protection from future flooding events. In particular, we would highlight the need for additional funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in areas impacted by Hurricane Ida, including Morganza-to-the-Gulf, Grand Isle, Lower Jefferson Parish project or other efforts to protect the Lafitte, LA area, to provide full federal funding for the Comprehensive Lower Mississippi Study authorized by the Water Resources Development Act of 2020, and continued investments in the Hurricane Storm Damage Risk Reduction System and other vital flood protection projects.\n\nWhile Congress waits for FEMA to finalize damage estimates, thousands of Louisianians are trying to decide whether to stay and rebuild or move on. This is an urgent crisis: families across Louisiana are struggling to house people and meet their basic life-sustaining needs today. We respectfully request swift action to make good on the promise of the down payment in the September Continuing Resolution and appropriate additional supplemental funding dollars for unmet needs in Louisiana. South Louisiana has been hit by unprecedented disaster and needs the support of the Congress to put them on the path to a full recovery.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:57:46Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-joins-congressional-delegation-africa", "Congressman Carter Joins Congressional Delegation to Africa", "2022-02-19", "2022", "2022-02", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. joined a Congressional delegation led by Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, to four African countries, including Sierra Leone, Liberia, C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire, and Tanzania. The delegation is also made up of Representatives Ami Bera, Ilhan Omar, Joyce Beatty, G.K. Butterfield, and Brenda Lawrence.\n\nIn Sierra Leone, the delegation will meet with President Bio, his Cabinet and other government officials, as well as Sierra Leonean opposition leaders, members of civil society, and NGOs. They will also tour Bunce Island, a former slave trading port, where public remarks will be given.\n\nIn Liberia, the delegation will meet with President Weah and other members of the Liberian government, attend a roundtable event to discuss good governance and accountability, and commemorate Liberia\u2019s Bicentennial Anniversary.\n\nIn Tanzania, the delegation will meet with Prime Minister Kaasim Majaliwa, alumni of the Young African Leaders Initiative, and conservation officials and partners.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:57:46Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-productive-visit-sba-administrator-isabel-guzman", "Congressman Carter on Productive Visit with SBA Administrator Isabel Guzman", "2022-02-18", "2022", "2022-02", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. hosted Small Business Administration Administrator Isabel Guzman in New Orleans to discuss the future of the small business landscape and the path toward an equitable economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\nIn recognition of Black History Month, the event had a particular focus on uplifting Black-owned and minority-owned businesses. Congressman Carter convened a roundtable discussion for the Administrator to speak with and hear directly from advocates, economic development experts, small businesspeople, and local officials.\n\n\u201cIt is an honor to have Administrator Isabel Guzman here in New Orleans to hear from the community and to focus on Black-owned businesses in honor of Black History Month,\u201d said Congressman Troy Carter. \u201cWe have a shared goal of helping expand the reach of the Small Business Administration as well as seeking to continually improve its systems so it can serve more people more effectively. Having Administrator Guzman here in the Second Congressional District displays her commitment to the people of Louisiana, a strong partnership between our offices, and a promise of future collaboration.\u201d\n\nThis roundtable highlighted the various ways that the Democratic Congress and the Biden-Harris Administration supports Black entrepreneurship and amplify the resources the SBA has available for Black-owned small businesses. These resources include access to capital, government contractingopportunities, and the recently launched Community Navigators Pilot Program. In addition, the transformational impact of the recently Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to New Orleans was celebrated.\n\nThe Congressman and Administrator Guzman also had a chance to visit several local New Orleans small businesses. Photos from the day are available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:57:46Z"], ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-and-da-williams-announce-23m-federal-doj-grants-orleans", "Congressman Carter and DA Williams Announce $2.3M+ in Federal DOJ Grants to Orleans Parish Civil Rights Division", "2022-02-14", "2022", "2022-02", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW ORLEANS, L.A. \u2013Today, Congressman Troy Carter joined District Attorney Williams, Louisiana State Representative Royce Duplessis and several advocates and stakeholders to announce more than $2.3 million in federal grant funding from the Department of Justice\u2019s (DOJ) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).\n\nAwarded specifically to the Orleans Parish District Attorney\u2019s Civil Rights Division (CRD), these funds will be used both to advance these leaders\u2019 shared goal of increasing safety and delivering justice for the people of New Orleans. These grants, among other actions, will allow the District Attorney\u2019s office to increase DNA testing and cold case investigations in order to identify the correct violent perpetrators and restore trust in the criminal legal system.\n\nManaged by the BJA, the four grants were awarded by four funding programs including 1.) Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence, 2.) Emmett Till Cold Case Investigations and Training and Technical Assistance, 3.) Innovations in Reentry Initiative: Building System Capacity & Testing Strategies to Reduce Recidivism and 4.) Upholding the Rule of Law and Preventing Wrongful Convictions Site Based and Training and Technical Assistance.\n\nCongressman Troy A. Carter Sr. spoke at the press conference and shared the following statement:\n\n\u201cI am proud to have played a role in securing for over $2.3 million in federal grants for New Orleans that will help us achieve our goals of building safer communities, advancing justice, and holding wrongdoers accountable within our criminal justice system.\n\n\u201cThese grants will advance the District Attorney\u2019s office\u2019s ability to protect the public and deliver justice by increasing DNA testing, reviving cold case investigations and more.\n\n\u201cWhen crimes go unsolved, and innocent people are put in prison, people lose faith in the criminal justice system and criminals believe they can act with impunity. We cannot let this stand.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s why I am proud to have assisted in providing resources to assist in clearing our DNA testing backlog, investigate cold cases and prevent wrongful convictions.\n\n\u201cAlongside programs to reduce recidivism, these resources will expand law enforcement\u2019s capacity, stretch taxpayer dollars, and will protect the community while ensuring the justice system is truly providing justice.\n\n\u201cI am also so proud that these grants will aid people as they re-enter society after incarceration having served their sentence.\n\n\u201cI would like to thank Chad Sanders for being here on behalf of the First 72, an organization that does such great work ensuring the formally incarcerated not only don\u2019t reoffend, but become successful members of society.\n\n\u201cOne of these grants will create a task force that will be responsible for reentrants who have been released as a result of the efforts by the Civil Rights Division.\n\n\u201cThose who have spent longer times incarcerated may be in need of enhanced services to address specific needs \u2013 this task force will tackle those issues and help reduce recidivism, bring workers back into the economy, and save taxpayer dollars.\n\n\u201cFrom both moral and policy perspectives, helping people find jobs, re-join communities, and avoid recidivism, is the right thing to do.\n\n\u201cI am proud to have advocated with the Biden administration for these grants and grateful that they have been awarded to New Orleans.\n\n\u201cI know public safety is top of mind for the people of this great city and of the Second Congressional District, and it\u2019s my number one issue as well.\n\n\u201cI will continue to partner with local, state and federal officials to help bring resources and supports to southeast Louisiana, and will continue to support policies that both improve public safety and continue to infuse greater justice into our judicial systems.\n\n\u201cThank you, DA Williams, State Rep. Duplessis, Chief Maw, Andrew Hudley, Chad Sanders, and all of the other officials, government staff and advocates, for all that you do to make our communities safer and more just.\n\n\u201cI look forward to doing all I can at the federal level to support your critical on-the-ground work.\u201d\n\nMore details on these federal grants are below:\n\nPOST CONVICTION DNA TESTING OF EVIDENCE PROGRAM\n\nTotaling $574,636, OPDA received a three-year grant from the BJA\u2019s Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence program to support the office\u2019s work around DNA testing in postconviction review of violent felony offenses and ascertaining accurate evidence to secure the correct conviction. Supported by Congressman Troy Carter and State Representative Royce Duplessis, these funds will ultimately elevate the office\u2019s work of 1.) securing real justice for victims by ensuring that the people who have caused serious harm are accurately identified and held accountable and 2.) delivering justice for those wrongly-convicted.\n\nFor more on the BJA\u2019s Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence program, please visit bja.ojp.gov or click here.\n\nEMMETT TILL COLD CASE INVESTIGATIONS AND TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE\n\nTotaling $500,000, OPDA received a three-year grant from the BJA\u2019s Emmett Till Cold Case Investigations And Training And Technical Assistance program to launch and implement the Undoing Jim Crow Cold Cases Initiative. Supported by Former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, State Representative Royce Duplessis, Southern University Law Center Professor Angela Bell and Xavier University of Louisiana Professor Helen Malmgren, the purpose of this initiative is to review, investigate and prosecute unsolved homicide cold case murders, occurring before 1980, suspected of having been racially motivated. Also, the initiative will include support for victims\u2019 families and stakeholders impacted by these cases.\n\nUPHOLDING THE RULE OF LAW AND PREVENTING WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS SITE BASED AND TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE\n\nTotaling $300,000, OPDA received a two-year grant from the BJA\u2019s Upholding The Rule Of Law And Preventing Wrongful Convictions Site Based And Training And Technical Assistance program. Studies show that public safety is not improved when someone is wrongly-convicted. In fact, it decreases public safety because the real perpetrator is left to reoffend and the public doesn\u2019t trust that the criminal legal system can accurately hold people accountable. And as the city with the most exonerations, New Orleans has seen the adverse impacts of countless wrongful convictions first hand. To increase public safety by improving public trust, this grant will support the office\u2019s work around identifying and undoing wrongful convictions in New Orleans. Specifically, the OPDA launch and implement the Orleans Parish Conviction Accuracy and Integrity Project: Orleans Parish Justice Project with Innocence Project New Orleans (IPNO). With the ultimate goal of making neighborhoods safer, the project will tackle past harms head on and ensure that the OPDA and other law enforcement agencies don\u2019t cause future harm.\n\nINNOVATIONS IN REENTRY INITIATIVE: BUILDING SYSTEM CAPACITY & TESTING STRATEGIES TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM\n\nTotaling $1 million, the OPDA received a four-year grant from the BJA\u2019s Innovations In Reentry Initiative: Building System Capacity & Testing Strategies To Reduce Recidivism program. In DA Williams first year in office, the OPDA began saving the state approximately $5 million in tax payer dollars annually by vacating the sentences of nearly 100 people who had been wronged or forgotten by the criminal legal system. With each of those people having served more than 20 years of a life or life equivalent sentence, the OPDA recognized the need for appropriate reentry support and services to ensure they are appropriately reoriented back into society. In partnership with the First 72+ and the Louisiana Parole Project, this grant will support the convening of a task force that will be responsible for reentrants who have been released as a result of the work of the CRD. This grant is expected to serve a population of reentrants who have typically spent more time incarcerated than the average reentry client and will be in need of enhanced services to address specific needs.\n\nThe OPDA\u2019s mission is, and will always be, to increase safety and deliver justice. These grant opportunities help the OPDA\u2019s work of creating safer communities by helping the office to rebuild public trust. Through countless wrongful convictions and unethical behavior, the community trust in the OPDA has been damaged. Studies show that in order to make safer neighborhoods and families, community engagement is paramount. 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