{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-hosts-veterans-town-hall-in-baton-rouge/", "Cassidy Hosts Veterans Town Hall in Baton Rouge", "2026-05-04", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "BATON ROUGE \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) hosted a veterans town hall at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Zachary Taylor Post in Baton Rouge, where they discussed Cassidy\u2019s work to ensure veterans have access to the health care and benefits they need.\n\n\u201cLouisiana veterans deserve a system that works for them,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThrough discussions like these, I can better serve them in Washington and ensure they get the benefits they\u2019ve earned.\u201d\n\nAs a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans\u2019 Affairs, Cassidy is taking a leading role in shaping legislation that will benefit veterans. He recently passed through the Senate the Veterans Health Administration Policy Advisory Commission (VetPAC) Act, which will facilitate a transparent, expert-driven review process for the Veterans Health Administration\u2019s operations, including their delivery of care at VA hospitals. He also added a provision in the Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act that will ensure benefits for disabled veterans don\u2019t count against them when applying for housing assistance.\n\nCassidy recently announced that the VA has awarded a lease for a new community-based outpatient clinic in St. George, which will serve veterans throughout the Capital Region. Also, Cassidy\u2019s casework team based in Baton Rouge regularly advocates for Louisiana veterans and their families before the VA. If a veteran or spouse of a veteran has an issue with the VA, they can call (225) 929-7711 for assistance.\n\nCassidy was thanked in advance by Mr. Jason Sedotal, Commander of Chapter 177 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, whose chapter hosted the town hall.\n\n\u201cWe appreciate Senator Cassidy visiting with our members and other veterans to discuss what he\u2019s doing to ensure we have access to quality health care and benefits,\u201d said Mr. Sedotal. \u201cWe also thank him for honoring the sacrifice we made as veterans by advocating for us in Washington.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-05T05:58:12Z", "2026-05-05T05:59:44Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-hosts-veterans-town-hall-in-baton-rouge/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8823620155453682, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}