The National Flood Insurance Program has lurched along for more than a year as lawmakers on Capitol Hill have deadlocked over how to overhaul the debt-laden federal program that underwrites most of the nation's flood coverage.But Louisiana's lawmakers are looking forward to January, optimistic that fresh blood on key congressional committees will crack the gridlock.Politicians and… Read more »
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will put $180 million more into navigation and flood-control projects in Louisiana during the upcoming year, the agency announced this week.The work will include a roughly $16.3 million investment in flood-prevention work around the New Orleans area, about $1.75 million for wastewater pumping stations in Baton Rouge and nearly $100 million for dredging and… Read more »
State officials are still waiting on action from the Trump administration before paying out millions in Restore Louisiana flood recovery money to homeowners who'd taken out Small Business Administration disaster loans.Congress changed federal law in October to allow 2016 Louisiana flood victims who tapped SBA disaster loans to also receive grants. But federal officials at the White House… Read more »
A waiver to release money after the Duplication of Benefits fix has delayed state distribution of funds to additional households affected by the 2016 floods, a move which has angered Congressman Garret Graves.The 45-day window has expired for President Trump to sign the waiver, a move implemented through government bureaucracy, Graves told The News in an interview Wednesday.The unsigned… Read more »
There are quite a few reasons to be thankful this holiday season.Sure, there are still problems at several levels of local, state, and federal government. Locally, infrastructure issues continue to stare both people and politicians in the face.At the state level, well, much of the same – except there's a decided issue on how to spend the money.At the federal level, the recent… Read more »
Louisiana lawmakers say a newly passed water-projects bill, while providing no money directly, could help speed the state's efforts to fight flooding and coastal erosion.The U.S. Senate voted 99-1 today to approve America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, which the House passed unanimously last month. President Donald Trump is expected to sign the bill into law within the next few… Read more »
Landmark legislation produced under the leadership of House Water Resources Subcommittee Chairman Garret Graves (South Louisiana) to reform the U.S. Corps of Engineers will be signed into law this week.
The AWIA vote comes one week after President Trump signed into law the Disaster Reform and Recovery Act, which includes full funding for the Comite flood protection, West Shore hurricane… Read more »
Congressman Garret Graves' (S. Louisiana) solution to the flawed duplication of benefits policy is set to clear its final legislative hurdle today with the passage of H.R. 302 in the U.S. Senate. It will then head to the White House to be signed into law by President Trump.Graves' duplication of benefits solution passed the House of Representatives for a third time last week as part of… Read more »
Passage of legislation that fixes the Duplication of Benefits provision and addresses other issues marked "a great day for South Louisiana and for the entire nation," Congressman Garret Graves (R-District 6) said Wednesday.Graves's legislation as part of House Resolution 302 cleared its final legislative hurdle when the U.S. Senate passed the bill on Wednesday. It now awaits the… Read more »
(WAFB) - Congress has approved a fix for the "Duplication of Benefits" problem that kept thousands of Louisiana residents from accessing disaster recovery dollars after the 2016 floods. The federal government instructed Louisiana residents who had experienced flood damage to apply for a Small Business Administration loan to help pay for repairs. Applicants who were approved could… Read more »
