Dear John, 

I’ve had another exciting few weeks in Congress as I continue to represent you! I’m doing important work with the Regional Leadership Council to ensure that our veterans have access to crucial resources. I’m also fighting for important legislation like gun reform and creating more diversity among mental health care providers to guarantee that ALL Louisianans have a voice.

Since my last update, I honored Juvenile, one of LA-02’s musical legends, and highlighted the amazing artwork from this year’s Congressional Art Competition winner! I also hosted a "Democracy for the People" forum in New Orleans to discuss important issues that affect our district and the United States.

CARTER IN CONGRESS

PACT Act

As Representative for Region 7 on the Regional Leadership Council, I met with Secretary Denis McDonough of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs to discuss the importance of the PACT Act. This bill provides health care to over 3.5 million veterans who have been exposed to toxic chemicals. Learn more about this legislation and find out where to apply by clicking the graphic below:

Taste of Louisiana 

I hosted a "Taste of Louisiana" reception for the Regional Leadership Council members to greet my colleagues while providing informative updates on Region 7. We ate classic Louisiana dishes and discussed the needs of my district.

Gun Reform

The United States is experiencing a gun violence epidemic that affects all of us daily. The time for action is NOW. We must pass common-sense gun reform that protects our communities and our children. I joined my Gun Violence Prevention Task Force colleagues in signing a discharge petition to force House Republicans to ACT.  I will not stop demanding that we take the necessary steps to end gun violence once and for all.

Mental Health Workforce Act 

I introduced the Mental Health Workforce Act to addresses the urgent crisis of the lack of diversity among mental health care providers in the United States. This bill incentivizes students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities to pursue careers as mental health care practitioners by offering student loan forgiveness in exchange for a commitment to serve communities of color as mental health practitioners for five years after graduation. I am committed to fighting for greater representation and inclusivity in ALL health care fields, including mental health. 

LA-02 Funding Roundup

I proudly voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law because I knew it would benefit our district and Louisiana as a whole. Just last month, LA-02 received $24 million for the final design and construction of the Downtown Transit Center and connecting transit corridor and over $71 million to put new American-built buses on the road, reduce carbon emissions, and improve transit service. Louisiana also received $1.4 BILLION in funds from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program to help close the digital divide by bringing high-speed, affordable internet to the state.

Learn more about all of the grants here: Public Transit, Broadband, Clean Buses

CARTER IN THE COMMUNITY 

Supreme Court Updates: LA-02 Impacts

In June, the Supreme Court released several decisions that will impact our district.

The Court ruled in Allen v. Milligan that Alabama must create another minority-majority congressional district. This is important news for Louisiana as LA-02 is our only majority-minority district, even though our state has a population that is 33% Black. With this ruling, the Supreme Court has acknowledged that the Voting Rights Act still exists in this country and is giving Louisiana another opportunity to finally get this right.

The decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and UNC took away race as a consideration for students’ admission to colleges. This will make it harder for minority students to have a chance at equal admission to our nation's top schools. Affirmative action is a tool to help level the playing field for everyone.

The Court also decided not to forgive student loans, which will negatively impact the financial freedom of millions of working Americans. The ruling will limit the ability of many to purchase a home, start a business, and spend extra money in local economies. Putting crippling debt back on the American people after they were finally able to plan their lives without it is cruel and un-American. The federal government regularly forgives the debt of businesses, industries, and even small countries. Our students deserve the same.

While all the rulings in these cases are not what we had hoped for, I will not stop fighting to ensure that your voices are heard.

Read my full statements here: Allen v. Milligan, Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and UNC, Student Debt

Democracy for the People

During this year's Essence Festival I partnered with the Congressional Black Caucus Institute in New Orleans to host “Democracy for the People" where I discussed being proactive in the defense of democracy and impactful ways to engage locally in our communities. Approximately 100 participants examined issues that impact LA-02 and the country.

STEM NOLA

I was thrilled to present STEM NOLA with a check for $2,000,000 which I secured through the community project funding process. This money will help engage up to 20,000 students each year with hands-on science, technology, engineering, and math programs and prepare them for careers in STEM. STEM education and research is our future. We must continue to invest in the next generation of STEM leaders to become innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs.

Community Resource Fair

I want to ensure that ALL Louisianans have access to and understand the federal resources available to them. Team Carter hosted a Community Resource Fair in Baton Rouge to provide in-person assistance to the people of LA-02. Seniors, veterans, and all other members of the community met with representatives of various federal agencies, getting their questions answered. I will be hosting more events like this throughout the district. Follow me on social media, @RepTroyCarter, and subscribe to this newsletter to stay up to date on the latest events.

ACKNOWLEDEMENTS

Honoring Juvenile

I love recognizing the vast local talent that has come from our district whenever I have the opportunity. Terius Gray, better known as Juvenile, is a legend from LA-02 who has made vast contributions to music and culture. I was honored to have him join me at our Nation’s Capitol where I presented him with a Congressional Record.

Congressional Art Competition

This year’s Congressional Art Competition has come to an end, and I just hosted this year’s LA-02 winner in Washington D.C. Wanda Hu, a rising Junior at Benjamin Franklin High School, created the beautiful piece “Hopefully Anew” which now hangs in the Capitol. Seeing her artwork as I walk through the Capitol’s tunnels brings me great pride. I am excited to see what she does next. Congratulations, Wanda!

 

Being the voice for the people of Louisiana's Second Congressional District is a privilege and I am honored to serve you. For the latest updates on my work and important information for Hurricane Season, follow my social media accounts at the links below!

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Troy A. Carter, Sr.
Member of Congress