A Note From the Desk of Congresswoman Letlow

Helping Louisiana families thrive is a top priority for me in Congress - this starts with protecting the retirement benefits of our public sector workers and supporting our farmers, ranchers, and producers who feed and fuel our economy.

This month, I joined my House colleagues and proudly voted in favor of H.R.82, the Social Security Fairness Act. We’re one step closer to ensuring our firefighters, law enforcement, and teachers receive the hard-earned Social Security benefits they’ve paid into.

Most recently, I’ve heard directly from our farmers about the need to improve access to financial resources for the upcoming crop year.

I wanted to ensure we address the needs of our agriculture community by co-introducing the FARM Act, which will give farmers one-time assistance payments and will be a critical resource for farmers in helping them pay down debt relative to the 2024 crop year and assist them in obtaining financing for the upcoming 2025 crop year.

Agriculture is the backbone of the Fifth District, and I will always fight for our farmers and the critical industry they represent.

Please feel free to always reach out to my office directly when you have questions, comments, or concerns. Our team is always accessible through our website by clicking here. We are here to serve you! 

Sincerely,

Julia Letlow, Ph.D.
Member of Congress

This month the House passed H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act to restore our public servant’s hard-earned retirement benefits. The unfair provisions of WEP and GPO impact our public servants — the teachers who educate our children and the firefighters and police officers who keep our communities safe. Your stories have fueled my tireless efforts to educate my colleagues on this important issue. It was an honor to stand with you and the people of the Fifth District in advancing this bill to the Senate. As recently as this week the Senate Majority Leader filed a procedural motion which moves the bill one step closer to being put on the Senate floor for a vote - I’ve urged every Senator to right this wrong and vote in favor of this bill for our public servants.

As I’ve traveled across the Fifth District, I’ve heard directly from farmers who are on the verge of bankruptcy and desperately need targeted assistance in order to continue feeding our nation and fueling our economy. I co-introduced legislation addressing the urgent need for immediate economic support for Louisiana farmers facing unprecedented challenges as they approach the crucial lending season for the 2025 crop year. Supporting our commodity farmers will give them the support they need to pay off their debt now ahead of the next crop season.

This past month we connected with communities across the Fifth District and saw their industries in action. We saw it all this month, starting in West Monroe to tour the hands-on training programs our students have access to, to Baskin to honor Lainey Wilson and the inaugural marker on the Northeast Louisiana Music Trail. Witnessing firsthand the growth and development across our diverse communities was truly remarkable.

I enjoyed seeing both familiar and new faces from Louisiana in Washington, D.C. this month. It’s always so beneficial to meet and collaborate on ways we can best serve our communities and our state. We discussed opportunities to advance the convenience and fuel retailing industry, as well as addressing opportunities for the agriculture industry to help our Louisiana communities grow and thrive. We are always grateful to see each of you in our nation's capital!

November Legislative Update:

Notable Bills and Floor Activity:

• I supported H.R.8932, the FAFSA Deadline Act which instructs the U.S. Department of Education to make the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available by October 1st each year. This form is critical for students who want to apply for federal financial aid to attend college or career schools.
• I supported H.R. 9495, the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties of American Hostages Act, which ends tax-exempt status for American nonprofits found to be materially supporting designated terrorist groups, including Hamas, and provides fair tax treatment for Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad.
• I supported H.Res.1449, condemning the global rise of antisemitism and calling upon countries and international bodies to counter antisemitism.
• I cosponsored H.Res.1577, expressing support for the goals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children awaiting families and celebrating children and families involved in adoption.
• I cosponsored H.Res. 1566, honoring the service and sacrifice of America's veterans on Veterans Day, 2024.

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