Ending Enhanced Unemployment Benefits in Louisiana
I'm pleased to learn that Louisiana will soon end its participation in the enhanced federal unemployment benefits program as we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and return to normal life. With vaccines being rapidly distributed throughout the country due largely to Operation Warp Speed's success, more Americans are returning to work, and businesses are getting back on their feet.
Our state has seen the negative impacts of continuing to pay workers to stay home. The National Federation of Independent Business found last month that nearly half of small business owners across the country cannot find workers to fill their job openings. Extending these unemployment benefits would only hurt Louisiana's economic recovery if businesses cannot find employees to work and, instead, are forced to compete with the federal government for workers.
Protecting Louisiana's Oil and Gas Workers
I joined Republican members of the House Natural Resources Committee in sending a letter to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland outlining the devastating consequences of the Biden Administration's illegal suspension of new oil and gas leases on federal lands and waters.
We also requested that the Interior Department provide appropriate compensation for the cancellation of leases that have already occurred this year.
President Biden’s decision to ban new leasing has already done serious damage to the economic livelihoods of millions of American families. In Louisiana, these leases bring critical dollars for coastal restoration, flood protection, education, and countless other important services that we rely upon to support our local economy.
Calling On Democrats to Keep the Hyde Amendment, Save Millions of Unborn Babies
This week, I joined Republican leadership and the co-chairs of the Pro-Life Caucus on the House Floor to lead a series of unanimous consent requests to force House Democrats to vote on H.R. 18, legislation I cosponsored that will ensure that no federal funds pay for abortion. Click here or on the image below to watch my unanimous consent request.
President Biden removed Hyde protections in his latest budget proposal. As such, Biden’s budget would enable taxpayer funding for abortions, which is yet another flip-flop from the President who claimed he wanted to "heal" and "unify" our country.
The Hyde Amendment has been in place for nearly 45 years and has saved millions of unborn babies. Yet, President Biden and Congressional Democrats are determined to force taxpayers to fund abortions. We will continue to fight with everything we have to ensure that Hyde protections remain.
Joining GOP Doctors to Demand House Democrats Hold China Accountable for COVID-19
On Thursday, I held a press conference with members of the GOP Doctors Caucus to urge Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats to investigate the origins of COVID-19. Click here or on the image below to watch my remarks.
For more than a year, Republicans have sounded the alarm about how COVID-19 may have escaped from a Wuhan lab. Still, Speaker Pelosi and her top lieutenants have refused to hold a single hearing about the origins of COVID-19 and instead would rather cover up for China's lies.
As new evidence continues to be revealed, we must find out what the Chinese Communist Party knew in the early stages of this pandemic, and House Republicans won't stand idly by.
Next week, Republicans on the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis will hold a hearing about the origins of COVID-19, and we've invited many prominent doctors, scientists, and public health experts to come and testify. We're going to continue to demand answers about COVID-19's origin to better understand how this crisis started.
It is an honor to represent you in Congress. For more information, please visit my website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook pages.
