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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced a new cooperative agreement under the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA). LFPA funds will be used to fund the Nourishing Louisiana program which aims to support Louisiana producers and underserved communities.
“Farmers and agricultural producers feed our nation and food banks fill a critical gap in our social safety net, but they are all currently struggling to overcome rising costs” said Congressman Carter. “That’s why I am proud to announce that thanks to funding from the American Rescue Plan, the USDA and Louisiana will create economic opportunities for producers while bringing food to five food banks in Louisiana – including two in the Second Congressional District.”
“USDA is excited to partner with Louisiana to promote economic opportunities for farmers and producers and to increase access to locally sourced, fresh, healthy, and nutritious food in underserved communities,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The Local Food Purchase Cooperative Agreement Program will improve food and agricultural supply-chain resiliency and increase local food consumption around the country.”
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) will partner with Feeding Louisiana, five Feed America food banks, non-profit organizations, and community members to support Louisiana producers. Through its partnership with Feed Louisiana, LDAF will purchase food, including fresh produce, meats, seafood, and rice from local growers, targeting underserved farmers, ranchers, and fishers.
Purchased food will then be provided to five Louisiana food banks which will distribute the food to Louisiana residents experiencing food insecurity. In addition to sharing Louisiana-grown food with hundreds of existing partners working in underserved communities, the food banks will work to establish new partnerships in communities where need is high, and resources are limited. Over the two-year grant period, it is anticipated the Nourishing Louisiana program will purchase 1.8 million pounds of food and impact over 130,000 people experiencing food insecurity.
“Reports show that at the height of the pandemic, the number of Louisianans experiencing food insecurity totaled over 900,000. That’s a staggering need that this program can help meet,” said the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain. “The program will be providing fresh, delicious, and nutritious food to those that need it most while partnering with our underserved farmers, ranchers, and fishers to help them move their products. That’s an investment into Louisiana on multiple levels and an all-around win for our state.”
The LFPA program is authorized by the American Rescue Plan to maintain and improve food and agricultural supply chain resiliency. Through this program, USDA will award up to $400 million through non-competitive cooperative agreements with state and tribal governments to support local, regional, and underserved producers through the purchase of food produced within the state or within 400 miles of delivery destination.
More information about the program is available on AMS’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program webpage.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. voted for bipartisan legislation that takes historic steps to combat gun violence and protect communities in Louisiana. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act will help save lives by keeping weapons out of dangerous hands, strengthening mental health services and bolstering school safety. The first major gun violence prevention legislation passed by Congress in nearly three decades, this bill now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
“Today, the Democratic Congress passed our nation’s first major gun violence prevention legislation in nearly three decades,” said Congressman Carter. “Louisianians are horrified by the epidemic of gun violence that continues to steal away lives, devastate families and shatter communities across the country. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act will implement common-sense measures to curb the violence and keep weapons away from those who pose a danger to themselves and others.”
Gun violence in America is responsible for more than 45,000 deaths per year, and an average of 1,183 deaths in Louisiana every year. Every day, 30 Americans are murdered with a gun – a number that rises to more than 100 when counting suicides and accidental shootings. Communities across the nation have been torn apart by nearly 300 mass shootings since 2009 – attacks that have killed more than 1,500 people and wounded 1,000 more.
The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act will implement common-sense, bipartisan measures to protect America’s children, keep our communities safe and curb gun violence across our country, including:
- Support for State Crisis Intervention Orders: Incentivizing states to implement extreme risk protection order laws to keep weapons out of the hands of individuals who pose a danger to themselves or others.
- Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence: Closing the “Boyfriend Loophole” by adding convicted abusers to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
- Cracking Down on Gun Trafficking and Straw Purchases: Preventing dangerous individuals from illegally evading background checks by establishing new federal criminal offenses that cover straw purchasing and trafficking.
- Enhanced Background Checks for Buyers Under 21: Requiring longer, enhanced background checks of up to ten days for gun buyers under 21 years of age.
- Anti-Violence Community Initiatives: Providing $250 million in funding for community-based violence prevention initiatives.
- Child and Family Mental Health Services: Improving access to mental health services for children, youth and families through Medicaid, CHIP and other programs.
- Investments in School Safety: Expanding mental health and supportive services in schools, including early identification and intervention programs.
“House Democrats have voted again and again for bold action to combat gun violence,” continued Congressman Carter. “The legislation we voted on today is not perfect, but it is an important step forward. However, we cannot stop here. House Democrats remain committed to fighting for additional gun safety legislation and finally putting an end to our nation’s daily drumbeat of gun violence.”
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. released the following statement after the Supreme Court took the extraordinary, unprecedented step of taking away individual rights for the first time in history.
“Today the Supreme Court acted not to expand, but to take away the rights and freedoms of the American people for the first time in our nation’s history.
“Today, five members of the Supreme Court have inserted themselves between patients and doctors. They have interrupted these private conversations with far-right legal principles that limit personal healthcare decisions like when to start a family.
“This is an infuriating trampling of privacy that should anger every single American, and it puts many people at risk.
“As a person of faith, I have faith in God first. But I also hold faith in the people – in my brothers, sisters, and neighbors. I have faith in America, and the liberties and freedoms that we hold dear. I have faith that we must all have the chance to make the right choices for ourselves, our health and our families. That’s what freedom is all about.
“For Louisianians, we have entered a dark new stage of our state’s history. New restrictions have been triggered outlawing all abortion in our state, with minimal exceptions for safety or circumstance.
“Even under Roe we were already failing our mothers – the United States has the worst maternal mortality rate among developed nations, and Black women face disproportionately terrible outcomes.
“It breaks my heart that those who already had the fewest resources in Louisiana and many other states are now left without any options at all. This is especially true for low-income, Black, Indigenous, and women of color in our state who already faced devastatingly high rates of maternal mortality and poor maternal health outcomes.
“For them and many others, the post-Roe reality we now face is even more perilous than it was before. This new reality not only includes forced birth, but potentially death from unsafe medical procedures, or a dangerous pregnancy itself.
“This ruling and wider debate is not about life, it’s about control. If it were truly about life, our nation and Louisiana would be investing in prenatal care, early childhood education, food assistance, universal pre-K, and other policies that improve outcomes for children.
“Now, we must ask ourselves the question: if some rights are not sacred in this nation, are any rights sacred in this nation?
“Trump planted far-right judges into our judiciary, and now we are witnessing the first sprouts of those evil seeds. Unfortunately, there is more harvest to come.
“The courts gave women the right to birth control, the courts gave women the right to open their own credit card. The courts gave everyone in America the right to marry the person they love, regardless of race or gender.
“Just like reproductive freedom, many states like Louisiana still have original laws on the books and only the Supreme Court prevents these laws from snapping back into effect.
“Elections have consequences, but those consequences should never be the deprivation of rights once given. This decision is lawless and flies in the face of precedent. Not only the precedent of Roe and Casey, but every precedent in American history.
“In Congress, I will continue to do all I can to expand access to the full complement of reproductive healthcare and fight to re-instate the rights and freedoms of the American people.”
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressmen Troy A Carter, Sr. (LA-02) and Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14) today introduced bipartisan legislation, The Capital Lending and Investment for Marijuana Businesses (CLIMB) Act, to allow state legal American cannabis companies, including small, minority and veteran-owned businesses the ability to access critical lending and investment opportunities currently available to other domestic and regulated industries. The CLIMB Act offers protections to financial lenders and government agencies tasked with promoting economic growth for American businesses and communities, which will help level the playing field against larger, global competitors in the cannabis industry.
“The bipartisan CLIMB Act is a huge opportunity to bring equity and equal opportunity into our nation’s burgeoning cannabis industry,” said Congressman Troy Carter. “From my work on the Small Business Committee and by working directly with small, minority, and veteran-owned cannabis businesses, it’s clear that access to capital remains one of the biggest barriers to entry and to success in the industry. By bringing symmetry into the business ecosystem with the CLIMB Act, we can help communities that have long been harmed by the criminalization of marijuana move to now be leaders in the business sphere – and that’s what the American Dream is all about.”
“American cannabis companies are currently restricted from receiving traditional lending and financing, making it difficult to compete with larger, global competitors,” said Rep. Reschenthaler. “The CLIMB Act will eliminate these barriers to entry, and provide state legal American cannabis companies, including small, minority, and veteran-owned businesses, with access to the financial tools necessary for success. This bipartisan legislation will boost the economy, create jobs, and level the playing field for American businesses.”
Due to federal prohibition, state legal cannabis operators do not have equal access to traditional lending and financing options as non-U.S. companies, which creates significant barriers to entry for American cannabis companies, including minority-owned and ancillary businesses. Among other items, the CLIMB Act does the following:
- Provides safe harbor for private financial institutions to offer lending services state-legal American businesses. Due to federal prohibition, a majority of American banks will not offer loans or lending options to small, minority and veteran-owned cannabis businesses.
- Protects government agencies such as Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) and Minority Business Development Association (MBDA) from issuing grants and other sources of government funding. The CLIMB Act will allow entrepreneurs and small businesses to apply for funding to start and grow their business in the cannabis industry, particularly in areas most adversely impacted by the War on Drugs.
“The National Cannabis Roundtable is proud to support House Members Troy Carter and Guy Reschenthaler’s bipartisan Capital Lending and Investment for Marijuana Businesses Act,” said Saphira Galoob, Executive Director of the National Cannabis Roundtable. “The CLIMB Act is critical because it provides state legal American businesses with traditional funding and support mechanisms for this emerging industry, which other domestic industries currently enjoy. The more financing sources available to cannabis businesses the better, particularly for entrepreneurs, small and minority-owned businesses that may have otherwise face challenges in obtaining access to capital. This bill provides a suite of options including institutional investments, CDFI and MBDA protections that will create good jobs and ensure inclusive economic growth and stability.”
“Small businesses entering the cannabis industry face extraordinary challenges accessing capital,” said Michael Bronstein, President, American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp. “By creating funding avenues through the Minority Business Development Agency and Community Development Financial Institutions, as well as providing avenues for institutional investment, the cost of capital will continue to decrease, and the opportunity of the United States cannabis economy will become more inclusive and within reach for the many not just the few.”
“CLIMB offers imperative financial access for women and minority entrepreneurs in cannabis,” said Gia Morón, President, Women Grow. “While SAFE Banking presents a security harbor for cash deposits, that only addresses one critical role in business banking. Women and minority owned enterprises in cannabis continue to face lack of access to lending, grants, and investment options. CLIMB proposes vital financial tools that will work through MBDA and CDFI to support entrepreneurs in our communities as they aim to scale their businesses.”
“The CLIMB Act is sound policy and will provide long-awaited critical financial support for small, minority and women-owned cannabis businesses,” said Roz McCarthy, Founder and CEO of Minorities 4 Medical Marijuana. “M4MM is grateful for the bipartisan leadership on this issue, and encourages congress to work together and advance this key piece of cannabis reform legislation.”
“As a veteran and executive in the cannabis industry, I welcome the opportunities that The CLIMB Act will provide as I work to grow my business,” said Gary Hess, Founder and Executive Director of the Veterans Alliance for Holistic Alternatives (VAHA). “Having access to loans and grants will allow American cannabis entrepreneurs and businesses to reinvest in their employees and communities. The CLIMB Act will unlock these long-awaited, critical funding streams and promises to build a more fair and equitable industry.”
"Small cannabis businesses cannot effectively compete in the highly regulated and complex cannabis industry without access to capital and lending services,” stated National Cannabis Industry Association CEO Aaron Smith. “This bill is a much-needed reform that will help level the playing field for main street cannabis businesses across the country.”
As of January 2022, over 425,000 full-time jobs are supported by the regulated U.S. cannabis industry. Further, the state legal cannabis industry produced nearly $25 billion in sales in 2021, outpacing many other industries in terms of size and growth, and the domestic industry is expected to grow to $41.5 billion by 2025—representing the fastest growing sector in the U.S. over the last decade.
The full text of the bill can be found here.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. released the following statement in response to President Biden’s proposal for a three-month federal gas tax holiday.
“I support the President’s proposal for a temporary federal gas tax holiday in order to provide direct relief to American families. American consumers are trying to stay afloat, and action like a short-term federal gas tax holiday will soften the blow of inflation and help tackle Putin’s price hike at the pump. I agree that the final proposal of a federal gas tax holiday should be structured so that it does not have any negative impact on the Highway Trust Fund.
“Congress and the President understand that high gas prices pose a significant challenge for working families here in Louisiana and across the country. That’s why in recent months we have acted to boost the supply of oil and gas, including historic releases from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, advancing anti-price gouging legislation, and encouraging oil companies and refiners to get more supply to market.”
The White House released the following fact sheet about the President’s call for this action, linked and below:
FACT SHEET: President Biden Calls for a Three-Month Federal Gas Tax Holiday
The price of gas is up dramatically around the world, and by almost $2 per gallon in America, since Putin began amassing troops on the border of Ukraine. President Biden understands that high gas prices pose a significant challenge for working families. That’s why he has taken action in recent months to boost the supply of oil and gas, including an historic release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and encouraging oil companies and refiners to boost capacity and output to get more supply on the market.
Today, he is calling on Congress and states to take additional legislative action to provide direct relief to American consumers who have been hit with Putin’s Price Hike. Specifically, he is calling on Congress to suspend the federal gas tax for three months, through September, without taking any money away from the Highway Trust Fund. And he is calling on states to take similar action to provide some direct relief, whether suspending their own gas taxes or helping consumers in other ways.
Federal Gas Tax Holiday
Right now, the federal government charges an 18 cent tax per gallon of gasoline and a 24 cent tax per gallon of diesel. Those taxes fund critical highways and public transportation, through the Highway Trust Fund. But in this unique moment, with gas prices near $5 a gallon on average across the country, President Biden is calling on Congress to suspend the gas tax for three months – until the end of September – to give Americans a little extra breathing room as they deal with the effects of Putin’s war in Ukraine.
The President is also calling on Congress to make sure that a gas tax holiday has no negative effect on the Highway Trust Fund. With our deficit already down by a historic $1.6 trillion this year, the President believes that we can afford to suspend the gas tax to help consumers while using other revenues to make the Highway Trust Fund whole for the roughly $10 billion cost. This is consistent with legislation proposed in the Senate and the House to advance a responsible gas tax holiday.
President Biden understands that a gas tax holiday alone will not, on its own, relieve the run up in costs that we’ve seen. But the President believes that at this unique moment when the war in Ukraine is imposing costs on American families, Congress should do what it can to provide working families breathing room.
State and Local Action
In addition to federal gas tax relief, the President is calling on state and local governments to provide additional consumer relief. Already, some states and local governments have acted: for example, in Connecticut and New York, governors temporarily suspended their gas taxes, and in Illinois and Colorado, governors delayed planned tax and fee increases. And, around the country, in states like Michigan and Minnesota, states and local leaders are considering a number of forms of consumer relief – from temporary suspensions and pauses on state sales tax on gas to consumer rebates and relief payments. The President believes more states and local governments should do so.
Ongoing Actions to Blunt the Impact of the Putin Price Hike
Today’s announcements follow a series of actions the President has taken to lower gas prices for American families.
- The President announced the release of a record 1 million barrels per day from our Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which just last week a leading oil market analyst confirmed has been critical to keeping prices from rising even more.
- He rallied international partners to join us, releasing a combined 240 million barrels of oil on the market.
- He expanded access to biofuels like E15—gasoline that uses a 15 percent ethanol blend—to increase supply and lower prices at thousands of gas stations across the country.
- He and his Administration are engaging with oil and refining companies to ask them to work with the Administration to bring forward concrete solutions that increase refinery capacity and output. Secretary Granholm is meeting with these CEOs this week.
Already, the United States produced more oil under the first year of this Administration than it did under the first two years of the prior Administration, and is on track to set new records next year. At the same time, the President understands that our efforts to increase energy production in the near-term must be coupled with medium- and long-term efforts to transition our economy away from fossil fuels produced by autocrats and to clean energy.
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NEW ORLEANS, L.A. – On the first anniversary of Juneteenth’s celebration as a federal holiday, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. released the following statement:
“I had only been serving in Congress for thirty-seven days when I had the chance to vote yes to make June 19th – Juneteenth – our nation’s newest federal holiday.
“This joyous day recognizes how in 1865, enslaved African Americans in Texas received the thrilling news of their freedom – more than two years after the passing of the Emancipation Proclamation. They were finally free.
“Today, 157 years later, we celebrate Juneteenth 2022 – its second year as a National Holiday.
“Whether this is your first Juneteenth or your most recent celebration in a long line of traditions, I hope every Louisianian and American will join us in jubilantly commemorating the history, progress, and power of the African American community.
“But this anniversary is not only a celebration. It is also an urgent reminder to continue to combat the injustices of our present and future.
“Today, we remember the resilience of our enslaved ancestors, and recommit to never forgetting their struggle by working to end the systemic racism that still plagues our country.
“From protecting the right to vote to building safe communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, Juneteenth is a joyous challenge to build a better, equitable, and safe future for all.”
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. and U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. and John Kennedy yesterday requested that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) extend the August 2023 deadline for the city of New Orleans to use the public assistance it received in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The city received nearly $2 billion in relief from FEMA to repair roads and pipes damaged during the storm.
“I’m proud to join Louisiana’s Senators in a bipartisan manner to request FEMA extend the deadline on these important public assistance funds it received after Hurricane Katrina,” said Congressman Carter. “No matter the mistakes and failures in allocating these funds, and there have been many, we must do everything we can to secure these dollars and complete this critical work for the people of New Orleans. Our city needs these resources to fix our roads and pipes.”
“Families in New Orleans had their lives uprooted by Hurricane Katrina. It changed the city forever,” said Dr. Cassidy. “FEMA should not impose arbitrary deadlines on recovery and rebuilding.”
“Hurricane Katrina devastated our state, and Hurricanes Laura, Delta, Zeta and Ida have only slowed recovery and dealt their own blows. South Louisiana’s communities and economy need this $2 billion in FEMA aid to keep rebuilding what Katrina damaged, and I hope the agency gives the state an extension quickly,” said Senator Kennedy.
The lawmakers discussed the need for an extension further in the letter.
“When Hurricane Katrina ripped through the Gulf Coast in August 2005 with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph, it killed 1,833 people. It took some 43 days after Katrina made landfall for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to pump the last of the floodwaters out of the city” wrote the lawmakers. “In the more recent years, New Orleans’ rebuilding has been challenged by the COVID pandemic and the unprecedented 2020 hurricane season that included Hurricanes Ida, Zeta, Barry, and Laura.”
“The Louisiana Congressional Delegation requests the August 2023 deadline be extended in order to fulfill much needed maintenance to roads and pipe repair in New Orleans,” continued the lawmakers.
Read the full letter here or below:
Dear Administrator Criswell:
Following Hurricane Katrina, the State of Louisiana received $2 billion of FEMA Public Assistance that was allocated for post-Hurricane Katrina road and pipe repairs in New Orleans. Recently, we learned that the City of New Orleans will be unable to spend all of the allocated funds before the federally imposed deadline. To address such situations, 44 CFR 206.204(d) allows FEMA to extend project deadlines if (1) requested by the recipient (in this case, the State of Louisiana) and (2) submitted to the Regional Administrator. Accordingly, we are writing to alert you to this matter and to seek your support for extending the deadline.
As required by regulation, the State of Louisiana’s extension request includes a “detailed justification for the delay and a projected completion date.” However, just a cursory understanding of Hurricane Katrina’s magnitude and impact on New Orleans, as well as subsequent storms and events make a compelling case why the requested extension should be granted.
When Hurricane Katrina ripped through the Gulf Coast in August 2005 with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph, it killed 1,833 people. It took some 43 days after Katrina made landfall for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to pump the last of the floodwaters out of the city. Even a month later, up to 600,000 households were still displaced, and by the fall of 2006, less than half of the residents had returned.
In the more recent years, New Orleans’ rebuilding has been challenged by the COVID pandemic and the unprecedented 2020 hurricane season that included Hurricanes Ida, Zeta, Barry, and Laura. Despite all of the above challenges, New Orleans has made progress in completing work, which has previously been a bolstering factor in FEMA’s granting of extensions.
Finally, New Orleans’ need for an extension has been expected by FEMA for some time. Within the Joint Infrastructure Recovery Request (“JIRR”) Report of 2019, it is noted that FEMA is aware a further extension of JIRR funds are likely. “FEMA extended the work deadline for the JIRR program projects through June 30, 2023 as established per PW 21032, 21033 (DAC) and 20908 (ADA). Moreover, FEMA acknowledges an extended schedule to 2025 based on schedules established during the formulation of PW 21032 and anticipates time extensions will be required to complete the work.” (p. 4).
The Louisiana Congressional Delegation requests the August 2023 deadline be extended in order to fulfill much needed maintenance to roads and pipe repair in New Orleans. A notice will be sent to the state to submit a formal request for your approval. Thank you for your continued attention to hurricane recovery efforts in Louisiana. We appreciate your consideration of this request and look forward to your response.
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BATON ROUGE, L.A. – Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. and Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome announced a congressional allocation of $1 million to East Baton Rouge Parish to establish a network of mental and behavioral health resource centers that will offer traditional clinical services by licensed practitioners for communities that have high indicators of need for trauma-informed care based on factors like crime, substance abuse, housing insecurity and violence.
“Mental healthcare is healthcare. We need to take care of body, our spirit, and mind to build happy, fulfilling lives and a strong, safe community,” said Congressman Carter. “That’s why today I am so proud to announce that I have secured $1 million in community project funding for mental health services in Baton Rouge through the BRIGHT Initiative. We all deserve to feel safe in our communities and with ourselves. Serving our community’s mental health needs — as well as physical health needs – is a way to achieve a stronger, safer, Baton Rouge. Thank you to Mayor-President Broome and the City of Baton Rouge for their ongoing partnership and dedication to this important issue.”
“Increasing access to mental health and trauma resources for East Baton Rouge families is critical to supporting a safe, hopeful and healthy community. Congressman Carter is a tremendous partner, helping to bring these resources into neighborhoods of greatest need, which improves public safety and quality of life.”
This community project was funded through Congress’ annual Appropriations process, and was selected and advocated for by Congressman Carter after comprehensive outreach to local groups and stakeholders. This one million in funding for BRIGHT is one of nine projects totaling $31.5 million that the Congressman secured for the people and communities of Louisiana’s Second Congressional District.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. convened congressional colleagues and leaders outside of the U.S. Capitol to call for a fair redistricting process in Louisiana that protects Black voters and creates a second majority-minority congressional district.
Joined by members of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressman Carter led the group to speak in one voice against the age-old pattern of silencing and diluting Black votes and voices in our democratic system.
“We must begin to overcome our State’s tarnished past and move toward fair maps that follow the math and give Black Louisianians their rightful representation in our democratic system,” said Congressman Troy Carter. “I call on my former colleagues in the Legislature to do the right thing for their constituents and their state by drawing fair districts that truly look like Louisiana. Then, at the federal level we must act to reinvigorate the voting rights of our nation. Recent negotiations have led to a bipartisan agreement on gun violence prevention. They can, and should, lead to action on voting rights and protecting our democracy.”
You can see a video of Congressman Carter’s remarks here.
Congressional Black Caucus leaders joined Congressman Carter at this event and gave powerful remarks, drawing parallels between what is happening in Louisiana and what is happening in their states and communities across the country.
Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said that, “We know all too well what is happening in your state, because it is happening across the United States. So we come today to tell you that we are standing fighting for our democracy. We are standing here protecting our right to vote.” Video of Chair Beatty is here.
Congressman G.K. Butterfield, a former voting rights attorney and Judge stated that, “I have read the opinion of Judge Dick from the Middle District of Louisiana, and she has written a very, very, scholarly opinion. It interprets Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act very accurately.”
Video of Congressman Butterfield is here.
Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus said, “I want to thank my good friend and our colleague representative Troy Carter for his strong and steadfast leadership in ensuring that the African-American community in the great state of Louisiana has fair and equal representation and an opportunity to elect the candidate of their choice.”
Video of Chairman Jeffries is here.
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee shared that, “To Congressman Carter, I am standing with you, now 57 years after the 1965 Voting Rights Act…after all the work that has been done we are still working to ensure that there is representation for all people. … it is clear the math does not add up. I stand with the Congressman to ask for the Legislature to do its job, and for there to be the full representation of the people of Louisiana. Video of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee is here.
Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell added that, “I am proud to stand with my colleague from Louisiana. We do so because we are kindred spirits in Alabama. We share the same problem. And we have the same solution, which is to restore the full protections of the Voting Rights Act and pass the John Robert Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. These state legislatures must do their jobs and draw fair maps that will allow African Americans to have their fair share of these elected seats. Video of Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell is here.
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