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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tonight, Congressman Troy A. Carter voted to pass the appropriations package to fund the government by providing critical services and lowering costs for American families.
Along with seven community projects allocating $17.5 million that he previously announced, the final version of the budget also included $14 million for two sewer and water management projects in New Orleans, resulting in a total of $31.5 million in direct community funding for Louisiana’s Second Congressional District.
The final two project allocations are as follows:
- $6 million to the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans for wastewater and stormwater improvement.
- $8 million for the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center for New Gravity Sanitary Sewer and Storm Sewer Project.
“I am incredibly pleased to vote for this transformational budget that includes a total $31.5 million in Community Project Funding that I know will have a profound impact on Louisiana’s Second Congressional District,” said Congressman Carter. “Along with investing in our critical water management infrastructure, these funds will support underserved areas and foster economic development, making a real difference in the lives of so many in our community. I am proud to have fought for funding that will make our community healthier, safer, stronger, and even more resilient.”
Earlier today, Congressman Troy Carter announced the other seven projects funded at $17.5 million will provide mental health services, public health research, student services, upgrade parks, build a new public athletic venue, and more as part of the overall government funding package.
This government funding legislation also includes significant investments to:
- Help Working Families With The Cost of Living: reducing costs by expanding child care and early learning programs to more working families, investing in America’s K-12 public schools, increasing the maximum Pell Grant award by $400, expanding access to homeownership, and bringing the promise of rural broadband to more communities
- Create American Jobs: putting folks to work in good-paying jobs rebuilding our infrastructure, helping small businesses grow and thrive, fostering the green energy jobs of tomorrow, and supporting high-quality job training and apprenticeship programs so every American can contribute and succeed
- Support the Vulnerable: meeting Americans’ basic needs by strengthening nutrition assistance, funding more affordable housing and strengthening the social safety net
- Honor Our Promise to Veterans: funding benefits, bolstering the VA’s health care system and reducing backlogs
- Deliver Justice for Women and Girls: cracking down on gender-based violence with a long-overdue reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act
The legislation also addresses some of our nation’s biggest challenges:
- Protecting Our National Security: with robust funding for defense, diplomacy and global development, a strong focus on cybersecurity, and investments in responsible border and maritime security that keeps us safe and respects the rights and dignity of migrants
- Confronting the Climate Crisis: through a renewed focus on environmental enforcement, pioneering funding for environmental justice, and historic investments in clean energy and climate science
- Strengthening Public Health: by rebuilding our health care infrastructure, establishing funding for President Biden’s new cancer research initiative, and confronting urgent health crises – including maternal health, mental health, substance misuse, and gun violence
Additionally, the omnibus will provide $13.6 billion in assistance for the people of Ukraine, as they face Russia’s unprovoked, premediated war. This legislation will also unlock critical infrastructure investments that have already been authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, creating good-paying jobs across Louisiana.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. will vote to fund $17.5 million in Community Project Funding that he previously secured for Louisiana’s Second Congressional District. The committee released the full 2022 Appropriations budget bill earlier today, which includes funding for seven projects that were requested and advocated for by Congressman Carter in the summer of 2021, as one of his first acts upon being elected to Congress.
The full budget also includes critical funds to lower the cost of living for working families, $13.6 billion to support Ukraine and $15.6 billion to manage coronavirus at home and abroad. The text of the spending package, H.R. 2471, is available here and a full summary of the 12 regular appropriations bills is here.
The community projects announced today will directly benefit the people of Louisiana’s Second Congressional District, funding upgrades to parks and student services at Xavier University, building a public athletic venue in New Orleans’ 9th Ward, implementing multi-modal transportation improvements, increasing mental health services and jumpstarting public health research.
“This is a historic day for southeast Louisiana,” said Congressman Carter. “These seven projects have the potential to do an enormous amount of good in Louisiana’s Second Congressional District, and I am so proud to have fought for their inclusion and funding in this Congressional appropriations package. This $17.5 million in funding announced today will go directly to our community, funding critical projects that will help boost our local economy as well as improve the health, well-being, environment, and public safety for the people of southeast Louisiana.”
Congressman Carter continued, “These funds are part of the overall government funding legislation, which delivers transformative federal investments to help lower the cost of living for working families, create American jobs, support our most vulnerable, tackle COVID-19 and support the people of Ukraine.”
The funded projects for Louisiana’s Second Congressional District are as follows:
- PROJECT SPONSOR: City of Baton Rouge
Amount Awarded: $1,000,000
Purpose: The funding will be used to create the Baton Rouge Institute for Growth and Healing After Trauma (BRIGHT), a community-based, trans-disciplinary resource and service center for trauma-healing in Baton Rouge. BRIGHT will build upon the success of several trauma-relief initiatives. It will create a center to support the health and well-being of Baton Rouge during a time of unprecedented collective trauma.
- PROJECT SPONSOR: LSU Health New Orleans
Amount Awarded: $2,000,000
Purpose: The funding will be used for a project to learn more about the enduring effects of COVID in Louisiana and better prepare for successfully managing any future epidemic through discovery, research, and training. As one of the first places with a major COVID surge, it is important to understand what effects COVID has had on our population including health care workers and students.
- PROJECT SPONSOR: Tulane University
Amount Awarded: $1,000,000
Purpose: The funding will be used for to create a permanent home for an important collection that helps better understand the pathology, etiology, and epidemiology of trauma-related neurodegenerative disorders. This research is vital to understanding and treating traumatic brain injuries, including among U.S. service members. It will also help treat post-traumatic stress and other physical and psychological health concerns.
- PROJECT SPONSOR: Xavier University
Amount Awarded: $2,500,000
Purpose: The funding will be used to renovate St. Michael’s, a residence hall for first-year students. The hall is historic, having been a place of refuge for the Freedom Riders in 1963. The renovations would turn the building into a center for pre-health advising and STEM education.
- PROJECT SPONSOR: 9th Ward Stadium
Amount Awarded: $3,000,000
Purpose: The funding will be used for to create a public athletic venue for the 9th Ward of New Orleans. The 9th Ward Stadium project is a re-energized initiative which seeks to provide critically important recreational facilities for public school students throughout eastern New Orleans and which will serve as an economic catalyst for the 9th Ward community.
- PROJECT SPONSOR: City of New Orleans
Amount Awarded: $5,000,000
Purpose: The funding will be used for multi-modal transportation improvements along Morrison Road in New Orleans, Louisiana. Morrison Road is an important east-west major roadway that services a large part of the New Orleans East area. It directly accesses the interstate and is a major transit route in the Regional Transit Authority system and requires major improvements to enhance safety.
- PROJECT SPONSOR: Audubon Nature Institute
Amount Awarded: $3,000,000
Purpose: The funding will be used to renovate Woldenberg Riverfront Park in downtown New Orleans. This project would upgrade transportation and safety features for southeast Louisiana community members and millions of annual visitors. This project will revitalize this 30-year-old park and have safety, mobility, and economic benefits.
These community projects were selected after conducting comprehensive outreach to local groups and stakeholders. This new initiative is coupled with stringent eligibility, ethics, and transparency requirements.
The full twelve-bill government funding package that the House will vote on today will help middle class families with the cost of living, create American jobs, support the vulnerable, and give assistance small businesses and restaurants that are key to our economic future. Taken together, the funding for Louisiana’s Second Congressional District and the funding increases for critical government programs will reverse decades of disinvestment in our communities and strengthen our nation.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, President Joe Biden announced that he will target a major artery of Russia’s economy by banning all imports of Russian oil into the United States. Congressman Troy A. Carter released the following statement in response:
“The haunting images of the Ukrainian people and the wanton destruction forced upon its citizens are just a few of the heroic stories and needless tragedies of Putin’s unjustified war. I stand with the Ukrainian people as they defend their country, and so does our President.
“President Biden’s action today to ban U.S. imports of Russian oil and gas is a bold measure that will inflict severe consequences on the Russian economy – holding President Putin accountable for his unprovoked attacks on Ukraine’s sovereignty and citizenry. We cannot send American dollars back to the Kremlin and Putin’s oligarchy.
“While I believe this ban is undoubtedly the right move for our nation, we must acknowledge the reality that this could lead to even higher prices for American consumers – especially at the gas pump. Many of my constituents live paycheck to paycheck or on a fixed income, and could suffer from the rising costs of fuel. I understand this fear, and I am committed to working to lower prices and cut costs through whatever means necessary.
“In Congress, we are readying every tool at our disposal to protect American families and businesses from the economic costs of Putin’s aggression. We will focus on further untangling supply chains, ensuring the stability of global oil markets and diversifying our energy supply – especially with renewables. The President has also already announced a coordinated release of 60 million barrels of oil from global Strategic Petroleum Reserves — half of that from the United States.
“However, it is essential that our nation’s oil and gas companies – including those here in Louisiana – not use this global crisis as an excuse to price gouge the American people or pad their corporate profits. Nor is it a chance to turn away from our progress toward clean energy.
“On a bipartisan basis in Congress and across the country, Americans strongly support the people of Ukraine and have made it abundantly clear we will not subsidize Putin’s war. In this moment of geopolitical uncertainty, I am grateful for the President’s leadership, industry leaders, and everyday Americans for unifying in support of democracy.”
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Carter announced that his office’s essay contest will have its submission deadline extended by one month, until April 8, 2022.
In recognition of Black History Month, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. launched his first annual Essay Contest, a chance for high school students in the Congressman’s district to share their dreams for a stronger, more inclusive America. In order to allow more students the chance and time to participate, the deadline has been extended.
“For this writing contest I am asking students to learn from the past to formulate their vision for an even brighter future,” said Congressman Carter. “I encourage every 10th and 11th grade student who resides in the Second Congressional District to submit an essay to this contest and take some time to consider what their hopes and dreams are for our shared community. After all, we have to be able to imagine a better world in order to build a better world, and that dreaming doesn’t stop in the month of February.”
The prompt for the essay contest is as follows:
At the March on Washington, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. shared his dream for the future of America. Fifty-nine years later, our nation today still faces enormous challenges as we strive to become a more perfect union. In 500 words or less, share your dream for our nation and your vision of actions to make that “Dream” a reality.
This essay contest is open to current 10th and 11th grade high school students whose official residence lies within Louisiana’s Second Congressional District. The contest will close on April 8th at 6pm CT.
The essay contest winner will receive a certificate of recognition, their essay will be highlighted on the Congressman's online platforms, and they will be offered the opportunity for the student and a guardian to attend an unveiling ceremony celebrating their essay in Washington, D.C. To determine eligibility and answer other questions about the contest, visit the Frequently Asked Questions page on Congressman Carter’s website.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tonight, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. attended President Biden’s first State of the Union address. Following the event, he made the following statement.
“Tonight, President Biden measured realism with relentless optimism, offering the American people a straightforward take of both the opportunities and the challenges that face our nation.
“Under President Biden, we have accomplished so much, from the Infrastructure Law to the American Rescue Plan to the national vaccination effort. We now have a chance to finally reinforce the building blocks of our nation, recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and uplift communities too often left behind.
“Our nation’s economy has come roaring back from the chaos of the pandemic, but there is still a lot of work ahead to lower costs for working families. President Biden has made this a top priority for his administration, and reaffirmed this commitment in his address tonight. I stand ready to support this effort, and am proud to have voted for the COMPETES Act.
“Further, President Biden is the leader we need to guide our strategy through the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Our Commander-in-Chief has made clear that Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this war will bring, and the United States and its allies and partners will make sure Russia pays a steep price.
“With President Biden’s strong strategic leadership to unify our allies, instead of dividing the U.S. from its allies and partners, Russia’s actions have united the world and further isolated it from the community of nations. NATO has been strengthened, not weakened, by Putin’s actions.
“In his speech tonight the President made it clear that he is fighting for the American people of all ages and all backgrounds and acknowledges that we still have many challenges ahead. We must protect democracy here and abroad, increase the federal minimum wage, and fight the climate crisis and natural disasters. We must defeat and recover from COVID, challenge hate and injustice in all forms, and ultimately make our communities safer.
“Tonight, POTUS made his vision for our nation clear. I am confident that President Biden will lead our nation to a brighter future, and I am proud to serve in Congress to help support policies that will uplift families and protect our nation.”
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. brought a taste of Carnival to Washington, D.C. by giving a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives celebrating Mardi Gras and distributing traditional King cakes to his colleagues.
Congressman Carter said in his speech, “After the challenges and isolation of the pandemic, this year’s Mardi Gras is a chance for us to reunite, reconnect, and celebrate what makes New Orleans, New Orleans. While I am in D.C. for House business and for our President’s State of the Union address, my heart is at home.”
Watch the Congressman’s full speech here.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. released the following statement after the news broke of U.S. Circuit Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson nomination to serve on the United States Supreme Court:
“The highest court in the land should be representative of all Americans. Two years ago today, President Biden recognized that it was past time for a Black women to have a seat on the Supreme Court bench. I am grateful to President Biden for keeping his word and following it up with action.
“Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is qualified, thoughtful, capable, and conscientious. Her exemplary career demonstrates that she will be an outstanding member of the United States Supreme Court.
“As we near the end of Black History Month 2022, Judge Jackson’s historic nomination honors Black women’s past and present role in guiding our country forward, while recognizing the work that still remains to achieve full equality.
“I urge the Senate to execute a swift but thorough consideration of her nomination – as they have several times before – and send her to take her rightful place as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.”
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. released the following statement after the news broke of Russia and Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine:
“This unjustified attack on Ukraine is an unprovoked conflict by Russia and a terrible loss of life.
“My thoughts are with the people of Ukraine as war descends upon them. I strongly condemn this attack and will fight for Putin to be held fully accountable for his needless war.
“It is clear that President Putin wants to divide us by spreading disinformation about his violent aggression toward Ukraine. We cannot let him succeed.
“I stand ready to support the President’s plan to impose severe consequences on Russia for this invasion, and to consider other congressional actions as appropriate.”
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