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WASHINGTON, DC – Louisiana’s Congressional Delegation is working to obtain more federal resources to address the needs of those impacted by Hurricanes Laura, Delta, Zeta and Ida. We respectfully request swift action to make good on the promise of the down payment in the September Continuing Resolution and appropriate additional supplemental funding dollars for unmet needs in Louisiana.

The three main asks of Louisiana’s Congressional Delegation:

1. Provide additional funding to those affected by 2020 Hurricanes Laura, Delta and Zeta. In September, $5 billion in disaster aid was included in response to the 2020 and 2021 disasters. So far, $600 million has been allocated for those impacted by Louisiana’s 2020 hurricanes.
2. Hurricane Ida victims are yet to receive any of the $5 billion from the September 2021 law, the delegation seeks to increase disaster aid to comply with updated damage assessments from this powerful storm.
3. Complementary hurricane protection, coastal restoration and flood control investments help to improve the safety and security of communities impacted by the 2020 and 2021 hurricanes. The delegation is working to include additional investment in key Corps of Engineers projects to prevent future hurricane damages. 

The Congressional Delegation also asked for the previously approved hurricane recovery funding, included in the September government funding legislation, to be expedited as families continue to struggle across Louisiana – some still without housing, living in tents or lacking access to critical services.

Click here to read the letter or see below:

Dear Chairman Leahy, Vice-Chairman Shelby, Chair DeLauro, and Ranking Member Granger:

As you know, the 2020 and 2021 Atlantic Hurricane seasons brought historic impacts to south Louisiana. State and local emergency response capabilities in Louisiana have been stretched to the limits by the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant freeze and historic May flood, Tropical Storm Cristobal, and Hurricanes Laura, Marco, Delta, Zeta, and Ida – all of which struck Louisiana in an 18-month period. The cumulative impact of these multiple disasters occurring in close geographical and chronological proximity has necessitated a robust federal response. We appreciate the opportunity to work with the Committees on Appropriation to secure $5 billion in the September Continuing Resolution for disaster relief funds for natural disasters in 2020 and 2021. However, Louisiana is only eligible for a fraction of these funds, and we believe that the needs of our constituents significantly exceed what has been appropriated and allocated thus far.

Of the $2 billion presently allocated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Louisiana received $600,131,000 for areas impacted by Hurricanes Laura (DR-4559) and Delta (DR-4570) to use for unmet housing, infrastructure, and mitigation needs. The State of Louisiana estimates that the housing needs for Hurricanes Laura and Delta alone exceed $510 million, leaving a nearly $300 million shortfall to help house disaster survivors in Southwest Louisiana. These communities are exceptionally vulnerable: Hurricane Laura made landfall 18 months ago and many survivors still lack permanent housing solutions. Additionally, the Port of Lake Charles suffered over $240 million in damages. If economic drivers like the Port cannot recover, this will also hinder recovery efforts throughout the region.

The same is true for victims of Hurricane Ida, who have yet to receive an allocation of Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds. The State of Louisiana has estimated that unmet housing needs for victims of Hurricane Ida will exceed $1.5 billion. We can anticipate other necessary funds for public infrastructure, resilience measures, future flood mitigation, hardening critical infrastructure, and numerous other categories that are historically funded in emergency supplemental appropriations. In the meantime, thousands of Louisianians are living in tents or have found other means of temporary housing and still do not have access to critical unmet needs dollars.

Finally, in addition to providing funds to the CDBG-DR program to get disaster survivors back on their feet, the Congress must match that investment in recovery with an equally critical investment in predisaster mitigation and protection from future flooding events. In particular, we would highlight the need for additional funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in areas impacted by Hurricane Ida, including Morganza-to-the-Gulf, Grand Isle, Lower Jefferson Parish project or other efforts to protect the Lafitte, LA area, to provide full federal funding for the Comprehensive Lower Mississippi Study authorized by the Water Resources Development Act of 2020, and continued investments in the Hurricane Storm Damage Risk Reduction System and other vital flood protection projects.

While Congress waits for FEMA to finalize damage estimates, thousands of Louisianians are trying to decide whether to stay and rebuild or move on. This is an urgent crisis: families across Louisiana are struggling to house people and meet their basic life-sustaining needs today. We respectfully request swift action to make good on the promise of the down payment in the September Continuing Resolution and appropriate additional supplemental funding dollars for unmet needs in Louisiana. South Louisiana has been hit by unprecedented disaster and needs the support of the Congress to put them on the path to a full recovery.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. joined a Congressional delegation led by Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, to four African countries, including Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, and Tanzania. The delegation is also made up of Representatives Ami Bera, Ilhan Omar, Joyce Beatty, G.K. Butterfield, and Brenda Lawrence.

In Sierra Leone, the delegation will meet with President Bio, his Cabinet and  other government officials, as well as Sierra Leonean opposition leaders, members of civil society, and NGOs. They will also tour Bunce Island, a former slave trading port, where public remarks will be given.

In Liberia, the delegation will meet with President Weah and other members of the Liberian government, attend a roundtable event to discuss good governance and accountability, and commemorate Liberia’s Bicentennial Anniversary.

In Tanzania, the delegation will meet with Prime Minister Kaasim Majaliwa, alumni of the Young African Leaders Initiative, and conservation officials and partners. 

Finally, in Cote d’Ivoire, the delegation will meet with President Ouattara and Prime Minister Patrick Achi, President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, and observe U.S. Africa Command’s annual FLINTLOCK exercise. 

NEW ORLEANS, L.A. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. hosted Small Business Administration Administrator Isabel Guzman in New Orleans to discuss the future of the small business landscape and the path toward an equitable economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

In recognition of Black History Month, the event had a particular focus on uplifting Black-owned and minority-owned businesses. Congressman Carter convened a roundtable discussion for the Administrator to speak with and hear directly from advocates, economic development experts, small businesspeople, and local officials.

“It is an honor to have Administrator Isabel Guzman here in New Orleans to hear from the community and to focus on Black-owned businesses in honor of Black History Month,” said Congressman Troy Carter. “We have a shared goal of helping expand the reach of the Small Business Administration as well as seeking to continually improve its systems so it can serve more people more effectively. Having Administrator Guzman here in the Second Congressional District displays her commitment to the people of Louisiana, a strong partnership between our offices, and a promise of future collaboration.”

This roundtable highlighted the various ways that the Democratic Congress and the Biden-Harris Administration supports Black entrepreneurship and amplify the resources the SBA has available for Black-owned small businesses. These resources include access to capital, government contracting opportunities, and the recently launched Community Navigators Pilot Program. In addition, the transformational impact of the recently Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to New Orleans was celebrated.

The Congressman and Administrator Guzman also had a chance to visit several local New Orleans small businesses. Photos from the day are available here.

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NEW ORLEANS, L.A. – Today, Congressman Troy Carter joined District Attorney Williams, Louisiana State Representative Royce Duplessis and several advocates and stakeholders to announce more than $2.3 million in federal grant funding from the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).

Awarded specifically to the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Civil Rights Division (CRD), these funds will be used both to advance these leaders’ shared goal of increasing safety and delivering justice for the people of New Orleans. These grants, among other actions, will allow the District Attorney’s office to increase DNA testing and cold case investigations in order to identify the correct violent perpetrators and restore trust in the criminal legal system.

Managed by the BJA, the four grants were awarded by four funding programs including 1.) Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence, 2.) Emmett Till Cold Case Investigations and Training and Technical Assistance, 3.) Innovations in Reentry Initiative: Building System Capacity & Testing Strategies to Reduce Recidivism and 4.) Upholding the Rule of Law and Preventing Wrongful Convictions Site Based and Training and Technical Assistance.

Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. spoke at the press conference and shared the following statement:

“I am proud to have played a role in securing for over $2.3 million in federal grants for New Orleans that will help us achieve our goals of building safer communities, advancing justice, and holding wrongdoers accountable within our criminal justice system.

“These grants will advance the District Attorney’s office’s ability to protect the public and deliver justice by increasing DNA testing, reviving cold case investigations and more. 

“When crimes go unsolved, and innocent people are put in prison, people lose faith in the criminal justice system and criminals believe they can act with impunity. We cannot let this stand.

“That’s why I am proud to have assisted in providing resources to assist in clearing our DNA testing backlog, investigate cold cases and prevent wrongful convictions. 

“Alongside programs to reduce recidivism, these resources will expand law enforcement’s capacity, stretch taxpayer dollars, and will protect the community while ensuring the justice system is truly providing justice.

“I am also so proud that these grants will aid people as they re-enter society after incarceration having served their sentence.

“I would like to thank Chad Sanders for being here on behalf of the First 72, an organization that does such great work ensuring the formally incarcerated not only don’t reoffend, but become successful members of society.

“One of these grants will create a task force that will be responsible for reentrants who have been released as a result of the efforts by the Civil Rights Division.

“Those who have spent longer times incarcerated may be in need of enhanced services to address specific needs – this task force will tackle those issues and help reduce recidivism, bring workers back into the economy, and save taxpayer dollars.

“From both moral and policy perspectives, helping people find jobs, re-join communities, and avoid recidivism, is the right thing to do.

“I am proud to have advocated with the Biden administration for these grants and grateful that they have been awarded to New Orleans.

“I know public safety is top of mind for the people of this great city and of the Second Congressional District, and it’s my number one issue as well.

“I will continue to partner with local, state and federal officials to help bring resources and supports to southeast Louisiana, and will continue to support policies that both improve public safety and continue to infuse greater justice into our judicial systems.

“Thank you, DA Williams, State Rep. Duplessis, Chief Maw, Andrew Hudley, Chad Sanders, and all of the other officials, government staff and advocates, for all that you do to make our communities safer and more just.

“I look forward to doing all I can at the federal level to support your critical on-the-ground work.”

More details on these federal grants are below:

POST CONVICTION DNA TESTING OF EVIDENCE PROGRAM

Totaling $574,636, OPDA received a three-year grant from the BJA’s Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence program to support the office’s work around DNA testing in postconviction review of violent felony offenses and ascertaining accurate evidence to secure the correct conviction. Supported by Congressman Troy Carter and State Representative Royce Duplessis, these funds will ultimately elevate the office’s work of 1.) securing real justice for victims by ensuring that the people who have caused serious harm are accurately identified and held accountable and 2.) delivering justice for those wrongly-convicted.

For more on the BJA’s Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence program, please visit bja.ojp.gov or click here.

EMMETT TILL COLD CASE INVESTIGATIONS AND TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Totaling $500,000, OPDA received a three-year grant from the BJA’s Emmett Till Cold Case Investigations And Training And Technical Assistance program to launch and implement the Undoing Jim Crow Cold Cases Initiative. Supported by Former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, State Representative Royce Duplessis, Southern University Law Center Professor Angela Bell and Xavier University of Louisiana Professor Helen Malmgren, the purpose of this initiative is to review, investigate and prosecute unsolved homicide cold case murders, occurring before 1980, suspected of having been racially motivated. Also, the initiative will include support for victims’ families and stakeholders impacted by these cases.

UPHOLDING THE RULE OF LAW AND PREVENTING WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS SITE BASED AND TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Totaling $300,000, OPDA received a two-year grant from the BJA’s Upholding The Rule Of Law And Preventing Wrongful Convictions Site Based And Training And Technical Assistance program. Studies show that public safety is not improved when someone is wrongly-convicted. In fact, it decreases public safety because the real perpetrator is left to reoffend and the public doesn’t trust that the criminal legal system can accurately hold people accountable. And as the city with the most exonerations, New Orleans has seen the adverse impacts of countless wrongful convictions first hand. To increase public safety by improving public trust, this grant will support the office’s work around identifying and undoing wrongful convictions in New Orleans. Specifically, the OPDA launch and implement the Orleans Parish Conviction Accuracy and Integrity Project: Orleans Parish Justice Project with Innocence Project New Orleans (IPNO). With the ultimate goal of making neighborhoods safer, the project will tackle past harms head on and ensure that the OPDA and other law enforcement agencies don’t cause future harm.

INNOVATIONS IN REENTRY INITIATIVE: BUILDING SYSTEM CAPACITY & TESTING STRATEGIES TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM

Totaling $1 million, the OPDA received a four-year grant from the BJA’s Innovations In Reentry Initiative: Building System Capacity & Testing Strategies To Reduce Recidivism program. In DA Williams first year in office, the OPDA began saving the state approximately $5 million in tax payer dollars annually by vacating the sentences of nearly 100 people who had been wronged or forgotten by the criminal legal system. With each of those people having served more than 20 years of a life or life equivalent sentence, the OPDA recognized the need for appropriate reentry support and services to ensure they are appropriately reoriented back into society. In partnership with the First 72+ and the Louisiana Parole Project, this grant will support the convening of a task force that will be responsible for reentrants who have been released as a result of the work of the CRD. This grant is expected to serve a population of reentrants who have typically spent more time incarcerated than the average reentry client and will be in need of enhanced services to address specific needs.

The OPDA’s mission is, and will always be, to increase safety and deliver justice. These grant opportunities help the OPDA’s work of creating safer communities by helping the office to rebuild public trust. Through countless wrongful convictions and unethical behavior, the community trust in the OPDA has been damaged. Studies show that in order to make safer neighborhoods and families, community engagement is paramount. The goal is to use each of these grants to create trust in the OPDA by showing community that this office is focused on being fair and building a criminal legal system that serves all people.

For more on these funding programs, please visit bja.ojp.gov.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Troy A Carter Sr. (D-LA-02) and Congressman Lloyd Smucker (R-PA-11) are announcing the introduction of the MUSIC Act, bipartisan legislation that will aid entertainment companies and workers left out of the Save Our Stages (SOS) Act.

Louisiana’s Second Congressional District, especially New Orleans, is home to many live events companies that play a critical role in creating and producing entertainment experiences for artists and theaters nationwide. These companies employ hundreds of hardworking, talented Louisianians, but as the pandemic pressed pause on many live events, service and support companies have struggled to stay in business. The Save Our Stages Act provided a lifeline to venue operators but did not also include the companies that serve as the backbone to event production.

“In my home state of Louisiana, the live entertainment industry is a critical sector to our economy, but it needs a jumpstart,” said Rep. Troy Carter. “The MUSIC Act will help struggling companies and staff in the entertainment industry get back on their feet following the chaos that the coronavirus brought to the industry. This bipartisan legislation bridges the gap for businesses that were not eligible for previous relief programs and is a commonsense step to light the path toward recovery.”

“The live event industry faced significant challenges throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rep. Lloyd Smucker. “While I was thankful that the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program was able to support many struggling companies, I was disappointed to learn that critical live events production companies were ineligible to access these critical support programs. I appreciate my colleague Rep. Troy Carter for working with me to advance this important bipartisan legislation to help support good-paying middle-class jobs in my district and across the country.”

The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program has billions in leftover funding that could help preserve service and support companies while keeping thousands employed in good-paying jobs. Passing the MUSIC Act is a commonsense bipartisan fix to support a struggling industry using previously allocated funds. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Marsha Blackburn have also introduced similar legislation in the United States Senate.

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WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. voted to improve mail delivery across Louisiana and strengthen the U.S. Postal Service with the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022.  By saving billions in funding, increasing performance transparency and creating new sources of revenue, this bipartisan legislation will strengthen the financial footing of USPS so that it can continue to deliver reliable, on-time mail service to Louisianians who rely on the Postal Service to receive hard-earned paychecks, lifesaving prescriptions, tax returns and more.

“The U.S. Postal Service has long been a model for the world, tying together communities in Louisiana and across our nation,” said Congressman Carter. “Yet decades of underinvestment and onerous financial restrictions have undermined this essential public service. With today’s passage of the Postal Service Reform Act, the House is taking bold, bipartisan action to strengthen the Post Office, support our postal workers and preserve reliable, nationwide mail service for generations to come.”

Because of the extremely unusual requirement that the Post Office fund 75 years of retiree benefits in advance, this institution is on the path to insolvency, facing an urgent shortage of funding as its delivery obligations continue to grow. The Postal Service currently provides mail to nearly 159 million delivery points and adds an additional one million every year. Yet even as postal workers service more locations, revenue has continued to fall due to lower mail volume.  Having suffered fourteen consecutive years of net losses, the Postal Service is projected to run out of funds entirely by 2024, threatening to worsen delays and service reductions that are already hampering the ability of Louisianians receive their mail and deliveries on time.

The Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 enacts several overdue changes to address these financial challenges, improve mail delivery and support postal workers and retirees, including:

• Welcoming all future postal retirees into Medicare, delivering quality health care to our committed public servants while saving the Postal Service $22.6 billion over the next decade.
• Repealing a burdensome requirement forcing the Postal Service to prefund retirees’ health care 75 years in advance, saving $27 billion over the next decade.
• Promoting reliable delivery and transparency through a public-facing, online dashboard featuring national and local level service performance data.
• Codifying the Postal Service’s longtime tradition of delivering mail and packages six days per week.
• Allowing the Postal Service to raise additional revenues by offering non-commercial property and services to state, local and tribal governments.

“The pandemic has reminded the people of Louisiana how much we rely on the Postal Service for timely deliveries – from prescription drugs to mail-in ballots and holiday gifts to paychecks and Social Security payments,” said Congressman Carter. “I am proudly committed to providing our diligent postal workers with the tools to get the job done for the American people.  With today’s vote, the House has taken a key step forward in bolstering mail service for every community across Louisiana.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C.  – In honor of Black History Month, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. is launching his inaugural Black History Essay Contest, a chance for high school students in the Congressman’s district to share their dreams for a stronger, more inclusive America.

“This Black History Month, I am asking students to learn from the past to formulate their vision for an even brighter future,” said Congressman Carter. “I encourage every 10^th and 11^th 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 one. Happy writing, and Happy Black History Month.”

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.

The Congressman Troy Carter Black History 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.

Flyers advertising the contest can be found and downloaded here.

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NEW ORLEANS, L.A.  – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. joined Labor Secretary Marty Walsh on his visit today to New Orleans, in Louisiana’s Second Congressional District. Together, they participated in a roundtable discussion on investing in and improving conditions in the resilience worker and restoration economy at Delgado Community College. Following the visit, the Congressman shared the following statement:

“The strength of the American economy depends on the strength and resiliency of our workforce. We must ensure that as we grow our economy, we empower and invest in our workforce to include more diverse voices and welcome workers and businesses from all constituencies into critical, growing sectors.

“Here in Louisiana, a large sector of our economy that is built around responding to and rebuilding back from natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods. We must do more to ensure that our small and local businesses and workers from historically marginalized or underemployed communities are given opportunities to participate in the rebuilding of their own community. This is a key step to a stronger recovery and building stronger communities.

“It takes all hands on deck to recover from a disaster, but in order to enhance equity instead of expanding inequities, we have to be strategic and bring more communities into the sector ahead of the event with efforts such as growing workforce development programs.

“It is great news that President Biden and his Administration have recognized the importance of small, local business involvement in federal contracting. In 2021, they directed federal agencies to increase contracting with businesses that fall in the category of disadvantaged business enterprises (DBE) – a critical step in the right direction.

“I am grateful that Labor Secretary Walsh and Deputy Labor Secretary Su were able to come to New Orleans today to discuss these issues and more in the community directly. We were able to highlight a model example of increasing inclusion into the resilience economy through Resilient Force’s efforts to employ historically marginalized or under-employed communities with good-paying jobs.

“I look forward to working with Secretary Walsh and his Department in the future, and will continue to support the PRO Act and other pro-worker and good job creation legislation.”

Photos from the day are available here.

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WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. announced the introduction of a House Resolution condemning assaults on healthcare personnel, as well as calling for inquiries into the attacks and resources to support healthcare workers and counteract violence in the workplace.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers have been working tirelessly to save lives and protect our communities. But as cases and hospitalizations rise, many healthcare systems and staff have become overwhelmed and understaffed. This has coincided with a concerning rise of workplace violence against healthcare workers, including tragically in Louisiana’s Second Congressional District. In November 2020, National Nurses United surveyed 15,000 registered nurses across the U.S. and found that 20% reported increased workplace violence.

“Our healthcare workers are heroes in the fight against COVID-19,” said Congressman Carter. “And yet, far too many have experienced dangerous workplace violence and assaults while they try and save lives. We must condemn this violence in the strongest possible terms. This House Resolution will help bring awareness to this epidemic of violence against the pandemic’s frontline workers, call for federal inquiries and push for more resources to prevent and respond to workplace violence.”

This resolution has now been referred to House committees. If passed, it would specifically call on the U.S. Department of Justice to inquire into assaults on healthcare personnel and provide adequate resources and support to ensure that justice is given to those that have faced or could face assault. It also calls for the U.S. Department of Labor to increase workplace violence resources, specifically for healthcare personnel.

The full text of the resolution is below, and will soon be available on Congress.gov.

RESOLUTION TEXT:

Expressing support for health care personnel and condemning assaults on health care personnel as the U.S. health care system faces unprecedented staffing shortages and increased workplace related stressors.

Whereas as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), healthcare personnel refers to all paid and unpaid persons serving in healthcare settings who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials, including body substances (e.g., blood, tissue, and specific body fluids); contaminated medical supplies, devices, and equipment; contaminated environmental surfaces; or contaminated air.

Whereas these health care personnel may include, but are not limited to, emergency medical service personnel, nurses, nursing assistants, physicians, technicians, therapists, phlebotomists, pharmacists, students and trainees, contractual staff not employed by the health care facility.

Whereas the United States Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration defines workplace violence as any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site.

Whereas workplace violence ranges from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and homicide.

Whereas acts of violence and other injuries is currently the third-leading cause of fatal occupational injuries in the United States.

Whereas according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), of the 5,333 fatal workplace injuries that occurred in the United States in 2019, 761 were cases of intentional injury by another person. 

Whereas in November 2020, National Nurses United surveyed 15,000 registered nurses across the U.S. and found that 20% reported increased workplace violence.

Whereas according to the American Nurses Association, one in four nurses are assaulted while on the job.

Whereas the Joint Commission found workers in health care settings are 4 times more likely to be assaulted than workers in private industry.

Whereas according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), approximately 75 percent of nearly 25,000 workplace assaults are reported annually in health care and social service settings.

Whereas the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that healthcare workers and those who work in social assistance are five times more likely to experience workplace violence than other workers.

Whereas the Joint Commission found that approximately 30 percent of nurses report incidents of violence and only 26 percent of emergency department physicians report violent incidents.

Whereas the National Crime Victimization Survey showed health care workers have a 20 percent higher chance of being the victim of workplace violence than other workers.

Whereas the American College of Emergency Physicians reported that 70 percent of emergency physicians have reported acts of violence against them, yet approximately -3 percent pressed charges. Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives –

1. Condemns workplace violence, harassment, or assault against health care personnel;

2. Reaffirms that acts of violence, harassment, or assault against health care personnel will not be tolerated;

3. Calls on the U.S. Department of Justice to inquire into assaults on health care personnel and provide adequate resources and support to ensure that justice is given to those that have faced or will face assault;

4. Call on the U.S. Department of Labor to increase workplace violence resources, specifically for healthcare personnel;

5. Continues to support hospitals and health care workers and the work they do to ensure our health and wellbeing.

6. Acknowledges the increased work stress and strain on mental health that health care personnel face; and

7. Support providing health care personnel with mental health information and resources.

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