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WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. introduced the No Double Debt for Disaster Survivors Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. This bill would protect people with student loans who survive a natural disaster. After disasters, SBA loans are a lifeline to help people rebuild. However, for many who already have student loans, that additional debt burden makes it hard to recover.
“The country is battling the worst pandemic in history,” said Congressman Carter. “We also face increasingly frequent and intense natural disasters.I have seen and heard firsthand from individuals who have lost everything, either due to COVID, flooding, or a hurricane. For many, these combined disasters have resulted in the need to take out one or more SBA disaster loans. The last thing people need when trying to get back on their feet is another loan weighing them down. Coupled with the fact that nearly one-third of all American students go into debt to pay for college, this double debt burden hurts our economy and additionally burdens those struggling to recover from COVID-19 and natural disasters. The people need relief.”
According to the Education Data Initiative, in the United States, 42.9 million borrowers owe $1.59 billion in federal student loans. The average borrower has $36,510 in federal loans.
The No Double Debt for Disaster Survivors Act takes the following actions to help lift the burden of federal debt for disaster survivors:
- The bill authorizes the Secretary of Education to cancel outstanding student loan debt for SBA disaster loan borrowers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or a natural disaster.
- The amount canceled would not exceed the amount of the SBA disaster loan, and it would only eliminate the student loan debt, ensuring that no additional debt is created.
- The bill cancels outstanding student loan debt for those needing to take out SBA disaster loans since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Creates an annual report to provide feedback to Congress, including the number of individuals with canceled loans and the total dollar amount of the canceled loans.
Studies show that canceling student debt would substantially increase Black and Latinx household wealth and help narrow the racial wealth gap, provide immediate relief to millions of Americans during the pandemic and recession, and provide massive consumer-driven stimulus to our economy.
“The people of Louisiana and America shouldn’t be doubly punished after a disaster simply because they sought more education,” said Congressman Carter. “At a time when we are faced with intersecting crises, we need to give the people a chance to thrive without loan debt weighing them down. The No Double Debt for Disaster Survivors Act will reduce the burden of loan debt and bring a much-needed boost to our economy.”
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NEW ORLEANS, (BATON ROUGE)- U.S. Representative for Louisiana’s 2nd congressional district has release the following statement in the trail of William Bryan, Travis and Gregory McMichael for the slaying of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery.
“Ahmaud Arbery should still be here today. People who murder others must be held accountable. Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William Bryan unjustly killed Ahmaud Arbery after they racially profiled him and deserve to be punished. Too many people have attempted to slander and victim-blame a young man whose only crime was jogging while Black.
One day I hope that we are a nation where Black people can jog, play, protest, and exist without fear of hatred or violence. I will not stop fighting until that day is a reality. Today’s verdict was a step toward accountability and a justice system that extends equal protection under law to every American.”
NEW ORLEANS, LA - Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. released the following statement after the guilty verdict announcement in the trial of the William Bryan, Travis and Gregory McMichael for the killing of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery:
"Ahmaud Arbery should still be here today. People who murder others must be held accountable.
Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William Bryan unjustly killed Ahmaud Arbery after they racially profiled him and deserve to be punished.
Too many people have attempted to slander and victim-blame a young man whose only crime was jogging while Black.
One day I hope that we are a nation where Black people can jog, play, protest, and exist without fear of hatred or violence. I will not stop fighting until that day is a reality.
Today’s verdict was a step toward accountability and a justice system that extends equal protection under law to every American."
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NEW ORLEANS — Auranyd Alvarado is not the type to shy away from hard work.
“I’m from Puerto Rico. I moved here in 2014,” said Alvarado.
But she did not expect, as a single mom with a master’s degree in business, she’d end up working three jobs and barely sleeping to pay the bills.
“I did Uber, I did Lyft, and I sold coffee on the West Bank,” she said. She found her third job, at Tulane University, through a temp agency.
Less than a year later, Tulane took her on full time. It’s mostly kept her on her feet.
“It’s difficult to be by yourself and try to accomplish everything,” she said. “Like right now, I live paycheck to paycheck.”
She’s certainly not alone in her struggle. Nineteen percent of Louisianans live below the poverty line. Across the country, prices and paychecks have seemed increasingly out of sync.
There were 25 states that raised their minimum wage in 2021. Louisiana wasn’t one of them, but there’s talk of more than doubling the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
So what does that mean for workers in Louisiana who make just slightly more and are struggling to pay the bills?
“The prices of everything else has keep increasing, increasing. So at the end of the day, the people are getting less and less and less money to what they need to do,” said Alvarado.
Amid a staffing crisis, big companies like Starbucks, Amazon, and Target have implemented $15 minimum wage.
Costco and Ben and Jerry’s are even higher, starting their employees at $17 and $18, respectively. Those wages bring their pay close to or above some workers with very big jobs.
For example, according to the Plaquemines Parish pay plan booklet, EMTs start at just $16 per hour.
The Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office website boasts that it has one of the highest-paying starting rates for deputies in the state. The office confirms that new deputies who finish training start at just $17.88 an hour, or $37,200 per year, including the state’s supplemental pay.
In Jefferson Parish, the pay plan lists drainage pump operators as starting at $15.19 per hour, or $31,586 per year. Teachers in the Head Start Program for preschoolers begin at $12.49, and even juvenile probation officers start at just $15.86 per hour.
Congressman Troy Carter, from New Orleans, believes it’s time for a raise.
“We need to have a redo, if you will. To recognize that teachers are grossly underpaid. police, fire, and first responders are grossly underpaid,” Rep. Carter told Eyewitness News in an interview over Zoom.
Carter is cosponsor of a bill that would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 by 2025. The Raise the Wage Act would gradually raise the pay of 17 million workers nationwide, according to a Congressional Budget Analysis.
That same analysis, and Carter, forecast it would also give a boost to the wages of 10 million more people making just above the new minimum wage.
In total, that makes up about thirty percent of Louisiana’s workforce.
“It can’t be sufficient when you look at all the other necessities of life. Not even luxuries, just necessities. Child care is through the roof. Transportation is through the roof. Gas prices, through the roof. The price of eggs and milk and bread, through the roof,” said Carter.
“When you pay a higher wage, people earn more money, they spend more money. So kind of economics 101.”
Not all economists agree, though. The congressional analysis reports the Raise the Wage bill could reduce hiring by about one percent, or 1.4 million jobs.
Tulane University, Alvarado’s employer, raised its minimum wage to $15 per hour in October. While it didn’t bump her pay, because she makes just above that wage, she’s more motivated than ever to give her 11-year-old son a better life.
“We have to keep going. We have to keep working. Because if we stand still, we won’t make it,” she said.
The Raise the Wage Act is currently being debated in committee. All of the 201 sponsors of the bill are Democrats.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. issued the following statement regarding the Rittenhouse Trial verdict:
“Today’s verdict confirmed what we already know, and what has been proven time and time again; America’s criminal justice system is deeply flawed.
This verdict is a reminder that we are not a nation where every American is treated with fairness and dignity under the law, because the law was not made to ensure equal treatment.
In August 2020, members of the Kenosha community were peacefully protesting following the shooting of Black community member, Jacob Blake, by a white officer when Kyle Rittenhouse crossed the border, killed unarmed Joseph Rosenbaum, Anthony Huber, wounded Gaige Grosskreutz, and today walks away free. Today, the system failed to deliver justice to those that assembled in protest of that act of police brutality and those that lost their lives at the hands of a dangerous and reckless Rittenhouse.
Lenient self-defense laws, and a courtroom overrun with highly concerning actions, resulted in a lack of accountability and sends an unacceptable message that celebrates vigilantism.
The stark contrast in the outcomes of this case and in cases were Black and Brown people are in similar circumstances is a reminder that we have a long road ahead to ensuring that every American is treated equally and with dignity by our justice system.
Every day we do not act to advance criminal justice reform is another day that we stray further away from ensuring justice for the American people. In Congress, we have the opportunity to reform the policies and take common-sense steps to save lives and ensure justice and accountability. It is time for the Senate to pass legislation the House passed months ago to strengthen our nation’s gun laws such as H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and H.R. 1446, the Enhanced Background Checks Act. These, two bills would make necessary changes to protect our communities from life threatening and reckless actions like those of vigilante Kyle Rittenhouse.
Passage of these two bills will not on their own solve this complex issue., They represent another step in the journey toward preventing gun violence, ensuring accountability, and condemning the actions of armed civilians that incite violence and use that danger to justify their wrongdoings. We cannot sit idly by and wait for change. We must choose to act. I choose to make a difference and will work in my role as a member of Congress to take action to advance criminal justice reform. It is long past time.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. stood with the American people and voted to pass President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Act out of the U.S. House of Representatives. This package provides $1.75 trillion to uplift working families, lower everyday costs, cut taxes, fight the climate crisis, and create good-paying jobs. The programs in the Build Back Better Act are fully paid for, and a full analysis conducted by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office prior to House passage showed that this legislation even reduces the deficit by more than $100 billion over the first ten years.
“President Biden’s Build Back Better Act will reshape the American story for the better,” said Congressman Carter. “This bill aligns our nation’s budget with our values, finally investing in the well-being of working families and in solutions to the big issues America faces today. From affordable health care, to childcare, to housing, to tackling the climate crisis, each one of these dozens of policies individually is historic. Together, they are life-changing.”
A summary of the current version of the bill was published by the House Rules Committee here. A White House analysis estimated some Louisiana-specific benefits here, including:
- The Build Back Better Act will enable Louisiana to provide access to child care for about 300,000 young children (ages 0-5) per year from families earning under 2.5 times the state median income (about $198,667 for a family of 4), and ensure these families pay no more than 7% of their income on high-quality child care. The plan will cover the families of 9 in 10 young children in the state.
- Only about 43% of the 3- and 4-year-olds in Louisiana have access to publicly-funded preschool, and it costs about $8,600 per year for those who can’t access a publicly-funded program. Build Back Better will enable Louisiana to expand access to free, high-quality preschool to more than 54,505 additional 3- and 4-year-olds per year and increase the quality of preschool for children who are already enrolled.
- To help unlock the opportunities of continuing education beyond high school, Build Back Better will increase maximum Pell Grant awards by $550 for students at public and private non-profit institutions, supporting the 88,062 students in Louisiana who rely on Pell.
- The Build Back Better Act will ensure that the nutritional needs of Louisiana’s children are met by expanding access to free school meals to an additional 51,000 students during the school year and providing 599,955 students with resources.
“I am proud that House Democrats debated, compromised and worked together to ultimately support this bill,” continued Congressman Carter. “Passage of Build Back Better less than two weeks after the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act shows that Democrats continue to deliver results for the American people. Lowering costs, cheaper insulin, and universal preschool shouldn’t be partisan, but House Republicans all decided to put politics over people.”
“It has been a tough time recently for Louisiana and the entire country. However, with Build Back Better on the horizon, I’m confident that there are brighter days ahead. Now, the Senate must finish the job and act swiftly to pass this critical legislation.”
Congressman Carter delivered a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives ahead of the chamber’s vote and released a video statement following the bill’s passage.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, it was announced that President Joe Biden intends to name Louisiana’s own Mitch Landrieu to supervise implementation of the recently passed $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. released the following statement:
“Leaders in Louisiana know how life-changing strong, resilient infrastructure can be for communities, and how critical it is to have swift, fair and efficient allocation of funds.
That’s why Mitch Landrieu is the right person for this job. His long record of service at both the local and state level in Louisiana, especially in the recovery from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, provides him with the experience and perspective to get the job done.
I was fortunate to serve with him in the Louisiana House of Representatives, and I am thrilled for the chance to work with him to roll out this once in a lifetime, transformative infrastructure plan.
This is a huge win for Louisiana’s Second Congressional District, Louisiana, and the entire country.”
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. released the following video message in recognition of Veterans Day 2021.
The video can be downloaded here.
Transcript:
Happy Veterans Day. This is much more than just something to say.
Veterans Day is not just another day off. It’s not a day to picnic or to sleep late.
It’s a day that we pay homage to the men and women in uniform who protect our flanks, who protect our safety, at home and abroad.
We pay homage to you, those who served, those who have served, and those who have gone before us.
Those who made the ultimate sacrifice, they gave their lives.
On this day, and every day, may we honor the memory of those incredible brave souls who have gone before.
And we salute with the highest honor those that currently serve to protect this country that we love.
Happy Veterans Day.
God bless, and Godspeed.
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Louisiana is guaranteed more than $7 billion from the bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that won final passage during a weekend vote in the U.S. House and will be eligible for billions more in allocations from the legislation.
Republican Louisiana U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, a lead author on the bill, called its passage "a major victory for Louisiana and our nation."
"This infrastructure package will rebuild our roads and bridges, increase access to high-speed internet, strengthen our electric grid, add levee protection and improve flood resiliency," he said.
But despite Cassidy's enthusiasm, Louisiana's lone Democrat in the House, Congressman Troy Carter of New Orleans, was the only member of the state delegation to vote for the bill.
“This is a transformational moment for the people of Louisiana, and the entire country," Carter said in a statement. "In Louisiana, we’ve learned the hard way what it means to have failing roads, bridges, water and flood control systems.
"In this package, Louisiana will get billions from the federal government to repair and update our roads, bridges, sewage and water systems, update flood protections, harden our power grid, increase internet connectivity and so much more."
All five Louisiana House Republicans — Garret Graves of Baton Rouge, Clay Higgins of Port Barre, Mike Johnson of Benton, Julia Letlow of Start and Steve Scalise of Metairie — voted against the bill.
Louisiana's House Republicans said the bill didn't dedicate enough money to traditional infrastructure like roads and bridges and that Louisiana didn't get its fair share of the money allocated.
“This is not an infrastructure bill; it’s a spending bill," said 4th District Congressman Mike Johnson, R-Benton. "Only a fraction of the spending is dedicated to actual infrastructure, and only a smaller fraction of that is guaranteed to make its way to Louisiana, while the rest is to be doled out at the discretion of bureaucrats."
"It’s a losing deal for Louisiana, further seizure of power by the thieves in suits of D.C., and an advancement of a plan so diabolical I am unable even to write of it here today," said 3rd District Congressman Clay Higgins, R-Port Barre.
But the White House said Louisiana is ranked No. 21 overall among states for its guaranteed portion and No. 7 among states in its $1 billion allocation for bridges.
The bill allocates about $7.25 billion in guaranteed funding for Louisiana, according to White House figures — $4.8 billion for roads, $1 billion for bridges, $470 million for public transportation, $580 million for water systems and $380 million for other segments like airports, broadband and electric vehicle charging stations.
Cassidy concluded his fellow Louisiana Republicans were "misinformed" rather than accusing them of playing politics to prevent Democratic President Joe Biden from securing a legislative win.
He said in addition to the guaranteed allocations, Louisiana will have a leg up on securing billions more than will directed by agencies. Cassidy has used broadband as an example, noting language in the bill that requires underserved areas like Louisiana to get preference on funding.
Segments of the infrastructure bill that could benefit Louisiana directly:
► Create an $8.7 billion program nationwide to help states like Louisiana improve resiliency of transportation infrastructure, evacuation routes and at-risk coastal areas.
► Authorizes, but doesn't fund an Interstate 14 Corridor to run from Georgia to Texas, which would include Louisiana stops in Leesville and Alexandria continuing through Natchez, Miss., and Alabama up to Augusta, Ga.
► $65 billion in grants nationwide for broadband deployment.
► $9.55 billion nationwide for ports and waterways that will directly benefit Louisiana's Port of Calcasieu, Port Fourchon, Port of New Orleans, Port of Baton Rouge, Port of South Louisiana, Port of Plaquemines and J. Bennett Johnston Waterway, Cassidy said.
► $8 billion for hydrogen hubs to promote the production, processing, delivery, storage, and end-use of hydrogen that Cassidy called "tailor made for Louisiana’s industry, existing infrastructure and energy sector."
► $5.1 billion investment in carbon capture, utilization and storage technology to develop CO2 pipelines and storage, which Cassidy said is "a process in which Louisiana leads the nation due to work being done by the private sector, like Gulf Coast Sequestration, and the state government to establish Class VI primacy in the state. This step is key in putting us ahead of states like Texas in establishing this industry," Cassidy said.
► $3.5 billion nationwide for Flood Mitigation Assistance grants. In the last fiscal year, one-third of applications for this program came from Louisiana, Cassidy said.
► $17 billion for Army Corps of Engineers infrastructure priorities, which includes $2.55 billion for construction of Coastal Storm Risk Management and Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction projects, specifically targeting states such as Louisiana that have been impacted by federally declared disasters over the last six years.
► $53 million for Lake Pontchartrain. Lake Pontchartrain will receive this funding over five years to support local restoration efforts.
► $53 million for EPA’s Gulf of Mexico ecosystem restoration program. This protects and restores the water bodies and coastal environments associated with the greater Gulf of Mexico region.
► $60 million for Louisiana and other states in the Mississippi River and Ohio River Basins to support states’ Nutrient Reduction Strategies and fight hypoxia.
► Louisiana will receive at least $371 million for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund program and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.
► $4.7 billion nationwide for programs to plug, remediate and reclaim orphaned wells on federal, state and tribal lands. In Louisiana, the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission reports there are nearly 4,000 orphan wells.
► $150 million for the Delta Regional Authority. Louisiana is one of eight states in the DRA, which focuses on distributing grants to improve economic and community growth.
► $3.5 billion nationwide for Superfund site cleanups over five years. The state cost share requirement is waived. Louisiana currently has 13 sites on the National Priorities List.