August 30, 2021

Cassidy, Graves Survey Hurricane Ida Damage from Air with U.S. Coast Guard

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and U.S. Congressman Garret Graves (R-LA-06) joined the U.S. Coast Guard on a flyover of southeast Louisiana to survey damage from Hurricane Ida which made landfall on Sunday, August 29, the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall. Hurricane Ida struck the Louisiana coast as a Category 4 storm with winds as high as 150-mph, making it the fifth most powerful storm to ever hit the United States. 

“South Louisiana has been hit and hit hard,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Anybody that saw what we saw would be personally moved by it. There are homes you look down on and the homes are destroyed. You realize for that family, their life has to start over. I will commit, and I’m sure our federal partners will as well, to do whatever possible to bring the resources necessary so that family, that community can restart.”  

Background

On Sunday, Senators Cassidy and John Kennedy (R-LA), and U.S. Representatives Steve Scalise (R-LA-01), Graves, Mike Johnson (R-LA-04), Clay Higgins (R-LA-03), Julia Letlow (R-LA-05) and Troy Carter (D-LA-02) urged President Joe Biden to grant a major disaster declaration for Louisiana following Hurricane Ida, which made landfall along the Louisiana coast as a Category 4 hurricane. Following the letter, the major disaster declaration was approved.

Similarly, on Friday, Louisiana’s congressional delegation urged President Joe Biden to grant an emergency declaration for disaster assistance in anticipation of Hurricane Ida. Following the Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA-01) led letter, President Biden approved an emergency declaration for Louisiana, which enables Federal assistance to supplement State and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm Ida beginning on August 26, 2021, and continuing.

Photos from today’s flyover can be found below: 

uscg ida flyover 1

Senator Cassidy aboard the U.S. Coast Guard flyover. 

uscg ida flyover 2

Photo taken in the area of Grand Isle. 

uscg ida flyover 3

Photo taken in the area of Grand Isle. 

uscg ida flyover 4

Aerial view of Port Fourchon. 

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