Press Releases
ADVISORY: National Seersucker Day Tomorrow June 7
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and colleagues will take an official photo at 12:45 p.m. ET tomorrow in celebration of National Seersucker Day. ** Exact time is subject to vote schedule. Updates will be issued as needed.** The seersucker suit was created in Louisiana and today is worn all across the nation. National Seersucker Day celebrates this American tradition and Louisiana-born product. Former Senator Trent Lott (R-MS) first brought National Seersucker Day to Congress in 1996. T… Continue Reading
06.06.18
President Trump Signs Cassidy Co-Authored Veterans Legislation into Law
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), member of the Senate Veteran's Affairs Committee, today attended the White House signing ceremony for the VA MISSION Act. Signed into law, this legislation improves the quality of health care at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and ensures veterans have access to timely care whether inside the VA system or from local providers. "As a doctor, my first priority is the patient," said Dr. Cassidy. "This breakthrough legislation puts veterans first… Continue Reading
06.05.18
Cassidy: We Must Get Serious About Saving Medicare and Social Security from Bankruptcy
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), chairman of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy, and member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement today regarding the latest annual reports by the trustees of Social Security and Medicare. "Medicare and Social Security are incredibly important programs, which we learned today are in extreme jeopardy," said Dr. Cassidy. "If we wish to preserve these… Continue Reading
06.05.18
Cassidy Announces $45 Million INFRA Grant for the Belle Chasse Tunnel and Replacement Project
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), today announced the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) will receive a $45 million Infrastructure For Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant for the Belle Chasse Tunnel and Replacement Project from the U.S. Department of Transportation. "The Belle Chase Bridge and Tunnel is an important access point to Plaquemines Parish for residents and those traveling to and from the Naval Air Station or other businesses located along Highway 23," s… Continue Reading
06.05.18
Legislation to #HonorGleason with Congressional Gold Medal Reaches Required Number of Senate Cosponsors
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Patty Murray (D-WA), John Kennedy (R-LA), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) today announced their bipartisan legislation (S. 2652) to award Washington state native, ALS champion, and former New Orleans Saints star Steve Gleason with the Congressional Gold Medal is now supported by 67 senators-enough for the legislation to move forward in the Senate. It's only the second Congressional Gold Medal bill in the current Congress to reach this level of support in the Se… Continue Reading
06.05.18
Cassidy Welcomes Longer Senate Work Hours Aimed at Making Progress on Nominees, Appropriations
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), released the following statement after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced the Senate will add three weeks of votes to the calendar in August. "I'm glad Leader McConnell is seeking to honor our request to work longer hours in the Senate. Republicans have accomplished a lot over the past year, but I believe we can achieve even more," said Dr. Cassidy. "We need to pass a sensible spending plan instead of getting stuck with a bad one at t… Continue Reading
05.31.18
Cassidy, Colleagues Submit Amicus Brief to Supreme Court Supporting State Laws Prohibiting Taxpayer Funding for Abortion
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), today joined 23 of his Senate Republican colleagues in submitting an amicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case of Gee v. Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast. A Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in the case currently bars states from prohibiting taxpayer funding for abortion business Planned Parenthood through Medicaid. "Taxpayers should not be forced to fund an abortion business like Planned Parenthood," said Dr. Cassidy. "States should … Continue Reading
05.29.18
Cassidy Responds to Ranking Member Murray
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following response to Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA): "Pretending big premium increases are something new instead of more of what we've seen year after year under Obamacare ignores the facts. The numbers speak for themselves. Premiums have gone up every year since Obamacare was passed, and the average premium increase proposed in Washington state was 8.25 perce… Continue Reading
05.29.18
Cassidy Unveils New Ideas to Make Health Care Affordable Again
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), a member of the Senate health and finance committees, released the following statement and white paper containing new ideas to improve the U.S. health care system and lower costs for families and patients: "Families and patients have seen their health insurance premiums and the cost of care go up year after year. It's unaffordable and unsustainable, and things aren't going to get better until we change our broken system," said Dr. Cassidy. "I'm focused on… Continue Reading
05.24.18
Cassidy, Gohmert, Johnson, Ratcliffe Introduce Bicameral Legislation to Create Caddo Lake National Heritage Area
Click Here to Give Your Input WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), and U.S. Representatives Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Mike Johnson (R-LA) and John Ratcliffe (R-TX) today introduced legislation to create the Caddo Lake National Heritage Area (S. 2947 and H.R. 5957). The area proposed by the Caddo National Heritage Area Commission (CNHAC) is a 900-square-mile geographic area on the Texas-Louisiana border that encompasses Caddo Lake, contiguous bayous, and a portion of the Red River. A… Continue Reading
05.24.18
Cassidy Commends Committee Passage of Vitter Nomination
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), released a statement of support following Wendy Vitter's judicial nomination for the Eastern District of Louisiana being reported favorably out of the Senate Judiciary Committee today. "Congratulations to Mrs. Vitter on being favorably reported out of committee today, I look forward to voting for her on the Senate floor," said Dr. Cassidy. "I'm glad the committee looked past partisan political exercises and voted her through based on her excellent qualifi… Continue Reading
05.23.18
Following CBS News Investigation of Fraud in National Flood Insurance Program, Cassidy, Gillibrand and Colleagues Decry ‘Shocking Lack of Oversight,’ Demand Answers from FEMA
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), along with U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Senators John Kennedy (R-LA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), are urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to immediately crack down on flood insurance fraud in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The senators' action follows an alarming CBS News investigation on the "broken" National Flood Insurance Program that… Continue Reading
05.23.18
Cassidy, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Prevent and Combat Addiction
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Bill Nelson (D-FL), John Thune (R-SD), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today introduced the Comprehensive Screenings for Seniors Act, bipartisan legislation to ensure health care providers better engage with Medicare patients about pain management and addiction risks. One in three Medicare Part D beneficiaries received a prescription opioid in 2016. The legislation would ensure doctors, nurse practitioners and o… Continue Reading
05.21.18
Cassidy, Colleagues Urge Administration Against Take-or-Leave NAFTA Strategy
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), along with 31 of his Senate Republican colleagues, sent a letter to the United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, urging the Administration to work closely with Members of Congress to ensure the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has the Congressional support necessary to be enacted into law as negotiations on the agreement near conclusion. "As you near the conclusion of NAFTA negotiations, we urge you to closely consider … Continue Reading
05.21.18
Cassidy: Andrew Cuomo’s Natural Gas Ban is Anti-Science
Andrew Cuomo's Natural Gas Ban is Anti-Science By U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy May 21, 2018 View Online | Share on Facebook New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has lost the plot. Professing to care about climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions such as sulfur oxides (SOx), Cuomo announced at a Manhattan campaign event that he will ban all new natural gas power plants. He also said he plans to close down existing ones. This is crazy. Not only will this mean higher electricity rates for … Continue Reading
05.21.18
Cassidy Leads Bipartisan Group of Senators in Urging Trump Administration to Strengthen Enforcement of Jones Act
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), led a bipartisan group of 11 senators in urging the Trump administration to preserve and strengthen the Jones Act, a federal law requiring all maritime shipments between points in the U.S. be carried out by domestically built and owned ships operated by U.S. citizens. In 2009 and 2017, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) attempted to revoke previous interpretations of the Jones Act concerning subsea operations on the U.S. Outer-Continental Shelf. Eac… Continue Reading
05.20.18
Cassidy Statement on Passing of LSU Football Star Billy Cannon
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), released the following statement regarding the passing of LSU football star Billy Cannon: "Others knew of Billy in their own way. I do in several. Growing up, my father would tell of taking my two oldest brothers to the famous LSU-Ole Miss football game. He was at the concession stand buying them popcorn when Billy ran the punt back to win the game. Dad always smiled telling that story. "Later in life, Dr. Billy Cannon treated patients at Angola. I ran … Continue Reading
05.17.18
Cassidy, Nelson, Cardin Introduce Legislation to Increase Access to Opioid Treatment
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) today introduced the Comprehensive Opioid Management and Bundled Addiction Treatment (COMBAT) Act to increase access to opioid treatment programs and services for seniors on Medicare. The legislation would provide coverage and reimbursement in the form of a bundled payment for opioid treatment programs and services, including medication assisted treatment, counseling, behavioral and group therapy, toxicology testin… Continue Reading
05.15.18
Cassidy, Colleagues Hold Press Conference Urging McConnell to Avoid Last-Minute Funding Battles, Keep Senate in Session in August if Necessary
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), joined several of his Senate Republican colleagues today at a press conference to urge Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to expedite floor consideration of funding bills and nominees in order to make substantial progress on the Senate's work before the end of the fiscal year, September 30. Along with Joni Ernst (R-IA), David Perdue (R-GA), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Dean Heller (R-NV), Ron Johnson (R-WI), John Kennedy (R-LA), … Continue Reading
05.13.18
E&E News: Cassidy Charts Own Course on Climate Change
Cassidy charts own course on climate change By Geof Koss May 8, 2018 E&E News | Share on Twitter When French President Emmanuel Macron urged a joint session of Congress last month to heed the risks of climate change, his comments caught the ear of one Republican senator in the audience. Louisiana's Bill Cassidy, whose home state is a major oil and gas producer, was struck by Macron's call for a "smooth transition" to a low-carbon economy. The message resonated with the senator in part b… Continue Reading
