Press Releases
Cassidy Announces $7 Million in Grants for Pediatric Medical Education, Overdose Prevention
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today announced $6,860,764 in two grants to improve medical services in Louisiana. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) granted $4,217,650 for overdose surveillance and prevention to the Louisiana Department of Health. HHS also granted $2,643,114 for graduate medical education at Children's Hospital in New Orleans. "With overdoses on the rise, this is a crucial step in saving Louisiana lives," said Dr. Cassidy. "Our priority should be having … Continue Reading
07.29.21
Cassidy, Casey, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Remove Unnecessary Barriers for Students with Disabilities
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Todd Young (R-IN), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), introduced the Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower (RISE) Act to help ease the transition from high school to college for students with disabilities. The legislation would amend the Higher Education Act (HEA) and clarify that students with previous documentation of a disability would be able to continue using that documentation as proof when they transition to higher education. This would … Continue Reading
07.29.21
Cassidy, Hyde-Smith, Wicker, Colleagues File Amicus Brief to Protect Unborn Babies
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Roger Wicker (R-MS) and 41 Senate colleagues today filed an amicus brief in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization urging the court to uphold Mississippi's law to protect unborn babies after 15 weeks of pregnancy. "All life is sacred. Mississippi's law protecting the lives of unborn children must be upheld," said Dr. Cassidy. "This brief lends our support as the Supreme Court considers this case." "In taking up Mississippi… Continue Reading
07.29.21
Cassidy, Smith Legislation Paves Way for FDA’s Approval of First interchangeable biosimilar Insulin Product
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Tina Smith (D-MN) have long pushed to bring lower-cost insulin to market, and today the senators highlighted the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval of the first generic insulin product that will rein in costs after years of significant increases. Wednesday's approval by the FDA is due in part to Sens. Smith and Cassidy's bipartisan bill the Protecting Access to Biosimilars Act enacted in 2019. "There are heartbreaking stories of people forc… Continue Reading
07.29.21
Cassidy, Duckworth Introduce Legislation to Expand Charitable Deduction Rules for Veterans Organizations
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) introduced the Charitable Equity for Veterans Act to overturn a provision that prohibits veteran organizations from accepting tax-deductible donations if their membership contains over 10 percent peacetime veterans. "Those who served in the armed forces should be treated equally whenever they served! This legislation will fairly treat millions of peacetime veterans who were willing to serve our nation," said Dr. Cassidy. "Veter… Continue Reading
07.28.21
Cassidy, Republicans Strike Infrastructure Agreement with Democrats, White House
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), one of the five lead Republican negotiators and a member of the bipartisan Group of 22 Senators, and the White House reached an agreement today to invest in American's critical infrastructure needs. During negotiations Cassidy brought to the table, pushed for, and secured funding for resiliency and energy, which will directly benefit the Pelican State. Cassidy released the following statement on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act after striking the… Continue Reading
07.28.21
Cassidy, G22 Senators Release Statement on Bipartisan Infrastructure Agreement
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), and the Group of 22 Senators released the following statement on today's bipartisan infrastructure agreement: "We are proud to announce we have reached a bipartisan agreement on our proposal to make the strongest investment in America's critical infrastructure in a generation. Our plan will create good-paying jobs in communities across our country without raising taxes. Reaching this agreement was no easy task-but our constituents expect us to put in the… Continue Reading
07.28.21
Cassidy, Stabenow Release Draft Legislation Addressing Medicare Advantage Care in Last Year of Life
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) released discussion draft legislation following a concerning U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report conducted at the request of the Senators and published today. The report shows Medicare Advantage (MA) beneficiaries in the last year of life disenrolled to join Medicare fee for service (FFS), or "original Medicare," at more than twice the rate of all other MA beneficiaries. The report stated, "Stakeholders told GAO t… Continue Reading
07.27.21
Cassidy, Schatz Introduce the Public Health Emergency Response and Accountability Act
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) introduced the Public Health Emergency Response and Accountability Act, legislation to create a permanent fund to allow quick and effective responses to future public health emergencies. "We may not know when the next infectious disease outbreak will happen, but we can be better prepared. This bill provides immediate funding and takes lessons learned from COVID-19 to quickly and effectively respond to future public health emergenc… Continue Reading
07.27.21
Cassidy Statement on Passing of Senator Mike Enzi
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) issued the following statement on the passing of former Wyoming Senator Mike Enzi. "Mike was an exemplary human being, a man of quiet faith in God and country. If senators are either show horses or work horses, he was a double down work horse. He worked for Americans and also to extend our values worldwide. We once had a long talk discussing one of his proudest achievements, PEPFAR. Trips to Africa convinced him of the need and the George W. Bush administ… Continue Reading
07.23.21
Cassidy, Colleagues Introduce Resolution to Commend the Service of Hamilton-Class Coast Guard Cutters
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D., Roger Wicker (R-MS), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) today introduced a resolution to commend the service of Hamilton-class Coast Guard Cutters and crew who served on them. These vessels were constructed at Avondale Shipyards in Louisiana. "These ships, mostly built in Avondale, Louisiana, are a symbol of the prestige and power of the United States … Continue Reading
07.23.21
Cassidy, Schatz, Collins, Young, Leahy Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Reform Disaster Recovery
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Todd Young (R-IN), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced legislation to help communities plan for and recover from major disasters. The Reforming Disaster Recovery Act would strengthen the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's disaster recovery grants for states, local governments, and tribes. It would also improve coordination at the federal level by establishing an office within the U.S. Department o… Continue Reading
07.22.21
Cassidy Announces $2.2 Million for Natchitoches Regional Airport
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will grant $2,222,222 to the Natchitoches Regional Airport to repave 4,000 feet of existing runway. "Having a good airport is critical to draw businesses, investors, or even families to move to your community," said Dr. Cassidy. "This federal funding invests in Natchitoches' economic future." This grant is funded by the bipartisan CARES Act, which was passed in March 2020, and provided funding for econom… Continue Reading
07.22.21
Cassidy, Cruz, Colleagues Voice Opposition to Biden Administration Fossil Fuel Transportation Ban
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Roger Wicker (R-MS), John Cornyn (R-TX), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and John Kennedy (R-LA) expressed concern over the Biden administration's proposal to ban the Army Corps of Engineers from funding projects that facilitate fossil fuel transportation in a letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Acting Director Shalanda Young. "This policy goes far beyond establishing priorities through the budget process and is instead an attempt t… Continue Reading
07.22.21
Cassidy, Graham, Senators Reintroduce Legislation to Increase Penalties for Robbing Gun Stores
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and 19 colleagues today reintroduced the Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) Protection Act of 2021 to address the rapid increase in the number of "smash-and-grab" thefts targeted at federally licensed gun dealers. The legislation increases the statutory maximum penalty for knowingly stealing any firearm in an FFL's business inventory from 10 to 20 years, imposes a mandatory minimum sentence of 3 years for burglary from an FFL and 5 year… Continue Reading
07.21.21
Cassidy Brings Attention to ICE Drop Offs throughout Louisiana on Senate Floor
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today delivered a speech on the Senate Floor on the drop off of migrants in Shreveport, Monroe, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with little to no notice to state and local officials. "This situation in Shreveport, Monroe and Baton Rouge shows the degree of failure of their policies. It's hard to believe they are the only communities dealing with this," said Dr. Cassidy. "It's unfair to every single person in… Continue Reading
07.21.21
Senate Unanimously Passes Cassidy, Kennedy Resolution Congratulating Scripps National Spelling Bee Champion Zaila Avant-garde
Today, the U.S. Senate passed S.Res. 311, a resolution introduced by U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and John Kennedy (R-LA) to congratulate Scripps National Spelling Bee champion Zaila Avant-garde. Miss Avant-garde is the first Louisianan and African-American to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee. "Zaila Avant-garde is an incredible 14-year-old young lady from Louisiana. Proud to see the Senate formally recognize her impressive national spelling bee victory," said Dr. Cassidy. "She … Continue Reading
07.21.21
Entire Louisiana Delegation Urges Administration to Support Supplemental Disaster Relief for Southwest Louisiana
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today urged the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to prioritize Louisiana's request for supplemental disaster relief in response to Hurricanes Laura and Delta in a Louisiana congressional delegation letter. "Today marks 328 days since the disaster, and as we approach the one-year anniversary of these devastating storms, we are hopeful that OMB will acknowledge the extreme need for supplemental disaster relief and issue a formal request," wrote the Loui… Continue Reading
07.21.21
Cassidy, G22 Senators Release Statement on Infrastructure Vote
U.S. Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and the Group of 22 Senators released the statement below following the failed motion to proceed vote today: "We have made significant progress and are close to a final agreement. We will continue working hard to ensure we get this critical legislation right-and are optimistic that we will finalize, and be prepared to advance, this historic bipartisan proposal to strengthen America's infrastructure and create good-paying jobs in the coming days. We appreciate our … Continue Reading
07.20.21
Senate Confirms Louisiana Native Kenneth Polite
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today released a statement following the Senate confirmation of Kenneth Polite, a Louisiana native, to be Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division at the Department of Justice. "From humble beginnings in New Orleans, Louisiana, Mr. Polite has accomplished much due to his intelligence, hard work, and support from his family," said Dr. Cassidy. "Mr. Polite is well qualified to succeed in this position." Polite served as the U.S. Attorney for th… Continue Reading
