Press Releases
Cassidy Announces Nearly $5 Million for LSU Health Shreveport, LSU and A&M College Baton Rouge
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today announced the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is awarding $4,617,645 to Louisiana State University (LSU) Health Shreveport and LSU and Agricultural and Mechanical (LSU and A&M) College Baton Rouge under the pharmacology, physiology, and biological chemistry research program. "These federal dollars support cutting-edge research in Louisiana to improve the health of all Americans," said Dr. Cassidy. "I'm proud to announce more th… Continue Reading
02.18.21
Cassidy Presses Federal Bureau of Prisons for Answers, Accountability in Dyslexia Screening
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) sent a letter to the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) about the implementation of dyslexia screening as outlined in the First Step Act of 2018 (FSA). Cassidy championed these provisions to ensure that BOP screen inmates for dyslexia during the intake process and at each periodic risk assessment to improve literacy and reduce recidivism. "[A]fter reviewing the Attorney General's December 2020 First Step Act Section 3634 Annual Report, I was left with more … Continue Reading
02.18.21
Cassidy Secures Tax Relief for Louisiana Hurricane Zeta Victims
Today, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has granted his request to give Louisiana victims of Hurricane Zeta tax relief, allowing them until March 1, 2021 to file various individual and business tax returns and make tax payments. The IRS will also waive the usual fees and requests for copies of previously filed tax returns for affected taxpayers. Following the recent disaster declaration issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), … Continue Reading
02.17.21
Cassidy Announces $4.5 Million for Winn Community Health Center
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today announced the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is awarding $4,548,461 to the Winn Community Health Center to make quality health care accessible to Winnfield residents and surrounding communities. "The Winn Community Health Center serves as a vital source of care to many north Louisiana residents in rural areas. This funding ensures folks in Winn Parish can continue to receive exceptional health care services, especially during the … Continue Reading
02.16.21
Cassidy Announces $11.4 Million for Louisiana Health Care Centers
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today announced the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is awarding $11,352,580 to several Louisiana hospitals to improve health care in many of the state's rural communities. "Louisiana's health care centers have faced unprecedented strain on their ability to provide critical care for our state's rural residents due to the COVID-19 pandemic," said Dr. Cassidy. "This funding helps these clinics obtain the resources needed to continue deliver… Continue Reading
02.16.21
Cassidy Pens Fox News Op-Ed Calling for Smarter Solutions to Student Debt Forgiveness
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today published an op-ed on Fox News advocating for better solutions to student debt forgiveness, as student debt forgiveness has become the policy du jour of the left. "As good stewards of taxpayer dollars, we must not always take the easy road out. On student debt, that means helping borrowers access that which has already been made available," Dr. Cassidy wrote. There are many options for individuals to make affordable payments without harming current… Continue Reading
02.13.21
Cassidy Votes to Convict President Donald Trump
Today, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) voted to convict President Donald Trump on a single article of impeachment charging him with "incitement of insurrection". Cassidy released the following statement after the trial concluded: "Our Constitution and our country is more important than any one person. I voted to convict President Trump because he is guilty," said Dr. Cassidy. (Click here to download a video of Cassidy's statement)… Continue Reading
02.12.21
Cassidy Announces $2.2 Million for Rapides Primary Health Care Center
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today announced the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is awarding $2,161,776 to the Rapides Primary Health Care Center to make quality health care accessible to Rapides Parish residents and surrounding areas. "The Rapides Primary Health Care Center serves as a critical base of care to so many throughout CENLA. This funding ensures RPHCC can continue to deliver exceptional health care services to Louisiana's rural communities," said Dr. Cassidy.… Continue Reading
02.11.21
Cassidy Announces $19.7 Million in Federal Funding for COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution in Louisiana
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today announced the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is awarding $19,687,594.72 in federal funding for the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals to assist in providing the COVID-19 vaccine. "Our state has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic. This federal funding allows our hospitals to continue getting shots in arms and ensures Louisianans are on the road to a full recovery from the coronavirus," said Dr. Cassidy. FEMA has committe… Continue Reading
02.10.21
Cassidy, Durbin Introduce Bill to Address PPE Shortages, Boost Production in America
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced new, bipartisan legislation to address shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing supplies. The Protecting Providers Everywhere (PPE) in America Act would boost domestic PPE and testing supply production and promote a more sustainable supply chain by ensuring more predictable, dedicated funding from the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) to American manufacturers of applicable medical supplies. The… Continue Reading
02.10.21
Cassidy Requests FDA Update on Artificial Intelligence Software for Medical Devices
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today sent a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting an update on the anticipated completion for the Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Software as a Medical Device Action Plan to protect patient safety as new medical technologies emerge. Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning-based (AI/ML-based) Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) is a type of software intended to be used for medical purposes. This rapidly developing sect… Continue Reading
02.09.21
Sen. Cassidy Votes on Constitutionality of Impeachment Trial
Today, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) released the following statement after his yes vote on the constitutional jurisdiction to impeach a president no longer in office. "We heard arguments from both sides on the constitutionality of having a Senate trial of a president who has since left office. A sufficient amount of evidence of constitutionality exists for the Senate to proceed with the trial. This vote is not a prejudgment on the final vote to convict," said Dr. Cassidy. "If anyone… Continue Reading
02.08.21
Cassidy, Senators Lead Bipartisan Bill to Make Work Opportunity Tax Credit Permanent
Today, U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Rob Portman (R-OH), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) introduced bipartisan legislation - the Work Opportunity Tax Credit & Jobs Act - to make permanent the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), which encourages employers to hire individuals who face significant barriers to employment. Currently, the WOTC expires on December 31, 2025. The WOTC provides an employer tax credit of between $1,200 a… Continue Reading
02.05.21
Cassidy Statement on Democrats’ Push for Needlessly Partisan COVID Package
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), released a statement following Senate Democrats initiating the budget reconciliation process to pass a partisan $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 package without the need for Republican votes. "For the last year, Congress has worked together to pass five effective, bipartisan COVID relief bills. There is no good reason why we can't do the same on a sixth," said Dr. Cassidy. "If President Biden truly wants to unify the country and work together, here is a good place … Continue Reading
02.04.21
Cassidy Joins Republican Senators in Response to Administration’s COVID-19 Relief Proposal
Following their more than two-hour meeting with President Biden and Vice President Harris at the White House on Monday, the group of 10 Republican Senators sent a letter to President Biden responding to information shared by the President's staff on the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Rob Portman (R-OH), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Todd Young (R-IN), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Mike Rounds (R-… Continue Reading
02.04.21
Cassidy, Baldwin, Shaheen Introduce Bill to Close Orphan Drug Loophole
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced bipartisan legislation today to close the orphan drug loophole that drug companies use to keep competition off the market and rake in profits. Drug companies can get seven years of market exclusivity if it proves to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a new drug would not be economically viable without that exclusivity. If granted, that exclusivity persists for seven years even if the drug beco… Continue Reading
02.04.21
Senators Cassidy, Hassan to Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Education about Drug Products that Could Help Lower Health Care Costs
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) are reintroducing bipartisan legislation to enhance education about biosimilar drug products in an effort to increase competition and lower the cost of biologic medicines. Biologics are complex products that may be used to treat serious or chronic conditions, such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and certain cancers. Biosimilars are highly similar to and have no clinically meaningful differences from brand biologic drugs, but ar… Continue Reading
02.03.21
Cassidy Announces National Estuary Program Reauthorization, Increases Funding for Louisiana Coastal Estuaries
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today announced the reauthorization of the National Estuary Program (NEP) as one of the last acts of the 116th Congress, providing significant aid to restore Louisiana's coastal ecosystem and combat environmental threats. "Louisiana's coastline is vital to protecting our communities, businesses and wildlife that help our state flourish," said Dr. Cassidy. "Reauthorizing the National Estuary Program ensures Louisiana has the resources it needs to fortify ou… Continue Reading
02.03.21
Senators Cassidy, Hassan Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen COVID-19 Response by Improving Electronic Health Record Systems
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to improve patient record matching among health care providers and strengthen the country's COVID-19 response efforts. The bipartisan Patient Matching Improvement Act works to address inadequate patient matching - the ability to link records for an individual patient across multiple health care providers - which can pose dangers to patients and complicates COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administ… Continue Reading
02.02.21
Cassidy, Senators Introduce Bill to Reverse Biden's Anti-Energy Action, Authorize Keystone XL Pipeline
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today formally introduced the "Keystone XL Pipeline Construction and Jobs Preservation Act" to authorize the continued construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline following President Biden's decision to revoke the cross-border operation permit. Cassidy introduced the legislation with Senators Steve Daines (R-MT), Mike Crapo (R-ID), James Risch (R-ID), John Barrasso (R-WY), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Jerry Moran (R-KS), James Inhofe (R-OK), J… Continue Reading