Press Releases
Cassidy Films Coronavirus Public Service Announcement
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) yesterday filmed a public service announcement discussing how Americans can combat coronavirus. He urged citizens to follow guidance of local, state and federal public health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The announcement will air on television and radio stations to provide important coronavirus facts and preventative measures to Louisianians across the state. Cassidy recently produced a video explaining how preventa… Continue Reading
03.17.20
Cassidy, Jones Introduce Bill to Require Insurance COmpanies to Cover COVID-19 Vaccines
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Doug Jones (D-AL), Steve Daines (R-MT) and Tina Smith (D-MN) today introduced legislation to require private health insurance plans to cover treatments or vaccines for the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, with no cost sharing. "When a vaccine is released for coronavirus, it needs to be available for all Americans as soon as possible. Vaccine coverage by insurance companies is key to this. This bill ensures that coverage," said Dr. Cassidy, a physician wit… Continue Reading
03.16.20
Cassidy Urges People to Listen, Obey CDC, State Government Coronavirus Guidance
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) urges people listen to warnings and exercise coronavirus prevention techniques offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as state and local officials. Cassidy, a physician who previously worked in public health and immunizations, stresses that coronavirus is a public health emergency. The worst is yet to come. Reducing the spread of coronavirus is the top priority to keep families and communities safe. Louisiana has the third… Continue Reading
03.13.20
To Prevent Coronavirus Spread, Cassidy Closes Offices; Staff to Telework
In an effort to reduce the spread of coronavirus, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) is closing his Washington and state offices effective Friday, March 13. Staff will telework until further notice. Constituent services will continue. Those in Louisiana who need assistance from a federal agency, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, Social Security and the IRS, can contact the Louisiana offices by emailing casework_cassidy@cassidy.senate.gov or by calling 225.929.7711. Constituents m… Continue Reading
03.12.20
VIDEO: Cassidy, Grassley, Collins and Daines Speak on Making Coronavirus Drugs Affordable
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Steve Daines (R-MT) yesterday spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate to urge their colleagues to pass a bipartisan drug pricing bill to help senior citizens afford prescription drugs to fight coronavirus and other chronic conditions. Under current law, seniors on Medicare Part D are required to pay 5 percent of their drug costs out-of-pocket, regardless of the price. That means that seniors could end up payi… Continue Reading
03.10.20
Cassidy, Durbin Introduce INFORM Consumers Act to Require Greater Transparency from Third-Party Sellers for Online Products
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced legislation today to fight the online sale of stolen, counterfeit and dangerous consumer products by requiring extensive transparency of large-volume third-party sellers in online retail marketplaces. The Integrity, Notification, and Fairness in Online Retail Marketplaces for Consumers (INFORM) Act would mandate online retail marketplaces that include third-party sellers of consumer products to authenticate the identity o… Continue Reading
03.06.20
Cassidy, Cruz Introduce Bill to Ensure Equal Treatment of America’s Teachers, First Responders, and Public Servants in Social Security Benefits
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced the Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act of 2020, which ensures America's teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other public servants receive the Social Security benefits according to their work history. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives, H.R. 3934. Specifically, this bill would replace the unfair formula for calculating benefits - known as the Windfall … Continue Reading
03.05.20
VIDEO: Cassidy: Make Coronavirus Drugs Affordable
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today delivered a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate to urge his colleagues to pass a drug pricing bill to help seniors, who are most at risk of coronavirus complications, afford drugs to treat coronavirus and other chronic conditions. Current law says that seniors on Medicare Part D must pay 5 percent of their drugs' costs out-of-pocket, regardless of the price. That means that seniors could pay astronomical sums on their own if they needed to take a … Continue Reading
03.04.20
Cassidy Applauds Telehealth Expansion in House’s Coronavirus Response Package
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today applauded the inclusion of nearly $500 million to expand telehealth in the U.S. House of Representative's coronavirus response package. The House passed the $8.3 billion package Wednesday afternoon. Cassidy urged members of the administration to include telehealth in the coronavirus response during a Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing Tuesday. "Telehealth - with appropriate expanded authority - can protect patients and he… Continue Reading
03.04.20
Cassidy Issues Statement Following June Medical Services v. Russo Arguments
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D., (R-LA) earlier today attended oral arguments at the Supreme Court in the case of June Medical Services v. Russo, Louisiana's law that requires that abortion providers have hospital admitting privileges to protect women should a medical complication occur during the procedure. He released this statement on the case: "This is about the safety and health of the mother. If you care about women, you must care whether they have a complication after an abortion. If you… Continue Reading
03.03.20
Cassidy, Warren, Blumenthal Press Giant Health Systems Provider Ascension on Patient Data-Sharing with Google
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) sent a letter to Ascension, the second largest health systems provider in the United States, regarding the company's information-sharing partnership with Google--also known as Project Nightingale--that provides Google with the health records of tens of millions of Americans. The senators' inquiry follows a November 2019 letter to Google in which they asked the tech giant to explain how and why it… Continue Reading
02.28.20
Cassidy, Richmond, Scalise Announce $7.3 Million for Port of New Orleans Rail Project
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and U.S. Representatives Cedric Richmond (D-LA) and Steve Scalise (R-LA) today announced that the Department of Transportation has awarded about $7.3 million to the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Corporation (NOPB). The Port of New Orleans will use the funds to upgrade switches and expand three regional rail yards to provide capacity for storage and sorting an additional 500 rail cars. The enhancements will move freight through the port faster and improv… Continue Reading
02.28.20
Cassidy Secures 4 Provisions in Bipartisan Senate Energy Package
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and chairman of the Senate Energy Subcommittee, has secured four of his energy priorities into the bipartisan Senate energy package announced Thursday by U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Joe Manchin (D-WV). Three of Cassidy's bills made the package in their entirety, including the Small Scale LNG Access Act, the Timely Review of Infrastructure Act, and the Technology Transition Act of 2019. Key provisions of Cassidy's LEADING Act, a natural gas carb… Continue Reading
02.27.20
Cassidy, Durbin, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Expand Coverage for Seniors’ Kidney Transplant Drugs
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced legislation to provide seniors who received kidney transplants with extended Medicare Part B to help cover lifesaving medication. U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Todd Young (R-IN) joined as cosponsors of the legislation. Transplant recipients require immunosuppressive drugs to keep the body from rejecting a new organ. Current law only covers Medicare Part B kid… Continue Reading
02.25.20
Cassidy Supports 2 Bills to Protect Babies; Democrats Block Both
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) released the following statement after Senate Democrats blocked two bills to protect babies who can feel pain from abortions and babies who survive abortions. The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act requires that medical services be provided for babies who survive abortions. The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act bans abortions after 20 weeks when babies can feel pain inside the womb. Cassidy cosponsored both bills. "Life is precious. This … Continue Reading
02.21.20
Cassidy, Kennedy Introduce Legislation Dedicating Mansfield Post Office for Civil Rights Icon, Dr. C.O. Simpkins
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and John Kennedy (R-LA) will introduce legislation designating a post office in Mansfield for Dr. C.O. Simpkins, Sr., a lifelong Louisianan, veteran, and civil rights icon. "Dr. Simpkins was a civil rights icon not only for Louisiana but for the entire nation during the civil rights movement," said Dr. Cassidy. "He dedicated his life to fighting for freedom for all Americans, and we are honored to pay tribute to Dr. Simpkins through this designation." "O… Continue Reading
02.20.20
Cassidy Announces $11.4 Million For Louisiana Airport Improvements
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) this week announced the Department of Transportation (DOT) is awarding $11.4 million in federal grants to 19 different airports across Louisiana for general infrastructure improvements. "Louisiana is receiving more than $11 million to improve our airports. This is huge. This funding will allow our airports to upgrade their infrastructure to better connect our state's workers and travelers to the rest of the world." said Dr. Cassidy. Airports that will rec… Continue Reading
02.19.20
Cassidy, Schatz, Rubio, Durbin, Smith, King Introduce The Public Health Emergency Response and Accountability Act
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Angus King (I-ME) introduced the Public Health Emergency Response and Accountability Act, S. 3309. This bipartisan legislation will create a permanent fund to enable quick and effective responses to future public health emergencies. "Future public health emergencies like the coronavirus are bound to occur. As the coronavirus epidemic shows - an early, fast and effective r… Continue Reading
02.13.20
Cassidy Issues Statement on War Powers Resolution Vote
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today released the following statement regarding his vote on the War Powers resolution: "This resolution protects our constitutional system of checks and balances while allowing presidents to defend our country from attacks. If this resolution was in effect at the beginning of the year, President Trump would have still been able to carry out strikes against Iran and General Soleimani (which I supported). The founders gave Congress the power to declare war … Continue Reading
02.11.20
Cassidy, Shaheen, Baldwin Introduce Bill to Close Orphan Drug Loophole
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) 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
