BATON ROUGE – Today, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) spoke at the grand reopening and ribbon-cutting of Denham Springs Elementary School, which was rebuilt following the Great Flood of 2016. Cassidy secured more than $1.8 billion in flood relief via continuing resolutions to help Louisiana recover from the Great Flood of 2016, and from floods in North Louisiana that same year.
Two years later, Cassidy included a measure in the Disaster Recovery and Reform Act that waived the portion of the Stafford Act that required a $500,000-per-building deduction for schools and other public facilities that lacked flood insurance. That measure limited the $500,000 penalty to one building per campus, thus dramatically reducing the Livingston Parish School System’s financial obstacles to rebuilding this school. The Disaster Recovery and Reform Act was included in the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2018.
“Despite the Great Flood of 2016, people in Livingston Parish never gave up,” said Dr. Cassidy. “They rebuilt, and now have an elementary school in Denham Springs that’s better than the one it replaced. Recovery often takes far to long, but what a testament to the strength of this community.”
Cassidy was welcomed by Ms. Gail Delee, principal of Denham Springs Elementary School.
“I’m thankful for Senator Cassidy for assisting our parish in overcoming the obstacles that stood in the way of getting us to where we are today,” said Ms. Delee. “This facility would not have been possible without his support.”
Additionally, Cassidy secured supplemental disaster assistance for families and communities devastated by Hurricanes Ida, Laura and Delta, and the severe winter storms of 2021, as part of a clean continuing resolution that funded the government until December 3, 2021. He continues to advocate for funds to help all corners of the state rebuild from natural disasters.
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