METAIRIE – Yesterday in Metairie, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) met with the Jefferson Business Council, a collection of Presidents and CEOs of major companies in Jefferson Parish. They discussed their concerns about issues affecting families and business owners in the parish.
“The members of the Jefferson Business Council had great questions about making flood insurance affordable and vaccinating children against measles,” said Dr. Cassidy. “We will work together with Congress and President Trump to meet these goals, so this community can be healthier and more affordable for families.”
A priority for both families and business owners in the New Orleans area is keeping flood insurance affordable. Last Thursday, Cassidy went to the Senate floor to call on Congress to renew the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for another two years, instead of having to rely on short-term extensions. He also proposed the bipartisan Flood Insurance Affordability Tax Credit Act in February, which would give low- and middle-income households enrolled in the NFIP a 33% refundable tax credit to combat rising flood insurance premiums.
Cassidy is also working to renew the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017, which he supported and helped pass into law late that year. To that end, Cassidy recently met with President Trump as a Republican member of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, to discuss how to renew the TCJA while also providing more tax relief to middle-class families and balancing the budget.
Cassidy was welcomed to the meeting by Mr. Mark Rosa, Chairman of the Jefferson Business Council.
“On behalf of the Jefferson Business Council, it is a pleasure to meet with Senator Cassidy,” said Mr. Rosa. “Members of the JBS always welcome hearing from our representatives in Washington to speak to us on matters that will potentially impact the quality of life of the residents of Jefferson Parish.”
Later, Cassidy visited DSC Dredge in Reserve, where he learned how they build custom dredges and dredge control systems that make harbors and shipping channels navigable to keep the flow of commerce going.
“DSC Dredge is an incredibly innovative company based in Louisiana whose dredges are being used from the LSU Lakes to Bangladesh,” said Dr. Cassidy. “And they beat the competition.”
Cassidy’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) included $109 million for federal projects sponsored by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to dredge and repair damages caused by Hurricanes Laura, Delta and Zeta. Another $808 million was included for the Mississippi River and tributaries, and $251 million for flood and coastal emergencies, directly benefiting Louisiana. Thanks to these efforts, dredging for various Corps projects was funded months after the passage of the IIA, including for the Atchafalaya River and Bayous Chene, Boeuf and Black, the Barataria Bay Waterway, the Freshwater Bayou, and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.
While at DSC Dredge, Cassidy toured the facility and met both with executives and employees of the company. Cassidy was welcomed by Mr. Bob and Bill Wetta, brothers and co-owners of DSC Dredge.
“Our team takes great pride in designing and building dredges that keep America’s waterways open, provide critical infrastructure materials and perform environmental restoration and mitigation services,” said the Wettas. “We appreciate Senator Cassidy’s commitment to supporting industries like DSC Dredge that manufacture products critical to this mission. During the roundtable, our employees had the valuable opportunity to speak with the Senator, ask questions on key issues, and gain insights they wouldn’t have otherwise received. We are grateful for the time he took to engage directly with our team and hear their perspectives firsthand.”
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