Congressman Garrett Graves joins the show to discuss several key legislative efforts and their impacts on Louisiana. Graves, who is nearing the end of his nearly 10-year tenure in Congress, highlighted the urgency of completing various initiatives before his term concludes.
One major focus was the Water Resources Development Act, which aims to enhance flood protection and coastal restoration in South Louisiana. Graves emphasized significant projects such as a comprehensive flood protection effort in Livingston Parish and the preservation of the Morganza to the Gulf project in Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes. These initiatives are crucial for protecting the region from hurricanes and flooding, with substantial investments planned for water and wastewater infrastructure in Baton Rouge, Ascension, Livingston, and other communities.
Graves also discussed a recent legislative victory involving FEMA. The new bill holds FEMA accountable for interest costs incurred due to delays in processing disaster recovery claims. This measure is designed to prevent local communities from bearing the financial burden of prolonged reimbursement processes, which can last for years or even decades. Graves highlighted an Inspector General report revealing $71 billion in unprocessed FEMA claims, underscoring the need for timely reimbursements to avoid further victimizing disaster-impacted communities.
Additionally, Graves addressed the challenges of coastal restoration in Louisiana, where 82% of coastal land is privately owned. He criticized the Army Corps of Engineers’ requirement for land ownership before project approval, advocating for the acceptance of donated access to reduce costs and conflicts. Graves also mentioned legislative efforts to allow Louisiana to earn credits for unilateral restoration projects, which can be used for other initiatives like hurricane protection.
Finally, Graves provided an update on efforts to pass the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) reform in the Senate. He announced a commitment from Senate leadership to move the bill forward, either by attaching it to a larger bill or as a standalone measure, marking significant progress in addressing retirement benefit issues for public servants.