By Jess Andrews, Office of Sen. John Kennedy
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) has voted in support of a short-term funding bill that would send disaster aid to Louisiana and extend the National Flood Insurance Program without raising the debt limit. The Senate passed the bill on Thursday, Sept. 30, which now moves to the House of Representatives.
“If you even glance at the storm damage levied on Louisiana over the last year, you know our people need disaster relief,” Kennedy said. “I’m thankful the Senate did the right thing by voting to send aid to our state, extend the flood insurance program Louisianians depend on and keep the government open.”
Senate Republicans attempted to pass a bill similar to Thursday’s legislation on Sept. 27, but Democrats blocked that move before eventually removing the debt ceiling provision from their funding bill and bringing that measure for a vote today.
Kennedy has explained the need for disaster aid and criticized the political gamesmanship that originally led Democrats to tether that aid to lifting the debt limit. Video of Kennedy’s comments made on Sept. 27 is available here.