[StBernard] Who Dat Say They Gonna Beat Dem Saints?

[Westley Annis]

January 17, 2007	 
 	 
Dear friends,

Who Dat Say They Gonna Beat Dem Saints?

Saturday night was an amazing night for Louisiana and the Saints. The
victory over the Eagles secured the Saints a second round victory for the
first time in the history of the franchise.

Like all of the other fans watching, my family was ecstatic about the win.
Our children have even learned how to chant Who Dat, although, I am quite
confident that they may not fully understand what they are saying!

We are looking forward to the game this weekend, and cannot wait until we
beat the Bears. It is so exciting to know that we are only one game away
from the Super Bowl!

Encouraging news about 2007

As you may have seen, an independent poll was released this week that asked
Louisiana residents who they would support for Governor in the upcoming
election. I wanted to share one of the stories with you that had some very
encouraging news. 

To read the article, click here.
<http://www.nola.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-0/116901735857310.xml?NSELN
&coll=1> 

Improving access to higher education

Recently, I had an opportunity to go to the Northshore to meet with some
third graders who invited me to see their school. The students were
wonderful, and I had a great time visiting with them. 


The students at the school were a great reminder of the important
responsibility we all have to improve our state so that Louisiana students,
like the third graders I met, will be able to find opportunities and success
right here in Louisiana. 

This week, I joined my colleagues in the House of Representatives in passing
important legislation that will cut interest rates in half for certain
student loans, helping make higher education more affordable for students
who rely on the loans to attend college. Estimates show that this
legislation will help students save an average of $4,400 over the life of
the student loan.

As a former President of the University of Louisiana System, I worked hard
to encourage Louisiana students to continue their education, and the College
Student Relief Act does that by lowering the cost of college by cutting in
half interest rates on certain student loans. The cost of higher education
continues to rise each year, and has created a situation in which many
middle class families cannot realistically afford to send their children to
college. 

This is a very personal issue for me. My father, who was the first in our
family to attend high school, instilled into my brother and me the
importance of education at an early age. Higher education has never been
more important than it is today, and we must make post-secondary education
available to as many students as possible. Research has shown that a higher
education degree translates into better health care outcomes, lower crime
rates, better paying jobs and an overall improved quality of life. 

This bill is a step in the right direction, and I will continue to work hard
so that Louisiana students are given every opportunity to succeed. 

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and please feel free to contact my
office if we can be of any assistance to you.

Sincerely,
Bobby