[StBernard] A busy week in Washington

[Westley Annis]

Dear Friends,

	What a week it has been here in Washington. While it is hard to
compete with the efficiency of Drew Brees, I've been working hard to make
the people of Louisiana proud. Read on to learn more about what I've been up
to this week.


Fighting for Small Business


 
<http://landrieu.enews.senate.gov/mail/util.cfm?mailaction=clickthru&gpiv=21
00051583.5132.73&gen=1&mailing_linkid=5085> This week, Senator Landrieu
joined Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) to
unveil a package of amendments to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care
Act that would ease the burden facing small businesses in providing health
insurance to their employees. Among the fixes Sen. Landrieu seeks is
removing the employer mandate, and replacing it with tax credits to
incentivize coverage by employers.

And while many small businesses are struggling to survive, important pieces
of the health care bill-like the exchanges-do not kick in for several years.
One amendment proposed by Sen. Landrieu would provide a "bridge" to bring
immediate assistance to small businesses until the bill's provisions take
full effect.

As Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, Sen. Landrieu is committed
to ensuring that the health care bill levels the playing field for the small
businesses that comprise 97.9% of Louisiana's employers.

To watch highlights from the press conference, click here
<http://landrieu.enews.senate.gov/mail/util.cfm?mailaction=clickthru&gpiv=21
00051583.5132.73&gen=1&mailing_linkid=5085> .


Protecting Children in Disasters


 
<http://landrieu.enews.senate.gov/mail/util.cfm?mailaction=clickthru&gpiv=21
00051583.5132.73&gen=1&mailing_linkid=5086> Yesterday, Sen. Landrieu chaired
a hearing of the Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery to discuss shortcomings
in disaster preparedness, response and recovery, particularly with respect
to children. Getting children into schools is essential for a return to
normalcy following a storm, yet there exists no comprehensive framework for
placing children in schools outside of Louisiana, or reopening schools
within Louisiana after a major disaster.

Louisiana Superintendent of schools Paul Pastorek testified before the
hearing, and shared lessons learned from the 2005 hurricanes while
discussing the need for school districts to develop crisis management
programs and electronic data systems with information about students and
teachers.

To watch Sen. Landrieu's remarks, click here
<http://landrieu.enews.senate.gov/mail/util.cfm?mailaction=clickthru&gpiv=21
00051583.5132.73&gen=1&mailing_linkid=5086> .


Putting Louisiana First


Last year, Sen. Landrieu campaigned on her record of "fighting and winning
for Louisiana." Several weeks ago, Landrieu successfully fought for a fix to
Louisiana's Medicaid funding shortfall
<http://landrieu.enews.senate.gov/mail/util.cfm?mailaction=clickthru&gpiv=21
00051583.5132.73&gen=1&mailing_linkid=5087> , which would have cost the
state hundreds of millions of dollars.

This week, we're pleased to announce funding for critical projects
throughout the state: from Monroe
<http://landrieu.enews.senate.gov/mail/util.cfm?mailaction=clickthru&gpiv=21
00051583.5132.73&gen=1&mailing_linkid=5088>  to Vidalia
<http://landrieu.enews.senate.gov/mail/util.cfm?mailaction=clickthru&gpiv=21
00051583.5132.73&gen=1&mailing_linkid=5089> , and back up to Bossier
<http://landrieu.enews.senate.gov/mail/util.cfm?mailaction=clickthru&gpiv=21
00051583.5132.73&gen=1&mailing_linkid=5090> . Whether it's health care,
agriculture, disaster recovery or coastal erosion, Sen. Landrieu always puts
Louisiana first, and will continue to be a tenacious fighter on behalf of
her constituents.


Securing Our Energy Future


Since her arrival in the senate, Sen. Landrieu has been a leading authority
on energy issues. As discussions in Copenhagen focus this week on how we can
reduce harmful emissions while finding ways to meet our energy needs, Sen.
Landrieu reached across the aisle to pen an Op/Ed with Georgia senator Saxby
Chambliss, advocating for a renewed focus on natural gas.

This clean, abundant resource has the potential to play an important role in
our energy future, while creating thousands of jobs, right here in America.

To read the full text of the Op/Ed, which appeared in Politico, click here
<http://landrieu.enews.senate.gov/mail/util.cfm?mailaction=clickthru&gpiv=21
00051583.5132.73&gen=1&mailing_linkid=5091> .