Louisiana Congressman Greatly Impacts House Budget

Press Release

Per the request of Congressman Jeff Landry (R, LA-03), the U.S. House Budget Committee has added language to its Fiscal Year 2013 budget that would fully allocate all Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) proceeds for its intended purpose: dredging our nation's waterways. The Committee also followed Landry's appeal that no funding be allocated to any effort which forces entities to violate their religious beliefs.

Landry, who led a bipartisan coalition of 72 House Members calling for proper port dredging, is pleased the HMTF language was added. "I am thrilled the Budget Committee has chosen to honor my request and apportion the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund for dredging," said Landry. "Dredging our nation's ports will put Americans back to work and return economic prosperity to our manufacturing, agriculture, and energy sectors. Having this issue addressed in the Budget Report ensures government bureaucrats cannot use dredge funding for other purposes."

"I am also excited the Committee has inserted language that honors my request to defend religious freedom," continued Landry. "No business, school, or charity should be forced to violate their religious beliefs. Defunding this ideological and unconstitutional Obamacare mandate is a great step forward in defending our religious liberty and Constitutional rights."

"I pledged to the people of South Louisiana that I would read before I voted; and as I continue to do that now with Chairman Ryan's budget, I can tell you that this budget process presents a clear choice for America's future. Do we follow the President's plan of more spending, more borrowing, and more debt? Do we follow the Senate's plan of doing nothing and ignoring our problems? Or do we curb wasteful spending so we can reduce the enormous debt?" concluded Landry.

Source