The flooding in Louisiana is very serious. The current effects of the LA Flood may cause more devastation and a bigger footprint than Hurricane Katrina. Many who have been affected are paycheck to paycheck folks—this is financial ruin on top of incredible physical damage to property. The places that have been hit the worst are areas that have never had flooding, i.e. not located near rivers and bayous. This has created an urgent need for all Louisiana residents to have access to affordable flood insurance for the future and sufficient financial support for those who have already lost so much. This is a federal issue. We need people in Congress who will fight for every resident of Louisiana and won’t allow Washington to continue to ignore our crisis.

Flooding has become the new normal in our state as the Fourth Congressional District has just endured huge flood events in the last 18 months. Many of our own friends and neighbors have lost their homes or sustained extreme damage not once, but twice. Flooding has been caused by the Red River’s decreasing capacity as silt has continued to collect in the Red River basin without regulation or attention. Flooding has also been caused by federal locks and dams. This is a federal issue.  Our state is suffering in part because of Washington’s neglect.

Our campaign is sending water and supplies to our Louisiana neighbors affected by these storms. We hope that you are joining in the effort in whatever way you can. What we know is that Louisiana folks are resilient; the Cajun Navy is hard at work. The question is whether the federal government will do what is needed in the short AND long term to literally keep our beloved state from floating away along with our unique and vibrant culture.