Governor John Bel Edwards is traveling to Washington, D.C. - his sixth trip since the August flooding in Louisiana. He’ll be meeting with lawmakers to request an additional $2 billion in flood relief.
So far, Congress has approved two installments of funding for the state at a total of $1.6 billion. But Governor Edwards says that is still short of what’s needed.
Last week, the Governor sent letters to both the Louisiana Congressional Delegation and President Trump describing the unmet needs of homeowners, renters and businesses.
None of the money has been dedicated to improving infrastructure. Governor Edwards is specifically asking for $600 million for that effort and $125 million to fund the Comite River Diversion Project.
Edwards is set to meet with Louisiana’s Senators and Congressmen Wednesday afternoon.
On Thursday, he’ll discuss the additional request with staff from the Senate Appropriations Committee, Housing and Urban Development, and House Democratic leadership.
This report has been made possible by the Louisiana Public Radio Partnership, with funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
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