Cassidy Supports RESTORE Act Funds in Omnibus

Press Release

oday, Congressman Bill Cassidy, M.D. praised House appropriators for preventing a $10.2 million dollar cut in funding for the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund. Congressman Cassidy pushed to restore these funds following the initial cut proposed by the Senate Appropriations Committee last year. A letter from Congressmen Cassidy and Steve Scalise on August 21, 2013 to the committee is available here.

$7.4 million of the $10.2 million dollars will be allocated to the Treasury Department Office to administer the RESTORE Act, and the remainder will go to the Treasury Office of Inspector General. Dr. Cassidy released the following statement:

"The proposed Senate Appropriations Committee cuts to the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund undermined the RESTORE Act and threatened to harm Louisiana families and small businesses. Congressman Scalise and I called on them to restore the $10 million they cut from the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund. I am pleased that the final omnibus spending bill embraces our position and prevents these cuts to Louisiana's coastal restoration efforts."

Additionally, Mr. Garrett Graves, Chair of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, offered the following remarks:

"The omnibus appropriations bill sets an important precedent and sends a clear message that RESTORE Act funds are to be committed to protecting our citizens from hurricanes and restoring our coast -- not subsidizing a bureaucracy. This is a big win for Louisiana and the Gulf States. Our delegation did a great job heading off this attempt to divert funds."

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