Congressman Bill Cassidy’s Policies Hurt Louisiana’s Working Families
Lake Charles, LA – Today labor leaders in Southwest Louisiana called on Congressman Bill Cassidy to stop working against the needs of working families and impeding economic mobility in Louisiana, including his votes against equal pay for women and increased aid for higher education, as well as his opposition to raising the minimum wage.
“Congressman Cassidy supports a budget that would lead to 40,000 jobs lost in Louisiana and raise taxes on our middle class, while giving tax breaks to multi-millionaires and billionaires,” said Stephen Handwerk, executive director of the Louisiana Democratic Party. “Senator Landrieu has already been instrumental in spurring job creation and helping our small businesses flourish and grow. Congressman Cassidy might very well turn back the progress that she has fought so hard to advance for all of us.”
Sen. Landrieu has co-sponsored the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would prevent wage discrimination and has advocated for raising the minimum wage.
“Senator Landrieu has fought for billions in loans and grants to small businesses to make sure that they thrive – creating and maintaining jobs for thousands of Louisianians,” said Julie Cherry, secretary-treasurer of the Louisiana AFL-CIO. “We need to re-elect Senator Landrieu so our state economy can continue to grow, and we can rest assured that our future will be bright.”
Sen. Landrieu has acted to ensure that Louisiana students can afford a college education by introducing her “Passport to the Middle Class” initiative, which would increase federal Pell Grants to students and lower interest rates on student loans. She also believes Louisiana seniors shouldn’t have to suffer uncertainty after retirement and would protect Medicare and Social Security for generations to come.
“Congressman Cassidy has acted against Louisiana’s working people at every level,” said Jeff Sanders, financial secretary for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 861. “He’s voted to cut grants for college students and investments in our workforce. He’s opposed the raising of the minimum wage. And he’s voted over and over again to transform Medicare into a voucher system.”
Congressman Cassidy has previously said he believes that increasing financial aid would be too burdensome for institutions of higher education and has supported budgets that would raise the retirement age to 70 for Social Security and Medicare, while increasing the cost of care for Louisiana seniors.
Stephen Handwerk, executive director of the Louisiana Democratic Party, speaks on Sen. Mary Landrieu’s job creation efforts.
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