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Congressman Garret Graves represents Louisiana’s Sixth Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. More than 750,000 people live in the 13 parishes that make up the sixth district, which includes most of Garret’s hometown of Baton Rouge, the bulk of the Capital City’s suburbs, parts of parishes along both sides of the Mississippi River to the western shores of Lake Pontchartrain and continues south through Thibodaux to Houma. For the 116th Congress, Garret is the Ranking Member for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation and is the Ranking Member for the new Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. He also serves on the House Natural Resources.

Last Congress, Graves chaired the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment and was instrumental in the development, passage and enactment of a range of policy wins on rivers, levees, flood protection, coastal issues and Corps of Engineers reforms. He also brought about critical upgrades to federal disaster response and recovery programs, streamlining FEMA operations, creating faster recoveries and helping make communities across the nation more resilient to disaster.

Though he has only been in office a short time, Garret and his team have established a record of advancing Louisiana’s priorities through Congress – making a positive difference here at home.

A few more examples:

• The Washington St. Exit reconfiguration, I-10 expansions and other road improvements underway are happening because of legislation Garret wrote, helped negotiate, and enacted in 2015.
• Garret fought to change federal law to fix the so called “duplication of benefits” fiasco for thousands of 2016 flood victims; and,
• He secured full funding for the Comite River Diversion, West Shore and other major flood protection projects that had been stalled for decades. Now they are fast-tracked for completion – which means better protection and lower flood insurance rates for all of us.

Garret’s leadership on transportation, infrastructure, energy, maritime, fisheries, coastal restoration, disaster and other issues critical to our state’s economy and way of life are an asset in Congress.

Garret is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he resides with his wife Carissa and their three children.

Education and Opportunity

America’s students are in a global race for jobs, and a high quality education is the doorway to those opportunities. Yet the Federal Education Complex, a taxpayer funded multi-billion dollar operation, has yielded sub-optimal results for many of our students over the last 20 years. It’s imperative that we take active steps to transform our education system by introducing innovation, technology and diversified career tracks into our classrooms so that we can develop a workforce equipped to step into the economic opportunities on the horizon.

The goal is clear: the best education possible for all children. The question, then, is who is best suited to lead the charge? After multiple decades of underachievement out of Washington, it’s time to empower local leadership.

As your Representative I will work with my colleagues in Washington to partner with parents, teachers, principals and local school boards to improve academic achievement in our country.

Jobs and Economic Growth

Small business is the backbone of our country’s economic success. Louisiana has seen an explosion of economic growth in recent times and to continue this progress we need to minimize Washington’s interference . As your Congressman, I have prioritized regulatory relief and comprehensive tax reform designed to unlock the nation’s economic potential and reward the hard work of everyday Americans.

Health Care

It is vital to every American that they are able to choose a healthcare plan that meets their needs at a price they can afford. I am deeply concerned about rising healthcare costs for employees and consumers alike, and am committed to finding a solution to our nation’s healthcare needs. One of our priorities should be to ensure the American healthcare system is the best in the world, and replace Obamacare with a conservative alternative that empowers patients – in consultation with doctors of their choosing – to make their own healthcare decisions.

Foreign Affairs

Louisiana is home to the largest port system in the world, moving more tons of cargo each year than anywhere in the western Hemisphere. Our state is the top exporter in the U.S., which is why international trade is so important to Louisiana jobs and our economy. Trade policy, diplomacy and a strong national defense influence America’s relationships with the world. I will support a foreign policy – including foreign aid – that promotes our national interests, which is conveyed through mutual respect, seeks to grow American jobs and is backed up with the world’s most powerful military.

Security

National security is perhaps the most important role of the federal government. Indeed, I believe in peace through strength, which means that maintaining a powerful military is the best path toward securing peace.

The current Obama Administration policy is to reduce our Armed Forces to pre-World War II levels, which I believe is unacceptable. Congress must do its part to protect and promote the national defense, which is why I will support funding and policies that preserve our force as the strongest, most lethal force in human history.

In Louisiana fifty percent of all Brigade Combat Teams train at Fort Polk before going to theater. Barksdale Air Force Base is the headquarters of the U.S. Air Force nuclear command. The Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base is home to the largest Army Reserve command in the U.S. and the air base for some of the most valuable training air space in the entire Department of Defense. The Marine Corps Reserve Command is headquartered in New Orleans. And the Louisiana National Guard is comprised of many of the most battle-tested troops in American. We know the importance of a strong national defense. We in Louisiana are reminded of it every day. Therefore, I will remain steadfastly committed to those men and women who demonstrate regularly their commitment to us.

Spending Cuts and Debt

The average American’s share of the national debt is around $57,000 and growing. The more than $18 trillion debt concerns me more and more each day. National security, transportation and infrastructure and all the national priorities most important to Americans are compromised as long as the federal budget is unbalanced.

It is critical for Congress to lead the way toward a balanced budget, and I am committed to supporting policies that control federal spending and restore budget integrity.

Tax Reform

I believe that America’s tax system should promote family saving and investment and encourage economic growth through simplicity and fairness. Instead, the current system is laden with inherent disincentives against working and investing.

The tax code is also unnecessarily complex. In fact, studies have shown that Americans annually spend billions of dollars and hours to comply with it. In short, the current tax system stifles opportunity for American families and businesses. Simplifying the tax code would stimulate job growth and help improve the economy

Transportation and Infrastructure

From our highways to our waterways, having a reliable and safe transportation system is critical to the safety, efficiency and economic development of South Louisiana. Being on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and in a leadership position for the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, I will work tirelessly to reduce the traffic problems facing our area. Working with our local, state and congressional leadership, I will strive to achieve solutions in national transportation policy and local transportation challenges.

Veterans

So many of the freedoms we enjoy today are because of the sacrifices and dedication of our service men and women. We owe them a lifetime of gratitude. Throughout my career, I have had the honor to work with countless Veterans on a variety of military and quality of life issues, and I am honored to have the opportunity to serve them in Congress.

Among many important concerns, one of the most critical issues facing our Veterans is timely access to quality health care. Unfortunately, increases in patient volumes and case complexity have resulted in unacceptable delays in care across the VA. Fixing this should be a top priority of the Federal Government. Our Veterans are heroes and we must keep our promise to them by ensuring the highest quality health care.