Baton Rouge Reporter

U.S. Congressman Garret Graves of South Louisiana announced today that his request for key funding for emergency operations centers (EOCs) in South Louisiana has been included in the FY2025 Homeland Security Appropriations bill. The funding legislation, slated to be voted on in the House later this month, includes Graves' request for $3 million for capability improvements and technology updates to EOCs in East Baton Rouge, Iberville, and Terrebonne Parishes.

“Louisiana has faced the devastation of hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters time and time again, and this is a critical investment in the safety and preparedness of our communities,” said Congressman Graves. “Our EOCs are the nerve center of disaster prevention and response. We need the best capabilities available to help protect the public and get disaster resources where they are needed most. These funds will help to equip and modernize our centers to handle virtually any crisis, providing a lifeline for our communities when it’s most needed.”

The funding would be used to make necessary updates and improvements to emergency operations centers (EOCs) in South Louisiana, with funding prioritized for East Baton Rouge Parish, Iberville Parish, and Terrebonne Parish. The high volume of extreme weather events in Louisiana is taxing even for the most prepared local governments. According to NOAA data, there have been 97 confirmed natural disasters in Louisiana whose losses exceeded $1 billion since 1980. By providing critical services such as coordinating interagency emergency response efforts and managing the impacts of disasters, local governments can use EOCs to ensure timely emergency services are available for affected citizens. It is vital that these communities have facilities that are modernized and right-sized for their needs and disaster risks.

In addition, the FY2025 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill also includes provisions authored by Graves:

Language stating that the Treasury is stepping outside its authority by imposing new, un-codified criteria on Gulf States attempting to access Deepwater Horizon settlement money to rebuild coastal economies and ecosystems. This red tape is delaying important restoration work in coastal communities.

Language requiring the Small Business Administrator to report to Congress on the number of outstanding coronavirus Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applicants who were in the process of applying at the time that the Biden Administration closed the program on May 6, 2022, as well as the total value of their unfunded awards. This information can help Congress determine how best to assist small businesses continuing to recover from COVID impacts.