Breakfast Honors Landrieu

By Lisa Yates
Editor, The Times of SWLA



About a dozen small business owners in Lake Charles met with
U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu, on Oct. 28, at a breakfast meeting
hosted by Mike Tremont and Bradley Breaux, at 508 Pujo Street.

Tremont said he has been a long-time supporter of the senator.
He noted that on Oct. 1, the National Federation of
Independent Business presented her with the Guardian of Small
Business Award.

Tremont said the purpose of the breakfast, also, was to honor
the senator and to facilitate a meeting with local business
owners.

“This breakfast gives small business owners an opportunity for
input – to discuss their needs and concerns, so Mary can take
these needs and concerns back to Washinton,” Tremont said.

Landrieu not only serves on the nation's Small Business
Committee; but after re-election, she could gain the
chairmanship.

As part of Landrieu’s successful bid for re-election to the
U.S. Senate, the senator gave an informal presentation and
visited with supporters.

When asked about the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge, Landrieu
discussed her fight to get more money for Louisiana's
infrastructure projects.  Energy infrastructure is “at the top of the list” of her
priorities, according to Landrieu.  “Oil and gas revenue sharing provisions in a bill I co-
authored will free up state funds for these projects,” she
said.

Landrieu, a member of the Energy Committee, co-authored the
Domenici-Landrieu Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, which
was signed into law in 2006. The bill expanded oil and gas
production in the Gulf of Mexico by more than 8 million acres
and shares revenues with Louisiana.

Officials report that Louisiana will receive $40 billion over
50 years as a result of her bill.  Also as a senior member of the Senate Appropriations
Committee, Sen. Landrieu has a voice in approving more than
$300 billion in discretionary spending.

She told The Times that funding the federal transportation
bill will be a “priority.”

This comes as the U.S. Congress prepares to authorize another
6-year federal spending bill on transportation. The current
bill, which provided $286 billion in federal funds, expires
Sept. 30, 2009, and the new bill should start to take shape
early next year.

Officials in Southwest Louisiana see this as a window of
opportunity for the rebuilding of the I-10 bridge, which they
estimate will cost anywhere from $150 to $200 million.