TOGETHER, LOUISIANA STRONG Our blueprint for building a brighter future. Read our plan at
DavidVitter.com
Inside Front Cover Intentionally Left Blank
Dear Fellow Louisianian,
W
e face enormous challenges in Louisiana. But if we meet them head on—with strong leadership and real solutions—we can take advantage of historic opportunities and make great gains.
To do this, we need a clear, detailed plan. Now more than ever, vague rhetoric and political promises just aren’t good enough. Together, Louisiana Strong is this comprehensive plan. It’s our blueprint for building a brighter future for all Louisianians, from our best and brightest to our most vulnerable. It’s how we’ll achieve the spending and tax reform we need to stabilize priorities like higher education; how we’ll grow our economy and create good-paying jobs through skills training and better highways; how we’ll improve our schools so that every Louisiana child has the key tools he needs for success; and much more. And Together, Louisiana Strong also lays out the changes to Louisiana politics and government we’ll demand to get us there. How we’ll have a strict zero tolerance policy against corruption and cronyism. How we’ll demand that state employees understand they work for you and must treat you like a valued customer. I call this our plan for a reason. I’ve compiled it by meeting with Louisianians of all walks of life and by listening. 380 Town Hall Meetings. 203 Telephone Town Halls. And twelve Leadership Forums on the key challenges we face as a state specifically to develop this blueprint, with dozens of informal meetings and conference calls in addition. So read the first chapters of Together, Louisiana Strong out now. And review future chapters as they’re added in the next several weeks. As you do, let me continue to hear from you. Stay involved. Offer your input and ideas at DavidVitter.com. We can do this, Louisiana. But only together. Remember: Together, Louisiana Strong.
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KEEPING IN TOUCH
KEEPING IN TOUCH
Ever feel like leaders in state government just aren’t listening?
THAT WILL CHANGE UNDER DAVID VITTER. David’s hallmark is working hard every week to stay in touch with all Louisianians. Not by showing up for drive-by ribbon cuttings or speeches, but by truly listening. Just look at his proven record. As our governor, David will continue to reach out and listen. He will: 3 Hold in-person Town Hall Meetings in all of Louisiana’s 64 parishes. This will include at least one in every region of the state three months before the Regular Legislative Session to hear about needs and priorities. 3 Hold hundreds of additional Telephone Town Hall Meetings to hear directly from
you over the phone.
“
I’ve never seen any other official come through West Carroll Parish. David Vitter is here all the time. ” — Sonia Reiter MAYOR OF PIONEER
3 Host a monthly Coffee/Open House at the Governor’s Mansion open to the public for
you to visit in a more relaxed way.
3 Ensure that there are convenient, service-oriented offices around the state, with regular
Satellite Office Hours in more rural parishes.
3 Host regular online discussions using social media, including Q&A sessions on Facebook. 3 Take weekly meetings with Louisianians in his office on a host of important topics
and projects.
3 Respond to your comments and questions however you prefer to communicate—by mail,
calls, or email.
3 Publish a monthly e-newsletter to keep you up-to-date on key issues, and post other
useful information on a convenient website.
3 Organize regular forums around the state on key challenges like job creation, hurricane
and flood protection, health care, and education.
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THE VITTER RECORD David has always worked very hard to stay in touch with all of our citizens. He has:
Held 380 Town Hall Meetings in every parish in the state—an average of over six per parish. n
Held 203 additional Telephone Town Halls. n
Organized twelve Leadership Forums on the key challenges we face as a state specifically to develop this comprehensive, detailed plan. n
Hosted a Coffee/Open House in his office for visiting Louisianians every Wednesday morning that the Senate is in session. n
Opened constituent service offices in all seven regions of the state (previous senators offered four), with Satellite Office Hours in more rural parishes. n
Responded in a substantive and timely way to all letters, calls, emails, and constituent requests, including by solving thousands of constituent problems with federal agencies.
n
Reached out through social media forums, public meetings on key topics like Obamacare, a monthly e-newsletter, a customer-friendly website, an anti-corruption hotline, printed newsletters, and more.
n
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SPENDING & TAX REFORM
STABILIZING THE BUDGET THROUGH SPENDING & TAX REFORM
Budget chaos has become the norm in Louisiana. 6
EVERY YEAR IS THE SAME—budget shortfalls, doomsday scenarios, the use of one-time money, and cuts to priority areas like education and health care. We can do better. We must. And under David Vitter, we will. He’ll: 3 Immediately call a Special Legislative Session focused exclusively on fundamental spending and tax reform. In that Special Session, David will focus on four key reforms: — Cutting wasteful and unnecessary spending, including by removing protections and dedications from most spending categories. — Examining all tax credits, exemptions, and deductions through a careful cost-benefit analysis to root out those that are loopholes or giveaways. — Passing pro-growth measures like targeted rate cuts to spur economic growth and produce new revenue. — Tightening dedications and protections in one part of the budget—the Transportation Trust Fund—to ensure that the gas taxes we pay actually go to build vital roads and bridges. 3 Greatly streamline our sales tax system, including with a uniform base, so businesses don’t have to deal with 65 different rule books and audit agencies. 3 Completely repeal the inventory tax and credit, and give local government an offsetting revenue opportunity or state fund transfer. This would spur growth, treat local communities fairly, and stop the rapid growth of cost to the state taxpayer. 3 Sunset all tax credits or similar tax expenditures to ensure that they’re periodically reviewed to determine benefit to the taxpayer. 3 Require two-thirds legislative approval of new spending dedications and tax credits and similar tax expenditures. 3 End the use of one-time money and accounting gimmicks to balance the budget. 3 Eliminate non-essential capital outlay funding until statewide priority projects like crucial highways are completed. 3 Cancel consulting contracts given out by state agencies when the work is unnecessary or can be performed by state employees. There are about 16,000 of those consulting contracts now totaling $7 billion. 3 Cut the state car fleet down dramatically from its present size of over 10,000. 3 Prevent fraud in welfare programs through reforms like adding photo IDs to food stamp debit cards.
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“
IT’S OUTRAGEOUS
THAT AS STATE GOVERNMENT CUTS EDUCATION, IT’S PAYING FOR CONSULTING CONTRACTS AND PET PROJECTS LIKE THESE. — David Vitter
”
5 $94,000
of taxpayers’ money for a California consultant to “assist students to learn valuable social skills through organized play on their recess and lunch periods.” 5 $40,000
of taxpayers’ money for a Muslim imam/spiritual advisor for prisoners at Hunt Correctional Center. 5 $19,500
of taxpayers’ money for a consultant to “coordinate two Golden Glove Boxing tournaments.” 5 $10,000
of taxpayers’ money to sponsor Chimpanzee Discovery Days.
5 $9,245,000
of taxpayers’ money for a New Orleans Behrman Park soccer facility.
5 $445,000
of taxpayers’ money for a Shreveport golf training facility.
5 $135,000
of taxpayers’ money for the Junior League of New Orleans thrift shop renovation.
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SPENDING & TAX REFORM
THE VITTER RECORD As our U.S. Senator, David Vitter has fought tirelessly to cut wasteful spending, to stop adding to our debt, and to enact progrowth tax reform. And he’s worked just as hard to ensure that vital Louisiana priorities are properly funded. He’s been a leader defending Louisiana businesses too, including as Chair of the Senate’s Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship and key Infrastructure Subcommittee. David has: Coauthored a strong balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution to ensure that Washington lives within its means. n
Authored an amendment to reduce spending on the federal car fleet that would have saved $700 million. n
Authored bipartisan legislation to sell up to $40 billion worth of excess and unused federal property and use the proceeds to pay down the federal debt. n
Voted for congressional budgets that actually balance and then work down our current mountain of unsustainable debt. n
Successfully passed permanent tax cuts for lower and middle income families. n
Authored an amendment to cut more than $47 billion in wasteful spending in President Obama’s infamous stimulus bill. n
Voted for legislation to force the federal government to review and eliminate $10 billion in wasteful and duplicative programs. n
Authored a leading amendment to reduce the size of the federal bureaucracy through attrition and save $115 billion over 10 years. n
Fought for legislation to end the federal death tax, following his successful efforts in the Louisiana Legislature to end the Louisiana death tax. n
Fought to pass the Gulf Opportunity (GO) Zone Act after Katrina and Rita, which helped spur investment in Louisiana’s recovery. n
Blocked efforts by President Obama and his allies to raise taxes, including tax increases that target small business job creators. n
Coauthored legislation to sunset the federal tax code and require Congress to rewrite it in a fundamentally simpler, fairer way. n
Strongly opposed efforts by the IRS to target groups and individuals based on political ideology and supported reforms to guarantee that the IRS administer its rules in a non-partisan way. n
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DRAMATICALLY IMPROVING EDUCATION
DRAMATICALLY IMPROVING EDUCATION FOR ALL OUR CHILDREN 10
WE’LL NEVER ACHIEVE THE LOUISIANA WE ALL WANT WITHOUT DRAMATICALLY IMPROVING EDUCATION FOR ALL OUR CHILDREN. The budget may be our most immediate crisis. But education is our biggest, most important one long-term. That’s why David Vitter will lead a serious, sustained effort to build true excellence in education. And that begins with demanding local versus federal control, and empowering the most important leaders on the front line—parents and teachers. To achieve this, David will: 3 Lead us out of Common Core and into a Louisiana-based system of strong rigor, standards, and accountability by: — Exiting the Common Core/PARRC testing consortium immediately and adopting a rigorous interim test that is not aligned with Common Core. — Convening a citizens panel of Louisiana parents, teachers, experts from higher education, and business leaders to develop an updated system of rigorous Louisiana standards and testing outside of Common Core/PARCC. — Requiring that this new system be developed, debated, and adopted in a fully inclusive and transparent way. — Demanding that the new system meet three tests: that it is fully Louisiana-controlled, not merely Common Core by another name; that it truly prepares our children to be successful in higher education and the workplace; and that it is objectively verified to be as or more rigorous than Common Core. — Implementing it in a careful, methodical manner, unlike the roll-out of Common Core.
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demand “ I’ll strong standards, real rigor and accountability. But I’ll never give up our control like under Common Core. ” — David Vitter
David will also: 3 Grow seats in high-quality preschool programs by maximizing Preschool Development and other grants and leading a major private/corporate fundraising effort. 3 Reform the School Readiness Early Learning Tax Credits to provide up-front cost relief to low-income parents who choose a high-quality early learning center for their children. 3 Fully support maximum parental choice and control—including all of our charter school, voucher scholarship, and home schooling options—and actively oppose efforts to cut those choice options back.
More parental choice has led to higher performance and college enrollment in New Orleans. Pre-KATRINA
POST-KATRINA
112 72%
5 # of Charter Schools
37% High School Graduates Entering College
83
51
School Performance Scores
# of Charter Schools
High School Graduates Entering College
School Performance Scores
Source: Louisiana Department of Education
3 Work toward a teacher pay raise once the budget is stabilized to ensure that we are competitive with other southern states.
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DRAMATICALLY IMPROVING EDUCATION
Louisiana spends more per student on bureaucracy than any other southern state. Dollars that should be going to the classroom. Source: US Department of Education
609
$
Texas
882
$
636
$
SOUTH CAROLINA
hest 16th ihnigthe nation!
604
$
FLORIDA
Louisiana
3 Actively fight federal government policies that push many more illegal aliens into our classrooms, reducing the teacher time and dollars devoted to Louisiana students. Last year alone, that greatly increasing population was a $12.5 million burden on Louisiana public schools. 3 Devote a significantly greater portion of education dollars to classroom instruction instead of overhead and administrative costs. Louisiana is now the highest in administrative cost per child in the South and the 16th-highest in the nation. 3 Provide principals and educators the additional resources and flexibility they need to address truancy and discipline within all classrooms and schools. 3 Improve basic skills like reading in the early grades by ending all social promotions and aggressively implementing proven best practices. Only 34% of American fourth graders are proficient at reading today, with the Louisiana figure at an even more shocking 23%. 3 Greatly expand skills training opportunities in high school, including by accelerating the Jump Start Program. In America, college should be available to everyone regardless of background, but college isn’t FOR everyone. 3 Place parents, teachers, and local school system leaders at the center of developing and implementing these priorities through state and local working groups, and create other platforms for those on the front line to propose their own ideas for reform.
1000
3 Ensure that our state pension systems are solvent for the future to keep our promises 800to retired teachers and state workers.
600 400
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THE VITTER RECORD David understands exactly how crucial a high-quality education is to all our children’s future. That’s why he’s always fought hard to improve these opportunities while expanding local versus federal control.
David has: Authored leading legislation to prohibit the federal government from using Race To The Top grants, No Child Left Behind waivers, or any other tools to mandate, coerce, or bribe states into adopting Common Core, and preserve past grants and waivers while invalidating the strings attached. n
Passed a budget amendment prohibiting the federal government from coercing or bribing states into adopting Common Core. n
Supported a bipartisan amendment to provide $300 million for the Teacher Incentive Fund, a program rewarding outstanding teachers and school leaders. n
Expanded access to high-quality preschool programs by securing a $2.5 million early learning grant for Louisiana. n
Co-authored legislation to update federal charter school laws that would improve and expand school choice for all students. n
Authored a bill to ensure the safety of our kids at school through FBI background checks for all school employees. n
Authored bipartisan legislation to provide full funding to states for special education for children with disabilities. n
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DRAMATICALLY IMPROVING EDUCATION
Voted to extend and make permanent tax deductions for teacher purchases of classroom supplies for their students. n
Authored a bill to prevent illegal immigrants from accessing taxpayer-funded education tax credits. n
Co-authored a bill to create scholarships out of existing federal education dollars to follow 11 million low-income children to any public or private school of their parents’ choice. n
Voted to support 21st Century Community Learning Centers that provide after-school services to low-income children. n
Supported legislation to create summer learning opportunities for low-income students to help close their achievement gaps. n
Voted to increase funding for the Rural Education Achievement Program, which provides funding for school districts in rural areas to assist with the cost of providing an education. n
“
DAVID ACTUALLY PASSED LEGISLATION THAT SAYS THE FEDS MUST NOT COERCE OR BRIBE STATES INTO ADOPTING COMMON CORE. — Sandra Bailey-Simmons TANGIPAHOA PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
”
MEMBER
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BUILDING WORLD-CLASS INFRASTURCTURE
BUILDING WORLD-CLASS INFRASTRUCTURE to Relieve Traffic Congestion and Grow Jobs
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ARE YOU SICK AND TIRED OF LOUISIANA HIGHWAYS IN DISREPAIR, WITH OBVIOUS BOTTLENECKS LONG IGNORED? Did you know that the state spends much more on transportation bureaucrats than on concrete and asphalt? And how about the inevitable result—sitting in traffic instead of working productively or spending time with family? David Vitter is sick and tired of that too. That’s why David will attack traffic congestion head-on from day one—to improve our daily lives and to grow jobs. He’ll: 3 Immediately call a Special Legislative Session focused on fundamental spending and tax reform, and set as one of the major goals of the session strengthening the Transportation Trust Fund and providing more protection for infrastructure spending. He’ll do this by: — Requiring that the great majority of trust fund dollars be spent exclusively on new highway construction and repair. Last year, only 11% of trust fund revenue actually went to that. — Ensuring that trust fund revenue sources like the vehicle sales tax actually go into the trust fund rather than get hijacked for the general fund and used for unrelated programs. — Demanding reform, streamlining, and accountability in the Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) to ensure the efficient and prompt completion of transportation projects. Some time after that initial Special Session, David will also: 3 Lead the legislature and others in developing and proposing a high-priority highway building program to build vital projects on an expedited basis. 3 Develop a user-friendly DOTD app to allow motorists to highlight logjams and needed repairs they observe, and improve the existing app to give them better real-time traffic and routing advice. 3 Enhance proven safety measures on the road and strongly enforce the ban on texting while driving.
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Only 11% of highway trust fund spending went to new highway work in FY 2014.
Source: Official DOTD Budget Documents
19 %
Ports, Airports, Flood Control, State Police
20 % DOTD Bureaucracy, Expenses
Mortgage Payment On Completed TIMED Projects
50 % 11%
Highway, Bridge Construction And Repair
3 Move repair and construction activity to nighttime whenever practical to minimize impacts on motorists. 3 Protect the safety of our families by passing a “three strikes and you’re out” drunk driving law, and use ignition interlock technology where feasible to prevent drunk driving. 3 Take the politics out of transportation project funding by developing a data-driven approach that does the greatest amount of good for motorists, not politicians and bureaucrats. 3 Strengthen local and regional planning by decentralizing DOTD and giving regional planning commissions and local governments more authority. 3 Use innovative practices like design-build, public-private partnerships, and infrastructure banks to advance key projects in an efficient manner. 3 Explore tolls where feasible to build new, voluntary travel options that wouldn’t get built otherwise. And oppose tolls being slapped on existing roadways already built and paid for.
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BUILDING WORLD-CLASS INFRASTURCTURE
THE VITTER RECORD David Vitter has a proven record of advancing key infrastructure projects by working across the aisle in an effective way. David has:
Served as the Chairman of the Senate Infrastructure Subcommittee, and as the top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee. n
Secured federal funding for vital infrastructure projects in Louisiana like:
n
— I-49 North—$200 million. — LA 1 to Port Fouchon—$26 million. — LA 28 in central Louisiana—$19 million. — I-49 South—$67 million. — Baton Rouge congestion relief—$24 million. — I-10 widening in greater New Orleans--$20 million. — The Kansas-Garrett Connector in Monroe—$12.35 million. — Ascension Parish road improvements—$8 million.
Increased Louisiana’s rate of return on the federal gas tax that we send to Washington. It’s up from 93.7 cents back for every dollar sent to Washington in 2005 to $1.02 for every dollar today. n
Passed legislation to streamline bridge projects by allowing several to be bundled together for approval. Louisiana is tenth in the nation in deficient bridges in serious need of repair. n
Passed legislation targeting funds to build additional lanes and improve the flow of commerce in areas of greatest congestion. New Orleans and Baton Rouge—both in the top 25 congested areas nationally—will both qualify. n
Passed legislation to improve highway safety through features like guard rails and road barricades that have been proven to prevent accidents and save lives. n
Authored legislation to advance promising vehicle technologies like ignition interlocks to prevent drunk driving. n
Coauthored and passed into law multiple Water Resource bills, securing major federal funding for port and waterway dredging to ensure proper depth and width and increase commerce. This included dramatic improvements to the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund and the Inland Waterway Trust Fund. n
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ROOTING OUT CORRUPTION
Reforming Government,
ROOTING OUT CORRUPTION and Cronyism
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS, SWEETHEART DEALS, ETHICS VIOLATIONS. FROM THE NEWSPAPER SOME DAYS, YOU’D THINK HUEY LONG WAS ALIVE AND WELL. David Vitter will have a zero tolerance policy towards corruption and cronyism. Because he knows that if we don’t, our children won’t enjoy the job opportunities and efficient government they deserve. He will: 3 Amend the ethics law to prohibit politicians from using campaign funds for personal perks like golf memberships and sports season tickets, or to pay immediate family members. 3 End ethics abuses like double-dipping--some elected officials getting reimbursed twice for the same expenses, from both the state taxpayer and their campaign accounts. 3 Dramatically increase ethics auditing and enforcement and fund it by: — Establishing an appropriate fee on all annual and quarterly campaign finance filings except for smaller local races.
— Changing the lobbyist filing fee to a fee per client versus per lobbyist.
3 Ensure greater transparency and accountability in state government by issuing administration policy on day one: — Greatly limiting use of the deliberative process exemption that currently keeps many documents from public view. — Ending or dramatically shortening the 6-month black-out on budget documents not only for the governor’s office but for all departments.
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3 Work with the legislature to codify these changes in statute, and make other changes to prevent abuses of our public records laws like excessive fees.
THE VITTER RECORD
3 Abolish or reform the LSU version of Tulane legislative scholarships--lucrative scholarships given out by public higher education board members, often to the politically connected.
As Senator, David Vitter has been a tireless champion for good government. He has:
3 End the bureaucrat-lobbyist revolving door through reforms like broadening the two-year lobbying and contracting prohibition to other high-level administrators besides just top department heads. 3 Prohibit members of the administration from being personally involved in permit or contract transactions involving their previous employers or partners. 3 Strengthen voter fraud laws to make it easier for the Voting Compliance Unit to investigate complaints and the Attorney General to prosecute malfeasance.
Authored and passed term limits for the Louisiana Legislature. n
Authored the leading bill to place term limits on Congress, which would end abuses that come with unlimited time and power in Washington. n
Led the fight to end the Washington Exemption from Obamacare so that all Members of Congress, congressional staff, the President, Vice-President, and all political appointees purchase their health insurance on the Obamacare Exchange with no special taxpayerfunded subsidies.
n
Helped break the Tulane scholarship scandal, and fought to end legislators giving scholarships to the politically favored, including their own children, regardless of qualifications.
n
Secured crucial funding for the Metropolitan Crime Commission’s Anti-Corruption Hotline, which provides the public with an anonymous method of reporting corruption in government and business. n
Introduced legislation to ban Members of Congress from using their campaign accounts to enrich spouses and immediate family members. n
Authored the bipartisan bill to end automatic pay raises for Congress, and helped lead the fight to successfully block several of those raises. n
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IMPROVING HOSPITAL PARTNERSHIPS, REFORMING MEDICAID
IMPROVING Our Public-Private Hospital Partnerships,
REFORMING MEDICAID
OBAMACARE HAS BEEN A DISASTER. 93,000 Louisianians have lost coverage that they liked and wanted to keep. Struggling middle class families have seen premiums and other costs skyrocket. And 866,000 of our citizens are still uninsured. David Vitter believes that we need solid Louisiana solutions, not mandates from the federal government. He’ll work hard to ensure that our new public-private hospital partnerships truly work for all Louisianians. He’ll fight to reform the broken Medicaid program, using market-based, patient-centered models. He’ll promote preventative and primary care, which will produce better outcomes and save taxpayer dollars. And he’ll strongly support our medical schools and teaching hospitals, which are central to it all.
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LOUISIANA
48th
National Health Ranking LOW BIRTHWEIGHT
10.8 %
of babies are born underweight
CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATION
30.9%
of children are without immunization
Smoking
23.5 %
of people smoke
OBESITY
33.1 %
of adults are obese
Source: United Health Foundation
David will: 3 Stabilize health care funding by immediately calling a Special Legislative Session focused exclusively on fundamental spending and tax reform. 3 Ensure that our new public-private hospital partnerships fulfill the traditional charity mandate of serving the truly needy, but with improved patient care and outcomes and much greater operational efficiency. 3 Improve these partnerships with additional, financially strong private partners if needed and increased primary and preventative care. 3 Require full transparency in the Bayou Health system by appointing an independent auditor to track data on patient outcomes and program costs. 3 Use the improved data collection to better coordinate care and ensure that our most vulnerable patients receive quality care without additional costs to Louisiana taxpayers.
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David will also: 3 Keep our public medical schools in New Orleans and Shreveport and greatly strengthen their financial footing through budget stabilization, expanded public private partnerships, and the development of specific research centers of excellence. 3 Explore accessing additional federal funds that may be available, but only if we’re: — Reforming programs through a private coverage or other model, not expanding a broken, government-dominated system.
— Ensuring that this doesn’t lead to further cuts to priorities like higher education.
— Increasing work requirements for able bodied citizens who receive help.
3 Make certain that all of Louisiana’s children, particularly those with special needs, have full health care coverage. 3 Reverse the governor’s recent $7.1 million cut to neonatal intensive care units and properly fund vital maternal, prenatal, and baby care. 3 Oppose Obama administration and other attempts to cut access to mammograms and screening that keep women cancer-free through early detection. 3 Enhance and increase access to mental health services, including by exploring innovative ways to provide these services such as Social Impact Bonds. 3 Explore allowing parents to care for children with significant disabilities at home through the Katie Beckett Waiver. 3 Encourage active, healthy lifestyles through increased flexibility in Health Savings Accounts and healthy lifestyle initiatives in our state employee health plans.
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IMPROVING HOSPITAL PARTNERSHIPS, REFORMING MEDICAID
THE VITTER RECORD David Vitter has been a leading voice for conservative, patientcentered health care reform. He’s fought to empower you and your doctor instead of government and insurance company bureaucrats.
David has: Authored the first bill to fully repeal Obamacare and proposed specific, targeted, patient-centered reforms instead. n
Led the fight to end the Washington Exemption from Obamacare by requiring that Washington live by the same laws it forces on us, and passed into law a budget provision advancing this. n
Authored legislation to stop illegal immigrants from enrolling in Obamacare and receiving taxpayer-funded subsidies. n
Authored and passed through the Senate the Steve Gleason Act to restore access to speech generating devices for ALS, stroke, and other patients, supporting a crucial lifeline for them. n
Authored and passed legislation to protect women’s access to breast cancer screenings by blocking the Obama task force recommendations to reduce mammograms. n
Passed an amendment to allow Americans to import safe, FDA-approved prescription drugs from Canada at much lower cost. n
Authored legislation to drastically lower prescription drug costs by getting generic drugs to the marketplace faster and expediting the licensing of biosimilar and generic drugs. n
Authored legislation to protect access to specialized medications for special needs children, cancer patients, and those losing their vision by reversing harmful FDA regulations. n
Authored a bill to increase access to emergency care for patients in rural Louisiana by increasing resources for ambulance services. n
Coauthored legislation that would increase the number of nurses in Louisiana hospitals and nursing homes to better meet patient needs. n
Offered three months of maternity leave to his U.S. Senate staff, among the most generous in Congress. n
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RESTORING OUR COAST, PROTECTING OUR PEOPLE
RESTORING OUR COAST, PROTECTING OUR PEOPLE COASTAL RESTORATION AND HURRICANE AND FLOOD PROTECTION AREN’T JUST IMPORTANT ISSUES. They’re matters of life or death—of survival for whole communities and ways of life. David and Wendy Vitter grew up in one coastal parish and now live in another. They understand that. As our governor, David will: 3 Ensure that all coastal funds like federal revenue sharing, Restore Act, and BP settlement monies are spent on coastal priorities, and are never used as one-time payments to fund other parts of state government. 3 Prioritize and greatly accelerate 3-5 key coastal restoration projects in the Coastal Master Plan so that we’re breaking ground in the next four years, giving people hope rather than endlessly studying. 3 Develop an aggressive, organized campaign to raise substantial private matching funds from energy and other leading businesses which would serve as lead sponsors of specific restoration projects in the Coastal Master Plan. 3 Lead a coalition of governors, including from Alaska, Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, and the Gulf Coast, to push the feds to expand and accelerate offshore leasing and revenue sharing, producing more American energy and revenue for both the federal government and producing states. 3 Ensure that mandated wetlands mitigation furthers restoration projects in the Coastal Master Plan to a substantially greater extent than present.
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3 Use a much greater amount of beneficial dredged material taken from our waterways to advance targeted restoration projects instead of dumping this valuable material into the Gulf of Mexico. 3 Advance levee protection and other projects in coastal Acadiana/Southwest Louisiana and continue to fight to include these projects in the federal plan. 3 Always be sensitive to the needs of our seafood industry and mitigate any negative impacts on it to ensure that our coast remains vibrant with commercial and recreation fishing and oyster harvesting. 3 Continue to demand accountability and action from the highest levels of federal agencies like the Corps of Engineers so they don’t take 20 years to study and construct projects.
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THE VITTER RECORD David has been a tireless and effective champion of Louisiana’s critical flood protection and coastal restoration needs, including as the top-ranking Republican and Infrastructure Subcommittee Chair on the Environment and Public Works Committee.
David has:
Helped secure $14.6 billion after Hurricane Katrina to rebuild and greatly strengthen the greater New Orleans Hurricane Protection System, including the New Orleans to Venice Project in Plaquemines Parish. n
Helped successfully lead efforts to pass landmark federal revenue sharing and the Restore Act, producing tens of billions of dollars for coastal restoration and protection. n
Authored and passed the full authorization of Morganza to the Gulf, the $10.3 billion hurricane protection project for Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes. n
Authored and passed the full authorization of the Louisiana Coastal Area Ecosystem Restoration Program, which includes over $2 billion in restoration projects throughout south Louisiana. n
Fought to expedite the Southwest Coastal Louisiana Hurricane Protection Study. David continues to push the Corps to include substantial levee protection for Acadiana/Southwest Louisiana in the final Chief’s Report. n
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RESTORING OUR COAST, PROTECTING OUR PEOPLE
Louisiana Coastal Land 1932–Present SQ MILES
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
7,722 7,529 7,336 7,143 6,950
Almost 2,000 square miles lost since 1932
6,950 6,757 6,564 6,371 6,178 5,985 5,792 5,598 5,405 Source: USGS
Expedited the completion and funding of the Calcasieu River Dredged Material Management Plan to restore over 5,800 acres of marsh adjacent to the Calcasieu River. n
Authored and passed language closing the MRGO “hurricane highway” to prevent future storms from funneling water into St. Bernard and other parishes. n
Held the Corps responsible for the operation and maintenance of the IHNC Surge and Barge Gates, the West Closure Complex, and Harvey Canal Sector Gate, and provided for future levee lifts to the hurricane protection system. n
Authorized the Corps to carry out levee certifications to allow local levees to be included in the National Flood Insurance Program, lowering flood insurance rates as a result. n
Reformed the Corps by expediting the project delivery process, streamlining environmental reviews, and holding the Corps accountable, including by financially penalizing it for the first time when it misses deadlines. n
Authorized and funded a $100 million program to beneficially use dredged material from Louisiana’s waterways to restore 21,000 acres of wetlands along our coast. n
Successfully pushed the Corps to expand the mitigation service area for the Comite River Diversion Flood Control Project, and secured $10 million to get this critical project moving for citizens along the Comite and Amite Rivers. n
1000
Fought against the Corps’ costly Modified Charleston Method for wetlands mitigation, 800 and required it to develop a method that’s far less burdensome to local businesses and governments. n
600 400 29
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SUPPORTING OUR FARMERS & FISHERMEN
SUPPORTING OUR FARMERS & FISHERMEN DAVID KNOWS HOW KEY OUR FARMERS AND FISHERMEN ARE, NOT JUST TO LOUISIANA’S ECONOMY, BUT TO OUR VERY WAY OF LIFE. He’ll always fight to empower them so they can succeed and prosper. As our governor, David will: 3 Continue and enhance state-based efforts that help farmers improve efficiency and reduce the burden of compliance with federal regulations, including our Conservation Districts and Master Farmer Program. 3 Support the work of our LSU Ag Center, other universities, and extension agents so that they deliver assistance effectively to farmers and fishermen, and ensure that those producers benefit from this state-of-the-art research into best practices and new technology. 3 Empower the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry to conduct safety inspections of seafood imports coming into Louisiana, ensuring that our food is safe and that foreign products comply with the same basic health and safety standards as Louisiana ones. 3 Ensure that our fishermen and oystermen are fully involved in the coastal restoration planning process so that their needs are fully understood and negative impacts on them mitigated.
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3 Direct the Louisiana Department of Economic Development to focus on attracting new investment opportunities in agriculture and seafood-related businesses and on identifying expanded export opportunities for Louisiana producers. 3 Work with all relevant state agencies to develop short- and long-term solutions to our ag and seafood businesses’ workforce challenges.
THE VITTER RECORD David has always been an aggressive advocate for Louisiana’s farmers and fisherman. He has:
Helped pass balanced and effective Farm Bills to provide a safety net for Louisiana’s farmers while cutting costs to taxpayers, and opposed efforts to weaken the bills through onerous implementation regulations.
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Opposed extreme, costly federal regulations on farmers and fishermen, including the disastrous Waters of the United States rule, unworkable pesticide rules, and unreasonable federal requirements on nets.
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Fought to repeal the federal death tax, which causes some profitable family farms to be sold just to pay the tax bill, and authored and passed the bill to end Louisiana’s death tax when serving in the state legislature.
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Fought and blocked extreme FDA proposals to ban eating raw oysters, and instead secured funding for education initiatives on the safe handling and consumption of one of Louisiana’s most well-known products.
the industry’s trade cases and voting for legislation to increase enforcement of our trade rules. Authored strong seafood safety legislation to support robust inspections of imports and ensure that foreign seafood complies with our basic health and safety standards. n
Fought the Obama Administration’s unreasonable wage rate mandates for seasonal guest workers, which has threatened the viability of many Louisiana seafood and ag businesses.
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Co-authored legislation to exempt most farming operations from EPA’s costly and unnecessary regulations on fuel storage. n
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Defended shrimpers, crawfish farmers, and other seafood producers against illegal seafood dumping by supporting n
Secured funding to test imported shrimp for antibiotics and to help reduce bacteria in Gulf oysters. n
Fought to make sure that fishermen, seafood processors, and others who suffered damages from the BP oil spill had their claims handled fairly and expeditiously. n
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LEADING WITH ENERGY
LEADING WITH ENERGY OUR ENERGY SECTOR REPRESENTS ENORMOUS LOUISIANA RICHES—NOT JUST IN NATURAL RESOURCES, BUT IN PEOPLE, INNOVATION, AND KNOW-HOW. Growing up, David Vitter saw this first-hand through the eyes of his dad, who was chief of Gulf production for Chevron. He sees it today, fighting the Obama administration’s anti-oil and gas policies. And as our governor, he’ll see us through to an even more vibrant energy future with his clear vision and determined leadership. He will: 3 Review all state tax policy that impacts energy with the goal of eliminating outdated or ineffective incentives and shifting to provisions that will maximize energy production, jobs, and economic activity. This will include: — Reinstating the inactive well exemption, which encourages production that would clearly not occur otherwise. — Exploring the revenue-neutral repeal of some complex energy exemptions in exchange for lower severence tax rates, making us more competitive with other producing states like Texas. 3 Streamline the state’s regulatory process at the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), making it far more customer-friendly by: — Expediting permits for energy production through eliminating red tape and developing a “one-stop shopping” model for our state regulatory system. — Modernizing well standards, throwing out the current one-size-fits-all approach that slows down permitting and delays production. — Eliminating the unfair DNR practice that gives landowners a veto that can delay or block clean-up and remediation, and harmonizing DNR clean-up standards with those of the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
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THE VITTER RECORD
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No other candidate for governor can match David Vitter’s concrete, proven record in support of our energy industry. David has:
Led opposition to President Obama’s drilling moratorium in the Gulf through concrete actions like: n
South Louisiana Land Rig Activity 3 Lead in developing a high-priority highway building program that targets key infrastructure necessary to support our large energy and industrial projects resulting from America’s energy renaissance. 3 Attack environmental over-regulation at the federal level by pursuing an aggressive litigation strategy with other states to block overreaching federal regulations that would have disastrous impacts on our state’s economy, including the new Waters of the United States rule and looming ozone and greenhouse gas standards. 3 Lead efforts to strengthen and protect our electric grid and other energy infrastructure to protect against the threats posed by storms, hurricanes, and natural or man-made electromagnetic pulses (EMPs). David is also the only candidate to make litigation reform a real priority to end frivolous lawsuits that cost us jobs. He’ll: 3 Fight for key reforms like guaranteeing the full right to trial by jury, stopping judge-shopping, and preventing lawyers from raising unlimited campaign funds for judges they practice before. 3 Prevent trial lawyers from pursuing “legacy lawsuits” in an abusive way. These have been used to win huge awards or settlements that have no relation to the value of the land or the cost of mandated clean-up, with little or none of that money ever used for actual clean-up.
— Organizing and hosting dozens of meetings, conference calls, and site visits involving affected workers and business owners, congressional leaders, and members of the Obama administration. — Uncovering and publicizing how the Obama White House doctored the initial experts’ report on the BP disaster so that the report appeared to support a moratorium, when in fact the panel of experts did not. — Blocking Senate confirmation of a key Obama appointee until 15 deepwater exploration drilling permits were issued for the Gulf. — Stopping a proposed pay raise for the Interior Secretary in light of his unnecessarily shutting down Gulf drilling.
Co-authored and helped pass into law the historic GOMESA law to establish revenue–sharing for Louisiana and other Gulf producing states for the first time ever.
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3 Oppose unfair lawsuits against energy producers for activity in the often distant past where they followed all applicable rules and regulations.
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Authored and passed into law an amendment sending tens of billions of dollars in energy revenue to the Gulf states instead of the federal government. n
Authored legislation mandating that the Interior Secretary open closed areas of the Outer Continental Shelf for mineral leasing, which would generate $273 billion of economic activity per year for the next thirty years. n
Cut through bureaucratic red tape at the Corps of Engineers so that job-creating liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects in Louisiana could move forward. n
Authored the first bill to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, which would lessen our dependence on the Middle East and create over 20,000 jobs. Such legislation was passed through Congress but vetoed by President Obama. n
Pushed and voted for opening up the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to energy production, which could be accomplished using a very limited surface footprint but create over 730,000 jobs. n
Authored legislation to create more certainty for production companies by requiring that the Bureau of Land Management issue permits to drill in a timely manner and by giving denied applicants appropriate opportunities to improve and resubmit their applications. n
Co-authored key legislation to help Louisiana meet its greatly increased workforce training needs as we continue to experience an energy and industrial renaissance. n
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LEADING WITH ENERGY
Authored legislation to streamline the process for old Gulf rigs to be decommissioned and included in the federal artificial reef program, and to expand the geographical areas where these decommissioned rigs may be placed to build reefs. n
Led efforts as the top-ranking Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee to oppose new, onerous regulations proposed by the Obama EPA on domestic energy companies. n
Issued carefully researched committee reports on the John Beale EPA scandal and on collusion between the Obama EPA and far-left environmental groups, and authored legislation to end collusive practices like “sue and settle� used to advance their anti-oil and gas agenda.
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Strongly supported legislation to significantly increase safety standards for offshore rigs in the Gulf, incorporating the lessons of the BP disaster to better protect rig workers and the environment. n
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GROWING GREAT JOBS
GROWING GREAT JOBS and the Skilled Workforce to Fill Them
LOUISIANA IS ENJOYING REAL JOB GROWTH IN THE INDUSTRIAL CORRIDOR. David Vitter is determined to bring that growth to all parts of the state and to give Louisianians the skills they need to fully benefit from it. David will lead efforts to lure large projects here, reverse Louisiana’s anti-business litigation climate, and greatly expand skills training opportunities. He’ll: 3 Direct Louisiana Economic Development (LED) to partner with local authorities and private landowners to develop and market key sites in each region of the state—like the Avondale site in southeast Louisiana—to attract major manufacturing and other projects. 3 Maximize job growth in the port/maritime sector by: — Appointing an experienced leader from that sector as the new Commissioner of Multimodal Commerce with direct access to the governor. — Placing a similar high-ranking official at LED with a mandate to focus on port/maritime job growth opportunities. — Meeting with these officials and their department secretaries regularly as a group to develop and execute an aggressive port/maritime agenda. 3 Build on the gains made in the digital media and technology sectors by having our universities aggressively partner with industry leaders in developing specialized programs to keep these activities and students in Louisiana. 3 Reform the current Hudson Initiative so that small businesses that want to contract with state government really get a fair shot and are not strangled by red tape.
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3 Pursue significant litigation reform to end frivolous lawsuits that cost us up to 50,000 jobs per year, and dramatically improve Louisiana’s current ranking in this category as the second worst state in the nation. 3 Ensure the full right to trial by jury, thus combating settlements of frivolous suits that make our car and homeowners insurance rates among the very highest in the nation. 3 Greatly accelerate the JumpStart program so that our students can begin job training and gain valuable workplace experience before they graduate high school. 3 Develop an “early warning system” in conjunction with JumpStart that identifies those students most likely to drop out and develops a plan to help them graduate, obtain job skills, and secure employment. 3 Better serve working families by moving more workforce training programs and courses online and during weekends to make it practical for them to train for better paying jobs and careers. 3 Elevate the role of Louisiana’s technical and community colleges in higher education under the leadership of the WISE Council by: — Reforming and maximizing the impact of financial aid programs like TOPS Tech to put more career training opportunities within reach of Louisiana students. — Greatly expanding the practice of technical schools and universities sharing campus facilities to increase access to skills training and reduce costs and inefficiencies. — Aggressively publicizing the earning potential of those who successfully complete vocational and technical school to high school students and their parents.
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3 Develop a more collaborative approach to workforce training and strengthern the leadership of the Workforce Investment Council so that all relevant state agencies and industry partners are on the same page, maximizing the impact of state and other resources by: — Requiring all state agencies that work with low-income families to direct them to skills training programs and employment resources that can put lift them out of poverty through better paying jobs and careers. — Integrating state data systems involving workforce, education, and public assistance so that agencies can quickly identify individuals in the greatest need of skills training. 3 Retool the Quality Jobs Program and use a portion of Incumbent Worker Training Program funds to help sectors experiencing a significant downturn avoid layoffs. 3 Reshape the New Jobs Tax Credit to incent businesses to hire the long-term unemployed and veterans who have certified skills training.
THE VITTER RECORD David has:
As our U.S. Senator, David Vitter has always fought for the right policies that will grow good jobs here. And he’s been hands on, actively partnering with local and state officials to lure key jobcreating projects.
Vitter’s “ David strong leadership and concrete plan to grow jobs is exactly what Louisiana needs.” — Eddie Rispone CHAIRMAN.
ISC CONSTRUCTORS
David has: Made dozens of calls to corporate ceo’s regarding specific projects and expansions in Louisiana that were being considered. n
Personally contacted leaders of the Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Department of Energy, and other government agencies to ensure that key permits for large job-creating projects were handled in an efficient, timely way. n
Helped lead efforts, still ongoing, to redevelop and reuse the Avondale site on the Mississippi River by convening meetings with the corporate owners, economic development officials, and prospective developers/tenants. n
Successfully advocated for legacy lawsuit reform in 2013 in light of the tremendous negative impact of these abusive suits on energy sector jobs. n
Coauthored and passed into law the Class Action Fairness Act to put an end to class action lawsuit abuses that hurt businesses and cost us jobs. n
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GROWING GREAT JOBS
Fought for and helped reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, which provides federal funding for education programs that allow students to obtain the skills needed to compete in our high-tech workforce. n
Helped secure millions of federal dollars for Louisiana entities to develop and expand skills training programs to meet the state’s current workforce demands. n
Supported reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act to better align workforce development programs with current economic development and workforce demands across the nation. n
Coauthored legislation that would allow for more flexibility to use Pell Grants for workforce training. n
Voted for provisions that would help revitalize domestic manufacturing by increasing efforts to train and retrain manufacturing workers. n
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MAKING GOVERNMENT CUSTOMER-FOCUSED
MAKING GOVERNMENT CUSTOMERFOCUSED Through Streamlining and E-Commerce
WHEN’S THE LAST TIME A STATE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE TREATED YOU LIKE A VALUED CUSTOMER? Or a state government office was organized efficiently like a high-tech business? David Vitter will demand that of state government. What’s more, he has a specific plan to remake state government in that image. He will: 3 Completely overhaul the Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) to end maddening wait times and inefficiency by: — Offering appointment times to the maximum extent possible so that citizens know when they will be served and don’t have to waste hours waiting. — Allowing online completion of applications and forms, like vehicle registrations and license renewals, whenever possible to save time. — Developing easy-to-use kiosks at OMV offices and expanding express OMV locations.
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3 Use social media more effectively by improving and promoting state government smart phone apps to properly inform citizens and enlist their input. These apps could be used for: — Reporting potholes and road problems to the Transportation Department (DOTD) so they can be fixed and addressed more quickly, and having that department provide better notice of lane closures and other disruptions due to construction. — Delivering more emergency notifications and guidance in real-time from Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP). — Providing citizens more warnings and updates about highway accidents, other traffic blockages, and dangerous criminals through the State Police. 3 Dramatically reduce the number of state cars, and use GPS monitoring systems to reduce fuel costs and prevent the significant travel abuses outlined in the Inspector General’s 2009 report. 3 Overhaul the Revenue Department’s phone answering and email response system, now known for slow response times and dropped calls, by using new technologies and processes. 3 Greatly streamline our sales tax e-File system so that Louisiana businesses don’t have to deal with 65 different rule books and audit agencies. 3 Implement the remaining reforms suggested by the Louisiana Streamlining Commission, led by Treasurer John Kennedy, which offered numerous common sense solutions to make state government more responsive to citizens. 3 Foster the development of innovative technologies at our universities and tech companies, both to grow Louisiana jobs and to incorporate these new technologies into state government to increase efficiency and improve customer service.
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“
ACCORDING TO THE NONPARTISAN LEGISLATIVE FISCAL OFFICE… [Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles]
WAIT TIMES GREW FROM AS LITTLE AS 8 TO 16 MINUTES IN 2009
TO MORE THAN AN HOUR BY 2013.” — The Associated Press, 01/09/14
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MAKING GOVERNMENT CUSTOMER-FOCUSED
THE VITTER RECORD David Vitter is always striving to find new and improved ways to make interactions with the government as easy and convenient as possible.
David has: Reduced parts of his own operating budget and staff in Washington in order to open more offices around Louisiana and hold more satellite office hours to better serve Louisianians. No other U.S. Senator here has ever offered seven convenient Louisiana offices and satellite office hours in every parish. n
Established a convenient mobile office immediately following Hurricanes Gustav and Ike to offer victims in the severely impacted areas maximum convenience. n
Used social media as an outreach tool, including to launch a new website with a Virtual Town Hall Meeting--the first in the Louisiana Congressional Delegation to do so. n
Held 213 Telephone Town Hall meetings (in addition to in-person Town Halls in every parish) as a customer-friendly way to receive feedback on critical issues important to Louisiana. n
Held multiple Q&A sessions on Facebook to hear directly from citizens.
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Established special hotline numbers for constituents to call to avoid long bureaucratic waits in dealing with federal agencies in the wake of disasters such as the BP oil spill. n
Used web and email outreach for veterans to submit their horror stories of wait times and poor service at the VA. This led to expediting dozens of cases for Louisiana veterans. n
Worked to require photo IDs for individuals using food stamps to fight fraud and abuse.
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Fought to uncover corruption and cronyism in Louisiana by setting up an interactive, online form on his website and a special hotline to report tips conveniently and confidentially. n
Helped increase important Byrne/JAG funding to enable intelligence-sharing across multiple law enforcement agencies--local, state, and federal. This has been instrumental in protecting Louisiana communities from dangerous activity including drug and human trafficking. n
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FIGHTING CRIME
FIGHTING VIOLENT CRIME and REFORMING CRIMINAL JUSTICE AS THE PARENTS OF FOUR, DAVID AND WENDY VITTER’S NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS PROTECTING THEIR FAMILY. That’s why keeping our streets safe and our communities drug-free isn’t a cheap sound byte; its David’s solid commitment.
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That means swift justice and strong sentences for violent offenders. And it means reforming criminal justice so we don’t warehouse young, non-violent offenders with hardened criminals so that the only skills they learn are those they’ll use against us. Wendy knows this too from her work as a successful prosecutor and Chief of the Felony Trial Division under D.A. Harry Connick. As our governor, David will: 3 Explore all short-term options to arrest the crime wave in the City New Orleans which threatens statewide tourism and job growth. This includes considering forming a new State Police troop there funded exclusively by tourism industry pledges and local revenue, and having the State Police help train and improve the professionalism of the New Orleans Police Department. 3 Impose strong sentences on criminals convicted of sexual assault and any crime that targets our children, seniors, and women. 3 Demand that all Louisiana law enforcement officials follow federal law and fully cooperate with immigration enforcement to identify and arrest dangerous illegal aliens. 3 Target the continuing threats of methamphetamine labs, OxyContin abuse, and other prescription drug abuse in our rural communities. 3 Build public-private partnerships with businesses to develop effective crime-fighting strategies like greatly increasing rewards for tips from the community that lead to the quick apprehension and conviction of violent criminals. 3 Implement best practices from other states to expand GED and skills training opportunities in prison, and cost-effective work release and monitoring programs. 3 Require inmates to craft post-release plans that outline potential employment along with help from family, churches, and others that they will pursue immediately upon release, and tie any paroles to strict adherence to these plans. 3 Reduce the likelihood that high-risk youth will become involved in gangs by coordinating intervention among law enforcement, schools, churches, and other community-based groups. 3 Focus and target resources on mental health evaluation and treatment so that we get effective help to persons with these disorders, reduce recidivism, and prevent them from clogging the criminal justice system. The new St. Tammany Mental Health Campus is an exciting model to consider using in other regions.
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David will also aggressively combat domestic and sexual abuse. He’ll: 3 Amend the Louisiana Criminal Code so that stalking by strangers is included in Louisiana’s Protective Order Registry to prevent abuse and violence towards women. 3 Work with local government, churches, and community groups to increase shelter capacity for victims of domestic violence. 3 Require a minimum of four hours of training for law enforcement personnel to prepare them to work with sexual assault victims. 3 Prioritize testing all DNA evidence at Louisiana crime labs to ensure rapists and other violent criminals are caught immediately.
THE VITTER RECORD Throughout David Vitter’s career, he has always strongly supported crime victims and law enforcement. That’s why Crimefighters of Louisiana has endorsed David for governor, and why Crimefighters and Victims and Citizens Against Crime have presented their highest awards to him.
David has: Strongly supported Louisiana’s crime labs, securing major funding to collect and process DNA evidence and put rapists behind bars. n
Helped pass into law the SAFER Act, which requires that existing federal funds be spent on analyzing untested DNA evidence or increasing the capacity of crime labs. n
Authored the Voice For Victims Act to ensure that victims raped in the workplace have numerous criminal and civil means to achieve justice and are not forced into arbitration agreements with their employers, who may have been negligent or complicit. n
Passed a budget amendment greatly strengthening penalties against meth and heroin dealers, particularly if the sale results in overdose or death. n
Authored legislation to increase the minimum jail sentence for drug dealers who target our children, because we can’t be too tough on dangerous criminals who target our single most precious resource. n
Authored legislation to block federal funds from going to “sanctuary cities” like San Francisco that ignore federal law and refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement in identifying dangerous illegal aliens. n
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FIGHTING CRIME
Authored and passed legislation in committee to provide bulletproof vests to law enforcement officers. n
Passed legislation through committee to establish a National Blue Alert System and greatly strengthen the response when an officer is killed or injured in the line of duty, requiring coordination among all relevant agencies. n
Coauthored and helped pass into law the SAFE Act, which greatly strengthened the system for internet service providers to report online child pornography and made the failure to report child pornography a federal crime. n
Secured funding for implementation of the Adam Walsh Act to to track convicted child predators. n
Secured significant funds for Louisiana law enforcement agencies to upgrade facilities and equipment, including: n
— $200,000 for the Lafayette Police Department’s interoperable communications equipment. — $500,000 for the Calcasieu Parish Police Department. — $1.15 million for the Louisiana Sheriffs Association Methamphetamine Task Force. — $450,000 for the Ascension Parish Law Enforcement Training Center. — $2.1 million to expand Louisiana district attorneys’ and crime labs’ work to identify, arrest, and prosecute sexual predators targeting children.
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HIGHER EDUCATION
STABILIZING & BUILDING EXCELLENCE in HIGHER EDUCATION
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LOUISIANA NEEDS A STABLE, FIRST-RATE, AFFORDABLE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM. OUR ECONOMY DEPENDS ON IT. EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE DESERVE IT. That’s why David Vitter is absolutely committed to ensuring great higher ed opportunities. David will stop death by a thousand cuts immediately. Then he’ll move us beyond the turf battles, redundant bureaucracy, and petty politics that have long held us back. David will: 3 Immediately call a Special Legislative Session to stabilize the budget and prevent any further debilitating cuts to higher education by enacting truly fundamental spending and tax reform instead. This will include: — Undedicating many other areas of the budget and rooting out truly wasteful spending so that higher ed isn’t the constant target for disproportionate cuts. — Eliminating the endless cycle of “slashing funding/raising tuition” that is pricing many young Louisianians out of good higher ed opportunities. — Exploring reforms to the TOPS program like those supported by Phyllis Taylor so that we absolutely preserve and sustain TOPS for future generations. 3 Convene a Commission on Streamlining and Building Excellence in Higher Education composed of representatives of the Board of Regents, the four public higher education systems, and civic and community leaders to develop and propose specific reforms in three areas: — Giving greater authority to the Board of Regents in setting and achieving overall goals and priorities for Louisiana higher education. — Properly allocating resources to four-year, two-year, skills training, and other programs based on clear goals and objective metrics. — Reducing unnecessary duplication and inefficiencies in academic programs and the procurement of services. For instance, there are four public nursing programs in Shreveport-Bossier alone; while we need all of those in-demand nursing slots, we don’t need four different bureaucracies and sets of overhead involved. 3 Fully comply with the GRAD Act so that universities that achieve their benchmarks can be sure that state government will keep its end of the bargain through proper funding and increased tuition autonomy.
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3 Greatly expand the practice of technical and community colleges sharing space with some four-year universities to more efficiently use resources and promote a seamless partnership between those systems. 3 Focus on true centers of excellence at our universities like Louisiana Tech’s fast-growing cyber security program cluster. We must stop spreading crucial resources a mile wide and an inch deep and instead build nationally recognized areas of leadership and expertise that can attract competitive research and other grant funding. 3 Make more targeted investments into high-priority research areas through the constitutionally dedicated Support Fund. Currently, a high number of small-dollar grants are awarded to universities, leaving high-priority areas starved for substantial, adequate funding. 3 Fully protect the START Savings Program from cuts or elimination so that it can continue to offer parents significant incentives and assistance in saving for their children’s higher education. 3 Reduce the cost and time to complete two- and four-year degrees by aggressively expanding dual enrollment, allowing Louisiana high school students to earn college credit under the appropriate circumstances. 3 Provide greater institutional support and resources for students to properly transition from remedial courses and two-year institutions into four-year universities. 3 Create a more effective partnership between Louisiana Economic Development’s FastStart program, the Louisiana Workforce Commission, and university and community/technical college career placement centers so that students are placed in high-demand jobs before they graduate. 3 Greatly expand campus services for veterans pursuing higher education and increase their ability to appropriately receive course credit for substantial, high-level military training.
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HIGHER EDUCATION
THE VITTER RECORD David Vitter has always worked very hard to support Louisianians as they pursue higher ed opportunities. That’s because David’s own education was crucial to his success, and because he’s gained valuable understanding through his two brothers in higher ed—a math professor and computer scientist/provost.
David has: Fought to prevent federal student loan rates from doubling so that a college education can remain within reach of working- and middle-class families. n
Worked to successfully reauthorize and strengthen federal Pell grants to allow low-income students to attend college, and explored and proposed increased flexibility in the program to allow it to be used for well designed, in-demand skills training. n
Supported higher education-related tax relief to help working- and middle-class families pay for tuition and other college costs. n
Voted for the GEAR UP program that helps prepare low-income students to enroll and succeed in college, including over $33 million to help disadvantaged Louisiana students be college-ready. n
Secured $278 million in federal funding for higher education institutions across Louisiana for key research and infrastructure, including $128 million in recovery funds following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. n
Helped Louisiana’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities by authorizing a low-interest loan program to help them rebuild after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and by supporting crucial financing for their reconstruction, repairs, and renovation. n
Coauthored bipartisan legislation to encourage innovation and collaboration at Louisiana research centers by protecting inventors’ intellectual property rights. n
Cosponsored bipartisan campus safety legislation to address sexual assault through improved coordination with law enforcement, additional on-campus support services, and increased funding to help victims and to prevent sexual abuse. n
Regularly visited with Louisiana higher ed students and administrators on campuses around Louisiana regarding their top challenges and priorities. n
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PROTECTING LIFE AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
PROTECTING LIFE AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM LOUISIANIANS HAVE LONG CELEBRATED GOD-GIVEN LIFE and the freedom to live our religious convictions. David Vitter believes deeply in these core, traditional values. What’s more, David has actively led the fight for these rights his entire public life. As our governor, he will: 3 End the state’s Medicaid contract with Planned Parenthood in light of the organization’s horrific abortion practices and move the provision of non-abortion services to respected and convenient providers around the state. 3 Support the right to life in every way possible, including by supporting legislation to make ultrasounds widely available, to recognize when babies feel the pain of abortions, and to end horrible practices like sex-selection abortions. 3 Rigorously enforce health and safety regulations at all clinics that perform abortions. Too often, abortion clinics have not been held to the same health and safety standards as comparable, true healthcare facilities. 3 Elevate the status of foster care and adoption as vital components of a pro-family agenda within state government by: — Growing the number of foster families and Court-Appointed Special Advocates. — Reducing the red tape and bureaucracy that prevents foster children from being adopted in a timely way by streamlining the process. — Building on the wonderful Louisiana Heart Gallery initiative by partnering even more with churches, non-profits, and businesses that want to advocate for saving children through foster care and adoption.
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3 Fully and pro-actively enforce the current legal requirement that key front-line healthcare professionals be adequately trained to present adoption as a viable, positive option. 3 Strongly support and enforce present Louisiana law that state government shall not deny licenses, tax benefits, and the like from churches, pastors, and their congregations because of their sincerely held views of marriage. 3 Fully protect churches’ constitutional rights, including never forcing them to perform marriage ceremonies that violate their religious beliefs, and fully protect their tax-exempt status. 3 End the current practice of the state acting as the bill collector for unions, automatically withdrawing union dues from state paychecks. Nationally, this funds leftist political activity like advocating for abortion and amnesty for illegal immigrants.
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3 Demand better training, decreased caseloads, and professional development for Department of Children and Family Services case workers, and fully implement the reforms outlined in the April 2014 Legislative Auditor’s report. 3 Reform the state Child Neglect Hotline so that families who report child abuse have the full confidence that bureaucratic delays and jurisdictional disputes aren’t getting in the way of fully protecting our children. 3 Explore expanding the Safe Families for Children initiative statewide, allowing emergency foster families to temporarily care for children whose parents are facing crises.
THE VITTER RECORD Many Louisiana politicians vaguely claim to be pro-life and pro-religious liberty. But no other gubernatorial candidate has the perfect, 23-year record of strong votes and active leadership that David Vitter has on all of the life and values issues we care about.
David has: Earned a 100% lifetime rating from National Right to Life, the only gubernatorial candidate to do so. n
Coauthored and helped pass legislation that ended the grisly practice of partial-birth abortions. n
Secured funding for crisis pregnancy centers across Louisiana.
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Authored legislation to stop $481 million of federal taxpayer dollars from going to abortion mills like Planned Parenthood until they stop providing and referring for elective abortions. n
Authored legislation to end the horrible practice of sex-selection abortion, which overwhelmingly targets female babies. n
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PROTECTING LIFE AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
Authored legislation to protect the consciences of pro-life Americans by prohibiting the government from discriminating against any healthcare workers or organizations for refusing to participate in abortion-related activities. n
Authored legislation that protects women from dangerous abortionists like Kermit Gosnell by requiring persons performing abortions to have admitting privileges at local hospitals and to comply with local requirements for ambulatory surgery centers. n
Coauthored legislation to prohibit taxpayer funds from being used to cover the costs of Obamacare health plans that pay for abortions. n
Coauthored legislation to prohibit the federal government from taking any adverse actions against churches, pastors, or their congregations because of their sincerely held views on marriage. n
Coauthored legislation to protects states’ historic rights and role in defining marriage without encroachment by the federal government. n
Coauthored an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to recognize marriage as the legal union of one man and one woman. n
“
DAVID VITTER
HAS BEEN ON THE FRONT LINE ACTIVELY FIGHTING TO
DEFUND PLANNED PARENTHOOD FOR YEARS.
”
— Sharon Rodi, Louisiana Right To Life Leader
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Inside Back Cover Intentionally Left Blank
DavidVitter.com