A Note From the Desk of Congresswoman Letlow

Representing Louisiana’s 5th District in Congress is the honor of a lifetime. It’s been a busy few weeks with numerous visits with my constituents in Louisiana as well as votes on the House floor. The House of Representatives passed a budget bill implementing much of President Trump’s low-tax agenda, which you can learn more about by listening to a recent radio interview I did with Brian Haldane of Talk 107.3.

We also recently celebrated National Police Week, a time to recognize the invaluable contributions of our law enforcement to the safety of our citizens and communities.

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Sincerely,

Julia Letlow, Ph.D.
Member of Congress

Fighting for Lower Taxes

President Trump’s signature legislation of this Congress passed the House of Representatives last week, designed to support workers, parents, farmers, and seniors. This legislation cuts taxes, reduces wasteful spending by removing illegal immigrants from government programs, and supports President Trump’s border security agenda. I voted yes because of the tax relief this bill provides to Louisiana’s working families - specifically a higher standard tax deduction for the middle class, a more generous child tax credit, and an elimination of taxes on both tips and overtime. This bill not only prevents tax hikes from taking effect upon the expiration of President Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, but also adds new relief for workers who have seen cost of living increases in recent years. The legislation now goes to the Senate for their consideration.

Protecting Louisiana Shrimp

I recently joined my colleagues Mike Ezell (R-MS) and Troy Carter (D-LA) in introducing the Safer Shrimp Imports Act, which would tighten inspections on imported shrimp and protect Louisiana’s famous shrimp industry. With a flood of foreign shrimp imports from countries like China, our Gulf Coast shrimpers have drawn the short end of the stick. Foreign shrimp is inferior in quality and comes with health concerns, in addition to being heavily subsidized in countries like China and Vietnam. This puts our Louisiana shrimpers at a competitive disadvantage - even though our shrimp is much better! Our bill will hold foreign governments accountable for unfairly threatening our famous shrimp industry. I’ll keep fighting to make sure Louisiana shrimpers receive a fair shake.

Celebrating our Law Enforcement Community

We recently celebrated National Police Week, a time to honor our heroic police officers for the sacrifices they make daily to keep us safe. I deeply value the sacrifices our officers make to protect our communities, which is why I voted for legislation last week to boost their wages by eliminating taxes on overtime pay. Our law enforcement officers sacrifice significant family time to protect our communities, and President Trump’s tax bill would reward them by removing federal taxes on income they earn when working overtime. You can learn more about this America First policy by watching testimony here from some of America’s brave officers.

Working with President Trump's Cabinet

Due to my role on the House Appropriations Committee, I’ve had the chance to question President Trump’s cabinet secretaries in recent weeks. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer, and Secretary of Health and Human Services RFK Jr. have all come before our committee, offering us the opportunity to share our priorities with the Trump Administration. I had a productive conversation with each of these distinguished officials about the work they are doing to implement President Trump’s agenda, and shared my priorities of fighting human trafficking, supporting women’s health research, and using our education system to build a high-quality workforce. Check out my conversation below with Secretary Rubio regarding how the Trump Administration’s border security measures are key to tackling the tragedy of widespread human trafficking.

Visiting with Constituents

While I’m deeply honored to represent Louisiana’s 5th District in the halls of Congress, sharing special moments with my constituents while back home is my favorite part of the job. On weekends and district work days, I love traveling the district and listening to the needs of Louisianans. From Bastrop to Baton Rouge to Bogalusa, Louisiana’s 5th is a special place full of salt-of-the-earth people. It’s an honor to represent all of you in Congress.

Celebrating the Luke Letlow Post Office

We had a special day in Richland Parish earlier this month in honor of my late husband Luke. The Rayville Post Office was formally renamed the “Luke Letlow Post Office Building” in honor of the significant contributions he made to Richland Parish and all of Louisiana during a life defined by public service. This facility will now stand as a monument to Luke’s servant’s heart and his dedication to the rural communities of north Louisiana. With this recognition, his legacy will live on in the place he called home. I was thrilled to be surrounded by some of our closest family and friends as we celebrated a life well lived and a tremendous legacy of public service.

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