Congressman Garret Graves, representing Louisiana's 6th District, joins Local Leaders: The Podcast host Jim Chapman in an insightful rare longform interview.

Chapman goes in depth with the U.S. Congressman for nearly an hour starting with his decision to run for office in 2014, including the challenges Congressman Graves faced in the runoff battle against former Governor Edwin Edwards. The focus then shifts to the flood of 2016 that devestated much of Congressman Graves 6th district.

Graves goes into detail on the fight for funding, the fight to hold FEMA accountable for their “lackluster” response and the urgent need for proactive measures such as infrastructure improvements and disaster relief projects. 

Congressman Graves unwavering commitment to advocating for aid and resources for rebuilding efforts underscores the power of dedicated leadership in times of adversity. Chapman points out Graves’ tireless efforts in securing funding for critical projects like the Comite Diversion project and highlights his dedication to Louisiana’s 6th district.

 Congressman Graves, in his fifth term as Congressman, has played a primary role in securing funding and other resources for projects throughout Louisiana’s 6th district, especially in Livingston Parish, where Graves efforts assisted in bringing ROTC to Denham Springs High School, broadband access to underserved areas of the parish and a state of the art STEM center to Denham Springs. Built on the former site of Southside Elementary, which sustained heavy damage in the flood of 2016. Chapman and the Congressman discuss the impact these programs have had especially as it relates to the younger generation in the parish.

Congressman Graves discusses current projects where funding is already on the way, including a capital region program designed to assist in battling the Fentynal epidemic, crawfish farmers assistance programs as well the complete funding of the Comite Diversion project and discussed plans of flood prevention projects already in planning such as a 3rd outlet for the Amite River.

Graves expresses his frustration with the Duplication of Benefits battle in Washington and his commitment to see that the issues with disaster relief get resolved through common sense legislation and hard work.

This unique look at Garret Graves provides the viewer and/or listener with an insight that is rare in the current political landscape both locally and nationally, but with the transparency that Congressman Graves has always given his constituents through his Facebook Live sessions and his “Grub with Garret" lunches, you may have come to expect it from him. 

Timestamps: 
2:07 Congressional District Coverage
2:47 Starting the Congressional Career
4:59 Winning the Race Against Edwin Edwards
6:14 Fifth Consecutive Term in Congress
9:02 Personal Story of the 2016 Flood
11:52 Impact of a Congressional Message
12:33 Addressing FEMA's Response
19:07 Recognition of Community Support
23:58 Acknowledgment of Proactive Disaster Funding
25:29 Preparing for Floods Before They Hit
26:43 Advancing Proactive Flood Prevention Projects
30:11 Overcoming Obstacles for ROTC Program
31:39 Impact of ROTC on Youth Development
31:49 Battling the Fentanyl Crisis 34:03
The Graves-Carter Disaster Relief Fix
35:34 Challenges in Disaster Relief Funding
38:26 Addressing Inequities in Disaster Relief
42:03 Supporting Crawfish Farmers Amid Challenges
42:28 Congressman's Fun Facts
43:23 Congressman's Favorite Part of Service
45:27 Urging for Thoughtful Voting Considerations

You can stay up to date with what Congressman Graves is doing for Louisiana’s 6th district by:

Congressman Garret Graves on the web: 
https://garretgraves.house.gov

To take part in and view his Facebook Live events:  https://www.facebook.com/CongressmanGarretGraves

Local Leaders is Produced by Envision Podcast Productions