Four Republicans and one Democrat have announced their candidacy for the United States Senate seat currently held by David Vitter. One of those Republicans is Representative Charles Boustany of Louisiana’s Third Congressional district.
Boustany, addressing the Baton Rouge Press Club on Monday, says he believes Louisiana "can be the epicenter of commerce."
Focusing on economic challenges facing the state and nation, he took aim at President Obama. "His attacks on important industries like oil and gas," says Boustany, "have slowed our economic recovery. The American people have just lost confidence about the state of our economy."
That lack of confidence, he says, is also being felt in the healthcare economy under Obamacare, a policy the Congressman--a cardiovascular surgeon--says he cannot find anything to like about.
Yet, just one day into his administration, Governor Edwards signed an executive order expanding Medicaid in Louisiana. In a statement released Monday, DHH Secretary Rebekah Gee highlighted the expected $1.8 billion in economic activity that expansion could generate.
But Boustany suggests it’s an economic burden. "Medicaid clearly is breaking the budget of not only Louisiana, but other states as well. Unless you reform Medicaid in this state along certain lines, you’re going to create a disaster if you expand Medicaid. It’s going to be very expensive and you’re going to flood emergency rooms," he says.
According to the 2015 Louisiana Survey done by the LSU Public Policy Research Lab, sixty percent of Louisianans support accepting federal dollars in order to increase access to healthcare.
The election of Louisiana’s next Senator will take place on November 8, 2016.