U.S. Rep. Garret Graves says he expects Louisiana to need additional congressional aid to recover from the August flood, and he’s displeased with the plan to spend the money received so far.
The Associated Press reports Graves raised objections this afternoon, during an address to the Press Club of Baton Rouge, to plans developed by Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration to spend $400 million on home repairs in low- to moderate-income households.
The Republican congressman says Louisiana shouldn’t discriminate on income and should have sought a waiver of federal rules requiring the money to go to poorer households. He also had concerns about the program’s administrative costs and a timeline that won’t have payments to homeowners until spring.
Louisiana received congressional approval last week for another $1.2 billion in block grant assistance from Congress. The Edwards administration hasn’t yet proposed a plan for that money.
