Landrieu Cosponsors Amendment to Keep Troops Home with their Families More Often

(July 9) Senator Landrieu today joined Senator Jim Webb, D-Va., in introducing an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act requiring that active duty troops have at least the same amount of time at home as their previous tour of duty overseas.

In addition to requiring a 1-to-1 year ratio for length of deployment to length of dwell time for active duty troops, the amendment also mandates a 1-to-3 year ratio for National Guard and Reserve units deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan.

"Our armed forces are completely overstretched with extended tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan," Sen. Landrieu said. "We have been fighting this war for four years, and it's time to give our fighting men and women a reprieve. This amendment will be a huge improvement to military retention for our National Guard and Reserve units by allowing these units the time they need to reunite with their families and adequately prepare for their next mission."

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Landrieu Announces Lake Charles Will Receive Storm and Navigation Safety System

(July 3) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has notified Lake Charles that it will receive the Physical-Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS�) technology, secured by Senator Landrieu in the recent Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill, to help the port reestablish safe and efficient marine commerce.

"Lake Charles is a critical energy and agriculture port, and the PORTS� technology will make navigating through it much safer," Sen. Landrieu said. "We will also be able to better gauge the threat of storm surges. The increased safety of our mariners and our community will allow the Port of Lake Charles to thrive, ensuring long-term economic growth for our region."

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Landrieu: FDA Must Ensure Safety of all Imported Seafood

(June 29) Senator Landrieu today commented on the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) decision yesterday to ban importing five types of farm-raised Chinese fish and shrimp because of the unsafe drugs they contain. China has been increasingly exporting shrimp to the United States.

Sen. Landrieu, an Appropriations Committee member, has long fought for tougher FDA inspection of shrimp, catfish, shellfish and other farmed seafood products imported from overseas. Some Asian seafood has been found to be tainted with chloramphenicol, which has been banned in the United States.

Sen. Landrieu said:

"The FDA made a commonsense decision yesterday when it banned potentially-dangerous, imported seafood from China. Some Chinese farm-raised seafood, including shrimp, was found to contain chemicals that could cause serious health problems in humans, and are rightly illegal for use in the United States."

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