Louisiana gov to ask Biden for disaster declaration during visit to New Orleans

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) said he will push for President Biden to issue a disaster declaration during the president’s visit to the state on Monday.

In a Monday statement, Landry also pushed for Senate Democrats to move swiftly with South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s (R) confirmation process for her expected nomination to lead the Department of Homeland Security.

“I look forward to speaking with President Biden today on quickly approving my request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration,” Landry said in a statement.

“This is no time to play around,” he continued. “Which is why I am also calling on Senate Democrats on the Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee to allow Kristi Noem to get to work on Day 1 as our Secretary of Homeland Security. There should be no gap in leadership.”

“In the wake of the Bourbon Street and Las Vegas attacks, our nation’s security depends on her quick confirmation,” he added.

Landry made his initial request for an emergency declaration on Thursday, one day after a man authorities have identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a truck into a crowd of people in the French Quarter early New Year’s Day, killing 14 and injuring 30.

“This terrorist attack has caused significant harm to our visitors and residents, disrupted essential services, and overwhelmed local and state resources during a time when the city is host to several large-scale events, including the Sugar Bowl and related activities, as well as the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras in coming weeks,” he wrote in his initial letter.

“The State of Louisiana and its partners have fully responded to the crisis. However, the magnitude and complexity of the situation exceed their capacity to manage without federal assistance. As local and federal law enforcement work to find additional details on the attack, including tracking IEDs and potential security threats, additional immediate federal support is critical to protect lives, restore essential services, and mitigate the potential for further harm,” he added.

Biden, who has two weeks left in office, is visiting New Orleans in what is likely to be his last visit to the aftermath of a tragic crime to meet with families of victims.

“I’ve been there. There’s nothing you can really say to somebody that’s just had such a tragic loss,” Biden told reporters Sunday, The Associated Press reported. “My message is going to be personal if I get to get them alone.”

Biden’s first wife and baby daughter died in a car crash in the early 1970s, soon after he was first elected to public office.