U.S. Rep. Abraham says Louisianians ‘take care of each other’

   With the nation’s eyes on Louisiana and the record-breaking floods that have displaced thousands and killed at least 13, U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham said the country also sees the character of the Bayou State’s people.

   “We do circle the wagons to deal with adversity,” Abraham told the Marksville Chamber of Commerce Aug. 18. “We take care of each other.”

   Abraham said what sets Louisiana’s response to disasters apart from other states’ is the widespread reaction of communities reaching out to help those in need.

   “In other states, there are individuals who want to help, but it’s different here,” Abraham said.

   The Mangham Republican said that communities in South Louisiana responded to floods in North and Central Louisiana earlier this year.

   “It’s what we do,” he added.

   Most of Abraham’s other remarks dealt with national issues -- including the national debt, Obamacare, illegal immigration and terrorist threats on the nation’s southern border.

   Abraham said there is a known Hezbollah command center within a few miles of the U.S.-Mexico border.

   “In the front of the building, it operates a legitimate taxi cab business,” he said. It operates a counterfeiting operation in the back half of the building, he added.

   ISIS also has a presence near the Mexican border, Abraham said.

   “We know what they are doing,” he continued. “We are watching them, but we cannot strike.”

   Abraham said the issue “that keeps me up at night” is the staggeringly high national debt, which is now almost $20 trillion.

   Congress can “kick the debt down the road” and not deal with it, but it must pay the interest on that debt.

   In 2016, the interest is $230 billion “which is twice what we give our veterans in a year, including all programs for veterans.”

   Abraham said he has heard complaints that Congress doesn’t do anything.

   He said members of the House -- where the GOP has a working majority -- have passed 350 “good bills,” but only 26 made it through the Senate to become law.

  During the question and answer period, Marksville Mayor John Lemoine told Abraham that the city and Police Jury had wanted to work together to clear out a drainage canal behind the Garan plant in Marksville.

   “We met with FEMA and the Corps of Engineers a couple of years ago to present ways to relieve flooding in the city,” Lemoine said. “The Corps flatly rejected the idea. They said they didn’t want us digging back there because it’s wetlands. We told them we wouldn’t be digging. We only want to clear out the debris and trees blocking up the canal.”

Lemoine said about 50 houses flooded in Marksville, and he believes some of that flooding could have been avoided had the city and parish been given permission to move forward with the clearing project. 

   “That canal drains 60 percent of Marksville,” Lemoine said.

   Abraham said he would contact the Corps concerning the issue.