As he finishes his term in Congress, Rep. Garret Graves says Louisiana needs greater investment to make significant strides moving forward.
“It’s very difficult to see how the state’s going to maintain a billion-dollar-plus level of funding,” Graves says on the latest episode of Business Report’s Strictly Business. “That’s going to be one of the biggest challenges facing our state, is how to maintain those levels of investment in protecting our communities across coastal Louisiana.”
Since assuming office in 2015, Graves has been a vocal advocate for Louisiana’s coastal restoration, infrastructure, and business and industry. The congressman says the state needs to identify how to best utilize Louisiana’s assets, sequester greenhouse gasses and focus on growing the energy industry in Louisiana instead of outsourcing to other countries.
While Graves has accumulated many wins, there is still one project he wishes he could have achieved during his tenure: building a new Mississippi River Bridge.
“I think it’s fundamental to the Capital Region’s future,” Graves says. “This project has been fumbled by administration, after administration. I suspect that was intentional because we know the cost of this bridge is going to be extraordinary. The state will be making a huge mistake if they just invest in a crossing [from White Castle to St. Gabriel] without making improvements in the I-10/ US 90 corridor.”
Watch the full discussion on Business Report’s “Strictly Business” archive.
