American Press

The fact that Congress isn’t getting much done because of the Democratic effort to impeach President Donald Trump has been common knowledge for some time now. Even if that happens before year’s end, it is also well known that the Republican-controlled Senate isn’t going to convict Trump.

Hopes that Trump and Congress could come to terms on an infrastructure-spending plan for roads, bridges, ports and airports died a long time ago because of friction between both arms of government. Also awaiting congressional action is a trade deal with Mexico and Canada and a solution to surprise medical bills and high drug prices.

The Advocate documented that little work has been done and said most Democratic and Republican lawmakers would agree. The newspaper said the House has passed its own legislation while the Senate has focused primarily on judicial nominations and securing the president’s priorities.

U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, the GOP Whip and highest-ranking Louisiana House member, said, “(Democrats) surely don’t get what the people want Congress to be doing. But I think they are starting to recognize. They’re starting to think about pulling the ripcord, because people are saying, ‘OK, why aren’t you focusing on lowering prescription drug prices, or creating more jobs with the USMCA trade deal.'”

Getting a trade deal done with Mexico and Canada is extremely important for Louisiana’s agriculture, energy and petrochemical industries, The Advocate said. Mexico is the top country to receive goods exported from Louisiana each year. Last year, the state exported $9.22 billion in products to Mexico and $3.57 billion in products to Canada.

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., is trying to get legislation enacted dealing with surprise medical bills and the high cost of prescription drugs. The newspaper said surprise medical billing, which happens when patients are billed for unexpected out-of-insurance costs, has been stalled for months.

The Advocate said the House is pushing its more liberal agenda to the Senate, but most of those measures have stalled or died. The only consensus between the two chambers has resulted in passage of stopgap spending measures, renaming post offices, commemorative coins and multiple extensions of existing law.

Three other measures that are moving slow or stalled are important to Louisiana. They deal with getting the state a larger share of offshore oil and gas revenues from the Gulf, efforts to lower health care costs and a rewrite of the National Flood Insurance Program.

Since Congress has only two weeks of work left in the year, don’t expect any of this sad scenario to change.