New La. representatives: Congress tricky

• By GERARD SHIELDS
• Advocate Washington bureau
• Published: Aug 6, 2008 - Page: 12A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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WASHINGTON — Despite being from opposing parties, Louisiana’s new freshman congressmen agree on one thing: Washington sure moves slowly.

U.S. Rep. Don Cazayoux, D-New Roads, and U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Metairie, have had legislative successes since winning their seats in special elections on May 3.

But as Congress leaves for a five-week summer recess, the former state legislators said they have been frustrated by the pace and partisanship in the federal legislature.

In Baton Rouge, legislators can bring an issue to the floor even if it is killed in committee. Not so in Washington, Scalise said.

“Having the state legislative experience has been a big help, but the pace there is more intense and non-stop,” said Scalise, who served in the state House for 12 1/2 years. “Here the leadership controls it very tightly and it’s much more of a closed process in the ability to offer amendments.”

Cazayoux agrees that being part of 435 House members in Washington makes it easier to get lost in the legislative weeds as opposed to being one of 105 members in the state House.

“It’s more partisan here, so you have to work harder,” Cazayoux said. “It’s an eclectic group and it takes compromise.”

Cazayoux has had his share of success in his first three months. His first bill, allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to deal directly with public housing authorities, was passed Thursday. Currently, housing authorities must go through the Department of Housing and Urban Development to reach FEMA.

The House also recently voted 414-0 for a Cazayoux bill authorizing the national intelligence director to look at the impact of prices, supplies and demand for energy sources on national security.

A member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Cazayoux succeeded in getting a bill passed that prohibits Veterans Administration hospitals from collecting co-payments from the catastrophically disabled.

Republicans have complained that Cazayoux has been getting floor successes due to the Democratic leadership’s recognition that he is ensconced in a tough re-election bid. Cazayoux faces Republican state Sen. Bill Cassidy and independent Democratic state Rep. Michael Jackson, of Baton Rouge, in the Nov. 4 election for a full two-year term.

Despite the complaints from Republicans, Cazayoux said he would like to think his legislative victories came from good, old-fashioned networking.

“I think it’s partly because I’ve worked with people,” he said.