Governor issues statement on Biden’s extension of the use of National Guard troops Under Title 32 and FEMA public assistance

Published 9:20 am Wednesday, August 18, 2021

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On Tuesday evening, Gov. John Bel Edwards released the following statement on President Joe Biden’s extension of the National Guard’s Title 32 COVID-19 mission through the end of the year and 100-percent federal cost share for FEMA Public Assistance Category B — Emergency Protective Measures.

“I want to thank President Biden and his administration for recognizing the ongoing important role of the National Guard in our fight against COVID-19. Our state was the first to petition the administration to extend Title 32 until the end of the year, and I’m grateful for President Biden’s decision. The Guard is a critical part of what we do especially as we continue battling this devastating fourth surge of COVID driven by the highly transmissible Delta variant. On any given week, hundreds of soldiers and airmen are administering thousands of tests and vaccines, providing medical support and distributing supplies and food to food banks across the state. Keeping them in place is incredibly important.

“In Louisiana, today (Tuesday), we reported over 3,000 COVID hospitalizations for this first time since the beginning of the pandemic and sadly, 122 deaths — the second highest single-day death count. We are working hard to increase vaccinations throughout our state, and these efforts rely heavily on assistance from our federal partners. The Louisiana National Guard has 919 Guardsmen currently activated, and I am extremely grateful for their hard work and commitment to protecting and serving the people of this great state.”