AP Wire

JBE heads to Beltway seeking disaster aid

by The Associated Press

Gov. John Bel Edwards tours Lafayette Parish flooding in August.
Photo by Robin May

Gov. John Bel Edwards is traveling to Washington to pitch Louisiana's case for additional federal flood relief aid.

The Democratic governor will be in the capital Thursday and Friday.

Spokesman Richard Carbo says it's the first of several trips Edwards will make to Washington in the next few weeks to discuss flood assistance with Obama administration officials and congressional leaders.

Edwards is asking for $2 billion in federal disaster block grant money from Congress.

The governor says Louisiana had at least $8.7 billion in damage from the catastrophic flooding. The figure is expected to rise.

Carbo says Edwards' focus this week will be to describe the extent of the damage to congressional leaders. He'll testify before a House subcommittee and meet with U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro.