Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana is Big ‘I’ Legislator of the Year

U.S. Senator David Vitter (R-La.), who serves on the Senate Banking Committee, was recently named the 2012 Gerald Solomon–IIABA Legislator of the Year. The Louisiana Republican was bestowed the award for his leadership on numerous matters that directly impact the independent insurance agency system, small business and all insurance consumers across the country.

The award was presented at the annual Leadership Luncheon in Washington, D.C., which occurred just prior to the Big “I” Legislative Conference in April. Attendees included Big “I” executive and government affairs committee members, agents and brokers from Sen. Vitter’s home state of Louisiana and other industry leaders.

“Sen. Vitter has a long track record of standing up for small business, including independent agents in Louisiana and across the country,” said Bob Rusbuldt, Big “I” president & CEO, when presenting the award. “In his important role on the Senate Banking Committee, which has primary jurisdiction over insurance issues, he’s a key decision-maker on issues that directly impact our members. We thank him for his leadership before Congress and in Louisiana to protect America’s Main Street businesses and as a steward of taxpayer dollars.”

At the event, Sen. Vitter delivered remarks and addressed numerous issues that impact the small business community, consumers and the independent agency system, including terrorism insurance, tax reform and the federal budget.

During his remarks, Sen. Vitter discussed the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act and its looming expiration. He said he “will be actively engaged” as Congress considers whether or not to reauthorize the program.

Sen. Vitter also discussed the budget challenges and noted that the one thing he thought was positive about the recent Fiscal Cliff deal is that it provided permanent tax reform. He has been hailed as a fiscal hawk and also discussed the upcoming debt ceiling debate expected this summer.

Sen. Vitter praised the Republican strategy on the Fiscal Cliff deal and said that they “made a strategic decision to lay the groundwork and reorder how this came up for the debt ceiling discussion” and, because of this effort, “they’re really going to stick to that and demand real spending debt reform.”

“The Big ‘I’ looks forward to working with Sen. Vitter in the 113th Congress as the Senate Banking Committee considers agent licensing reform, terrorism insurance and other important issues to our membership and their customers,” said Charles Symington, Big “I” senior vice president of external and government affairs.

Sen. Vitter was first elected to the Senate in 2004 and re-elected in 2010. He is the top Republican on the Committee on Environment and Public Works, and also serves on the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship; Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; and Committee on Armed Services. The Louisiana native earned his undergraduate degrees at Harvard University and University College, Oxford, and his law degree at Tulane Law School. Prior to his election to Congress, he served in the Louisiana state legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives.