FOX Enterprise correspondent Grady Trimble studies on the Trump administration’s efforts to develop well being and retirement advantages for gig employees and unbiased contractors.
Sen. Invoice Cassidy is touting the One Huge Stunning Invoice Act and new pro-worker laws he co-sponsored to assist companies and their workers.
Cassidy, R-La., and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer visited Partitions Alligator Farm in Springfield, Louisiana, and spoke with proprietor Barry Wall about his household’s enterprise and what Wall hopes to see the newly enacted legislation do for his firm.
Based in 1986 by Allen “Dick” Wall, the four-generation, family-owned farm is a Louisiana establishment and a significant contributor to an trade that generates greater than $235 million in financial worth for the state annually, in keeping with an LSU examine. The enterprise went from being one of many smallest alligator farms within the state to one of many largest on the planet.
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Sen. Invoice Cassidy and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez‑DeRemer speak in Springfield, La., Aug. 14, 2025. (Lydia Emrich/Senate Republican Convention / Fox Information)
Partitions Alligator Farm has performed a pivotal position within the restoration of the American alligator. As soon as endangered, the species is now thriving nationwide, with Louisiana dwelling to greater than 2 million, essentially the most within the nation.
On today, nevertheless, Wall is happy about one thing else: the just lately handed One Huge Stunning Invoice Act, signed into legislation by President Donald Trump July 4 after clearing each chambers of Congress.
Talking in regards to the invoice, Wall expressed optimism about what it may imply for his workers.
“This invoice, I feel it is actually going to assist us — our employees. All it should translate into is them bringing extra money dwelling,” Wall mentioned.
“Our enterprise will not be in contrast to this nation. It is constructed on the again of the working-class folks. We’re working-class with what we do, and if our guys carry extra money dwelling, what? No.1, they’re happier to return to work, however two, it helps us preserve them. We obtained good guys, and we do not need them going wherever,” he added.
Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer, halfway via a 50-state tour, joined Wall and expressed enthusiasm as properly. She’s been selling Trump administration labor initiatives, and, for her, speaking in regards to the “large, stunning invoice” in Louisiana was a simple promote, significantly with regards to widespread tax breaks resembling these for tipped wages and extra time pay.
“For folks of Louisiana, we will see wherever from $4,000 to $10,000 extra a 12 months in a household of 4. That issues,” Chavez-DeRemer informed FOX Enterprise.
“And I get to ship that information. I get to double down and say, ‘Now let me enable you to develop this workforce. Let me enable you to rent extra People proper right here in Louisiana,'” she continued.
Airboats are utilized in LaPlace, La., to maneuver alongside components of the bayou. (Lydia Emrich/Senate Republican Convention / Fox Information)
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The secretary defined that these tax breaks are designed to maintain extra money within the pockets of American employees.
“That is the purpose of the One Huge Stunning Invoice. When Congress handed that, that was most likely one of the crucial necessary items of laws they’ll ever vote on, and that is as a result of the course of the president is to focus once more on the American employee and develop this financial system,” she mentioned.
A kind of voters who supported the laws in Congress is Sen. Invoice Cassidy, who’s among the many many GOP lawmakers promoting President Trump’s invoice in the course of the August recess on Capitol Hill.
Cassidy joined the go to and emphasised how the laws will immediately profit many Louisianans, particularly with regards to suggestions.
“Imagine me, there’s numerous people who a good portion of their revenue is suggestions. The One Huge Stunning Invoice will give them a break,” Cassidy mentioned.
Contemporary off serving to go that invoice, Cassidy is championing his pro-worker laws, the Unlocking Advantages for Unbiased Employees Act, launched final month with senators Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Rand Paul, R-Ky. The invoice seeks to modernize federal labor legal guidelines, granting gig employees and unbiased contractors entry to well being advantages, paid sick go away and retirement plans, amongst different provisions.
Cassidy informed FOX Enterprise the adjustments are lengthy overdue.
Sen. Invoice Cassiday, R-La., and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez‑DeRemer, visited an alligator farm in Springfield, La., Aug. 14, 2025. (Lydia Emrich/Senate Republican Convention / Fox Information)
“The legal guidelines governing this are 100 years previous. Now, take into consideration how issues have been 100 years in the past, and but we’ve got legal guidelines from 100 years in the past governing how workers work now,” he mentioned.
“We have to have like modern-day legal guidelines, which acknowledge that individuals wish to be unbiased contractors. They wish to even have these advantages. But when they wish to take up and go someplace else, they need these advantages to go along with them,” the two-term senator added.
Cassidy identified that whereas many individuals affiliate gig work with Uber, Lyft or DoorDash drivers, numerous others may gain advantage from his invoice.
“There’s numerous people [such as] truck drivers. In case you take a swamp tour, the individual doing the swamp tour might be an unbiased contractor. Whenever you communicate to the oldsters who personal the alligator farm, they’ve people who find themselves unbiased contractors,” he mentioned.
“The unbiased contractor needs the advantages of being an unbiased contractor. Why do not we let federal legislation give them much more advantages for doing that?”
Sen. Invoice Cassiday, R-La., and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez‑DeRemer visited an alligator farm in Springfield, La., Aug. 14, 2025. (Lydia Emrich/Senate Republican Convention / Fox Information)
A kind of unbiased contractors is Jordan Pedeaux, who works at Partitions Alligator Farm managing Gator Items, which makes a speciality of premium alligator leather-based merchandise.
Pedeaux mentioned making the change to unbiased contracting was a leap of religion.
“At my final job, it did present retirement. It did present medical insurance coverage … so stepping out was undoubtedly a leap of religion, however in the end it is labored out properly to date. And as Gator Items grows and grows and grows, we’ve got that chance to leap into different components of the enterprise,” he acknowledged.
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As for Cassidy’s invoice, Pedeaux was fast to welcome the likelihood.
“Having the ability to have each can be very best, to have the ability to do my project-based work, work alone schedule, but additionally benefit from these advantages from the corporate, have the ability to present that to me,” the businessman famous.
FOX Enterprise correspondent Grady Trimble contributed to this report
