(NewsNation) — Following a deadly attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day after a man drove a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street, lawmakers have been receiving information from the FBI.
Members of Louisiana’s congressional delegation, as well as members of the House Intelligence Committee and the House Homeland Security Committee, heard from the FBI about the investigation into what is being called a terror attack.
Some lawmakers are frustrated by the number of questions that remain unanswered, while others are giving the FBI grace at this early stage.
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The New Orleans attack and another incident in Las Vegas, where a Cybertruck exploded in front of a Trump hotel, have led to questions about whether the two attacks are connected, something investigators say they haven’t found any evidence of so far.
Another question is whether suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar was just inspired by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, aka ISIS, or if he actually worked with the terror group to plan the attack.
Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., told NewsNation that he understands the FBI is still investigating, but as the work continues, he’s going to expect to hear more answers from the agency.
As a representative from a state that is familiar with dealing with terror attacks, LaLota said he believes that with big events like the Sugar Bowl approaching, people should be alert.
“I come from New York. 9/11 is on many of my constituents’s minds every day, especially when we go to big cities like New York, and we’re always vigilant,” he said. “There’s a saying: ‘If you see something, say something.’ That inspires us to be vigilant, to respect law enforcement, to communicate with law enforcement if something’s out of place and we should always continue to do so.”
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Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., posted on X, reassuring Americans that people at the Sugar Bowl will be safe.
Added security precautions were already being put in place at the Capitol ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, including extra fencing and a heavier police presence.
The attack could also color how lawmakers are thinking as the new Congress is set to be seated just days after this major terror attack.
That includes pressure from Trump allies to have Congress confirm his nominees more quickly, especially those in national security roles in agencies like the Defense Department and the Department of Homeland Security.
