House Speaker Mike Johnson said Louisiana is making history in Congress

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U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson of Shreveport-Bossier said Louisiana is making history in the House with influence never before seen in Congress.

"It's the first time in history that the top two officers in the House are from one state," said Johnson, who conducted an exclusive with USA Today Network this week while touring his 4th Congressional District during summer recess.

Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana form the historical duo in Congress. Johnson is also the first House speaker from Louisiana.

This despite Louisiana being in the bottom half of population among U.S. states at No. 26.

The speaker also said the rest of the Louisiana delegation wields influence, including Republican Reps. Clay Higgins of Lafayette and Julia Letlow of Baton Rouge as well as Democratic Reps. Troy Carter of New Orleans and Cleo Fields, who represents Shreveport.

"We're all working to advance the things that matter to Louisiana," Johnson said of the delegation. "We're bringing Louisiana values to Washington.

"Louisiana is punching above its weight in the House."

Pearson Cross, a professor of political science at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, previously told USA Today Network that Louisiana holds "an unprecedented amount of power" in the House.

Higgins is chairman of the House Oversight Panel's Subcommittee on Federal Law Enforcement. He also has a seat on the House Armed Services Committee as Louisiana's only representative on that panel, critical to support Barksdale Air Force Base and Fort Polk, and House Homeland Security.

Letlow sits on the powerful Appropriations Committee that controls the nation's purse strings. She recently has been mentioned as a possible challenger to Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, a fellow Republican, but hasn't confirmed interest in the race.

Carter was elected to serve as first vice chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, increasing the state's unmatched clout. As a member of the House Transportation Committee, he was among those who crafted the final language in the House on the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Act.

He also serves on Homeland Security as the ranking member over Emergency Management and Technology.

Fields was elected last fall to represent the state's new Black-majority 6th Congressional District that includes Baton Rouge and Shreveport as the population centers. Fields is back in Congress after first serving three decades ago. He serves on the House Financial Services Committee.

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