David Vitter

A Washington fundraising heavyweight is helping to set up federal and state super PACs to support U.S. Sen. David Vitter, a move that heightens speculation that Vitter is eyeing a bid to run for governor.

Lawyer Charlie Spies told The Associated Press that Vitter supporters filed paperwork Monday with federal and state agencies creating The Fund for Louisiana's Future, a pro-Vitter political action committee.

The federal super PAC could support a Vitter re-election bid in 2016, while a state PAC could aid him if he decides to launch a gubernatorial campaign in 2015.

U.S. Senator David Vitter has been named deputy Senate whip and will take over as the top ranking Republican on the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

The committee has jurisdiction over levees, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Environment Protection Agency, and two major bills coming up this year: the highway bill and the Water Resources Development Act.

Vitter also remains on the Small Business, the Armed Services, the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs committees.

U.S. Sen. David Vitter says he's canceled Vitter two town hall meetings in north Louisiana because of Tropical Storm Isaac.

The Louisiana Republican said meetings today in Lake Providence and on Tuesday in Winnsboro have been canceled.

U.S. Sen. David Vitter says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will award a $100,000 grant to the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority to help fight the Gulf of Mexico's "dead zone."

Vitter says the grant will be used to help reduce hypoxia, or low oxygen levels in the Gulf, caused by increased nutrients transported from the Mississippi River.

U.S. Sen. David Vitter is highlighting his role as Louisiana's lone member on the congressional committee that drew up a final version of the federal highway bill. But he's omitting the detail that the bill blows an $859 million hole in Louisiana's Medicaid funding.

As President Barack Obama was set to sign the measure into law Friday, Louisiana's Democrats were questioning Vitter's role in slashing the Medicaid dollars and asking if he fought against the cuts.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — U.S. Sen. David Vitter is pushing for a long-term extension of the National Flood Insurance Program.

The Louisiana Republican wants to stop extending the program with short-term extensions. The insurance program, which provides help for people who are flooded, hasn't been fully reauthorized since 2004. The program is slated to expire at the end of May unless it is extended.

A bill sponsored by Vitter to extend the flood insurance program through 2016 is awaiting a vote before the full Senate.