{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Democrat\", state = \"FL\" and year = 2020 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://soto.house.gov/media/press-releases/soto-releases-report-highlighting-wins-central-florida-116th-congress", "Soto Releases Report Highlighting Wins for Central Florida in the 116th Congress", "2020-12-31", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Darren Soto", "S001200", "soto.house.gov", "soto", "https://soto.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "KISSIMMEE, FL \u2013 Today, Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09) released a report highlighting his community and legislative accomplishments during the 116th Congress.\n\n\"It's been a busy two years fighting for the issues that matter most to Central Florida's families,\" said Congressman Soto. \"For many in Florida and across the country, 2020 has been an incredibly challenging year. We mourned the loss of over 21,000 Floridians who were taken by the deadly coronavirus. We prayed for the health and safety of our loved ones, neighbors and healthcare workers. We saw business after business forced to close for public safety concerns and suffer the devastating economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through it all, we did our best to step up during this crisis and serve our constituents. Going forward, I will work with the Biden Administration to ensure everyone in Central Florida has access to the COVID-19 vaccine and that our community builds back better than before. We are honored to have served the constituents of Florida's 9th Congressional District during the 116th Congress, and we look forward to continuing our commitment to deliver results for Central Florida.\"\n\nOver the course of 116th Congress, Congressman Soto held 100 town halls and roundtables, attended hundreds of community events, sent thousands of correspondence to constituents, helped over a thousand constituents with casework, secured billions of dollars for Central Florida, and passed numerous bills, policy amendments and appropriations requests into law.\n\nIn the 117th Congress, Rep. Soto will continue to serve on the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee to fight for a strong pandemic response, higher-paying jobs and to protect our environment. He will also continue to serve on Natural Resources Committee to pursue his environmental efforts, work with Florida's tribes and bring Puerto Rico back to prosperity. In addition, he will serve as Chair of the Future Forum Caucus to assist the House Democratic Caucus to engage young people, and promote issues affecting Hispanics as Whip for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.\n\nThe one-pager can be read here and below. The full report can be read here and below.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://castor.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=403469", "Rep. Castor Announces $1.4M to Tampa Residents through 2020 Constituent Services, $1.5B Secured in Federal Grants, $2.7B in PPP Assistance", "2020-12-30", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Kathy Castor", "C001066", "castor.house.gov", "castor", "https://castor.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) announced today her office worked to deliver nearly $1.6 million to veterans, seniors, small businesses and families in 2020; almost $1.5 billion in federal grants to create jobs, invest in education and infrastructure, mitigate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and support the important work of local partners; and $2.7 billion in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for Tampa businesses.\n\n\u201cEvery day, my Tampa constituent services team, Tery Sanchez, Steven Angotti, Tania Fernandez and Damaris Gonzalez \u2013 with the help of the entire Castor Team \u2013 work tirelessly to cut through red tape and bureaucracy on behalf of families and neighbors across the Tampa area. During the COVID-19 pandemic, their expertise has been critical to ensuring that veterans receive the benefits they have earned and to guarantee that survival stimulus payments, Social Security, Medicare are delivered on time. Due to the unprecedented challenge accessing Florida\u2019s flawed unemployment system, I am especially grateful for their efforts in coordinating with local and state representatives to ensure that everyone who needs support is connected to every available resource.\n\n\u201cMy team tackles complex cases and works diligently with agencies and non-profit partners to serve all of our neighbors. This year we handled more than 1,800 individual cases and recovered nearly $1.6 million in federal benefits. Tampa families are facing unique and time-sensitive issues due to the coronavirus, and my team\u2019s top priority remains serving our neighbors with respect and care.\u201d\n\nGrants\n\nIn FY2020, Florida\u2019s 14th Congressional District in Tampa and Hillsborough County received 727 grant awards totaling $1,497,650,722.\n\n\u201c2020 brought unprecedented challenges to our community as workers in vital industries such as tourism, travel and hospitality took a hit from the virus and our frontline medical workers worked overtime to serve those who contracted COVID-19. The $1.5 billion in grant monies that came to Tampa this year have been a lifeline for our hospitals, small businesses, schools, renters and more. Federal aid has a been a major shot in the arm to our local economic engines and will serve to bolster businesses and services that we all count on through tough times and also boost good-paying jobs in our region as we work towards a strong economic recovery.\n\n\u201cThrough passage of the CARES Act, which dedicated $150 billion to the Local Government Coronavirus Relief Fund, Hillsborough County received $257 million in federal aid. I worked alongside county commissioners and the county administrator while they developed the plan to ensure that the emergency aid was consistent with the needs our neighbors and the Congressional intent for use of these funds.\n\n\u201cMuch needed resources went to over 6,000 local businesses, rental assistance for over 5,500 Hillsborough families, workforce training, public health support for contact tracing, $30M to the City of Tampa, and funds to support the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, Feeding Tampa Bay, Metropolitan Ministries and other local organizations directly helping so many of our neighbors in need. With the passage of a fifth coronavirus aid package, I will continue to partner with our local frontline agencies as we work towards rebuilding a local economy that leaves nobody behind and also prioritizes the health and wellbeing of our neighbors.\u201d\n\nSee here for information from the county for a listing of detailed help from our partnership. The CARES Act is a $2 trillion coronavirus relief package for states and local communities passed by Congress and signed into law on March 27, 2020.\n\nAmong the federal grants that U.S. Rep. Castor championed this year, nearly $50 million in Department of Transportation\u2019s Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) grants will be used to lift our neighborhoods, increase connectivity, and improve our streets. The Tampa Bay Women\u2019s Centre received a $420,000 Small Business Administration grant to help female entrepreneurs and business owners with training, education, and counseling as they navigate the impacts of COVID-19. In April, almost $10 million in Department of Housing and Urban Development grants were allocated to help the City of Tampa and Hillsborough county support nonprofit partners, housing and homeless prevention.\n\nPaycheck Protection Program\n\n\u201cEstablished by the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program has provided over 19,000 loans in our district totaling up to $2.7 billion. Of which, 16,681 were to the truly small businesses that received loans of less than $150,000 totaling $497,969,977. PPP has been a lifeline to workers in our community during the pandemic through speeding emergency resources to small businesses in Tampa Bay to keep them afloat during the pandemic, and keep employees paid and connected to health care coverage.\u201d\n\nResidents in Florida Congressional District 14 can call U.S. Rep. Castor\u2019s Tampa office at 813-871-2817 or visit www.castor.house.gov for assistance.\n\n###\n\n*Updated 01/01/2021", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://wassermanschultz.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2555", "Wasserman Schultz on Reauthorization, Increased Funding of the EARLY Act", "2020-12-30", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Debbie Wasserman Schultz", "W000797", "wassermanschultz.house.gov", "wassermanschultz", "https://wassermanschultz.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Washington DC \u2013 U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) released the following statement after her legislation, the Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act, or EARLY Act Reauthorization of 2020, became law this week with the President\u2019s signing of the larger government spending and COVID-19 relief package:\n\n\u201cFor young women and those of certain ethnic and racial populations, breast cancer can be even more deadly because it is often more aggressive and too frequently caught later than it should be. The EARLY Act of 2020, which reauthorizes the law that I sponsored and passed in 2010 after overcoming my own battle with breast cancer, increases funding and ensures that young women\u2019s breast health awareness, education and grant programs are funded through the EARLY Act at an increased level of $9 million annually from 2022 through 2026. This vital funding will expand the effective Bring Your Brave and Health Care Provider education and awareness programs implemented by the Centers for Disease Control and fund additional grants to young women\u2019s and higher risk women\u2019s breast cancer organizations. By reauthorizing the EARLY Act, we continue the vital work of educating young and higher risk women about their breast health and help focus their attention to this deadly disease. Among other things, this legislation will fund grants and support initiatives educate and provide help to young and high-risk women, collect family histories and educate health care providers. I know first-hand this law and funding is needed, because I was a young woman who was unaware of my risk and after my breast cancer diagnosis at 41, was diagnosed with the BRCA2 gene mutation. Today, I am still cancer-free because my cancer and my genetic risk were caught early and I am committed to helping high risk and young women acquire the knowledge and resources they need to not just survive, but thrive. The earlier that cancer cases are identified, the better the chances of survival. That is just what the EARLY Act will continue to do: save women\u2019s lives.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://lawson.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-lawson-returns-more-than-24-million-to-north-florida-families", "Rep. Lawson Returns More than $2.4 Million to North Florida Families", "2020-12-29", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Al Lawson", "L000586", "lawson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 29, 2020\n\t\t\t Rep. Lawson Returns More than $2.4 Million to North Florida Families \n\t\t\tWASHINGTON DC U.S. Rep. Al Lawson (FL-05) announced that this year, his office has helped to return more than $2.4 million owed to the citizens of Florida's Fifth Congressional from the federal government.\r\nSince January 2020, his office worked to close more than 200 cases and ensured that North Florida residents receive their long-awaited financial reimbursement from several federal agencies. A few of the top agencies include the Social Security Administration, Internal Revenue Service, FEMA and Veterans Affairs. \r\nThere are many reasons as to why a person's case may become stagnant, but my team and I have worked hard to break the federal logjam and help citizens of our community get their cases reactivated, back on track or even expedited, Rep. Lawson said.\r\nJacksonville native Brian Salter was involuntarily separated from his job with the Navy after 14 years of service. He reached out to Rep. Lawson's office because after a year without separation pay, he was still not being helped. His staff placed multiple inquiries to the Navy, to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), and the Board of Corrections, and were able to get Salter's case reviewed and approved quickly. Salters was awarded 14 years' worth of back separation pay.\r\nSince I was involuntarily separated with an honorable discharge, I was entitled to Involuntary Separation Pay, Salter said. I was supposed to receive those funds immediately  within a week or two after separation from active duty service. I turned to Congressman Al Lawson for help. Sherry, my caseworker, fought for me for 18 months. I don't think I would have been able to get this pay if it wasn't for her sheer tenacity and dedication to my case. I cannot express my gratitude enough. I am happy I turned to Congressman Lawson's office for help with my case.\r\nIndividuals seeking help with a federal agency  such as backlogged veterans' benefits, stalled tax refunds, issues with social security, the postal service or the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, should call my office at 904-354-1652 (Jacksonville), 850-558-9450 (Tallahassee)or visithttps://lawson.house.gov/services/help-with-a-federal-agency.\r\nTotal Number of Cases: 200\r\nGrand Total Amount Saved: $2,467,927 \n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://crist.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2232", "Crist Votes to Increase Stimulus Checks to $2,000", "2020-12-28", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Charlie Crist", "C001111", "crist.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) released a statement following House passage of the CASH Act (H.R.9051), legislation to increase the Economic Impact Payments, also known as stimulus checks,' from $600 to $2000, which were included in the new COVID relief law signed yesterday by the President.\r\nLast week, Crist voted for the bipartisan $900 billion coronavirus relief package to support American families and businesses struggling at the hands of the pandemic. At the time, Crist said, while this compromise could certainly do more to help struggling families and small businesses, it remains one of the largest relief packages in American history  second only to the CARES Act.\r\nCrist has been calling for more stimulus checks sinceApril.\r\nToday, the People's House put the People first. Increasing the stimulus checks to $2,000 will provide a huge boost to people struggling, and help the economy recover more quickly from the pandemic, saidCongressman Crist. I am honored to be able to travel back to Washington to cast my vote for the people of Pinellas. With the support of President Trump and a bipartisan vote in the House, I am hopeful that Senate Republicans will do the right thing in delivering real relief to families in need. Let's get this done!", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://crist.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2233", "Crist Statement on House Veto Override of NDAA", "2020-12-28", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Charlie Crist", "C001111", "crist.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) released a statement following the House vote to override the President's veto of H.R. 6395, the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY 2021.\r\nThe $732 billion national defense bill passed both the House and Senate earlier this month with an overwhelming veto-proof margin. The veto override vote passed today by a vote of 322-87.\r\nTrump's veto of the defense bill comes following reports of an unprecedented Russian cyberattack on the U.S. government and businesses, further endangering our national defense and readiness while simultaneously undermining the wellbeing of those serving our nation in uniform. \r\nAmerica has passed a defense bill for 59 consecutive years, and this year will continue that streak as the House has spoken with an overwhelming, bipartisan voice, overriding the President's veto, said Congressman Crist. This strongly bipartisan defense bill puts our country, our national defense, and our troops, first.\r\nCongressman Crist has been a vocal supporter of this year's NDAA, fighting for inclusion of Crist-championed provisions putting local veterans, servicemembers and our military readiness first, such as:\r\n \r\n    Protecting the hard-earned benefits of Coast Guard retirees from future government shutdowns through Crist's Coast Guard Retirement Parity Act;\r\n    Helping veterans find jobs quicker after their service by studying the transferability of military certifications to civilian life;\r\n    Exposing the unfair practice of using family medical records to deny enlistees from military families when they try to join the military as adults;\r\n    Holding the pentagon accountable for delivering on the Crist effort to prepare and protect MacDill and other bases from sea level rise and climate change.\r\n \r\nThe legislation also includes important policy to:\r\n \r\n    Confront our adversaries like Russia and China by supporting our alliances, fully funding the European Deterrence Initiative, investigating Russian bounties on servicemembers being killed by terrorists, and authorizing a $2.2 billion Pacific Deterrence Initiative to contain China;\r\n    Secure our free and fair elections by allowing the State Department to offer rewards for providing information on foreign election interference;\r\n    Institute a 3% pay raise for servicemembers and increased Hazardous Duty Pay to $275 a month;\r\n    Provide long-overdue benefits for Agent Orange-exposed veterans by adding Parkinsonism, bladder cancer, and hypothyroidism to the Agent Orange Presumptive List;\r\n    Protect families in military housing, like those at MacDill AFB, by updating minimum health and safety standards for government-owned housing, repealing a law that allows the DOD to place families in substandard housing units, and requiring DOD to implement all Government Accountability Office recommendations for improvements.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wassermanschultz.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2554", "Wasserman Schultz on CASH Act Passage, Trump Veto Override", "2020-12-28", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Debbie Wasserman Schultz", "W000797", "wassermanschultz.house.gov", "wassermanschultz", "https://wassermanschultz.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Washington DC \u2013 U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) issues the following statement after this evening\u2019s House vote to pass the CASH Act and to override President Trump\u2019s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act:\n\n\u201cMillions of struggling Americans are counting on Congress to deliver the level of assistance that this historic health and economic crisis demands, and I was proud to vote for the CASH Act, which would provide that vital, more robust $2,000 lifeline. There is so much more that needs to be done and Democrats will continue to champion the assistance that families and our states and local communities need, once a new Congress and President take office. I\u2019m proud that the House did its job tonight. Now it\u2019s up to Senators to finish the job and vote for the kind of real relief that families need at this dark, trying time in our history.\n\nI am also pleased that nearly every House Democrat banded together with a majority of Republicans to override President Trump\u2019s irresponsible and cruel veto of the National Defense Authorization Act. For the President to prioritize honoring Confederate traitors over national security and a pay raise for our troops was reckless and repulsive. The improved housing, health and salary resources our servicemembers would receive in the NDAA should never have been endangered by Trump\u2019s pathetic attempt to preserve the names on our military bases of those who fought to preserve slavery and betrayed America. It\u2019s fitting this veto override honors those who would make the ultimate sacrifice to fashion a more perfect union today and tomorrow, and rejects the vestiges of those who once fought to destroy the United States of America.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["http://teddeutch.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402901", "Deutch Bill Protecting Seniors with Alzheimer's, Dementia Signed into Law", "2020-12-23", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Ted Deutch", "D000610", "teddeutch.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, President Donald Trump signed into law the Promoting Alzheimer's Awareness to Prevent Elder Abuse Act introduced by U.S. Representatives Ted Deutch (FL-22) and Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14) and Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), and Chuck Grassley (R-IA).\r\nThe legislation directs the U.S. Department of Justice to develop best practices and training materials for assisting professionals  law enforcement, firefighters, emergency personnel, social workers, court officials, and medical professionals  who encounter and support people living with Alzheimer's and other dementia.\r\nThis population is particularly vulnerable to scams as their condition makes it more difficult for them to communicate the crimes to law enforcement or to seek life-saving assistance from first responders. Particularly amid the coronavirus pandemic, having best practices will help first responders and other professionals effectively interact with people living with Alzheimer's and other dementia targeted by fraud and in need.\r\n\"I'm proud that Congress acted to bring some assurance to the millions of Americans living with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia and their families,\" Rep. Deutch said. \"This Justice Department training program will help prepare first responders and other professionals in how to properly interact with this population. Whether a police officer is responding to an incident or mental health and medical professionals are treating patients, they will be better prepared with best practices for supporting people living with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.\"\r\nToo many of our seniors citizens, especially those with Alzheimer's and dementia, are at increased risk of falling victim to fraud and abuse, said Rep. Reschenthaler. I was proud to lead this bipartisan, bicameral effort to protect vulnerable members of our communities from exploitation by equipping first responders and caregivers with tools to prevent and respond to elder abuse. Thank you to President Trump for signing the Promoting Alzheimer's Awareness To Prevent Elder Abuse Act into law and for his commitment to protecting our nation's senior citizens.\r\nOn behalf of the Alzheimer's Association, I would like to congratulate U.S. Representatives Ted Deutch and Guy Reschenthaler for their hard work and success in passing the bipartisan Elder Justice Improvement Act. Your efforts will protect the millions of Americans living with Alzheimer's and other dementias from elder abuse. This legislation will also equip first responders and caregivers with the tools they need to protect the health and safety of this particularly vulnerable population, said Robert Egge, Alzheimer's Association chiefpublic policy officer and Alzheiemr's Impact Movement executive director.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://castor.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=403468", "Rep. Castor Statement on President Trump Vetoing Bipartisan NDAA", "2020-12-23", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Kathy Castor", "C001066", "castor.house.gov", "castor", "https://castor.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "In his latest callous, erratic decision, President Trump has vetoed the National Defense Authorization Act and nixed a 3 percent pay raise for military families at Christmas. Our military families at MacDill Air Force Base and around the world are the best and deserve the best. Vetoing these critical funds at the eleventh hour only hurts our troops and their families and endangers our national security. I will vote to override the president\u2019s veto of this bipartisan legislation next week and remain committed to ensuring our service members and families at MacDill have the tools they need to carry out their missions and remain safe and healthy.\n\nRep. Castor statement on NDAA passage (includes important priorities for MacDill Air Force Base and Tampa residents): https://castor.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=403463", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://crist.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2228", "Crist Calls on Congress to Overturn Presidential Veto of Defense Bill", "2020-12-23", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Charlie Crist", "C001111", "crist.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Crist Calls on Congress to Overturn Presidential Veto of Defense Bill \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington, DC,\r\n        December 23, 2020\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Washington, DC U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) released a statement calling on Congress to override President Trump's veto of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY 2021 as soon as possible.\r\nThe $732 billion national defense bill which passed both the House and Senate earlier this month with an overwhelming veto-proof margin  now requires one more 2/3 vote in both the House and Senate to make the bipartisan defense bill law.\r\nThe United States Constitution was established in part to provide for the common defense. As the Representative from Florida's 13thCongressional District, I understand that my job is to do all I can to keep Pinellas families safe. That's why I was proud to join an overwhelming, bipartisan majority to pass this year's defense bill,said Rep. Crist. I struggle to make sense of why the Commander-in-Chief, in his final days in office, has taken this step which does not support our national defense or our troops  during the holidays no less. It sends a dangerous message to our adversaries as our nation prepares for a presidential transition and grapples with the unprecedented Russian cyberattack on our government and our businesses. Congress must step up and override this veto  for our troops, for our values, for our security, and for the people.\r\nThe National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the House and the Senate earlier this month, includes:\r\n \r\n    Confronting our adversaries like Russia and China by supporting our alliances, fully funding the European Deterrence Initiative, requiring reporting on Russian bounties on servicemembers being killed by terrorists, and authorizing a $2.2 billion Pacific Deterrence Initiative to contain China;\r\n    Securing our free and fair elections by allowing the State Department to offer rewards for providing information on foreign election interference;\r\n    A 3% pay raise for servicemembers and increased Hazardous Duty Pay to $275 a month;\r\n    Crist's bill to protect Coast Guard retirement pay from future government shutdowns;\r\n    Long-overdue benefits for Agent Orange-exposed veterans by adding Parkinsonism, bladder cancer, and hypothyroidism to the Agent Orange Presumptive List;\r\n    Protections for families in military housing, like those at MacDill AFB, by updating minimum health and safety standards for government-owned housing, repealing a law that allows the DOD to place families in substandard housing units, and requiring DOD to implement all Government Accountability Office recommendations for improvements;\r\n    A new Domestic Violence Task Force to actively work to stop domestic violence in the military;\r\n    Allowing victims of sexual harassment to make confidential reports outside the chain of command;\r\n    Report on the progress of restoring honor to veterans unjustly discharged under Don't Ask, Don't Tell, which has kept them from qualifying for the benefits they have earned;\r\n    And inclusion of VA employees in the paid parental leave benefit for federal employees.\r\n \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://stephaniemurphy.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1559", "President Signs into Law Murphy Bill to Strengthen Criminal Penalties for Adults Who Stalk Children", "2020-12-23", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Stephanie Murphy", "M001202", "stephaniemurphy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONPresident Donald J. Trump signed into law a bipartisanbillauthored by U.S. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., alongside Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., and Senators Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and Bob Casey, D-Pa., to strengthen criminal penalties for adults who stalk or severely harass children, either online or in the community. TheCombat Online Predators Actpassed the Senate in October and the House passed it earlier this month. I'm proud to have worked with my colleagues to craft and pass legislation that will deter stalkers from harassing innocent children,said Murphy. As a mom, I know how important it is to protect our kids from dangerous criminals lurking online and in our communities. Now that the President has signed this bipartisan bill into law, those who commit this terrible crime should be prepared to face serious punishment for their actions. TheCombat Online PredatorsActwas inspired by the story of the Zezzo family of Bucks County, Pennsylvania whose teenage daughter was cyber-stalked by a friend's father on social media. Despite the stalking being sexual in nature, the then-51-year-old stalker pleaded guilty to only a misdemeanor stalking charge and was sentenced to probation and counseling. Three years later, the same stalker began making contact with the young girl again. This time, he was arrested in a sting by local police and sentenced to between 18 months and seven years in a state prison. Under current law, it is a federal crime for an individual to harass or intimidate another individual, in person or online, in a way that places them in fear of physical harm or causes them significant emotional distress. The maximum criminal penalty is 5 years in prison, and 10 years in prison if the defendant causes serious physical injury to the victim or uses a dangerous weapon. The Murphy-led bill will increase the maximum penalty by 5 years, to 10 years and 15 years respectively, when the defendant is an adult and the victim is under 18 years of age.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://castor.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=403467", "Rep. Castor Champions Wins for Tampa in FY21 Omnibus", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Kathy Castor", "C001066", "castor.house.gov", "castor", "https://castor.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor released the following statement as the bipartisan FY21 omnibus and $900B in COVID-19 relief head to the president\u2019s desk:\n\n\u201cIn addition to the immediate relief provided by the COVID-19 emergency aid in this package, the FY21 omnibus contains priorities that will support our economy and military, lower health care costs, strengthen our fight for clean energy and more. I\u2019m pleased that we came to a bipartisan solution that meets the needs of our community and more. Several provisions that I championed were included in the final package will directly benefit Tampa.\n\n\u201cThe bill fully funds a 3 percent pay raise for the members of our military and shows a continued commitment to upgrade base housing for military families. It also provides $9.5B to fund SOCOM\u2019s operations and ensures that the brave men and women who are the Tip of the Spear can continue to serve in the world\u2019s most dangerous places to keep us all safe.\n\n\u201cMy language to direct the Department of Housing and Urban Development to survey public housing authorities to determine how many are known to be built on cemeteries or historical burial grounds was included in this bill and will hopefully provide clarity and peace of mind for families in Tampa and around the country. In identifying lost graves, we can show respect for the final resting place of countless individuals and provide long-awaited peace of mind for their families. The history of Tampa\u2019s Zion Cemetery, the Black families buried there, and the imperative to do right by the families who live in Robles Park have brought us to a moment and this direction to HUD will help bring recognition and justice here in Tampa and across the nation at similar sites.\n\n\"Today's legislation also includes several key provisions that will help reduce pollution, protect public health, and invest in resilience to keep Americans safe. From phasing down the use of superpollutant hydrofluorocarbons to investing in research that will expand our use of renewable energy, this legislation moves us in the right direction. It takes important steps that we highlighted in our Climate Crisis Action Plan, including extending clean energy tax credits, promoting pipeline safety, and investing in crucial water infrastructure.\n\n\u201cThe Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) was reauthorized and takes necessary steps to authorize and reform Army Corps of Engineers that will be essential, particularly for Port Tampa Bay, in creating good-paying jobs, upgrading infrastructure and sustaining critical natural resources that sustain and grow our local economies. Important to Tampa and Florida communities, it also includes vital provisions to support land, agriculture, and ocean climate solutions.\n\n\u201cLooking ahead to the new year, serving the needs of Tampa families and businesses remains my top priority. I look forward to the stability that an entire year of funding brings to our local economy and initiatives.\u201d\n\nPriorities for Tampa residents and MacDill Air Force Base in this omnibus package:\n\nProvides $1.3 billion to fund construction, operation, and maintenance of military family housing for fiscal year 2021, the same as the budget request, and provides an additional $60 million in an administrative provision. This includes my provision to provide $135 million to continue to address mold and shoddy construction. The additional funds above the request are provided to address family housing issues such as mold, vermin, and lead in military family housing. This funding will ensure quality housing for the 2 million military families currently served by the program.\n\nProvides full funding necessary to support a 3 percent military pay raise.\n\nProvides $9.5 billion to fund SOCOM\u2019s operation and maintenance requirements.\n\nProvides $284 million above the request to address public school infrastructure requirements on DoD installations.\n\nHonors our responsibilities to veterans, providing $90 billion for VA medical care, including funding to provide homelessness assistance, suicide prevention and outreach, and gender-specific care.\n\nEnds surprise medical bills for emergency and scheduled care, so patients are only responsible for their usual cost-sharing amounts and deductibles. With patients protected, the legislation establishes a fair process for health care providers and health plans to sort out the out-of-network costs between themselves, without the patient stuck in the middle.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://lawson.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-lawson-new-federal-budget-forgives-111-million-in-famu-federal-loans", "Rep. Lawson: New Federal Budget Forgives $111 Million in FAMU Federal Loans", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Al Lawson", "L000586", "lawson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 22, 2020\n\t\t\t Rep. Lawson: New Federal Budget Forgives $111 Million in FAMU Federal Loans \n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Rep. Al Lawson (FL-05), today announced that the FY 2020-21 federal spending deal that Congress passed on Monday includes good news for Florida A&M University, as it also cancels more than $111 million in FAMU federal debt held by the U.S. government.\r\nIn 2019, FAMU borrowed $126 million from the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Capital Finance Program to construct new dorms, and refinance the debt on its residence halls.The HBCU Capital Finance Debt Relief Act, which discharges over $1.3 billion in debt held by HBCUs, was included in the omnibus spending deal.\r\nI'm proud to have worked with my colleagues in the House and the Senate to eliminate the federal debt, not only at FAMU, but all HBCUs that have been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic, said Rep. Lawson. As COVID-19 has severely impacted the higher education community, particularly low-resourced HBCUs, we felt cancelling their debt would give them a fresh start and allow them to focus more resources on educating students.\r\n\"This will mean a brighter future for thousands of young people as our communities will also benefit from their knowledge, skills and expertise for years to come, Rep. Lawson added. \n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://teddeutch.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402899", "Rep. Ted Deutch Statement on COVID Relief Legislation", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Ted Deutch", "D000610", "teddeutch.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Ted Deutch released the following statement after his vote in support of COVID relief and government funding legislation.\r\nToday I voted in favor of legislation to deliver desperately needed help to Americans struggling under the devastating COVID-19 pandemic. With the tragic number of infections, hospitalizations, and deaths rising across the nation, this legislation provides billions of dollars to help slow the spread of this virus and to accelerate equitable vaccine distribution that will finally bring this public health crisis to an end. \r\nThe bill includes emergency economic relief to American families, including direct payments of $600 per adult and child, expanded federal unemployment benefits of $300 per week, a 15 percent boost to SNAP benefits and funding to restock food banks that have been heroically feeding our communities every day. The bill provides $25 billion in rental assistance for families struggling to stay in their homes and expands low income housing tax credits, strengthens the earned income tax credit and child tax credit, and provides a tax credit to support paid sick leave. The legislation will include billions in funding for colleges, schools, and child care providers.\r\nThe legislation also funds billions of dollars in assistance for struggling small businesses and other employers. The bill expands relief programs to include nonprofits, restaurants, and dedicated funding for struggling live venues, independent movie theaters and cultural institutions that are the backbone of South Florida's hospitality and tourism economy.\r\nSo many Americans are sick, and many more are struggling economically and worried about losing their jobs or their homes. While this bill provides important emergency relief, the final product is far from perfect. I am extremely disappointed that Republicans blocked additional unemployment benefit increases and refused to provide emergency funding for states and municipalities whose budgets have been drained responding to the pandemic. In addition, I am upset that the White House blocked dedicated funding through the RESTAURANTS Act that would have provided stability and certainty to these essential local enterprises. I also strongly support larger direct relief payments to struggling Americans, and wanted direct payments to young Americans and direct tuition assistance to college students. I will work toward these goals in the next round of congressional relief while understanding that when our government is divided, we must negotiate a compromise that has the support of both Democrats and Republicans.\r\nI also voted in favor of the year end appropriations bill to fund our government and ensure that critical priorities are funded including increased spending on education, housing, and nutrition programs. The funding bill devotes new funding to protecting our environment, reversing Trump Administration cuts to climate change programs, and provides $25 million in funding to the CDC and NIH for federal research into our nation's gun violence epidemic. The legislation also provides $50 million for the new Nita M. Lowey Partnership for Peace Fund which authorizes and encourages people-to-people exchanges and economic partnerships between Israelis and Palestinians.\r\nI am especially proud that my legislation, the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act\" was included in the spending bill.My legislation, would empower the President to impose sanctions on those who take American hostages, mandate the appointment of a Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, increase U.S. government engagement with families of hostages and those unlawfully or wrongfully detained, and mandate the creation of a Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell and interagency coordination to help free Americans unjustly held abroad. My constituent Bob Levinson was the longest held American hostage and his confinement and death was a devastating blow to his loving family. This new law will ensure that no other American family is left helpless when their loved one is held hostage abroad.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://teddeutch.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402900", "Deutch, Bonamici, Young Bill to Strengthen Marine Energy Passes House", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Ted Deutch", "D000610", "teddeutch.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today the House passed bipartisan legislation to increase federal investments in marine energy led by Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Congressman Don Young (R-AK), and Congressman Ted Deutch (D-FL).\r\nThe Water Power Research and Development Act strengthens water power programs at the Department of Energy (DOE) and provides funding for research, development, demonstration, and commercialization of marine energy. The legislation passed the House as part of a funding and COVID relief package. It will authorize $186.6 million for the DOE Water Power Technologies Office over the next four years, including $137.4 million for federal investments in marine energy.\r\nReducing the increasing impacts of climate change requires that our nation move toward renewable sources of energy, said Congressman Ted Deutch. Harnessing marine and hydrokinetic power from ocean currents, waves, tides, and other sources can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and decrease carbon emissions.This bill will invest in research, development, and deployment of marine and hydrokinetic power that is currently being conducted by research centers, such as Florida Atlantic University.This is an investment in the energy of the future and one that I strongly support.\r\n\"Our ocean hols tremendous potential to mitigate the climate crisis, but for too long the power of waves, tides, and currents has been an untapped clean energy resource,\" saidCongresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. \"We must expedite our transition to a 100 percent clean energy economy, and scaling up the development of marine energy technologies can help sustainablu power our homes, buildings, and communities, and also create good-paying jobs. I am thrilled that our Water Power Research and Development Act will be signed into law because it will accelerate innovative research and development, including the efforts of Oregon State University and the Pacific Marine Energy Center. I appreciate the support and collaboration of Rep. Don Young and Rep. Ted Deutch in moving this bill forward.\r\n\"Hydropower is crucially important to Alaska, and I am very proud that the Water Power Research and Development Act has made it into the final omnibus package. I have long supported harnessing Alaska's vast hydropower capabilities. I was very proud to support projects such as the Terror Lake Hydroelectric Plant and the Swan Lake Hydroelectric Project. Both of these ventures are generating energy, and sustaining good-paying jobs in our communities,\" said Congressman Don Young. \"As a nation, we need to get serious about helping renewables compete on a level playing field. Hydropower represents enormous potential for the State of Alaska, and we should be empowered to pursue it. As we look to diversify America's energy portfolio, it is my great hope that our legislation will assist with the development of hydropower projects across our country. I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of their aisle for supporting this critical effort, and I am especially grateful to Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici and Congressman Ted Deutch for their partnership on this bill.\"\r\nImportantly, the bill authorizes funding for existing and new National Marine Energy Centers, including the Pacific Marine Energy Center  operated by Oregon State University, the University of Washington, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks  and Florida Atlantic University's Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center. \r\nThe Pacific Marine Energy Center at Oregon State University is working at the forefront to advance science, facilitate innovation, and develop the future workforce for what will become a multi-billion marine energy sector, said Bryson Robertson, Co-Director of the Pacific Marine Energy Center at Oregon State University. Enactment of the [Water Power Research and Development Act] sends an important and clear signal that the US remains committed to pursuing a commercially viable domestic marine energy sector that can reliably contribute toward a carbon-free energy portfolio. This is an exciting time for this emerging field. \r\nThe Water Power Research and Development Act first passed the House in September.The Water Power Research and Development Act is also one of many recommendations included in the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis' comprehensive Climate Action Plan that outlines a science-based path to reach net-zero emissions no later than mid-century and net-negative thereafter.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://castor.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=403466", "Rep. Castor Statement on House Passage of COVID-19 Emergency Relief", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Kathy Castor", "C001066", "castor.house.gov", "castor", "https://castor.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "\u201cHelp is on the way for American families and small businesses as the House just passed a fifth Covid-19 emergency aid bill. The landmark package will provide relief to individuals, small businesses, schools and hospitals - and a bridge to a day when the coronavirus vaccine is widely administered. Workers and families have been hurting for months and the bill will provide assistance for day-to-day realities like paying rent, taking care of children, and putting food on the table. This bill will take immediate steps to help.\n\n\u201cWhile our communities have been grappling with the ongoing health and economic crises tied to the COVID-19 pandemic, I pressed for swift action and voted in May for emergency aid in the Heroes Act. Nevertheless, despite the delay, this aid package will provide a vital lifeline for many.\n\n\u201cHouse Democrats fought for the inclusion of a second direct cash payments of $600 to many adults and children, averted the sudden expiration of Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits for millions and added a $300 per week UI enhancement for Americans out of work. This legislation includes over $280 billion in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, including funds that will be targeted for underserved communities, nonprofits, and the mom and pops shops we know and love here in Tampa. Many have shared that PPP has been a critical lifeline throughout the pandemic, and I\u2019m confident that this infusion of new funds will be a shot in the arm to additional small business owners here in our community in the days ahead.\n\n\u201cWe all have seen that hope is on the horizon with the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, and Democrats pushed to ensure over $73 billion in public health investments to keep the foot on the gas and support the free, safe and equitable vaccine distribution that is necessary to crush the virus. The virus has had a disproportionate impact on communities of color, and $2.5 billion is allocated to expand access to testing and contract tracing in high-risk and underserved populations in the days ahead.\n\n\u201cWhile the bill meets many needs of working Americans, there is far more to be done to meet the ongoing health and economic crises facing our nation. President-elect Biden has made clear his commitment to crushing the virus, listening to public health experts, and getting money into the pockets of the American people, and I will work with his administration from day 1 to bring this crisis to an end.\u201d\n\nThe $900 billion in emergency coronavirus relief to protect the lives and livelihoods of the American people includes:\n\nPublic Health Investments to Crush COVID-19 including:\n\n\u00b7 Invests $22.4 billion in testing, contact tracing, surveillance, containment, and mitigation, with a targeted investment of no less than $2.5 billion for expanding access to testing and contact tracing in high-risk and underserved populations, including for communities of color and rural areas.\n\n\u00b7 Dedicates over $19 billion in the nation\u2019s supply of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics, including the manufacture, production, and purchase of vaccines, therapeutics, and ancillary supplies.\n\n\u00b7 Supplies $8.75 billion for vaccine distribution, administration, planning, preparation, promotion, monitoring, and tracking, with a targeted investment of $300 million for high-risk and underserved populations, including for communities of color and rural areas.\n\nStrong support for small business: Democrats secured critical funding to help small businesses, including minority-owned businesses, and nonprofits recover from the pandemic.\n\nThe agreement includes over $284 billion for first and second forgivable PPP loans, expanded PPP eligibility for nonprofits and local newspapers, TV and radio broadcasters, key\n\nmodifications to PPP to serve the smallest businesses including mom & pop shops and struggling non-profits and better assist independent restaurants\n\n$15 billion in dedicated funding for live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions.\n\nThe agreement also includes $20 billion for targeted EIDL Grants which are critical to many smaller businesses on Main Street.\n\nEnhanced Unemployment Insurance benefits: Democrats averted the sudden expiration of Unemployment Insurance benefits for millions and added a $300 per week UI enhancement for Americans out of work.\n\nEducation and child care: The agreement provides $82 billion in funding for colleges and schools, including support for HVAC repair and replacement to mitigate virus transmission and reopen classrooms, and $10 billion for child care assistance to help get parents back to work and keep child care providers open.\n\nTransparency in State Data Reporting: States must submit their testing and tracing plans any updates to the Department of Health and Human Services no later than 60 days after funds have been awarded, and every quarter they must report to HHS the use of funding and HHS shall make the plans publicly available.\n\nRental assistance: Democrats secured $25 billion in critically needed rental assistance for families struggling to stay in their homes and an extension of the eviction moratorium until January 31, 2021.\n\nDirect payment checks: Democrats secured a new round of direct payments worth up to $600 per adult and child, also ensuring that mixed-status families receive payments.\n\nCommunity Development Financial Institutions and Minority Depository Institutions: The agreement includes dedicated PPP set-asides for very small businesses and lending through community-based lenders like Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs); $9 billion in emergency U.S. Treasury capital investments in CDFIs and MDIs to support lending in low-income and underserved communities, including persistent poverty counties, that may be disproportionately impacted by the economic effects of the COVID\u201319 pandemic; and $3 billion in emergency support for CDFIs through the CDFI Fund to respond to the economic impact of the pandemic on underserved low-income and minority communities.\n\nStrengthens the Low Income Housing Tax Credit: The package enhances the LIHTC to help increase affordable housing construction and provide greater certainty to new and ongoing affordable housing projects.\n\nStrengthened Earned Income Tax Credit & Child Tax Credit: The agreement helps ensure that families who faced unemployment or reduced wages during the pandemic are able to receive a strong tax credit based on their 2019 income, preserving these vital income supports for vulnerable families.\n\nSupports paid sick leave: The agreement provides a tax credit to support employers offering paid sick leave, based on the Families First framework.\n\nEmployee Retention Tax Credit: The agreement extends and improves the Employee Retention Tax Credit to help keep workers in the jobs during coronavirus closures or reduced revenue.\n\nNutrition assistance for hungry families: Democrats secured $13 billion in increased SNAP and child nutrition benefits to help relieve the historic hunger crisis that has left up to 17 million children food insecure.\n\nGlobal Health: Democrats secured an additional $3.36 billion for a total of $4 billion for GAVI, the international vaccine alliance, recognizing that we are not truly safe until the whole world is safe from the coronavirus.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://crist.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2225", "Crist Statement as COVID Relief Bill Heads to House Floor", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Charlie Crist", "C001111", "crist.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Crist Statement as COVID Relief Bill Heads to House Floor \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington, DC,\r\n        December 21, 2020\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Washington, DC  U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) released a statement ahead of House passage of H.R. 133, a $900 billion coronavirus relief legislative package to provide additional support to American families and businesses struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic, and secure the fast and efficient distribution of the novel vaccine to eradicate the virus.\r\nThe legislation, which is expected to pass later today, comes following weeks of bicameral, bipartisan negotiations. The relief package will also include $1.4 trillion to keep the government open for fiscal year 2021, completing the fiscal work of the government and safeguarding the nation from the threat of a government shutdown.\r\nNotably featured in the COVID relief legislation are provisions:\r\n \r\n    Providing another round of direct economic payments, $600 per individuals and dependents;\r\n    Restoring federal unemployment assistance, with a $300 per week federal add-on and 11 additional weeks, through March 2021. Benefits for self-employed individuals, gig workers, and those who've exhausted state benefits have been extended;\r\n    Providing a $325 billion lifeline for small businesses, including $284 billion for a second round of forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loans, $20 billion for Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Advance Grants, including the full $10,000 for small businesses in low-income communities;\r\n    $15 billion in Save Our Stages relief for live venues, theaters, and museums;\r\n    Extending the federal moratorium on evictions through end of January 2021 and including $25 billion in rental assistance for families who owe back rent;\r\n    Getting students safely back to school with $82 billion for K-12 public schools, and colleges and universities, including ventilation and HVAC to keep kids in school and safe;\r\n    Taking steps to eradicate COVID-19, with $20 billion for the purchase of vaccines so every person who wants a vaccine can to receive one for free, $9 billion for vaccine distribution, and $22 billion for states to fund COVID testing, contact tracing, and other mitigation programs.\r\n \r\nAt the outbreak of this pandemic, I promised you, my bosses, the people of Florida's 13th District, that I would do what it took to help us get to the other side of this crisis, said Rep. Crist. Today I remain just as fervently committed to that promise. While this compromise could certainly do more to help struggling families and small businesses, it remains one of the largest relief packages in American history  second only to the CARES Act. I will continue to do whatever it takes to lift our community and nation out of this pandemic, and I will never stop fighting for you.\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://crist.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2227", "Funds for Veteran Treatment Courts and Red Tide Prevention Among Crist Priorities Included in Massive Government Appropriations Bill", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Charlie Crist", "C001111", "crist.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) released the following statement after several Crist-championed priorities were included in H.R. 133, a $2.3 trillion legislative package consisting of all twelve FY' 2021 appropriations bills and additional measures. This completes the fiscal work of the 116th Congress, keeps the government working for you, and protects Pinellas residents from a government shutdown through September 30, 2021.\r\nThe bill, which passed the House overwhelmingly tonight, also features $900 billion in bipartisan, bicameral COVID relief and is expected to pass the Senate later this evening.\r\nA member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, Congressman Crist has been working since the spring on this funding package, which included the following key provisions for Pinellas families, veterans, and servicemembers:\r\n \r\n    $25 million for Veteran Treatment Courts to give veterans in need access to treatment instead of jail time, supporting Crist's Veteran Treatment Court Act, which was signed into law in August.\r\n    $13 million to research red tide and other harmful algae blooms, an increase of 30% from last year;\r\n    $1 million for a new program aimed at detecting and monitoring harmful algae blooms like red tide in the Gulf of Mexico so we can better prepare for and respond to algae outbreaks;\r\n    Continued funding for Community Health Centers like those Clearwater, Largo, and St. Pete through 2023, to provide low- and no-cost healthcare for neighbors in need;\r\n    $12.84 billion to fully fund the United States Coast Guard, including a 3% pay raise for Coasties and investments in Coast Guard infrastructure and equipment;\r\n    $15 billion for Save Our Stages grants for live venue, theatrical, museum, and performing arts organization operators, providing much need relief for the local live music and art venues that make our community so unique;\r\n    $270 million in base funding plus a historic $3 billion emergency COVID allocation for the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund, which provides affordable, accessible capital to low-income families, communities of color, and small businesses typically shut out by big banks. This includes $8.5 million for the Small Dollar Loan Program, a promising effort championed by Rep. Crist that aims to replace predatory lending.\r\n \r\nI've always believed a budget is a statement of our priorities as a nation, and for me there is no bigger priority than hearing from my neighbors in Pinellas on what matters most to them and delivering on those issues. While this bill brings home major wins to families, veterans, and servicemembers from Clearwater to Pinellas Point, we know we must bring an end to this pandemic and build back better for our country and our communities, said Rep. Crist. With this bill, we take steps to protect our natural environment by tackling red tide and safeguarding our shores. We provide funding for veteran treatment courts, and provide a 3% pay increase for servicemembers, including Coasties stationed right here in Pinellas. We provide historic investment in minority- and women-owned small businesses, and secure community health centers for years to come. This bill is not perfect, and I wish it went further for people struggling during the pandemic. But I'm proud that Congress set differences aside and came together on this bipartisan legislative package for the people.\r\nAdditional Crist priorities included in the package:\r\n \r\n    $7 million to Tampa International Airport as part of $30 million in reimbursements to airports like TPA that purchased explosive detection equipment after 9/11 to keep passengers safe;\r\n    $50 million for shore protection projects to preserve coastal habitats and protect Floridians and local economies from storm surge;\r\n    $3.45 billion for Community Development Block Grants with a focus on aging-friendly home modifications grants. Modifications like installing grab bars and ramps, widening doors, and making bathtubs walk-in empower seniors who wish to age in their own homes safely and affordably - policy is similar to Crist's Senior Accessible Housing Act;\r\n    $167.5 million for the National Endowment of the Arts, funding that will help support the arts community in St. Pete and across Pinellas that have been particularly hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic;\r\n    $5 million for veterans to access clinical trials at National Cancer Institutes, like Tampa's own Moffitt Cancer Center;\r\n    $100 million for the Reintegration of Ex-Offenders Program to help returning citizens receive employment and training they would otherwise find difficult to obtain as they reenter society;\r\n    $97 million for YouthBuild, to help mitigate the Pinellas car theft problem and provide training and employment to underserved, at-risk young adults;\r\n    $87 billion for the Department of Transportation to tackle traffic congestion like 34th Street in Pinellas Park by including millions in grants for transportation planning and billions in investments for highway and transit construction and improvement;\r\n    $2.5 million for Regional Ocean Partnerships, similar to legislation introduced by Congressman Crist to support ocean and coastal health;\r\n    $31 million to fully fund the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation program for folks in need of marrow or cord blood transplants;\r\n    Extension of the solar tax credit for two additional years, consistent with the intent of Crist's Sunshine Forever Act, along with investments in solar energy research and development to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy and keep Florida running on sunshine;\r\n    Forcing a re-examination of Federal Aviation Administration lax oversight over the airline industry. Crist first rang alarm bells in 2018, successfully ordering a Government Accountability Office study over whether FAA's kinder, gentler Compliance Philosophy was putting passengers at risk.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://demings.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-demings-supports-new-covid-relief", "Rep. Demings Supports New COVID Relief", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "FL", "Val Demings", "D000627", "demings.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "ORLANDO, FL  Today Rep. Demings will vote for new emergency COVID-19 relief legislation for struggling Americans, small businesses and communities. A summary is below.\nSaid Rep. Demings, Today's COVID relief deal is long-overdue and much-needed. Americans are desperate for financial assistance, and hospitals and communities need immediate support. We have been fighting for additional COVID relief since March, only to see it delayed and reduced over and over by the Senate. $600 per American is important, but it won't cover rent or other major expenses. I am voting for this relief in the hopes that it can provide a short-term aid to struggling Americans, but I strongly believe that we must do more, and soon.\nSince last spring, House Democrats have offered multiple deals and compromises to get more assistance into the bank accounts of struggling families and small businesses. Our efforts have been denied at every turn, and the American people have paid the costs. Even in recent weeks, multiple bipartisan deals were torpedoed by Senate Republicans seeking to undermine President-Elect Biden's work to help our economy recover. It is impossible to justify why our Republican colleagues refused over and over to give help to people in crisis. As we move into the new year, I pray that they will remember why they are here: to help people, especially during times of crisis.\nBackground\nIn addition to the fiscal year 2021 appropriations bills, the spending package contains $900 billion in emergency coronavirus relief to protect the lives and livelihoods of the American people. Among its provisions, the bill provides:\n Funding to distribute safe vaccines to crush the virus;\n\t$13 billion in increased SNAP and child nutrition benefits to help relieve the COVID hunger crisis;\n\tA new round of direct payments worth up to $600 per adult and child;\n\tExtends the eviction moratorium through January 31 and provides $25 billion in rental assistance;\n\tA $300 per week UI enhancement for Americans out of work;\n\t$82 billion in funding for colleges and schools and $10 billion for child care assistance to help get parents back to work and keep child care providers open;\n\tAn additional $3.36 billion for GAVI, the international vaccine alliance.\n In addition, the legislation funds the ongoing operation of the federal government, including several priorities on which Rep. Demings has led:\n $386 million for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Program\n\t$132 million for the STOP School Violence Act\n\t$85 million for grants to improve the NICS firearms background check system.\n\tItems related to MCO:\n\t\t$100 million for TSA scanning equipment\n\t\t\tFully funds the Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response teams (VIPR); staffing at exit lanes; and the Law Enforcement Officer reimbursement program.\n\t\t\t$30 million for reimbursements to airports for legacy purchases of in-line explosive detection systems.\n\t\t\n\t$705 million for the Urban Areas Security Initiative, which has funded security projects in Orlando since 2018.\n One-page fact sheets on critical Democratic priorities included among the appropriations provisions, the coronavirus relief provisions, and the authorizing matters arehere,here, andhererespectively.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://frankel.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3191", "Rep. Frankel Statement on Passage of Emergency Coronavirus Relief Package, Government Funding Agreement", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Lois Frankel", "F000462", "frankel.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Rep. Lois Frankel (FL-21) issued the following statement after voting for the bipartisan, bicameral emergency coronavirus relief and government funding package, which passed the House this evening. Once it passes the Senate it will go to the President's desk for signature.\r\nThe COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis have made this year painful for so many: over 315,000 families have lost loved ones, millions of workers have lost their jobs, and countless households are unable to make ends meet, said Rep. Frankel. This emergency relief package is critical to helping us crush this deadly virus and put money in the pockets of struggling families. I look forward to working with the new Biden-Harris Administration to meet the remaining needs of the American people and our local governments during this historic health and financial crisis.\r\nThe emergency coronavirus relief package includes $900 billion in urgently needed funds to help save the lives and livelihoods of the American people. Provisions include:\r\n \r\n    Accelerating Free Vaccine Distribution: Provides billions in urgently needed funds to accelerate the free and equitable distribution of safe vaccines to as many Americans as possible as soon as possible, to implement a strong national testing and tracing strategy with billions reserved specifically for combating the disparities facing communities of color, and to support our heroic health care workers and providers.\r\n    Enhanced Unemployment Insurance Benefits: Averts the expiration of Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits for millions and adds a $300 per week UI enhancement for Americans out of work. \r\n    Direct Payments to Families: A new round of direct payments worth up to $600 per adult and child, up to $2,400 per family.\r\n    Strong Support for Small Business: Includes over $284 billion for first and second forgivable PPP loans, expanded PPP eligibility for nonprofits and local newspapers, TV and radio broadcasters, key modifications to PPP to serve the smallest businesses and struggling non-profits and better assist independent restaurants,and includes $15 billion in dedicated funding for live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions. \r\n    Rental Assistance: Secures $25 billion in critically needed rental assistance for families struggling to stay in their homes and an extension of the eviction moratorium.\r\n    Supporting Paid Sick Leave: Provides a tax credit to support employers offering paid sick leave, based on the Families First framework.\r\n    Nutrition Assistance for Hungry Families: Includes $13 billion in increased SNAP and child nutrition benefits to help relieve the historic hunger crisis that has left up to 17 million children food insecure.\r\n    Education and Childcare: Provides $82 billion in funding for colleges and schools, including $7 billion to increase access to broadband for students, families, and unemployed workers.\r\n    Global Health: Includes an additional $3.36 billion for a total of $4 billion for GAVI, the international vaccine alliance, recognizing that we are not truly safe until the whole world is safe from the coronavirus. \r\n \r\nWith this compromise, Congress reached a $1.4 trillion agreement to fund the government for the remainder of the FY21 Fiscal Year. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Frankel advocated for an array of programs, many of which will positively impact South Florida, including:\r\nLabor-Health and Human Services-Education\r\n \r\n    $7million in fundingforVeterans Student Service Centers, which provide resources and give a boost to student veterans transitioning from military to civilian life.\r\n    $42.9 billion for theNational Institutes of Health(NIH), a more than $1.25billion increase over FY20 to this agency that provides life-saving research and care, including:\r\n    \r\n        $3.69billionfor Alzheimer's disease research\r\n        $195 million for theCancer Moonshot project\r\n    \r\n \r\n \r\n    $25million forfirearm injury and mortality prevention research, divided evenly between the NIH and the Center for Disease Control. \r\n    $5.91billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, an increase of $85 million from FY20 that will help low-income families afford quality childcare.\r\n    $10.75 billion forHead Start, an increase of $135 million from FY20 to provide comprehensive early childhood education for low-income families.\r\n    $13 million for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.\r\n    $5.1 million for the Violence Against Women health initiative, state partnerships.\r\n \r\nEnergy and Water\r\n \r\n    $250 million for Everglades Restoration, a $50 million increase from FY20 levels.\r\n    $50 million for Beach Restoration, maintaining funding from FY20 levels.\r\n    Language ensuring the best available science is used whendetermining Lake Okeechobee water levels.\r\n \r\nTransportation, HUD\r\n \r\n    $1 billionfor infrastructure grants.\r\n    $2 billionfor highway projects.\r\n    $25.8 billionfor affordable housing assistance.\r\n    $3 billionfor homelessness assistance grants.\r\n \r\nHomeland Security\r\n \r\n    Continued funding toreimburse local law enforcementfor overtime when protecting the President.\r\n    $90 millionfor physical security enhancementsto churches, synagogues, and other non-profit organizations that are at high risk of a terrorist attack.\r\n \r\nFinancial, Services and General Government\r\n \r\n    $425 million for Election Assistance Grants,to help states protect elections.\r\n \r\nMilitary Construction, Veterans Affairs\r\n \r\n    $420 millionto supportive service programs for veterans' families.\r\n    $815 millionfor medical and prosthetics support.\r\n \r\nState-Foreign Operations\r\n \r\n    $3.3 billioncommitment forsecurity assistance to Israel.\r\n    $$130 million for Women, Peace, and Security efforts to empower women as equal partners in conflict prevention, peace building, transition processes, and reconstruction efforts in countries affected by conflict or in political transition.\r\n \r\n \r\n    $2 million for the US and Israel to jointly advance water, agriculture, and energy projects in developing nations. \r\n    $165 million to combat gender-based violence.\r\n    $15 million for combatting child marriage.\r\n    $20 million for the Office of Global Women's Issues the Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues.\r\n \r\nDefense\r\n \r\n    $500 millionfor Israeli missile defense programs, including theIron Dome.\r\n \r\nAgriculture\r\n \r\n    $8.5 millionto fight citrus disease.\r\n \r\nCommerce, Justice, Science\r\n \r\n    $513 million for Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) programs administered by the Department of Justice.\r\n \r\nSeveral important bills were also attached to the final agreement, including:\r\n \r\n    Ending Surprise Billing: Includes bipartisan, bicameral legislation that will end surprise billing for emergency and scheduled care.\r\n    Fighting the Climate Crisis: Contains sweeping clean energy reforms, research and development enhancements, efficiency incentives, and extends clean energy tax credits to create hundreds of thousands of jobs across the clean economy.\r\n    Securing Florida's Water Resources: Includes the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act of 2020, which expedites Everglades restoration projects, seeks to reduce discharges from Lake Okeechobee into coastal estuaries, and will create good-paying jobs strengthening and improving the vital water infrastructure that Americans rely on.\r\n \r\nThe bill package was split into two sections for voting. The first included Appropriations bills for Homeland Security, Defense, Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Subcommittees, and Financial Services, and passed by a vote of 327-85. The second bill combined both the emergency coronavirus relief package and the rest of the eight Appropriations subcommittee bills and passed by a vote of 359-53.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://soto.house.gov/media/press-releases/soto-votes-pass-emergency-covid-relief-bill", "Soto Votes to Pass Emergency COVID Relief Bill", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Darren Soto", "S001200", "soto.house.gov", "soto", "https://soto.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Accelerated Vaccine Distribution: Democrats secured billions in urgently needed funds to accelerate the free and equitable distribution of safe vaccines to as many Americans as possible.\n\nStimulus Payments: Democrats secured another round of direct payments worth up to $600 per adult or child.\n\nExtended Unemployment Benefits: Democrats averted the sudden expiration of Unemployment Insurance benefits for millions and added a $300 per week UI and lengthened the number of weeks an unemployed worker can receive benefits by 11 weeks.\n\nHousing Assistance: Democrats secured emergency rental assistance and an eviction moratorium.\n\nFood Assistance: Democrats secured a 15 percent increase to SNAP and boosted child nutrition benefits to help relieve the historic hunger crisis that has left up to 17 million children food insecure.\n\nRelief for Small Businesses: Democrats secured critical funding and policy changes to help small businesses, including minority-owned businesses, and nonprofits recover from the pandemic. The agreement includes over $284 billion for first and second forgivable PPP loans, expanded PPP eligibility for nonprofits and local newspapers, TV and radio broadcasters, key modifications to PPP to serve the smallest businesses and struggling non-profits and better assist independent restaurants, and includes $15 billion in dedicated funding for live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions. The agreement also includes $20 billion for targeted EIDL Grantswhich are critical to many smaller businesses on Main Street.\n\nKey Tax Benefits for Struggling Families: The agreement helps ensure that families who faced unemployment or reduced wages during the pandemic are able to receive a strong tax credit based on their 2019 income, preserving these vital income supports for vulnerable families.\n\nHelp for Education, Child Care & Students: The agreement provides $82 billion in funding for colleges and schools, including support for HVAC repair and replacement to mitigate virus transmission and reopen classrooms, and $10 billion for child care assistance to help get parents back to work and keep child care providers open.\n\nStrengthens the Low Income Housing Tax Credit: The package enhances the LIHTC to help increase affordable housing construction and provide greater certainty to new and ongoing affordable housing projects.\n\nAssistance for State/Local/Tribal/Territorial Governments:The agreement includes $22 billion for the health-related expenses of state, local, tribal and territorial government and an additional year of eligibility for costs under the CARES Coronavirus Relief Fund.\n\nPaid Sick Leave: The agreement provides a tax credit to support employers offering paid sick leave, based on the Families First framework.\n\nCommunity Development Financial Institutions and Minority Depository Institutions: The agreement includes dedicated PPPset-asides for very small businesses and lending through community-based lenders like Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs); $9 billion in emergency U.S. Treasury capital investments in CDFIs and MDIs to support lending in low-income and underserved communities, including persistent poverty counties, that may be disproportionately impacted by the economic effects of the COVID\u201319 pandemic; and $3 billion in emergency support for CDFIs through the CDFI Fund to respond to the economic impact of the pandemic on underserved low-income and minority communities.\n\nAffordable Broadband Access: The agreement invests $7 billion to increase broadband access.\n\nGlobal Health: Democrats secured an additional $3.36 billion for a total of $4 billion for GAVI, the international vaccine alliance, recognizing that we are not truly safe until the whole world is safe from the coronavirus.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://stephaniemurphy.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1558", "House Passes COVID Relief Bill that Includes Major Murphy Initiative to Keep Businesses Open and Save Jobs", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Stephanie Murphy", "M001202", "stephaniemurphy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "House Passes COVID Relief Bill that Includes Major Murphy Initiative to Keep Businesses Open and Save Jobs\r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Bipartisan bill also includes Murphy measures to help teachers, protect unemployed workers, and strengthen democracy and rule of law in Venezuela\r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        December 21, 2020\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      WASHINGTONThe U.S. House of Representatives today approved COVID-19 relief legislation that includes numerous bipartisan measures spearheaded by U.S. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy of Winter Park, Fla. Most notably, it includes the core of Murphy's bill to extend and enhance the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC), which helps businesses retain and rehire workers. Murphy spent the last eight months leading this legislative initiative and building a broad bipartisan coalition behind ERTC expansion.\r\n\r\nWhile it took far too long and it is far from perfect, this bipartisan bill ensures American families, workers, and businesses receive immediate assistance after months of partisan bickering and inaction in Congress. I'm proud to have successfully included my bipartisan initiative to expand the employee retention tax credit, which has been proven to help workers and businesses, said Murphy. I'll keep fighting to provide additional support to help our country get through this pandemic.\r\n\r\nOther Murphy-led measures in the COVID relief bill, which also funds the federal government for the rest of the fiscal year, include:\r\n\r\n    Murphy's bipartisanbill to empower states like Florida to allow workers who received overpayments of federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) to retain those payments, if the worker was not at fault for the overpayment and if making the worker repay would cause them severe economic hardship.\r\n    Murphy's bipartisan bill to enable K through 12 educators to take a federal tax deduction, of up to $250, if they purchaseout of their own fundspersonal protective equipment, disinfectants, air purifiers, and other supplies to keep their classrooms, their students, and themselves safe.\r\n    Murphy's floor amendment to protect U.S. national security, combat the threat  posed by the regime of Nicols Maduro, and support the people of Venezuela by  increasing federal funding, from $30 million to $33 million, for State Department  effortsundertaken with Venezuelan partnersto promote fair elections, uphold  human rights, strengthen civil society, defend the rule of law, and support  independent media in Venezuela.\r\n\r\nIn addition, the COVID relief bill includes many other provisions important to Florida. For example:\r\n\r\n    Unemployment Insurance: The bill provides an additional $300 per week for all workers receiving unemployment benefits, through March 14, 2021. It also extends the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which expanded coverage to the self-employed, gig workers, and others in nontraditional employment, and the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program, which provides additional weeks of federally-funded unemployment benefits to individuals who exhaust their regular state benefits.\r\n\r\n\r\n    Economic Impact Payments: The bill provides an additional round of Economic Impact Payments of $600 for individuals making up to $75,000 per year and $1,200 for couples making up to $150,000 per year, as well as a $600 payment for each child dependent. This means a family of four will receive $2,400 in direct payments. Checks are expected to be sent starting next week.\r\n    Paycheck Protection Program: The bill includes over $284 billion for first and second forgivable PPP loans, and expands eligibility for 501(c)(6) nonprofits, including destination marketing organizations, local newspapers, and TV and radio broadcasters. Of this amount, $15 billion is for dedicated funding to live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions like museums and zoos.\r\n    Health: The bill provides $69 billion for vaccine procurement and distribution; testing, tracing and mitigation; mental health funding; support for health care providers; and NIH research on COVID-19.\r\n    Education, Child Care, and Food Assistance: The bill provides $82 billion for K through 12 schools and colleges and universities, $10 billion for child care facilities, and $26 billion for nutrition and agriculture.\r\n    Housing: The bill extends the existing CDC eviction moratorium through January 31, 2021. The bill also establishes the first-ever emergency federal rental assistance program ($25 billion) to be distributed by state and local governments. These funds will be targeted to families impacted by COVID that are struggling to make the rent and may have past due rent compounding on itself. These families will be able to utilize this assistance for past due rent, future rent payments, as well as to pay utility and energy bills and prevent shutoffs.\r\n\r\nThe COVID relief bill will now head to the Senate for a vote and is expected to be signed into law by the President in the coming days.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://crist.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2224", "Crist Receives First Dose of COVID Vaccine, Thanks Healthcare Heroes", "2020-12-18", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Charlie Crist", "C001111", "crist.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Crist Receives First Dose of COVID Vaccine, Thanks Healthcare Heroes \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington, DC,\r\n        December 18, 2020\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Washington, DC U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) released a statement announcing that per the recommendation of Congress' Office of the Attending Physician, he received the COVID-19 vaccine this afternoon.\r\nAs the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine begins across the country, I am grateful to be able to do my part to stop the spread of this terrible disease by receiving the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine today,said Rep. Crist. This vaccine is a true medical miracle that signals the light at the end of the tunnel we have all been desperately praying for since March. Part of my job as Representative involves flying back and forth from Tampa Bay and Washington D.C. and gathering on the Floor of the House to cast votes on your behalf. Getting vaccinated helps me perform this essential government duty. Even so I will continue to follow CDC guidelines to curb the spread of the virus and will continue wearing a mask and practicing social distancing, as I encourage all Americans to do. I am eternally grateful to our frontline doctors, nurses, and scientists who made this possible, and I remain as optimistic as ever as vaccine doses get rolled out across America.\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://soto.house.gov/media/press-releases/soto-urges-committee-energy-and-commerce-investigate-florida-covid-reporting", "Soto Urges Committee on Energy and Commerce to Investigate Florida COVID Reporting", "2020-12-18", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Darren Soto", "S001200", "soto.house.gov", "soto", "https://soto.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09) co-led a letter with Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) to Chairman Frank Pallone requesting the House Committee on Energy and Commerce investigate possible irregularities in the State of Florida's daily COVID-19 death tally. The letter comes after it was reported that a possible inconsistent pattern in the calculation of deaths emerged before the general election.\n\n\"To maintain the highest level of safety, the residents of Florida must have complete transparency on the methodology and calculation of the daily COVID death tally,\" wrote the Members. \"As cases surge nationwide, Floridians must be assured of truthful reporting by their Department of Health.\"\n\nChanges to the system came within three days of Governor DeSantis's announcement of audits of all COVID suspected deaths before inclusion in the daily numbers. It appears the State of Florida Health Department excluded the long-backlogged deaths in daily death counts during election season beginning October 24, only to resume inclusion of these deaths on November 17, 2020.\n\nThe letter was signed by Reps. Alcee L. Hastings, Ted Deutch, Charlie Crist, Kathy Castor, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and Al Lawson, Jr..\n\nThe full letter can be read here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://stephaniemurphy.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1553", "Murphy Urges House Leadership to Request House-wide Intelligence Briefing on Suspected Russian Hack", "2020-12-18", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Stephanie Murphy", "M001202", "stephaniemurphy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONToday, U.S. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy, a former national security specialist at the Pentagon, sent a letter urging House leadership to schedule a classified, bipartisan briefing for Members of Congress regarding the recently-revealed cyberattack on the networks of the federal government and much of corporate America. The attack is widely believed to have been the work of a Russian intelligence agency. Public reports about the consequences of this attack for U.S. national security paint a very grim picture, wrote Murphy in her letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. A classified briefing by the relevant federal agencies would enable Members to better understand the nature and extent of the attack, the precise parties responsible, whether more could have been done to prevent this attack and can be done to prevent future attacks, and the range of options that are available to the United States to appropriately respond to the attack.\" Murphyhas called for increased transparency in the event of election interferenceby a foreign adversary and is the author ofbipartisan legislation, theALERTS Act, that would require notification to appropriate members of Congress, relevant state and local officials, and potentially affected voters when an election system is breached and voter information may have been compromised. Full text of the letter can be found here and below. Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader McCarthy, and Leader Hoyer: I write to respectfully request that you schedule a classified, bipartisan briefing for Members of Congress regarding the recently-revealed cyberattack on the networks of the federal government and much of corporate America, an attack that is widely believed to have been the work of a Russian intelligence agency. Public reports about the consequences of this attack for U.S. national security paint a very grim picture. A classified briefing by the relevant federal agencies would enable Members to better understand the nature and extent of the attack, the precise parties responsible, whether more could have been done to prevent this attack and can be done to prevent future attacks, and the range of options that are available to the United States to appropriately respond to the attack. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, Stephanie Murphy  \r\nMember of Congress\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wassermanschultz.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2552", "Fla. Cong. Democrats Demand DeSantis Disclose COVID Task Force Reports, Stop Suppressing Public Health Info", "2020-12-18", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Debbie Wasserman Schultz", "W000797", "wassermanschultz.house.gov", "wassermanschultz", "https://wassermanschultz.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Washington DC \u2013 Florida Congressional Democrats today called on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to release undisclosed weekly White House Coronavirus Task Force Reports and quit ignoring the urgent health recommendations they call for, and once again, they demanded that the governor stop manipulating COVID-19 health data \u2013 all of which compromises public safety and undermines the vital credibility needed to aggressively confront this deadly pandemic.\n\nFlorida media have continued to uncover a long-running pattern by DeSantis of withholding and manipulating COVID-19 data. The Orlando Sentinel recently sued DeSantis to release all the weekly reports, and after relenting to make two of them public, the Orlando newspaper reported that the governor had largely ignored the report\u2019s recommendations. In an equally troubling report, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported that the state suddenly and temporarily paused reporting data concerning backlogged COVID-related death totals around the presidential election.\n\n\u201cBy failing to publicly disclose the Task Force reports in a timely manner, and purposefully creating a reporting gap in Florida's coronavirus death data, your Administration continues to demonstrate a lack of transparency without reason or justification,\u201d the Florida Democratic Members of Congress wrote in a letter co-led by Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) and Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09). \u201cThese actions continue to erode the public\u2019s trust in your ability to ensure the health and safety of Floridians.\u201d\n\nSigners on the letter also include Reps.: Reps. Alcee Hastings, FL-20, Kathy Castor (FL-14), Ted Deutch (FL-22), Frederica Wilson (FL-24), Lois Frankel (FL-21), Charlie Crist (FL-13), Al Lawson (FL-05), Stephanie Murphy (FL-07) and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (FL-26).\n\nSee the entire letter below:\n\nThe Honorable Ron DeSantis\n\nOffice of Governor\n\nState of Florida, The Capitol\n\n400 S. Monroe St.\n\nTallahassee, FL 32399-0001\n\nGovernor DeSantis:\n\nWe write out of concern with the ongoing and purposeful lack of transparency regarding COVID-19 by your Administration. Reports indicate that your Administration has chosen to withhold from the public the weekly White House Coronavirus Task Force Reports, and ignore the recommendations contained therein. In addition, an investigation revealed that the State abruptly and temporarily paused reporting data concerning backlogged COVID-related death totals during the timeframe of the presidential election. As such, we urge you to publicly and promptly release future reports to the public and require an explanation for your Administration\u2019s decision to suppress factual data in these separate matters.\n\nDuring a public health emergency, it is imperative that your Administration provide Floridians with timely information and guidance that ensures their health and safety. The Task Force\u2019s weekly reports provide states with recommendations necessary to control the spread of the virus and protect their constituents, and advocates for these reports to be widely shared with the general public. The latest report from December 6, urges the escalation of mitigation efforts, such as no indoor gatherings outside of immediate households, aggressive testing to identify asymptomatic cases, and increased mask usage. In contravention, your Administration has ordered a full reopening of bars and restaurants, encouraged indoor dining, and sought to stop local governments from enforcing mask mandates. Instead of adhering to medical and scientific expertise, you made the decision to conceal these reports from the public since Nov. 1 without reason or justification, which is counterintuitive to reduction of community spread.\n\nIn addition, an analysis of Florida\u2019s data reporting demonstrates that the State stopped including backlogged COVID-related fatalities \u2013 specifically, deaths that occurred more than one month earlier \u2013 in its daily counts from October 24 through November 17. Outside of this timeframe, the State consistently included this information in its daily reports. Without explanation of purpose for this reporting gap, the timing of this action is unusual given this temporarily altered data exhibited favorable mortality rates ten days before the presidential election until two weeks thereafter. This investigation especially is troubling considering allegations that health officials in the state were told not to speak about COVID until after the election, and that health experts in Florida have repeatedly alleged that COVID-related deaths are being underreported.\n\nBy failing to publicly disclose the Task Force reports in a timely manner, and purposefully creating a reporting gap in Florida's coronavirus death data, your Administration continues to demonstrate a lack of transparency without reason or justification. These actions continue to erode the public\u2019s trust in your ability to ensure the health and safety of Floridians.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["http://alceehastings.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402478", "Hastings Fights to Put a Stop to Imminent Offshore Drilling Project", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "FL", "Alcee Hastings", "H000324", "alceehastings.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Fort Lauderdale, FL) Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) led a letter to Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Bahamas, Dr. Hubert Alexander Minnis and the Minister of the Environment and Housing, Romauld Sotario Ferreira, expressing opposition to theBahamas Petroleum Company's (BPC) offshore drilling project, the Perseverance No. 1 oil well, off the coast of The Bahamas, a mere 150 miles from South Florida. The letter urges the government of The Bahamas to reconsider allowing the BPC drilling project to continue, given the immediate and long-term impacts an oil spill and carbon emissions have on natural ecosystems, local economies, and the global climate crisis. This letter has been endorsed by Oceana. Joining Hastings in sending the letter include: Representatives Ted Deutch (D-FL), Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Darren Soto (D-FL), Charlie Crist (D-FL), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Nydia M. Velzquez (D-NY), Francis Rooney (R-FL), A. Donald McEachin (D-VA), Al Lawson (D-FL), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Abigail D. Spanberger (D-VA), David Scott (D-GA), Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL), and Donna E. Shalala (D-FL). (Please find the letter below and attached):  \r\n\r\nDecember 17, 2020  \r\n\r\nThe Honorable Dr. Hubert Alexander Minnis, ON, M.P. \r\nPrime Minister of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas \r\nOffice of the Prime Minister\r\nSir Cecil Wallace Whitfield Centre \r\nNassau, N.P., The Bahamas \r\n\r\nThe Honorable Romauld Sotario Ferreira\r\nMinister of the Environment and Housing \r\nCharlotte House, Second Floor \r\nShirley & Charlotte St. \r\nNassau, N.P., The Bahamas\r\nVia electronic correspondence.\r\nDear Prime Minister Minnis and Minister Ferreira,\r\nWe write regarding the Bahamas Petroleum Company's (BPC) offshore drilling project, the Perseverance No. 1 oil well, off the coast of The Bahamas. We believe you should reconsider the agreement established between your government and BPC to protect the beauty and longevity of our fragile and shared ecosystems, the economies that depend on them, and the future of our planet.\r\nAs coastal and near-coastal Members of Congress, we have long fought to prevent oil spills, but the success of this work is directly dependent on the cooperation of other states, our federal government, and nearby nations. We and countless Americans remember the devastation and loss of life caused by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill,[1] for which Florida continues to require restoration funding.[2] That well, similar to that which BPC plans to bore, claimed 11 lives and spewed more than 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, destroying whole ecosystems and halting tourism and fisheries across the region. It has become clear that oil companies such as BPC have every intention to plow ahead despite red flags, which warn of the grave health, natural disaster, and environmental risks of drilling.\r\nShould BPC's project move forward, we will be justified in fearing that the Atlantic coast is at risk of severe, even catastrophic, impact from any spills that might occur  essentially undermining the recent offshore drilling ban extension from President Trump, and futureoffshore drilling restrictions. It is unclear whether BPC has the capacity to help mitigate a serious disaster, let alone prevent one in the first place. Should a calamitous event occur, the Bahamian government and BPC's clean-up efforts will undoubtedly require financial assistance from neighbors, including the United States, to address any spill that would spread throughout domestic and international waters. For perspective, Deepwater Horizon cost an estimated $65 billion to clean up and the effects have yet to be fully alleviated.[3] What's worse, the ship arriving on your shores to begin drilling has a track record of safety issues on previous jobs, including incidents in March 2016,[4] September 2016,[5] and October 2017.[6]\r\nUnfortunately, we believe the agreement reached between BPC and the Bahamian government is directly contrary to the urgent call made at the United Nations just last year.[7] In that speech, Prime Minister, you cited the contribution carbon emissions have made to the climate crisis and the devastating impacts this crisis continues to have on island nations like The Bahamas,[8] including those wrought by Hurricane Dorian, rising sea levels, and natural barrier degradation. These events are felt deeply by Americans and communities around the world, and expanding offshore drilling is fundamentally against their interests.\r\nWe stand ready to work with your government to fight the climate crisis, a looming mass-extinction event, and oil and gas interests that seek only to profit off activities that truly put our respective communities at great risk. The health of our constituencies, oceans, and planet hinges on what actions we take here and now.\r\nSincerely, \r\n\r\nAlcee L. Hastings \r\nMember of Congress\r\n\r\nKathy Castor\r\nMember of Congress\r\n\r\nDarren Soto \r\nMember of Congress\r\n\r\nCharlie Crist\r\nMember of Congress \r\n\r\nGerald E. Connolly \r\nMember of Congress\r\n\r\nDebbie Wasserman Schultz\r\nMember of Congress\r\n\r\nLois Frankel \r\nMember of Congress\r\n\r\nNydia M. Velzquez\r\nMember of Congress\r\n\r\nTed Deutch \r\nMember of Congress \r\n\r\nFrancis Rooney\r\nMember of Congress\r\n\r\nA. Donald McEachin\r\nMember of Congress\r\n\r\nAl Lawson\r\nMember of Congress\r\n\r\nAlan Lowenthal\r\nMember of Congress\r\n\r\nChellie Pingree\r\nMember of Congress\r\n\r\nAbigail D. Spanberger\r\nMember of Congress\r\n\r\nDavid Scott\r\nMember of Congress\r\n\r\nDebbie Mucarsel-Powell\r\nMember of Congress\r\n\r\nDonna E. Shalala\r\nMember of Congress  \r\n\r\nCC: \r\nSecretary Mike Pompeo \r\nU.S. Department of State \r\n2201 C Street, NW \r\nWashington, DC 20520\r\n\r\nMs. Stephanie Bowers \r\nCharg d'Affaires \r\nU.S. Embassy in The Bahamas \r\n42 Queen St. \r\nNassau, The Bahamas\r\n\r\n[1] Deep Water Horizon. Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Updated: August 17, 2020.\r\n[2] Florida receives additional $73 million from Deepwater Horizon settlement. Karl Schneider. Naples Daily News. Updated: October 29, 2020.\r\n[3] BP Takes $1.7 Billion Charge on Deepwater Horizon; Costs Now Top $65B. Alex Lardieri. U.S. News & World Report. January 16, 2018.\r\n[4] Shell offshore team loses Styrofoam pipe floats at sea. Brett Ruskin. CBC. March 22, 2016.\r\n[5] Shell Canada offshore drill fell within 12 metres of oil exploration well. Michal Tutton. CBC. September 29, 2016.\r\n[6] Scottish oil worker Colin Gillespie dies in Gran Canaria. BBC News. October 23, 2017.\r\n[7] Treat climate crisis with greatest urgency', Bahamas leader tells UN Assembly. The United Nations. September 27, 2019.\r\n[8] [statements.unmeetings.org/GA74/BS_EN.pdf]National Statement at the 74th Session of the United Nations' General Assembly. The Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis Prime\r\n\r\nCongressman Alcee L. Hastings serves as the Vice Chairman of the House Rules Committee, Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, and Dean and Co-Chairman of the Florida Delegation.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://alceehastings.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402479", "Hastings, Lee, McGovern, Frankel, and Deutch Call for an Immediate Boost to Hunger Relief for Struggling Families in COVID Relief Package", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "FL", "Alcee Hastings", "H000324", "alceehastings.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.) Representative Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), along with Representatives Barbara Lee (D-CA), James McGovern (D-MA), Lois Frankel (D-FL), and Ted Deutch (D-FL), led 62 of their colleagues in sending a letter urging House and Senate Leadership to include a funding increase for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other nutritional programs in the upcoming COVID-19 relief package under negotiation. As our nation faces a hunger crisis worsened by the growing toll this pandemic has taken, $5.5 billion in emergency food aid is dwindling despite the increasing number of families struggling to put food on the table. Bolstering federal nutrition programs like SNAP will provide short-term hunger relief, while preventing long-term health and economic harm to our most vulnerable. (Please find the letter below and attached).  \r\n\r\nThe letter was endorsed by: Feeding America, Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, Feeding South Florida, California Association of Food Banks, United Way of Palm Beach County, Alameda County Community Food Banks. \r\nDecember 17, 2020\r\nThe Honorable Nancy Pelosi  \r\nSpeaker of the House of Representatives  \r\nH-232, U.S. Capitol  \r\nWashington, D.C. 20515 The Honorable Mitch McConnell  \r\nSenate Majority Leader  \r\nS-230, U.S. Capitol  \r\nWashington, D.C. 20510 The Honorable Steny Hoyer  \r\nHouse Majority Leader  \r\nH-107, U.S. Capitol  \r\nWashington, D.C. 20515 The Honorable Chuck Schumer  \r\nSenate Minority Leader  \r\nS-221, U.S. Capitol  \r\nWashington, D.C. 20510 The Honorable Kevin McCarthy  \r\nHouse Majority Leader  \r\nH-204, U.S. Capitol  \r\nWashington, D.C. 20515 Dear Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader McConnell, Majority Leader Hoyer, Minority Leader Schumer, and Minority Leader McCarthy: As we navigate simultaneous health and economic crises, we respectfully urge you to increase the maximum Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit by 15 percent for all participants as part of future funding and COVID19 relief legislation. Doing so will help address deep systemic inequities in access to food and other daily necessities that have been laid bare in our most vulnerable populations and it is crucial that we utilize every option available to eliminate these gaps in the near and distant future.[1] SNAP is one of the most important tools to meet the needs of our most vulnerable populations, with 85.3 percent of all benefits reaching households with children, seniors, and disabled residents.[2] An increase in the maximum SNAP benefit for all participants would provide a modest 15 percent boost in benefits. With grocery prices increasing at the fastest rate in 50 years, SNAP is the nation's greatest defense against hunger and helps stimulate local economies.[3]\r\nWe have all seen the lines of Americans waiting for hours to receive food due to the struggles imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing economic crisis.[4] Even before the pandemic, 37 million American households struggled with food insecurity, lacking consistent access to nutritious meals despite residing in the richest country in the world.[5] While over 90 percent of food assistance in the U.S. comes from federal programs, charitable and community organizations on the frontlines are responding to tremendous need across the country. Additional federal relief from increasing SNAP and providing additional federal commodities for emergency food providers will feed hungry Americans and help food banks and other community partners keep pace with growing demand for nutritious meals. SNAP is proven to not only lift people out of poverty, but to deliver critically needed jobs and economic stimulus.[6]\r\nEarlier this year, Congress passed legislation to expand capacity to meet the surge in demand for food assistance caused by the COVID-19 crisis through Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Families First) and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. As approximately $5.5 billion in emergency food aid through food banks and other channels are winding down, the need to expand federal nutrition programs is increasingly urgent.[7] The initial response to the pandemic provided much needed temporary assistance, but many of these short-term infusions are ending as the need for food assistance is at an all-time high. Congress must act swiftly to provide additional assistance by increasing benefits for SNAP, along with additional funding for programs such as TEFAP, as well as those that address child and senior nutrition, childcare and school nutrition, and food access for Indian Reservations and U.S. territories. Puerto Rico was already recording higher rates of food insecurity and poverty than the 50 states and the economic crisis means they are relying on federal food assistance more than ever, with capped funding that is insufficient to fully meet the significant and growing needs of residents of Puerto Rico.\r\nThe need is clear, and emergency and immediate funding as well as crucial administrative flexibilities have proven to alleviate the hunger crisis on our hands. Bolstering federal nutrition programs like SNAP will provide short-term hunger relief, while preventing long-term health and economic harm to our most vulnerable. These provisions should not sunset until the national and state emergency declarations are lifted. We must address the hunger crisis, while anticipating a long-term need for nutrition aid as we combat and recover from the immense economic and social upheaval.\r\nWith the holiday season and winter upon us, we cannot neglect one of the most basic needs. We look forward to working with you to get relief to those who need it most until we can be certain of a strong recovery.\r\nSincerely, Alcee L. Hastings  \r\nBarbara Lee  \r\nJames P. McGovern  \r\nLois Frankel  \r\nTed Deutch  \r\nJan Schakowsky  \r\nJim Costa  \r\nJimmy Panetta  \r\nNanette Diaz Barragn  \r\nJuan Vargas  \r\nChellie Pingree  \r\nSalud Carbajal  \r\nBobby L. Rush  \r\nCheri Bustos  \r\nMike Thompson  \r\nDanny K. Davis  \r\nJoseph D. Morelle  \r\nDebbie Dingell  \r\nKathy Castor  \r\nSheila Jackson Lee  \r\nEleanor Holmes Norton  \r\nHenry C. Hank Johnson, Jr.  \r\nZoe Lofgren  \r\nAl Lawson  \r\nEmanuel Cleaver, II  \r\nMarcy Kaptur  \r\nJerrold Nadler  \r\nJerry McNerney  \r\nAlan Lowenthal  \r\nMark Pocan  \r\nRuben Gallego  \r\nMark DeSaulnier  \r\nRo Khanna  \r\nWm. Lacy Clay  \r\nScott H. Peters  \r\nJason Crow  \r\nDina Titus  \r\nThomas R. Suozzi  \r\nJ. Luis Correa  \r\nAdam B. Schiff  \r\nKim Schrier, M.D.  \r\nEric Swalwell  \r\nBonnie Watson Coleman  \r\nDarren Soto  \r\nPeter Welch  \r\nDebbie Wasserman Schultz  \r\nJim Langevin  \r\nDon Young  \r\nTony Crdenas  \r\nAnna G. Eshoo  \r\nJared Huffman  \r\nAdam Smith  \r\nRaja Krishnamoorthi  \r\nDwight Evans  \r\nSteve Cohen  \r\nAnthony G. Brown  \r\nFrederica S. Wilson  \r\nAbigail D. Spanberger  \r\nAndr Carson  \r\nAlma S. Adams, Ph.D.  \r\nBennie G. Thompson  \r\nEd Case  \r\nDonald M. Payne Jr.  \r\nTed Lieu  \r\nLinda T. Snchez  \r\nGrace F. Napolitano  \r\nRobin L. Kelly\r\n[1]'No end in sight': hunger surges in America amid a spiraling pandemic. Nina Lakhani and Maanvi Singh.The Guardian.November 25, 2020. Visualizing Food Insecurity. Diane Schanzenbach and Natalie Tomeh. Northwestern University Institute for Policy Research. July 14, 2020.\r\n[2]Facts | SNAP Strengths.Food Research & Action Center (FRAC). 2020.\r\n[3]Economic Linkages: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Linkages with the General Economy. USDA Economic Research Service. August 20, 2019.\r\n[4]Thousands in Texas line up in cars to receive food before Thanksgiving. Danielle Garand. CBS News. November 16, 2020.\r\n[5]Food scarcity is on the rise in America as the economy reels. Aimee Pinchee.CBS News.June 19, 2020.\r\n[6]The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Economy: New Estimates of the SNAP Multiplier. USDA Economic Research Service. July, 2019.\r\n[7]A $4.5 billion Trump food program is running out of money early, leaving families hungry and food assistance charities scrambling. Laura Reiley & Gregg Jeffe.The Washington Post. December 8, 2020.\r\nCongressman Alcee L. Hastings serves as Vice-Chairman of the House Rules Committee, Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, and Co-Chairman of the Florida Delegation.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://teddeutch.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402896", "Rep. Deutch, Sen. Cardin Introduce Bill Directing Sec. of State to Address Global Climate Change Crisis", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Ted Deutch", "D000610", "teddeutch.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, U.S. Representative Ted Deutch (FL-22) and U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) introduced legislation requiring the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to report to Congress on efforts to address the global climate change crisis and improve the agency's energy and resource efficiency.\r\nSpecifically, the legislation will require the Secretary to report to Congress on the Department's plan underlining the strategic use of the full power of U.S. diplomacy and development tools to address the global climate crisis. This would include an assessment of the global threat of climate change; articulation of the guidelines for international finance flows via public and private sector to promote sustainable development; and the integration of adaption, mitigation, and resiliency activities into climate security, conflict mitigation, economic policy, and geographic policy parameters with a particular focus on the countries and communities most vulnerable to climate change, including women and girls. \r\n\"Climate change is a global crisis that demands a united global response,\" saidCongressman Deutch. \"The United States must use all of our foreign policy and diplomatic tools, from the State Department to USAID, to confront the global challenges of climate change. This will help ensure President-elect Biden's success in executing foreign policy that leads the global effort to protect our planet. Congress must play an active role in helping to advance these efforts.\"\r\n\"As President-elect Biden Prepares to restore U.S. leadership in the fight against climate change, we must ensure that the State Department and USAID implement a coordinated campaign. Developing and implementing a joint strategy, as required by this legislation, will ensure that America's diplomatic corps has a clear game plan to respond to the grave national security threat of climate change,\" saidSenator Cardin.\r\nText of the legislation can beaccessed here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://frankel.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3189", "Democratic Women\u2019s Caucus, Equality Caucus Lead Letter Denouncing Proposed EEOC Title VII Exemption", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Lois Frankel", "F000462", "frankel.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Democratic Women's Caucus (DWC) Co-Chairs Representatives Jackie Speier (CA-14), Lois Frankel (FL-21), and Brenda Lawrence (MI-14), and Vice Chairs Congresswomen Veronica Escobar (TX-16) and Deb Haaland (NM-01), were joined by Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus Co-Chairs Representatives David Cicilline (RI-01), Angie Craig (MN-02), Sharice Davids (KS-03), Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), and Mark Takano (CA-41) in leading 24 members and 2 members-elect on a letter to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Chair Janet Dhillon opposing the recently proposed Updated Compliance Manual on Religious Discrimination and demanding its withdrawal.\r\nThe letter states in part, The proposed changes would embolden discrimination against women and LGBTQ+ individuals by allowing for-profit entities to ambiguously claim the religious organization exemption to Title VII protections. Specifically, we have strong concerns that these changes will open the doors for employment discrimination based on sex, reproductive health and marital choices, sexual orientation, and gender identity.\r\nThe letter continues, We are alarmed at this apparent attempt to rush through complex, dangerous changes in the final days of an administration that has spent four years attacking protections for women and the LGBTQ+ community. The EEOC has released a 114-page document with 320 footnotes, governing a very complex area of the law with merely 30 days to comment. In drafting the updated manual, the EEOC failed to engage with minority faith leaders, civil rights organizations, and many other relevant stakeholders. Given the immense harm this update will cause, we urge the EEOC and this administration to immediately withdraw the proposed change in its entirety. The administration should be working to end discrimination in employment, not embolden it.\r\nThe full text of the letter is available here. \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://frankel.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3190", "Hastings, Lee, McGovern, Frankel, and Deutch Call for an Immediate Boost to Hunger Relief for Struggling Families in COVID Relief Package", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Lois Frankel", "F000462", "frankel.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Hastings, Lee, McGovern, Frankel, and Deutch Call for an Immediate Boost to Hunger Relief for Struggling Families in COVID Relief Package \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        December 17, 2020\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Representative Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), along with Representatives Barbara Lee (D-CA), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Lois Frankel (D-FL), and Ted Deutch (D-FL), led 62 of their colleagues in sending a letter urging House and Senate Leadership to include a funding increase for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other nutritional programs in the upcoming COVID-19 relief package under negotiation. As our nation faces a hunger crisis worsened by the growing toll this pandemic has taken, $5.5 billion in emergency food aid is dwindling despite the increasing number of families struggling to put food on the table. Bolstering federal nutrition programs like SNAP will provide short-term hunger relief, while preventing long-term health and economic harm to our most vulnerable. (Please find the letter below and attached).\r\nThe letter was endorsed by: Feeding America, Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, Feeding South Florida, California Association of Food Banks, United Way of Palm Beach County, Alameda County Community Food Banks. \r\n###  \r\n\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://stephaniemurphy.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1551", "Murphy Announces 2020 Congressional App Challenge Winner", "2020-12-17", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Stephanie Murphy", "M001202", "stephaniemurphy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "ORLANDOU.S. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy of Winter Park, Fla., announced the winner of the 2020 Congressional App Challenge for Florida's Seventh Congressional District. Dylan Harte, a senior at Lake Mary Preparatory School in Seminole County, created the winning app, Pre-Calculus Buddy, to help students study the various topics covered in their pre-calculus curriculum. The Congressional App Challenge is part of a national effort tosupport and encourage education in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math). Dylan's app uses formulas to help students calculate solutions or check answers on a given problem. Dylan will now have the opportunity to attend a virtual coding academy, referred to as #HouseofCode, this spring to connect with other app challenge winners and the broader tech community. I am so excited that I am able to blend my love of math and programming in the 2020 Congressional App Challenge with Pre-Calculus Buddy, Dylan said. My app brings innovation in the precalculus learning process that will help students learn from their errors and offer them a better overall learning experience. I am very proud of Dylan for creating an app that is focused on helping his peers. As Chair Emeritus of Future Forum, I'm excited to see young people utilizing their talents to improve the lives of others, said Murphy. I also want to thank all the parents, teachers, and mentors who encourage students like Dylan to use their skills to make a difference. I will continue to support STEAM development in our schools so that more students have the opportunity to contribute to their communities. Since it launched in 2015, nearly 9,000 high school students have participated in the Congressional App Challenge.Through this nationwide competition, the Internet Education Foundation seeks to foster a youth appreciation for computer science and STEAM-based education.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lawson.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-lawson-calls-on-congress-to-pass-additional-stimulus-relief-now", "Rep. Lawson Calls on Congress to Pass Additional Stimulus Relief Now", "2020-12-15", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Al Lawson", "L000586", "lawson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC. U.S. Rep. Al Lawson (FL-05), today, called on his colleagues in Congress to pass an additional stimulus bill to support the American people:\r\n\r\nI'm encouraged by the recent success by the group of bipartisan senators who have reached an agreement on a long delayed second round of coronavirus relief package for the American people. While this bill is far from perfect, it is progress.\r\n\r\nAs I traveled around Florida's 5th Congressional District these past few months, I have had the opportunity to talk to many of our friends and neighbors who are suffering and crying out for additional help.\r\n\r\nI have seen them in the much longer food lines  depending on the assistance and kindness of others. I have heard the concerns of many worried about impending evictions or having their utilities cut off, and I heard from restaurants and small business owners faced with the possibility of closure. And, I have taken those concerns to Washington.\r\n\r\nThe latest relief package does not include all that I would have wanted, but it does include, a 16 week extension of federal pandemic unemployment benefits at $300 per week, an extension of eviction moratorium, a 15-percent increase in SNAP benefits for four months, additional funding for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (that funds food banks), increased funding for school and childcare meal programs, $25 billion to state and local governments to provide rental assistance, and extension of federal student loan forbearance through April 1, 2021.\r\n\r\nAs many families in our North Florida communities and across America are hurting, I implore my colleagues to immediately pass this additional package of pandemic relief now.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://frankel.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3186", "Democratic Women\u2019s Caucus Leadership Calls on VA Secretary Wilkie to Resign", "2020-12-13", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Lois Frankel", "F000462", "frankel.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Democratic Women's Caucus (DWC) Co-Chairs Congresswomen Jackie Speier (CA-14), Lois Frankel (FL-21), and Brenda Lawrence (MI-14), and Vice Chairs Congresswomen Veronica Escobar (TX-16) and Deb Haaland (NM-01) issued the following statement calling on Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie to resign following an Office of Inspector General report entitled, Senior VA Officials' Response to a Veteran's Sexual Assault Allegations.\r\nThe VA Inspector General report makes clear Secretary Wilkie and senior leadership, instead of facilitating a full and fair investigation, perpetrated a denigrating character assassination against a woman veteran who had taken the brave step of reporting a sexual assault at a D.C. VA Medical Center. As the VA struggles with issues of sexual and gender-based harassment, this behavior sends exactly the wrong message to veterans and survivors. In doing so, Secretary Wilkie abdicated his duty to combat sexual harassment and sexual assault. Secretary Wilkie, and his senior staff named in the report, should issue an apology and resign immediately.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://frankel.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3187", "Democratic Women\u2019s Caucus Leadership Condemns the Misogynistic Wall Street Journal Op-Ed Targeting Dr. Jill Biden", "2020-12-13", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Lois Frankel", "F000462", "frankel.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Democratic Women's Caucus (DWC) Co-Chairs Congresswomen Brenda L. Lawrence (MI-14), Jackie Speier (CA-14) and Lois Frankel (FL-21), and Vice Chairs Congresswomen Veronica Escobar (TX-16) and Deb Haaland (NM-01) issued the following statement condemning the misogynistic Wall Street Journal Op-Ed targeting Dr. Jill Biden.\r\nUnfortunately, the constant stream of misogynistic attacks leveled against accomplished women has no bounds. As leaders of the DWC we give no credence to the idea that Dr. Jill Biden shouldn't be allowed to use a title she earned through merit and tireless work because it does not fit the author's unfounded conception of the work that merits recognition, said the Democratic Women's Caucus leadership.\r\nDr. Biden, like the countless accomplished Ph.Ds. in our country, deserves and should proudly display her hard-earned degree. Belittling the intellect, passion, and dedication of our nation's educators is not only reprehensible on its face, but also reveals a dangerous lack of respect for the power a quality education and compassionate teachers have to change lives. The suggestion that Dr. Biden should settle for the larger thrill of living for the next four years in the best public housing in the world as First Lady Jill Biden,' misses the reality that the future First Lady Dr. Jill Biden  alongside Vice President-elect Harris and the other talented women in the incoming Administration  will continue to demonstrate that there are no limits to what women can achieve, especially after being given the opportunity of an education. We look forward to working together.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://stephaniemurphy.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1549", "U.S. House Passes Murphy Measure That Creates Path Forward to Improve Water Quality in Lake Jesup", "2020-12-11", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Stephanie Murphy", "M001202", "stephaniemurphy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONThe U.S. House of Representatives has unanimously passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020, which includes a provision authored by U.S. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., that authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a study to determine whether to fund an ecosystem restoration project in Central Florida. The project, if funded, would restore the natural flow of the St. Johns River and lead to improved water quality in Lake Jesup, located in Seminole County. The Senate is expected to approve the legislation soon, and it will then be transmitted to the President's desk for his consideration. Murphy's effort will help restore the natural flow of water between the St. Johns River channel and Lake Jesup, one of the largest lakes in Central Florida, which has long struggled with pollution.The construction of State Road 46 and dredging by the Corps of Engineers cut off the original channel between the St. Johns River and Lake Jesup, resulting in the excessive growth of algae in the lake. Now that Congress has authorized the study to proceed, the Corps of Engineers can include the study in its annual work plan, which Murphy will urge the Corps to do. Florida's waterways are a treasured natural resource critical to protecting our quality of life and our economy. I'm proud of this successful effort to hopefully move us closer to restoring the natural flow of the St. Johns River, said Murphy. I'll keep working to improve water quality at Lake Jesup and ensuring we preserve this area for future generations of Central Floridians to enjoy. Murphy's efforts are consistent with longstanding efforts by the Friends of Lake Jesup, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the St. Johns River Water Management District, the Florida Department of Transportation, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and state and local elected officials to develop a plan for restoring the ecological balance of the lake.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://crist.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2222", "Crist Calls for RESTAURANTS Act Before End of Year", "2020-12-10", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Charlie Crist", "C001111", "crist.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) joined 163 Members of Congress, sending aletterurging Congressional leadership to include a $120 billion revitalization fund for small and independent restaurants in any future COVID-19 relief package or year-end spending bill. The proposal, which was introduced earlier this year as the RESTAURANTS Act of 2020, has earned the support of 50 senators and passed the House as part of a larger COVID relief package, The Heroes Act.\r\nThe bipartisan, bicameral effort comes as restaurants across the Tampa Bay area are grappling with the growing daily challenges of safely operating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thousands of local restaurant owners are struggling to stay open and retain staff while some have sadly been forced to close their doors and lay off employees.\r\nIn the letter, Crist joins his colleagues in highlighting the challenges new restrictions present for restaurants as coronavirus cases continue to surge across the nation. Saying in part, These businesses are the beating heart of communities across America, but the pandemic puts their survival in jeopardy.\r\nThe restaurants and bars that call Pinellas home are doing their best to navigate the unpredictable and keep their doors open during the pandemic,said Rep. Crist. Unfortunately, as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, it's clear many of our beloved neighborhood establishments won't survive without much needed relief. Pinellas restaurant owners and employees are calling out for help  Congress needs to pass the RESTAURANTS Act before the end of year to protect the future of our local economy and workforce.\r\nThe letter to Congressional leadership has been signed by 138 members of the House and 25 members of the Senate. A pdf of the letter can be foundherewith text appearing below.\r\nDear Majority Leader McConnell, Minority Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, and Leader McCarthy:\r\nAmerica faces its most difficult phase in the fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). COVID-19 case numbers are spiking across the nation, with more than one in 400 Americans testing positive in the last week alone. This unprecedented increase has prompted a wave of new restrictions ranging from nighttime closures and restrictions on indoor dining in New York, North Dakota, and Maryland to takeout-only in Oregon and stay-at-home orders in New Mexico. For the second time this year, restaurants and bars are having to limit operations or close their doors completely, raising concerns about their ability to survive the long winter ahead. They need quick relief to keep their workers employed and hold onto their businesses. Congress needs to act speedily and pass the RESTAURANTS Act to help save local restaurants across the country and the millions of workers they employ.\r\nThe restaurant industry has been uniquely devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly one in four jobs lost from the pandemic were those of restaurant and bar workers. The food and beverage industry is still down 2.3 million jobs since the pandemic began, a number that is sure to rise with increasing infection rates and new restrictions. Despite bearing the brunt of this economic crisis, independent restaurants have received no directly tailored federal aid. Many independent restaurant owners did not benefit from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) because the program did not match their business model or needs.\r\nThe restaurant sector is the second-largest private employer after health care, and for countless Americans they provide the first opportunity for a job. These businesses are the beating heart of communities across America, but the pandemic puts their survival in jeopardy. This threat affects restaurants and their employees and every other link in the $1 trillion restaurant supply chain. The food supply chain touches every corner of the country and supports tens of millions of livelihoods, including farm workers, fishermen, and truck drivers. A new round of restaurant closures is likely to have dire effects on the entire food supply chain.\r\nThe RESTAURANTS Act would create a restaurant revitalization fund that can be used for a wide range of expenses, including payroll and benefits, food, utilities, rent, maintenance, and supplies. This legislation has gained bipartisan support in Congress, as well as backing from restauranteurs and a large coalition of industries that rely on restaurants. It passed the House of Representatives on October 1, 2020, in H.R. 925 (Section 607, Division O). A June 2020 study on the legislation found it would generate at least $183 billion in primary benefits and $65 billion in secondary benefits  more than double the amount of the fund itself. This type of economic multiplier is needed now more than ever.\r\nWe urge you to pass the RESTAURANTS Act quickly as part of a COVID-19 relief bill or a year-end spending bill. We look forward to partnering with you to save local restaurants across America.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lawson.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-lawson-announces-district-winners-of-congressional-app-competition", "Rep. Lawson Announces District Winners of Congressional App Competition", "2020-12-10", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Al Lawson", "L000586", "lawson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 10, 2020\n\t\t\t Rep. Lawson Announces District Winners of Congressional App Competition \n\t\t\tU.S. Rep. Al Lawson (Fl-05) is proud to announce Florida's 5th Congressional District App Challenge winners are Tallahassee School of Math and Science students Liam Tolia, Issa Allison, Jackson Flowers and Gabriel Campbell. The Congressional App Challenge's mission is to inspire, include and innovate efforts around STEM and computer science education.\r\nThe app, Escape the CoronaVirus, was created to entertain all who play the game, and to relieve some of the stress caused by the pandemic. The game is a way to make some fun out of what can be a very scary and stressful situation. \r\nLiam, Issa, Allison, and Jackson are a fine example of what the students of Florida's 5thCongressional District can accomplish, Rep. Lawson said. I am excited to recognize these students for their hard work on creating this fun and engaging app. It is so great to see students flourishing even with the challenges they have faced due to the Corona Virus\r\nIn spring 2021, Tolia, Allison, Flowers and Campbell will showcase their apps to members of Congress and members of the tech community during the virtual House of Code.\r\nSince 2015, more than 4,000 functional apps have been created by over 14,000 students. The Congressional App Challenge spans 48 states and aims to engage students in computer science.\r\nWinners:\r\n1stplace:Escape the CoronaVirus Liam Tolia, Issa Allison, Jackson Flowers, Gabriel Campbell (Tallahassee School of Math And Science)\r\n2ndplace:Student Attendance and Management Service Eric Lee (Stanton College Preparatory School)\r\n3rdplace:Super Smash Homies Tallahassee school of Math and Science; andCalmverse Janiya Richardson (Amos P. Godby High School) \n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://crist.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2221", "Crist to State and Feds: Investigate Freedom Square", "2020-12-09", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Charlie Crist", "C001111", "crist.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "St. Petersburg, FL U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-FL) sent a letter to Governor Ron DeSantis and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, following investigative reporting from theTampa Bay Timesentitled Death at Freedom Square, detailing the negligent, abusive mismanagement that resulted in the retirement complex becoming the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the Tampa Bay area, resulting in the deaths of over 30 residents and staff.\r\nThis is the third time in six months that Crist has called for action and transparency from the State, previously ringing the alarm about theunsafe conditions being reported out of long-term care facilitiesandcalling for more PPE to protect staff and residentsfrom the spread of this virus.\r\nIn his letter, Congressman Crist calls on Governor DeSantis and Secretary Azar to get to the bottom of the deadly abuses brought to light by theTimes'reporting, andto prosecute those responsible. Crist is also calling on DeSantis and Azar to investigate the State's inadequate regulation and oversight of long-term care facilities that led to the senseless and preventable deaths of so many Floridians.\r\nThe mismanagement and negligence uncovered by the Tampa Bay Time's reporting is quite frankly unforgivable,said Rep. Crist. Freedom Square was entrusted with caring for our most vulnerable. Reckless failure to take even the most basic precautions to protect residents and staff from the global pandemic aided and abetted the virus as it exacted one of the most ghastly death tolls in the state.\r\nThe families of those who have lost loved ones deserve nothing less than a full accounting of what went wrong and full accountability for those responsible,continued Crist. Going forward we must also raise our expectations for long-term care facilities in our state. This issue will not be solved overnight, and I will carry the fight for higher standards and increased oversight for long-term care facilities into the new Biden Administration under HHS Secretary-Designate Xavier Becerra.\r\nA pdf of the letter can be foundhere, with text appearing below.  \r\n\r\n                         December 9, 2020\r\nThe Honorable Ron DeSantis, Governor  \r\nState of Florida  \r\nThe Capitol  \r\n400 S. Monroe St.  \r\nTallahassee, FL 32399-0001\r\nDear Governor DeSantis,\r\nI trust you share my outrage over article that appears in the December 6, 2020 print edition ofTampa Bay Timesentitled Death at Freedom Square that details how horrific mismanagement contributed to sickness and death of residents and staff at a retirement complex in Seminole, Florida in my district. The article details outrageous abuses that must be investigated and prosecuted if confirmed to be true.\r\nAdditionally, I request that you consider ordering a separate investigation into the clearly inadequate regulation and oversight of Florida's long-term care facilities that once again led to the senseless and  I would argue  preventable deaths of Floridians who live or recover in our long-term care facilities. To wit, this shocking investigative journalism follows two letters I sent to state leaders over the summer attempting to ring the alarm about unsafe conditions and inadequate regulation. In a June 8thletter to you, I requested a detailed COVID-19 testing plan for long-term care facilities and even cited Freedom Square's unacceptably high death toll. In an August 12thletter to Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration, I led nine other members of Florida's Congressional Delegation flagging insufficient personal protective equipment for long-term care facility staff that was putting them and the residents under their care at risk. I deeply regret that these warnings appeared to have gone unheeded.\r\nDr. Deborah Birx, Coronavirus Response Coordinator for the White House Coronavirus Task Force, recently called the looming winter surge, the worst event that this country will face. With pandemic warning lights flashing red, we must be prepared to protect the most vulnerable  namely, residents of Florida's long-term care facilities. I stand ready to support your efforts to take the following actions:\r\n \r\n    Launch a full-scale investigation of the tragedy at Freedom Square,\r\n    Prosecute any wrongdoing that led to sickness and death of residents and staff at Freedom Square, and\r\n    Take an honest look at why Florida cannot seem to get long-term care regulation and oversight right.\r\n \r\nThis is too important to ignore.  \r\n\r\nSincerely,\r\nCharlie Crist  \r\nUNITED STATES CONGRESSMAN", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://demings.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-demings-media-legislation-passes-house", "Rep. Demings Media Legislation Passes House", "2020-12-09", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "FL", "Val Demings", "D000627", "demings.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "ORLANDO, FL  Today, Rep. Demings' resolution calling for increased diversity in American media was passed by the House of Representatives.The resolution is H.Res.549.\nCo-leading the resolution is Rep. Jenniffer Gonzlez-Coln (R-PR) in the U.S. House, and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) in the U.S. Senate.\nSaid Rep. Demings, From movies and television, to music and theater, to newspapers and the evening news, we are a stronger country when every story has a chance to shine. Our nation is made great by the people who live in it and the incredible diversity of stories that they bring to the American experience.\n50 years after the Kerner Report, America continues to struggle with ongoing disparities in housing, education, justice, and even the ongoing pandemic. Who tells the story matters, because diverse perspectives are necessary to see the whole picture. Only by capturing the full and vibrant spectrum of the American experience can we begin to build a country with true opportunity and justice in all things.\nI am proud that the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed our resolution, and I thank all of the cosponsors and supporters who helped move this bill forward. As we look towards 2021 and a new Congress and new Administration, I am eager to continue our work to support diversity in media and show the world the remarkable power of different perspectives.\nBackground\nThe resolutionreaffirms Congress' commitment to increasing media diversity. It also pledges Congress to work with media entities and diverse stakeholders to develop common-ground solutions to eliminate barriers to media diversity. The resolution reaffirms that with increasing media experience and sophistication, it is even more important to have minority participation in local media to strengthen social cohesion among different communities and build understanding on important community issues that impact residents' daily lives.\nThe resolution expresses that an informed and engaged electorate is critical to a vibrant democracy is deeply rooted in our laws of free speech and underpins the virtues on which we established our Constitution, and that having independent, diverse, and local media that provide exposure to a broad range of viewpoints and the ability to contribute to the political debate is central to sustaining that informed engagement.\n50 years after the Kerner Report said that the painful process of readjustment that is required of the American news media must begin now, the industry continues to struggle withefforts to diversify.\nIn July 2019, Rep. Demings hosted the inauguralMedia Diversity Innovation Summiton Capitol Hill.\nIn the 115th Congress, Rep. Demings introduced H.Res. 888 to reaffirm Congress' commitment to media diversity and convened a panel discussion which solicited expert testimony from stakeholders and media professionals.\nLast year, Rep. Demings formed the Media Diversity Congressional Brain Trust to support efforts to access and expand opportunities for professionals of color in the media industry.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wassermanschultz.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2545", "Wasserman Schultz on DeSantis' Whistleblower Persecution", "2020-12-09", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Debbie Wasserman Schultz", "W000797", "wassermanschultz.house.gov", "wassermanschultz", "https://wassermanschultz.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Gov. DeSantis\u2019 mishandling of the coronavirus in Florida has made him a global laughingstock and has caused so much needless suffering and death in our state. Now, beyond just deadly incompetence, it appears that he has chosen to abuse Florida\u2019s law enforcement and judicial systems to persecute Rebekah Jones, a scientist who dared to critique his oft-maligned and suspect COVID-19 data. Given the timid complicity and lack of oversight from the Republican-controlled Legislature, the governor\u2019s abuse of power must be investigated immediately by Florida\u2019s relevant inspectors general. My office is also exploring various federal-level investigative options. Our state is in a public health emergency. And rather than use his executive power to protect Floridians, DeSantis abuses it to attack scientists who dare to sound the alarm about Florida\u2019s inept, dangerous response and apparent manipulation of data. That is not leadership; it is autocratic repression.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://castor.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=403463", "Castor Statement on House Passage of Bipartisan NDAA Conference Report, Including Wins for MacDill AFB", "2020-12-08", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Kathy Castor", "C001066", "castor.house.gov", "castor", "https://castor.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) released the below statement following the passage of the bipartisan, bicameral FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference report today in the U.S. House of Representatives:\n\n\u201cEvery year, the holiday season presents another reminder of the sacrifice and selflessness of our service members, but nine months into the COVID-19 pandemic, policymakers must ensure that our military personnel and their families have the tools they need to remain safe and healthy. The 2021 NDAA will boost MacDill Air Force Base and the brave men and women who serve the United States abroad and keep us safe at home, and I am proud to support it.\n\n\u201cThe investments I championed for our service members are represented in this year\u2019s NDAA, including a 3 percent pay raise for our troops and a continued commitment to upgrade base housing for military families. Our service members and their families at MacDill are the best and they deserve the best \u2013 that means housing that is safe and clean and free from mold and shoddy construction. The NDAA will ensure that the Department of Defense (DOD) continues to improve housing for MacDill families and others across the country.\n\n\u201cAs we take the necessary steps to protect Tampa Bay families from climate-fueled threats, I am pleased to see important and smart investments included \u2013 investments that will help us reduce pollution, improve water conservation, and prepare our military against the impacts of our warming climate. As Chair of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, I am committed to boosting resilience in communities across the nation and keeping Americans safe \u2013 and that includes our military. I applaud the House Armed Services Committee for adding these sensible solutions, some of which were outlined in the Select Committee Democrats\u2019 Climate Crisis Action Plan.\n\n\u201cImportantly, to allow the airmen at MacDill to continue their vital air refueling mission, the bill also prohibits the retirement of any KC-135 aircraft or the reduction in the number of primary mission KC-135 aircraft. While we wait for more successful tests and successful integration of KC-46\u2019s into our forces, keeping the KC-135\u2019s flying safely is paramount to national security. MacDill\u2019s 6th Air Refueling Wing will remain expert at this for years to come.\n\n\u201cA provision I championed to delay the closing of Sabal Park Community Clinic and prevent the limiting of military families and retirees who have access to the clinic at MacDill was included. This is a major priority for local leaders and Tampa residents and will ensure continued treatment for so many in our community.\n\n\u201cThe NDAA also tackles systemic racism that pervades American life by establishing new diversity requirements for DOD, including establishing a Chief Diversity Officer. Thanks to bipartisan cooperation, the bill will also direct the removal of base names and symbols that were established more to intimidate than to honor, which will build on the work I have done to remove Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith from the U.S. Capitol. The bill requires DOD to change the names of all military bases named for those who fought for the Confederate States of America rather than the United States of America, and it prohibits the display of the Confederate flag on DOD installations. Shamefully, the president has made clear his intention to veto these critical funds for our troops if this provision is included in the NDAA. Funding for our troops should not be held hostage so that a lame duck president can stage a political stunt.\n\n\u201cThe Congress has enacted a bipartisan NDAA conference report for 59 years in a row and this would be the 60th. Numerous military authorities will expire if a DOD authorization bill is not enacted, and I urge the President to sign the NDAA without delay. Updating the names of military bases is an important step to ensure our armed forces are inclusive for all who want to serve our nation and to honor American heroes who embody the values American soldiers have always fought for.\u201d\n\nThe NDAA includes the following priorities for MacDill Air Force Base and Tampa residents:\n\n3% pay increase for our troops.\n\nProhibits the use of funds to be appropriated for two years for the retirement of any KC-135 aircraft or reduce the number of primary mission KC-135 aircraft.\n\nIncludes language that would require DOD to delay implementation of Military Treatment Facility restructuring and medical billet cuts and increase reporting requirements and Congressional oversight, which could benefit military families and retirees who use the clinic at MacDill AFB and Sabal Park Community Clinic.\n\nPromulgation of guidance on relocation of residents of military housing impacted by presence of mold.\n\nFamily Support for Special Operations Forces Members: Enhances and expands support services beyond immediate family members of the special operations force members and includes psychological support and spiritual support services as covered family support services.\n\nEstablishes an independent commission to make binding recommendations to the Secretary of Defense for the modification or removal of all names, symbols, displays, monuments, and paraphernalia that honor or commemorate the Confederate States of America or any person who served voluntarily with the Confederate States of America from all assets of the Department of Defense.\n\nEstablishes new diversity requirements for the DOD, including creating a Chief Diversity Officer and requiring the Secretary of Defense to include increasing diversity as part of the National Defense Strategy.\n\nHelps the Department of Defense become better prepared for climate impacts by requiring an update to the 2014 Climate Change Roadmap.\n\nBuilds on previous work to address sexual assault prevention and response.\n\nExpands the use of hybrid and electric non-tactical vehicles in the Armed Forces in order to reduce emissions.\n\nAuthorizes the State Department to offer rewards for providing information on foreign election interference and provides a definition of foreign election interference.\n\nRequires a report on foreign malign influence campaigns on social media platforms targeting elections for federal office.\n\nRequires a GAO report examining the impact of U.S. military support to the Saudi-led coalition on the conflict in Yemen and civilian casualties.\n\nIncludes a Statement of Policy on Yemen that prioritizes ending the conflict, stabilizing the region, and addressing the humanitarian crisis with our partners and allies, and requires a report from the Secretary of State explaining what diplomatic efforts have been undertaken to end the conflict and to stabilize Yemen.\n\nRequires the DOD to report on its greenhouse gas emissions for the last 10 years.\n\nInvests in research and development of advanced water harvesting technologies, which can help address water scarcity in areas impacted by climate-fueled droughts.\n\nExpands the Department\u2019s authority to conduct climate resiliency projects.\n\nImproves water security and conservation at installations in regions experiencing water scarcity, by assessing and maximizing use of landscaping practices that reduce water usage.\n\nU.S. Rep. Castor serves as the Chair of the U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, is a member of the powerful U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee and previously served on the U.S. House Armed Services Committee. Her district includes MacDill Air Force Base and is home to U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), two of the Armed Forces\u2019 most important military commands. MacDill Air Force Base\u2019s 6th Air Refueling Wing is the centerpiece of the U.S. Air Force\u2019s Global Vigilance, Global Reach, Global Power mission with its essential functions of aerial refueling. The base\u2019s mission is vital to keeping America safe and ready for any contingencies we may face as a nation.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://crist.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2217", "Defense Bill Includes Crist Provision to Safeguard Coast Guard Retirement", "2020-12-08", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Charlie Crist", "C001111", "crist.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) released a statement announcing his Coast Guard Retirement Parity Act (H.R. 6072) has been included in this year's defense bill. Once the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) becomes law, Crist's measure will safeguard the retirement benefits of United States Coast Guard (USCG).\r\nCrist introduced the legislation earlier this year, alongside Congressman Steven Palazzo (R-MS), after over 50,000 Coast Guard retirees were just days away from missing their retirement check during the 35-day government shutdown in 2019. Under current law, the Coast Guard is the only branch of the military whose retirement benefits require annual funding from Congress, leaving Coast Guard veterans at the mercy of a government shutdown. Crist's Coast Guard Retirement Parity Act will safeguard USCG retiree benefits by including the Coast Guard in the Military Retirement Fund  providing protection from a potential government shutdown and improving long-term fiscal management.\r\nLike all other branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, Coasties have devoted their lives in service to our nation, vowing to always be ready when duty calls. But unlike all other branches, Coast Guard veterans have been the only ones to have to worry about an interruption in their retirement benefits,said Rep. Crist. My bipartisan proposal would right that wrong, giving Coastie retirees peace of mind knowing the benefits they earned will never falter. I'm proud that we were able to include retirement parity in the annual defense bill, and I look forward to it becoming law in the near future. Protecting Pinellas Coasties is my job, and this win for them is proof that Congress works best when Representatives put differences aside and work together on a bipartisan basis to get things done.\r\nAs we saw with the late 2018 and early 2019 government shutdown, U.S. Coast Guard members and retired veterans were unfairly subject to a gap in pay and benefits due to the service's unique position as both a brand of the U.S. military and a law enforcement agency housed inside of the Department of Homeland Security,said Mike Stevens, Navy League National Executive Director and Retired 13thMaster Chief Petty Officer of the Navy. The U.S. Coast Guard continues to always punch above its weight class and is one of the best returns on investment the U.S. taxpayer makes related to national security. The Navy League of the United States wholly supports the Coast Guard Retirement Parity Act and any further acts that would recognize that these men and women deserve the United States to honor their pay and benefits in times of government shutdown.\r\nCrist's bill was originally included in theElijah E. Cummings Coast Guard Authorization Act (CGAA) of 2020which went on to be included in the FY'21 National Defense Authorization Act that passed the House earlier this year. The NDAA conference report is slated to be voted on by the House later today. Despite the threat of a presidential veto over unrelated provisions, the NDAA enjoys wide, bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate. Once it becomes law, Crist's Coast Guard Retirement Parity Act will go into effect in 2022.\r\nCongressman Crist has been a vocal supporter of the United States Coast Guard, havinginvited local Coast Guard spouse, Chelsey Gutierrez, as his 2019 State of the Union guestto highlight the severe impacts the government shutdown was having on CG families who went without pay during the longest government shutdown in history. Additionally, he championed bringing a Coast Guard Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) Program to Pinellas Park High School  only the 3rdin the country.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://crist.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2218", "Crist Praises Passage of Defense Bill, Wins for Servicemembers and Vets Included", "2020-12-08", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Charlie Crist", "C001111", "crist.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) released a statement following House passage of the Conference Report on H.R. 6395, the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY 2021.The bipartisan funding bill, which authorizes $732 billion for national defense, passed the House 335-78, a veto-proof margin.\r\n The legislation features major Crist-championed wins for servicemembers, veterans, and our military readiness such as:\r\n \r\n    Protects the hard-earned benefits of Coast Guard retirees from future government shutdowns through Crist'sCoast Guard Retirement Parity Act;\r\n    Helps veterans find jobs quicker after their service by studying the transferability of military certifications to civilian life;\r\n    Exposes the unfair practice of using family medical records to deny enlistees from military families when they try to join the military as adults;\r\n    Holds the pentagon accountable for delivering on theCrist effortto prepare and protect MacDill and other bases from sea level rise and climate change.\r\n \r\nFor the 60thstraight year, Congress has passed a National Defense Authorization Act. I am proud to have voted on an agreement that confronts our adversaries, invests in new technologies vital to our national security, and keeps our country safe,said Rep. Crist. This year, Congress has also focused special attention to improving the lives of those who serve, including a 3% pay raise, making military housing safer, and protecting people who report sexual harassment and discrimination. It also keeps faith with veterans, protecting the hard-earned retirement of thousands of Coasties and finally expanding Agent Orange-related benefits for Vietnam veterans. My number one job as a Member of Congress is to keep Pinellas families safe, and this bipartisan agreement does just that.\r\nThe National Defense Authorization Act also includes:\r\n \r\n    A 3% pay raise for servicemembers and an increase in Hazardous Duty Pay to $275 a month;\r\n    Long-overdue benefits for Agent Orange-exposed veterans by adding Parkinsonism, bladder cancer, and hypothyroidism to the Agent Orange Presumptive List;\r\n    Protections for families in military housing, like those at MacDill AFB, by updating minimum health and safety standards for government-owned housing, repealing a law that allows the DOD to place families in substandard housing units, and requiring DOD to implement all Government Accountability Office recommendations for improvements;\r\n    A new Domestic Violence Task Force to actively work to stop domestic violence in the military;\r\n    Allowing victims of sexual harassment to make confidential reports outside the chain of command;\r\n    Report on the progress of restoring honor to veterans unjustly discharged under Don't Ask, Don't Tell, which has kept them from qualifying for the benefits they have earned;\r\n    And inclusion of VA employees in the paid parental leave benefit for federal employees.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://crist.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2219", "Crist Statement On FDLE Raid of Home of Former Florida Data Scientist Rebekah Jones", "2020-12-08", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Charlie Crist", "C001111", "crist.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Crist Statement On FDLE Raid of Home of Former Florida Data Scientist Rebekah Jones \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        December 8, 2020\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Congressman Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) released the following statement following reports and video of a Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) raid on the home of Rebekah Jones, a former Florida data scientist who was fired after sending an email alleging the state was manipulating COVID-19 data.The guns drawn FDLE raid on the home of Rebekah Jones was shocking, over-the-top, and demands a full explanation,\" said Crist.  \"Unless we get more information showing otherwise, it looks like an act of retaliation or an attempt to silence Ms. Jones for her critiques of the state's COVID-19 response. The people's trust in their state government is critical, and these actions, without a fuller understanding, are very damaging.\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://frankel.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3184", "DeLauro, Health Appropriations Subcommittee Examine Hyde Amendment\u2019s Impact on Women\u2019s Rights and Economic Security", "2020-12-08", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Lois Frankel", "F000462", "frankel.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Chair of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, held a hearing today to examine the Hyde Amendment, a legislative rider originally included in the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies spending bill in fiscal year 1976.\r\nThe Hyde Amendment denies Medicaid coverage on abortion. Through the Subcommittee Members' questions and witness testimony, the hearing, titled The Impact on Women Seeking an Abortion but are Denied Because of an Inability to Pay, shed light on how the Hyde Amendment has been used to deny coverage for federal employees and their dependents, military service members, Native Americans, Peace Corps volunteers, immigrants, and residents of Washington, D.C. The harm of this denial of coverage falls hardest on people struggling financially, who are more likely to be women of color, young women, immigrants, and LGBTQ people.\r\nThe Hyde Amendment is a discriminatory policy, said Congresswoman DeLauro. For more than 40 years, it has been routinely extended  every year as a legislative rider  but the time has come in this current moment to reckon with the norm, with the status quo, and view it through the lens of how it impacts communities of color. Now is the time to ensure that women of color and all women have access to the reproductive health they deserve. I thank my colleagues and our witnesses for joining me in holding this hearing and taking this critical first step in ending the inclusion of this policy in federal spending legislation.\r\nI commend Chair DeLauro for holding this hearing to discuss the harmful impact of the Hyde Amendment, said House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita M. Lowey. We don't talk about what federal policies mean for a woman sitting in a doctor's office, in fear of the risks to her own health or financial security. We don't talk enough about how to help her. The truth is, that woman has been discriminated against by the laws of her country, just because of her income. That this continues to happen in 2020 is a disgrace.\r\nFor too long, the racist and discriminatory Hyde Amendment has restricted access to reproductive care for low-income women and women of color. Access to reproductive care should never depend on your zip code or income, said Congresswoman Barbara Lee. Repealing the Hyde Amendment is long overdue, and a critical step toward racial justice. I'm appreciative of Chairwoman DeLauro's leadership to ensure women everywhere have access to coverage for all pregnancy-related health care, including abortion.\r\nToday's necessary hearing proves once again that the Hyde Amendment is a blatant to attempt to deny communities of color and low-income communities' access to reproductive healthcare, said Congressman Mark Pocan. For over 40 years, the discriminatory Hyde Amendment has prohibited people who receive their health insurance through the federal governmentincluding those on Medicaid, Medicare, members of the military, indigenous people, and those who are incarcerated or in ICE Custodyfrom receiving coverage for an abortion. The EACH Woman Act is a necessary step forward to affirm that abortions are necessary healthcare, and no one should be denied coverage because of their zip code or paycheck. The time to end the Hyde Amendment is now.\r\nThis global pandemic has put a spotlight on policies rooted in inequity, and the Hyde Amendment is no exception, said Congresswoman Katherine Clark. 1 in 3 jobs held by women have been designated as essential, and women are the sole or co-breadwinner in two-thirds of families with children. Yet, Hyde prevents women in poverty and many women of color from having autonomy over their bodies and stability in their lives. Our path to rebuilding a stronger, more inclusive America must include repealing this dangerous and discriminatory policy.\r\nWomen, not their elected officials, should be fully in charge of their reproductive health, said Congresswoman Lois Frankel. The Hyde Amendment disproportionately endangers low-income women and women of color who bear the brunt of the burden when states impose their own abortion restrictions.\r\nThe Hyde Amendment boils down to a tax on women who cannot afford private health insurance, and it hits women of color especially hard, said Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman. When we talk about the need to correct systemic racism, it includes policies like Hyde. This rule takes basic decisions these women should be able to make about their health away from them purely because of how they get their healthcare; it says to them that it's not their doctor or themselves, but a body overwhelmingly made up of white men that knows best. We have to stop denying these women the level of care that any other American can get, and that they too deserve. I'm grateful to Chairwoman-elect DeLauro for elevating this issue.\r\nBlack and Brown women are disproportionately likely to be insured through Medicaid and therefore subject to the Hyde Amendment's restrictions, said Dr. Herminia Palacio, CEO and President of the Guttmacher Institute. In 2018, 31% of Black women and 27% of Hispanic women aged 1544 are enrolled in Medicaid, compared with 16% of White women. These Medicaid enrollment patterns are themselves the legacy of oppressive laws and policies too expansive to cover in this testimony; I will only note that the evidence linking structural racism to social and economic inequality is abundant. As our country undergoes a racial reckoning, I want to be clear: The Hyde Amendment is a racist policy.\r\nThe Hyde Amendment denies my patients the ability to make decisions about their bodies and their pregnancies entirely because of where they live and how much money they make, Jamila Perritt, President and CEO of Physicians for Reproductive Health. More than 177,000 people in the District are federal employees, 7.56 percent of the federal workforce, and are unable to access this essential coverage because they get their health insurance through the government For the patients I care for, many of whom are living paycheck to paycheck, the cost of reproductive health care and additional expenses such as childcare, transportation, and time away from work can be insurmountable, making access to care impossible.\r\nHowever any of us feel about abortion, politicians should not be allowed to deny someone's health coverage for it just because they are struggling to get by, said Amanda Beatriz Williams, Executive Director of the Lilith Fund for Reproductive Equity. Unfortunately, that's exactly what Congress has done for the last 44 years through the Hyde Amendment. Across the country, the Hyde Amendment has had devastating impacts for people unable to make ends meet  who are more likely to be women of color  LGBTQ people, immigrants, and young people. And for too many, coverage bans like the Hyde Amendment can act as defacto bans on abortion altogether.\r\nThe full hearing can be found here. DeLauro's full remarks can be found here. \r\n\r\n# # #\r\ndelauro.house.gov", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://frankel.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3185", "Frankel Statement on Passage of National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021", "2020-12-08", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Lois Frankel", "F000462", "frankel.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Representative Lois Frankel (FL-21) voted to pass theNational Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021,a strong, bipartisan bill that honors America's values, strengthens our security, and advances America's leadership in the world. In addition to funding our military, the bill includes provisions Frankel advocated for to advance women's participation in national security forces both in the U.S. and globally. \r\nIncreasing women's participation in peace and security efforts is not only crucial to advancing gender equality around the world, it is critical to broader international security concerns,\"said Rep. Frankel.This strong bipartisan bill works for the people to ensure that women always have a seat at the table and an equal voice when it comes to peace and security. It also gives our troops a pay raise, establishes a confidential reporting option for sexual harassment complaints made by military service members, improves the lives of women in the Armed Forces, and strengthens our partnership with Israel.\r\nIt passed the House by a vote of 335-78. Once it passes the Senate, it will go to the President's desk for a signature.\r\nRep. Frankel praised several provisions in the final NDAA including: \r\n \r\n    Extending paid parental leave to all federal employees. \r\n    Several sexual assault prevention and response provisions, such as confidential reporting of sexual harassment outside of the chain of command and requiring the development of coordinated care for members of the Armed Forces who are survivors of sexual trauma.\r\n    Several provisions that strengthen equal employment opportunity protections for federal employees including bolstering of prohibitions against discrimination and reinforcing whistleblower protections. \r\n    Measures to boost U.S.-Israel cooperation, including $500 million in joint missile defense.\r\n    Long overdue benefits to Vietnam-Era Veterans exposed to Agent Orange and later diagnosed with certain diseases.\r\n    Guidance on the Department of Defense's implementation of the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 including through integrating training curriculum that focuses on women participation for members of the Armed Forces across all ranks, and security cooperation activities.\r\n    Provisions to ensure U.S.-Afghanistan strategy meets WPS standards, including: commitments to women and girls' inclusion in Afghanistan, continued advancement of women in the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), and blocking funding for further troop reductions until the Defense Department until assessments on drawdown are complete.\r\n \r\nA full summary of the legislation can be found here. \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://soto.house.gov/media/press-releases/soto-elected-hispanic-caucus-whip-117th-congress", "Soto Elected as Hispanic Caucus Whip for the 117th Congress", "2020-12-08", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Darren Soto", "S001200", "soto.house.gov", "soto", "https://soto.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 This morning, Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09) was elected as Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Whip for the 117th Congress. Soto, who is the first Florida Congressman of Puerto Rican descent, will be responsible for coordinating all whipping activities among caucus Members and presenting CHC positions to leadership in both parties.\n\n\"I am humbled that my colleagues have entrusted me with the position of CHC Whip, a position previously held by some of my personal heroes,\" said Rep. Soto. \"As we look ahead to the 117th Congress, we must prioritize the pressing issues affecting our Hispanic communities, such as combatting COVID-19, supporting workers and small businesses, environmental justice, and immigration reform. We will work to keep our caucus united, coordinate with the incoming Biden Administration, and reach across the aisle whenever possible. I am prepared to confront the many challenges that may arise with a fresh perspective and willingness to find common ground to deliver solutions for Hispanics across the country.\"\n\nAs CHC Whip, Rep. Soto is committed to working with each of his colleagues to deliver much-needed solutions for Hispanics. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disproportionately affect Latino Americans, he understands that the caucus must act quickly and with the best interests of the community in mind.\n\nDuring the 117th Congress, Rep. Soto will be joined by new and returning members in leadership roles. The caucus will be chaired by Rep. Raul Ruiz (CA-36) and Reps. Nanette Diaz Barrag\u00e1n (CA-44) and Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) will serve as first and second vice-chairs. The freshman representative will be Representative-elect Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03).\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://soto.house.gov/media/press-releases/soto-elected-lead-caucus-dedicated-engaging-america-s-youth", "Soto Elected to Lead Caucus Dedicated to Engaging America\u2019s Youth", "2020-12-08", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Darren Soto", "S001200", "soto.house.gov", "soto", "https://soto.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09) was elected to chair the Future Forum Caucus for the 117th Congress. Future Forum is an influential group of young Democratic Members of Congress in the U.S. House of Representatives who advocate for issues and opportunities important to millennials and Generation Z.\n\n\"Young Americans have proven that they have the power to make a difference,\" said Congressman Soto. \"From record voter turnout in the 2020 election to ongoing protests against racial injustice, young people in our country are making their voices heard, and Congress is listening. I'm honored that my colleagues have chosen me to lead a group of vibrant young Members of Congress who will amplify the needs of millennials and Generation Z. Together, with a Democratic House Majority and a Biden-Harris Administration, we will work to engage our youth in the democratic process, now and for the future.\"\n\nDuring his tenure, Congressman Soto plans to focus Future Forum's work on advancing racial equity, building an inclusive economy, fighting the climate crisis, improving educational opportunities and reforming our nation's healthcare and immigration system.\n\nOriginally founded in 2015 by Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA-15), Future Forum works to inspire the next generation of leaders by engaging young Americans to bridge the divide between them and their government. In the past five years, Future Forum members have met with young Americans in over 50 cities to discuss pressing issues such as climate change, student loan debt, and gun violence. Today, Future Forum has doubled in size to nearly 50 members in the 116th Congress.\n\nThe caucus will be vice-chaired by Reps. Colin Allred (TX-32) and Haley Stevens (MI-11). Rep. Stephanie Murphy (FL-07) will serve as Chair Emeritus.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://soto.house.gov/media/press-releases/two-soto-amendments-pass-annual-house-defense-bill", "Two Soto Amendments Pass in Annual House Defense Bill", "2020-12-08", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Darren Soto", "S001200", "soto.house.gov", "soto", "https://soto.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Image\n\nDecember 8, 2020\n\nThe amendments focus on microelectronic production and Blockchain technology\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Conference Report to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021, which includes two amendments introduced by Rep. Darren Soto (FL-09). H.R. 6395 authorizes $732 billion in discretionary spending for our national defense and sets policy for defense-related activities for Fiscal Year 2021. This much-needed piece of legislation addresses the COVID-19 pandemic, promotes transparency, invests in military infrastructure and supports our service members.\n\n\"Our military represents the very best of America,\" said Congressman Soto. \"Every year, the NDAA brings us one step further in enhancing the national and economic security of the American people while providing unwavering support for our troops. The passage of my amendments will support technological advances impacting Central Florida and ensure the U.S. does not fall behind on research and development. Today and always, I will proudly support a strong national defense that honors our values, protects our citizens and strengthens our leadership in the world.\"\n\nThe amendments introduced by Rep. Soto focus on technological innovation to advance military capabilities, including:\n\nBill Text Amendment:\n\nMicroelectronic Amendment: Adds \"advanced sensors manufacturing\" to the items considered within the updated approach to ensuring the continued production of cutting-edge microelectronics for national security needs. This is key for the BRIDG facility in Florida's 9th District.\n\nBill Report Amendment:\n\nBlockchain Technology Amendment: Enumerates the elements of an uncompleted briefing from the FY20 NDAA conference report on the potential use of distributed ledger technologies for defense purposes by the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and adds an additional briefing requirement. The briefing includes an analysis of the research of adversarial countries, makes recommendations for additional research and development within the Department with cost estimates, as well as any other recommendations the Under Secretary deems appropriate of excellence within the Department for distributed ledger technologies.\n\nThe NDAA also:\n\nAuthorizes hazardous duty pay for service members;\n\nProvides a 3 percent pay raise for our troops;\n\nCreates an independent commission to make binding recommendations on modifying or removing all names, symbols, displays, etc. that honor the Confederacy or any person who served voluntarily with the Confederacy;\n\nEnsures paid parental leave is extended to all federal employees;\n\nAddresses the shortage in military child care;\n\nProvides long-overdue benefits to Vietnam-era veterans exposed to Agent Orange;\n\nRequires improvements in military housing;\n\nFurther protects military communities from PFAS;\n\nConstrains executive overreach relating to emergency construction authority and deployment of military personnel to the southern border;\n\nEnsures no backfill of the military construction funds taken for the President's border wall; and\n\nAuthorizes $8.4 billion in military construction projects to fortify critical infrastructure and base realignment and closure clean up.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://stephaniemurphy.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1546", "House Passes Bipartisan Murphy Bill to Strengthen Criminal Penalties for Adults Who Stalk Children", "2020-12-08", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Stephanie Murphy", "M001202", "stephaniemurphy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONToday, the U.S. House of Representatives approved bipartisan legislation authored by U.S. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., alongside Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., and Senators Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and Bob Casey, D-Pa., which will strengthen criminal penalties for adults who stalk or severely harass children, either online or in the community. The bill, theCombat Online Predators Act, was passed by the Senate in October and now heads to the President's desk for his signature.\r\nAs the mother of two young children, I know we have no more important responsibility than protecting our kids from adults who seek to harm them,\"said Murphy.I'm proud our bipartisan bill will soon become law. It will help deter adults from stalking children and ensure those who do commit this terrible crime receive the punishment they deserve. TheCombat Online PredatorsActwas inspired by the story of the Zezzo family of Bucks County, Pennsylvania whose teenage daughter was cyber-stalked by a friend's father on social media. Despite the stalking being sexual in nature, the then-51-year-old stalker pleaded guilty only to a misdemeanor stalking charge and was sentenced to probation and counseling. Three years later, in 2016, the same stalker began making contact again. This time, he was arrested in a sting by local police and sentenced to between 18 months and seven years in a state prison. Under current law, it is a federal crime for an individual to harass or intimidate another individual, in person or online, in a way that places them in fear of physical harm or causes them significant emotional distress. The maximum criminal penalty is 5 years in prison, and 10 years in prison if the defendant causes serious physical injury to the victim or uses a dangerous weapon. The Murphy-led bill would increase the maximum penalty by 5 years, to 10 years and 15 years respectively, when the defendant is an adult and the victim is under 18 years of age. We have no higher responsibility than to protect our children. Cyber-stalking is a serious crime that needs to be met with stricter penalties and more cooperation among law enforcement agencies. Sitting with the Zezzo family, I saw the pain in their eyes. After hearing of the disturbing story of cyberstalking endured by this young girl and her family for years, I knew something needed to be done,said Fitzpatrick. TheCombat Online Predators Actis the first step in making the internet a safer environment for all users, especially the most vulnerable among us. I am incredibly proud to see our legislation pass both chambers and head to the President's desk to become law. House passage of theCombat Online Predators Actspeaks to the remarkable dedicationof the entire Zezzo family for keeping children safe and ensuring there are strong penalties for monsters who stalk and cyberstalk children,said Toomey. Madison and her parents, Erin and Tony, deserve our gratitude for helping get this legislation through Congress, and I look forward to the president signing it into law. Today is an important day in our Nation's endless fight to better protect our children and curtail predatory behavior. I am pleased that the House passed theCombat Online Predators Acttoday and I am grateful to the Zezzo family for their tireless advocacy of this important legislation,\"said Casey. \"This bipartisan bill will give judges additional tools to ensure that perpetrators who stalk or cyberstalk children are held accountable with serious penalties. I urge the President to sign Combat Online Predators swiftly into law so that we can continue the fight to keep our children safe from predatory behavior. Our family is so glad theCombat Online Predators Acthas made it through Congress,said Erin and Tony Zezzo. As families have navigated through the COVID-19 pandemic, children are spending more time online and in front of a webcam. Individuals who stalk and cyberstalk our children are taking advantage of these new tools and opportunities to exploit children. This legislation has never been more critical than it is today. Our hope is that this legislation is the first of more changes to our cyberstalking laws that will help prevent such heinous crimes.We appreciate the bipartisan work of Senators Toomey and Casey and Representatives Fitzpatrick and Murphy. Broadcast quality video of Murphy discussing her bipartisanCombat Online Predators Actcan be foundhere.The text of her remarks is below. Hi, this is Congresswoman Murphy.I wanted to share some good news with you. Today, the House passed the Combat Online Predators Act, a bipartisan bill I helped write. The Senate already passed the bill so it will now head to the President to be signed into law. We introduced this bill after hearing the story of a brave 13-year-old girl in Pennsylvania who was stalked online by a 50-year-old man. The man originally received only a slap on the wrist from our criminal justice systemand he soon began harassing the young girl again. This sort of behavior happens far too often. Unfortunately, in the age of social media, predators have more tools to harass innocent people, especially children. Here's what our bill does: It gives federal judges the power to impose longer prison sentences on adults who are found guilty of severely stalking children, whether they commit this crime through a computer or in our communities. This will help deter adults from stalking children in the first place and make sure that adults who do commit this crime receive a fair and appropriate sentence. As a mother of two young children, I know we have no more important responsibility than protecting our kids from adults who seek to harm them. That's why I'm so proud of this bill and so thankful that it will soon be become law. My team and I will let you know when the President signs this bill into law. I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://castor.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=403462", "Rep. Castor Announces Staff Leadership Changes for 117th Congress", "2020-12-07", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Kathy Castor", "C001066", "castor.house.gov", "castor", "https://castor.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) announced today that her longtime chief of staff, Clay Phillips, will take on a Tampa-based senior advisory role at the start of the 117th Congress and Lara Hopkins, Castor\u2019s deputy chief of staff, will be elevated to Castor\u2019s chief of staff.\n\nPhillips has been on Castor\u2019s team from day one, starting on her campaign and then being appointed as her first and only chief of staff after being elected to Congress in 2006. Phillips has served the State of Florida throughout his life of public service, including as former Congressman Jim Davis\u2019 (FL-11) District Director. Beginning in January, Phillips will serve in a dual-role as senior counsel in an official capacity and senior campaign adviser for Castor\u2019s reelection efforts.\n\nReplacing Phillips as chief of staff is Lara Hopkins, a Florida native and University of Florida graduate who has served Castor since her first campaign for Congress. Hopkins has served Castor in multiple roles, including finance director for her campaign, scheduler and office manager; administrative director; and in her current role as deputy chief of staff and part of the management team since 2012. In this position, she advises the congresswoman on all critical issues and specifically on Cuba, foreign affairs, travel and tourism issues, so key to the well-being of so many in Tampa.\n\n\u201cLara has been an invaluable member of my team from the very first day of my very first campaign and I look forward to her seamless transition into her role as chief of staff. As a native Floridian and trusted adviser on the issues that matter to our Tampa neighbors, she is the ideal person to serve in this position. I look forward to local partners and our neighbors getting to know her even better in the days ahead.\n\n\u201cThere are few people in the Tampa area who haven\u2019t worked with Clay, and I am grateful for the work he has done to strengthen our community and shore up federal aid through his long tenure as my chief of staff. From the economic downturn and housing crisis to the fights for affordable health care and social justice, he has used his deep Florida roots to tirelessly serve our neighbors, and I know that he will continue to be a valuable member of my team in his new positions.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://wassermanschultz.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2544", "Wasserman Schultz, Shalala and Mucarsel-Powell Condemn \u2018Sham\u2019 Venezuela Elections", "2020-12-05", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Debbie Wasserman Schultz", "W000797", "wassermanschultz.house.gov", "wassermanschultz", "https://wassermanschultz.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Washington DC \u2013 U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23), Donna Shalala (FL-27) and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (FL-26) issued the following joint statement condemning Sunday\u2019s legislative elections in Venezuela:\n\n\u201cThe Maduro regime continues to desperately cling to power by moving forward with illegitimate sham elections. The elections and their predetermined outcomes represent yet another horrifying assault on democracy. We stand with the Venezuelan people experiencing a devastating humanitarian crisis and as they fight to have their voices heard.\n\nThey must be able to choose their own future through free, fair, transparent, and competitive elections. We also stand in solidarity with a real champion of democracy, Interim-President of Venezuela Juan Guaid\u00f3, and the legitimately elected members of the National Assembly who are demanding free, democratic processes.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["http://teddeutch.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402897", "Deutch, Task Force on Aging & Families Lead Effort to Appoint Aging Specialist to Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board", "2020-12-04", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Ted Deutch", "D000610", "teddeutch.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On Tuesday, Congressman Ted Deutch (D-FL), Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus Task Force on Aging & Families (TFAF), joined with Task Force leaders to send a letter to Drs. David Kessler, Vivek Murthy, and Marcella Nunez-Smith, Co-Chairs of the Biden-Harris Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board, requesting that a geriatrician or expert in aging services be appointed to the board to specifically address the impact of COVID-19 on Older Americans.\r\nRecently, the transition began appointing a leading team of public health experts to the board that will advise President-elect Biden, Vice President-elect Harris, and the incoming Administration's COVID-19 staff on managing the pandemic. The diverse range of highly qualified physicians, scientists, and public health experts on the panel are experienced and trusted leaders who are well-equipped to take on the important task of leading our country's response to the COVID-19 crisis.\r\nHowever, recognizing that older adults continue to bear the disproportionate burden of severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19, Congressman Deutch is urging the Biden-Harris Transition to prioritize at-risk older adults, their families, and their caregivers in a robust federal response. Appointing a geriatrician or expert in aging services to the Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board will give voice to the unique needs of Older Americans as we take critical next steps to get the virus under control, and safely and equitably distribute tests, therapies and vaccines.\r\nCongressman Deutch led the letter alongside TFAF Co-Chairs Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Conor Lamb (D-PA), and Doris Matsui (D-CA), as well as Vice Chairs Reps. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), and Ayanna Pressley (D-MA).\r\nI am very grateful that Congresswoman Matsui and the House Democratic Caucus Task Force on Aging & Families are asking the Biden-Harris Transition to add a geriatrician to the COVID-19 Advisory Board, said Darrick Lam, President and CEO, ACC Senior Services. Our nation needs someone who has the experience to work with older adults whose risks for COVID-19 increases. As indicated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people in their 60s or 70s are, in general, at higher risk for severe illness than people in their 50s. The greatest risk for severe illness from COVID-19 is among those aged 85 or older.\r\nFull text of the letter is available below and here.\r\n\r\nDear Drs. Kessler, Murthy, and Nunez-Smith:\r\nWe are grateful for the incoming Administration's commitment to ensuring a robust federal response to the pandemic by establishing the Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board. We commend the Biden-Harris Transition for appointing, to date, a diverse range of highly qualified physicians, scientists, and public health experts to the panel. These trusted leaders are well-qualified to take on the important task of addressing the many public health and economic challenges the pandemic continues to impose on communities around our country.\r\nAmericans over the age of 65 account for more than 80% of COVID-19 deaths . The risk of severe illness, hospitalization or dying when diagnosed with COVID-19 increases with age, with older adults at the highest risk. With this in mind, the House Democratic Caucus Task Force on Aging & Families respectfully requests that a geriatrician or expert in aging services be appointed to the Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board to specifically address the disproportionate impact and unique challenges that COVID-19 has on Older Americans.\r\nAs a Task Force, we work to prioritize and address the unique needs of Older Americans and protect the fundamental rights that every older adult and their families deserve. In the context of the pandemic, we are committed to elevating the needs of at-risk older adults and their caregivers, including those living and working in congregate care settings such as nursing homes, assisted living, hospice, and other home- and community-based settings. Looking ahead, we recognize that quarantine and isolation will continue to impact the medical, nutritional, and mental health needs of many older adults and that these challenges will only be exacerbated by a winter surge in COVID-19 cases. Further, greater focus should be given to the safety, effectiveness and prioritization of vaccines and treatments for older adults. The addition of a geriatrician or expert in aging services will be critical to ensuring that the panel understands and is equipped to address these and other unique needs of older Americans when advising the President-elect on mitigating COVID-19.\r\nSupport for Older Americans, their families and their caregivers is an essential component of a robust federal response to the pandemic, and we implore you to consider including the important perspective of a geriatrician or expert in aging services on the COVID-19 Advisory Board.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://crist.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2215", "Crist Votes to End Federal Marijuana Prohibition", "2020-12-04", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Charlie Crist", "C001111", "crist.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) released the following statement on House passage of H.R. 3884, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE) Act, historic legislation to right past wrongs through reforming cannabis regulation at the federal level. \r\nThe bill, which passed by a vote of 228-164, would end the federal prohibition and criminalization of marijuana, enacting sensible cannabis reform that will allow state and local governments the ability to create legal frameworks to regulate cannabis as they see fit, abiding by the will of the people.\r\nThe MORE Act comes as communities of color continue to suffer and our veterans are denied care. Black Americans are nearly 4 times more likely to be criminally apprehended for cannabis use than their white peers, despite level rates of use. And veterans, who are twice as likely to use cannabis for medical treatment, are denied legal medical marijuana prescriptions by the VA.\r\nWe know that people across racial and income levels use marijuana at the same rate. And yet, for decades, it's been poor, Black, and/or Hispanic folks targeted for prison on marijuana charges, said Rep. Crist. That tells me that marijuana has been legal now for a while if you had the right skin tone or the right paycheck.It's not fair, it's unjust, and it's been hurting communities of color and poor folks for too long. Cannabis prohibition also keeps medical cannabis out of the hands of veterans in need. That's why state after state is approving legalization, and why the federal government should follow their lead and work to right the wrongs of the past.\r\nBy removing federal marijuana restrictions and allowing states to legalize if they choose, the federal government could collect over $100 billion in tax revenue annually, funds which would support small businesses and those harmed by marijuana enforcement. Florida has already taken steps towards cannabis reform, voting in 2016 to make medical marijuana legal through passage of Constitution Amendment 2, a measure supported by Congressman Crist.\r\nCrist has long championed cannabis and criminal justice reform. As Governor, Crist restored the civil rights for over 155,000 non-violent offenders, and he was a vocal supporter of Amendment 4 to restore the voting rights of close to 1.4 million Floridians with former felony convictions. In Congress, he introduced the Fairness in Federal Drug Testing Under State Laws Actthat would protect veterans' cannabis treatment options while securing their ability to be gainfully employed by the federal government, the largest employer of veterans. Crist is also a cosponsor of the SAFE Banking Act that would update obsolete banking regulations that limit access to financial services for cannabis businesses. And he has consistently pressed senior Treasury officials of the dangers to small businesses and communities of being forced into all cash operations. From his powerful post on the Appropriations Committee, he secured provisions similar to the goals of both Fairness in Federal Drug Testing and SAFE Banking.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://stephaniemurphy.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1544", "Murphy Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Unemployed Workers Wronged by State Misdistribution of Unemployment Benefits", "2020-12-04", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Stephanie Murphy", "M001202", "stephaniemurphy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., alongside U.S. Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., has introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure certain unemployed workers are not held financially responsible for mistakes made by states like Florida in the distribution of unemployment benefits. Murphy's bill  the Relief for Working Families Act would prevent workers who received an overpayment of federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits by the State of Florida from being required to repay those benefits if the worker was not at fault for the overpayment and if repayment would cause severe economic hardship for the worker. Under current law, states like Florida are required to seek repayment of overpaid benefits, which many struggling workers did not know were overpayments and have already spent to buy food, pay their rent or mortgage, or meet other basic needs. Murphy and Herrera Beutler are seeking to include this bill in the broader COVID-19 relief package that Congress is currently negotiating. Florida's unemployment system failed workers when they needed help the most, resulting in non-payment of benefits, under-payments, delayed payments andin some casesoverpayments, Murphy said. Florida workers didn't cause this mess, and they shouldn't be punished for Tallahassee's indifference and incompetence. Requiring workers to pay for the mistakes of our state government only adds insult to injury, and my bipartisan bill will stop this injustice. Washington's Employment Security Department should not be further burdening struggling workers because of its mistakes. Until it can develop a system to more accurately administer unemployment benefits, we should give ESD the tools to provide relief to folks struggling to put food on the table, Herrera Beutler said. I'm introducing legislation that ensures individuals are not held accountable for states' mismanagement of jobless benefits, but that preserves states' abilities to crack down on scams and seek repayment of truly fraudulent claims. Recent reports describe how unemployed and furloughed workers are finding themselves in debt because of inconsistent or unclear guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor and errors made by state unemployment agencies like the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. These individuals are suddenly being forced to pay back thousands of dollars, with state agencies threatening to garnish paychecks and tax refunds to obtain repayment. The Relief for Working Families Act requires states to waive repayment of PUA overpayments when the individual receiving the jobless benefits is not at fault and where repayment would cause severe economic hardship. Under current law, states are able to grant hardship waivers to individuals who receive state unemployment benefits, extended benefits, and other pandemic unemployment benefits, but not Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. After the collapse of Florida's unemployment benefits system, Murphy called for the U.S. Department of Labor's Inspector General to conduct an independent federal investigation. She has pushed state leaders to expand the low $275 maximum weekly state benefit for unemployed workers in Florida and has urged Congress to reach a bipartisan compromise to extend federal unemployment benefits that expired this past summer.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://stephaniemurphy.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1545", "President Signs into Law Bill to Authorize Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe to Receive the Medal of Honor", "2020-12-04", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Stephanie Murphy", "M001202", "stephaniemurphy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONPresident Donald J. Trump today signed into law a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Reps. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., Michael Waltz, R-Fla., and Dan Crenshaw, R-Tex., to authorize U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe to posthumously receive the Medal of Honor for actions taken in Iraq on October 17, 2005. The bill, H.R. 8276, waives a federal law that requires a Medal of Honor to be awarded within five years of the actions that give rise to the award. The bill was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives in September and by the U.S. Senate in November.  Now that the President has signed the bill into law, the Department of Defense is in a position to formally recommend to the President that he award SFC Cashe the Medal of Honor. Recently, Murphy, Waltz and Crenshaw wrote to Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller, urging him to make this recommendation to the President. Upon receiving this recommendation, the President has the sole authority to award the Medal of Honor.  Now that we have enacted bipartisan legislation to remove the only obstacle standing in the way of Alwyn receiving the Medal of Honor, which the Department of Defense has already concluded he earned, I hope the President will move swiftly to announce the award, said Murphy. The story of Alwyn's heroism has inspired so many people and I cannot wait for the day that his family will receive the nation's highest award for combat valor on his behalf.  America can never fully repay the ultimate debt paid by our heroes like Alwyn Cashebut what we can do is honor them for their sacrifices. This is a monumental accomplishment for Alwyn's family, who have waited 15 years for this moment, said Waltz. I'm very optimistic the Department of Defense will recommend this award. I'm very grateful and proud to have been part of this bipartisan effortand I'm looking forward to the ceremony at the White House to bestow this great honor to Alwyn and show our nation's profound gratitude to his family for his selfless act of courage. I applaud President Trump for signing our bill into law, recognizing Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe for his bravery in risking his own life to save his fellow soldiers, said Crenshaw. He is deserving of the Medal of Honor, our nation's highest military award for bravery on the battlefield, and now he is finally receiving proper recognition for his bravery and sacrifice.  In August, the previous Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper, sent a letter to Reps. Murphy, Waltz, and Crenshaw, stating that the Department of Defense had concluded that SFC Cashe's actions merit award of the Medal of Honor. In the same letter, the Secretary of Defense informed the three Members that Congress needed to enact legislation to waive the five-year time limit. The Secretary wrote: Once legislation is enacted authorizing the President of the United States to award, if he so chooses, the Medal of Honor to SFC Cashe, I will provide my endorsement to the President. Upon receiving this letter, Rep. Murphy introduced H.R. 8276. On October 17, 2005, while deployed to Iraq, SFC Cashe saved the lives of multiple soldiers after their fighting vehicle hit an improvised explosive device and caught fire. SFC Cashe repeatedly returned to the burning vehicle to pull his soldiers out of the flames, all while he himself was on fire and exposed to enemy gunfire. He later passed away from his wounds. SFC Cashe was born in Sanford, Fla. and raised in Oviedo, Fla., both of which are located in Murphy's congressional district.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wassermanschultz.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2543", "Wasserman Schultz Statement on the MORE Act", "2020-12-04", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Debbie Wasserman Schultz", "W000797", "wassermanschultz.house.gov", "wassermanschultz", "https://wassermanschultz.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "\u201cWhile I have serious reservations regarding some of the specifics of this bill, I will vote yes on the MORE Act because the status quo, where marijuana laws continue to ravage communities of color, is untenable and must change immediately. For decades, the \u2018War on Drugs\u2019 and racism that has long stained our criminal justice system has resulted in people of color being arrested, prosecuted and incarcerated for marijuana offenses at rates far exceeding white people. The destructive and inequitable policies that led to these disparities must end. However, I must make clear that my preferred legislative path would be decriminalizing marijuana and rescheduling it from Schedule I to Schedule III in order to allow us to better research the proven concerns around its safety and long-term health impacts. I cast my vote today in support of the provisions of the bill that will alleviate the injustice but remain opposed to the de-scheduling provisions and believe rescheduling and modifying regulations to allow more research is the more prudent approach. Given that the MORE Act will not become law, I will continue to pursue this more safe, prudent, and politically viable legislative path.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:42:23Z"], ["https://frankel.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3183", "Democratic Women\u2019s Caucus Announces Election Results for 117th Congress", "2020-12-03", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Lois Frankel", "F000462", "frankel.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, the Democratic Women's Caucus (DWC) announced the results of their leadership elections for the 117th Congress. Congresswomen Jackie Speier (CA-14), Lois Frankel (FL-21), and Brenda Lawrence (MI-14) were re-elected to serve as Co-Chairs and Congresswomen Veronica Escobar (TX-16) and Deb Haaland (NM-01) were re-elected to serve as Vice Chairs. For the 117th Congress, the DWC will introduce a new Freshman Representative position. The Freshman Representative will be decided by the incoming caucus members in the coming weeks.\r\nWomen delivered a Democratic majority in 2018 and helped maintain it in 2020, but our work has only just begun, the Members said. The leadership of the Democratic Women's Caucus stands united in the common purpose of improving the lives of all families by advocating for universal child care; pay equity; access to health care, including reproductive health care; paid family and medical leave; retirement security; freedom from violence; and much more. We look forward to working with the incoming Biden-Harris Administration to further these goals and ensure women and families have the tools they need to succeed as we build back better from a pandemic that has disproportionately impacted women and four years of attacks against our basic rights and freedoms.\r\nThe Democratic Women's Caucus is comprised of all the Democratic women in the U.S. House of Representatives and anticipates having 91 members in the 117th Congress.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lawson.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-lawson-helps-to-secure-national-science-foundation-grant-for-jacksonville-university-to-train-students-in-stem", "Rep. Lawson Helps to Secure National Science Foundation Grant for Jacksonville University to Train Students in STEM", "2020-12-03", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Al Lawson", "L000586", "lawson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 03, 2020\n\t\t\t Rep. Lawson Helps to Secure National Science Foundation Grant for Jacksonville University to Train Students in STEM \n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, DC U.S. Rep. Al Lawson (FL-05) has helped to secure a $943,266 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for Jacksonville University. This grant will support Project-based Service Learning and Career-training to Support Graduation and Career Readiness of Engineering and Computing Science Majors, which will help meet the national need for engineers and computer scientists by supporting the retention and graduation of high-achieving, low-income students at Jacksonville University.\r\nI am proud to support a project that will increase the number of highly skilled, next-generation STEM professionals, Rep. Lawson said. This project will fund scholarships for up to 35 full-time students who are pursuing bachelor's degrees in engineering or computing science.\r\nThe award will continue over a five-year duration,ending on Nov. 30, 2025. The project will use inclusive recruitment activities to promote equitable access to the project's scholarships and support activities. A longitudinal study will be conducted to explore the effects of curricular and co-curricular activities on preparing students to enter the STEM workforce.\r\nThis project is funded by NSF's Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics program, which seeks to improve the education of future STEM workers, and to generate knowledge about academic success, retention, transfer, graduation, and academic/career pathways of low-income student. \n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://crist.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2213", "Crist Fights to Save Pinellas Shore Protection Project", "2020-12-02", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Charlie Crist", "C001111", "crist.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) sent alettercalling on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to work with Pinellas County as the future of the County's Shore Protection Project hangs in the balance.\r\nSpecifically, Congressman Crist is asking the Army Corps to provide flexibility to Pinellas County and maintain their commitment to work hand-in-hand with the County to replenish and preserve our coast.\r\nCrist's letter comes as the Pinellas County Shore Protection Project, which serves to periodically renourish nearly 13 miles of Pinellas beaches, hit a major roadblock after the County was told by the Army Corps that they only have until the end of the year to secure hundreds of easements from property owners in order to continue the project. The original deadline was set for spring of 2021.\r\nIn his letter, Congressman Crist urges the Corps to meet the County halfway and provide flexibility by not requiring easements for areas where sand will not be placed.\r\nBetween the outbreak of COVID-19 and Tropical Storm Eta, this has been a trying year for the people and businesses that call Pinellas home,said Congressman Crist.The County's Shore Protection Project will not only safeguard our beaches, local environment, and economy  but our way of life. The future of our coastal communities is on the line. We must work together to find a common sense solution that will allow us to see this project through for the well-being of our beaches and Pinellas families and businesses. A pdf of the letter can be foundhere, with text appearing below.  \r\n\r\nDecember 1, 2020\r\n\r\nThe Honorable Rickey R.D. James  \r\nAssistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works  \r\nU.S. Army Corps of Engineers  \r\n108 Army Pentagon  \r\nWashington, DC 20310\r\nDear Assistant Secretary James,\r\nI write today to bring your attention to an urgent issue in my district. As you know, Pinellas County is home to a large shore protection project that encompasses nearly 13 miles of beaches over three segments and has been a model partnership between the federal, state, and local governments. This public safety project is vital to our economy, environment, and way of life. Our beaches support a thriving tourism industry; promote recreational opportunities; and protect lives, endangered local wildlife, and infrastructure from devastating storm surge. It is imperative that the Pinellas County Shore Protection Project remain on schedule for years to come.\r\nDespite completing multiple nourishment cycles over several decades, the Army Corps informed Pinellas County that local officials must obtain perpetual easements along the length of the project from 100 percent of property owners in order to be eligible for Sand Key's next nourishment in 2024. Together with the Corps' Jacksonville District, the County and local municipalities have been working hard for over two years to obtain these easements. Unfortunately, due to understandable skepticism from some property owners, the County remains more than 270 easements short of meeting the requirement. Notably, a majority of the remaining required easements are located well into the sand dunes and would not receive any sand in the planned project (see Attachment A).\r\nThe Corps had initially given the County until the spring of 2021 to acquire the remaining easements. However, the County shared with my office that they were recently informed by the Corps that the deadline has been moved up to the end of this calendar year. While this shortened timeframe is concerning on its own, the ongoing public health emergency makes it even more difficult for the County to conduct outreach and engage with property owners.\r\nThis situation has been further exacerbated by Tropical Storm Eta, which made landfall just north of Tampa Bay on November 12th. Early reports from the County indicate that the beach project suffered considerable damage, resulting in a loss of over 370,000 cubic yards of sand from the storm and may need emergency repairs. Unfortunately, without the required easements, those repairs would also be in jeopardy, making an already dire situation even worse.\r\nDegradation of our beaches would severely impact our tourism-based economy, and the lack of a protective beach will cause even greater damage to local infrastructure when a storm occurs. This would lead to increased disaster recovery costs for everyone involved  directly contradicting the very purpose of the program. Most alarming, however, is the threat to human life and safety that a malnourished beach poses.\r\nIt is unacceptable that the Pinellas County Shore Protection Project be abandoned due to a sudden change in Corps policy, especially after completing multiple successful nourishment cycles prior to instatement of the easement requirement. For this reason, I urge the Corps to provide flexibility to Pinellas County and not require easements for areas where sand will not be placed in the planned project, or has not been placed since 1996, the year the Corps released guidance on WDRA 1986. These modifications would greatly assist in ensuring this critical project continues uninterrupted and allows for any emergency replenishments that may be required prior to the next scheduled project.\r\nFor your awareness, my office has also reached out directly to your staff to arrange a virtual meeting between the appropriate officials at Corps Headquarters, the County, and me to discuss this issue. I request that you also attend this meeting.\r\nThank you for your attention to this matter. Given the seriousness of the situation, I ask for your reply by December 8, 2020.\r\nSincerely,\r\nCharlie Crist  \r\nUNITED STATES CONGRESSMAN\r\nCC: Colonel Andrew Kelly, Commander and District Engineer, Jacksonville District  \r\n    Collin Ries, Coastal Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://stephaniemurphy.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1543", "House Majority Whip Clyburn Appoints Murphy as Chief Deputy Whip", "2020-12-02", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Stephanie Murphy", "M001202", "stephaniemurphy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONHouse Majority Whip James E. Clyburn, D-S.C., this week appointed U.S. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., as a Chief Deputy Whip of the House Democratic Majority. In this role, Murphy will assist in helping Democrats better communicate with House leadership so that legislation that comes to the House floor reflects the views of the entire Democratic caucus. As Chief Deputy Whip, Murphy also has a seat in the powerful House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, which recommends committee assignments to the Democratic Caucus and helps shape the House policy agenda. My focus since taking office has been on bringing people together to pass legislation that can be signed into law and help my constituents. Whip Clyburn is one of the most respected leaders in Congress, and I'm grateful for this elevated role within the House to help deliver bipartisan results for the American people, said Murphy. In this role, I will be ensuring legislation we pass in the House reflects all viewpoints from within our increasingly diverse Democratic caucus, including Democrats who helped deliver the majority in recent elections. I look forward to building stronger relationships that result in consensus and progress we can all be proud of. During the 116th Congress, I worked closely with Stephanie in her capacity as co-chair of the Blue Dog Coalition and a member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. She will bring valuable experiences and insights to the Chief Deputy Whip team. I look forward to working closely with her as we continue our efforts to advance the priorities of the American people next Congress, said House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://teddeutch.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402898", "Online Antisemitism Task Force Op-Ed: Fighting Antisemitism Online Requires a Global Effort", "2020-11-30", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Ted Deutch", "D000610", "teddeutch.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The co-chairs of the recently-launched Inter-Parliamentary Task Force for Combating Online Antisemitism published an op-ed on CNN.com laying out the issue of online antisemitism and their goal of forming \"a united front and a global commitment to combating this deeply serious issue.\"\r\n            \"The hate that we see online isn't just harmless chatter relegated to dark corners of the internet -- it often spills onto the streets, and dangerous propaganda can quickly transcend the geographic borders of any of our countries. Combating this global hatred, therefore, requires a global solution.\"\r\n            Click here to read the op-ed on CNN.com.\r\n            The Task Force held its first briefing on November 10, with guest presentations by organizations from the United States, Canada, and Australia. It was followed by a second event on November 24 with presentations by groups from Israel and the United Kingdom.\r\n            Members of the Task Force include:\r\n            Congressman Ted Deutch (Democrat, United States)\r\n            Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Democrat, United States)\r\n            Congressman Chris Smith (Republican, United States)\r\n            Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (Republican, United States)\r\n            Member of Knesset Michal Cotler-Wunsh (Blue and White, Israel)\r\n            Member of Parliament Anthony Housefather (Liberal, Canada)\r\n            Member of Parliament Marty Morantz (Conservative, Canada),\r\n            Member of Parliament Randall Garrison (NDP, Canada)\r\n            Member of Parliament Josh Burns (Labour, Australia)\r\n            Member of Parliament Dave Sharma (Liberal, Australia)\r\n            Member of Parliament Andrew Percy (Conservative, United Kingdom)\r\n            Member of Parliament Alex Sobel (Labour and Cooperative, United Kingdom)\r\n            Former Member of Parliament Michael Levitt (Liberal, Canada).", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://castor.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=403451", "U.S. Rep. Castor announces her 2020 nominations to U.S. military academies", "2020-11-30", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Kathy Castor", "C001066", "castor.house.gov", "castor", "https://castor.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) announced 24 students representing more than a dozen local high schools received nominations for admission into our nation\u2019s military academies: Air Force (USAFA), Navy (USNA), Army (USMA) and Merchant Marine (USMMA).\n\n\u201cEvery year I am proud to nominate a diverse group of high school seniors from the Tampa Bay area to attend our nation\u2019s prestigious service academies,\u201d Castor said. \u201cThese impressive students are tomorrow\u2019s leaders, and I\u2019m encouraged that our best and the brightest want to serve America.\u201d\n\nDue to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Rep. Castor held her annual Academy Day virtually.\n\nReceiving a nomination to one of our nation\u2019s military academies is an essential step towards receiving an appointment to the academies. Nominations are earned based upon each student\u2019s interview with Castor\u2019s Nomination Committee, their academic record, participation in extracurricular activities and demonstrated leadership qualities. Because of the stringent application requirements, many students begin working on what it takes to apply as early as their first year of high school.\n\nBased upon the process established by federal law, all U.S. military academies, except the Coast Guard Academy, require either a service-connected or Congressional nomination (from their member of Congress, U.S. Senator or the Vice President of the United States). Parents and students interested in the nomination process can work with their school guidance counselors and find more information at https://castor.house.gov/constituentservices/serviceacademynominations.htm.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m grateful for the time and effort my Nomination Committee puts in every year to thoroughly review each application and meet with each student individually, but especially so this year as we adapted to a virtual process,\u201d Castor continued. \u201cTampa Bay is a patriotic community, and our committee is proud of our role in developing the bright young leaders that will shape the future of America\u2019s armed forces and our nation.\u201d\n\nCastor will announce official appointments at a later date after being notified of appointments by the academies. Today\u2019s announcement is the conclusion of Castor\u2019s 2020 competitive nomination process. The nominees who receive an appointment from a U.S. military academy will attend their respective academies in the 2021-2022 school year.\n\nU.S. Rep. Castor granted her nomination to the following students for one or more of the U.S. military academies:\n\nCooper Jackson, Cambridge Christian School \u2013 USMA\n\nLeo Sterns, Gaither High School + Valdosta State \u2013 USAFA\n\nZachary Cottongim, Hillsborough High School \u2013 USNA, USMA\n\nOlivia Kasper, Hillsborough High School \u2013 USNA\n\nNicole Garcia, Jefferson High School \u2013 USAFA\n\nJonas Jonsson, Jesuit High School \u2013 USMMA\n\nIan Aguilar, King High School \u2013 USAFA, USNA\n\nGabrielle Hernandez, Middleton High School \u2013 USMA\n\nLauren Piacitelli, Middleton High School \u2013 USAFA, USMA\n\nMichael Hodgson, Mitchell High School \u2013 USNA\n\nIan McGary, Plant High School \u2013 USNA, USMA\n\nEvans Taylor, Plant High School \u2013 USNA, USMA\n\nVance Dimmick, Plant High School \u2013 USMA\n\nThomas Nagle, Plant High School \u2013 USAFA\n\nAidan Lindsey, Plant High School \u2013 USMMA\n\nMargaret Courtney, Robinson High School \u2013 USAFA, USMA\n\nSara Arroyave, Robinson High School \u2013 USAFA, USNA, USMMA\n\nMaxwell Mondo, Sickles High School \u2013 USAFA, USNA\n\nLuke Barrow, Sickles High School \u2013 USMA\n\nShreyas Kallimath, Sickles High School \u2013 USAFA\n\nKinaree Adkins, Singapore American School \u2013 USNA\n\nConner Aeschbach, South County High School \u2013 USNA\n\nSohan Khanvilkar, Steinbrenner High School \u2013 USAFA\n\nDavid Hoyt, Tampa Catholic \u2013 USMA\n\n###\n\n----\n\nRikki Miller\n\nPress Secretary\n\nOffice of Congresswoman Kathy Castor (FL-14)\n\nph: o. 202-225-3376 / c. (202)-344-9419\n\nClick here to sign up for Congresswoman Castor's Email Updates", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:39:51Z"], ["https://crist.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2211", "Crist Urges Postmaster DeJoy To Address New Safety Issues For Postal Workers", "2020-11-24", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Charlie Crist", "C001111", "crist.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "St. Petersburg, FL  U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-FL) sent a letter to Postmaster Louis DeJoy asking for the United States Postal Service to provide reflective gear and flashlights to protect letter carriers working nighttime hours. As the added workload of the pandemic has forced more workers to continue their deliveries long after nightfall, several Pinellas postal employees have reported lacking the necessary equipment to complete their routes safely.\r\n\r\n    \r\n        \r\n            \r\n             \r\n             A USPS reflective vest\r\n            \r\n        \r\n    \r\n\r\nThose who are already risking their lives to keep us connected during the pandemic should not face yet another safety risk, Crist said. It is imperative that our letter carriers have everything they need to deliver our mail safely and efficiently. Knowing that letter carriers are having to work longer hours, sometimes after dark, it only makes sense that we provide them with tools as simple as reflective vests and flashlights.\r\nLetter Carriers of Florida and also around the country are getting very concerned with delivering late at night without the proper safety equipment seven days a week. We applaud Rep. Crist's efforts to bring this issue to the attention of the Postmaster General,\" said Al Friedman, Florida State Letter Carriers Association President.\r\n   \r\nA pdf of the letter can be found here, with the text appearing below.     November 24, 2020\r\nPostmaster General Louis DeJoy  \r\nUnited States Postal Service  \r\n475 L'Enfant Plaza SW  \r\nWashington, D.C. 20260 Dear Postmaster DeJoy,\r\nI write to you regarding the safety of letter carriers who are delivering mail after dark.\r\nAs you know, our frontline employees at the U.S. Postal Service have been more critical than ever during the pandemic. They have put their health and safety on the line, working longer hours than normal to deliver mail, packages, medication, and ballots reliably, and as quickly as possible.\r\nMuch attention has rightly been paid to the provision of personal protective equipment for postal employees to protect against the virus. But I have recently been made aware that letter carriers face yet another safety issue. Specifically, letter carriers in my district who deliver the mail on foot or by bicycle after dark, an occurrence that has increased due to the pandemic workload, report that they lack the reflective vests and flashlights they need to do the job safely. The increased volume of mail plus the shorter days of winter mean that many of these workers spend hours on the streets after sundown with nothing to help them see or be seen, making their job harder and leaving them vulnerable to passing motorists. \r\nI know you share my belief that it is the responsibility of the United States Postal Service to keep the workforce safe. To that end, what nighttime gear, including reflective vests and flashlights, are currently available? If you do find that the availability is inadequate, what steps will the USPS undertake to rectify this issue? \r\nThank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to your timely response.\r\nSincerely,\r\n\r\nCharlie Crist  \r\nUNITED STATES CONGRESSMAN", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://castor.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=403430", "Castor Champions House Passage of Bipartisan Legislation to Invest in Apprenticeship Programs, Create High-Paying Jobs in Florida", "2020-11-20", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Kathy Castor", "C001066", "castor.house.gov", "castor", "https://castor.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) voted in support of the National Apprenticeship Act of 2020, which passed the House by a bipartisan vote of 246-140. The proposal invests more than $3.5 billion over five years in expanding opportunities and access to Registered Apprenticeships, youth apprenticeships, and pre-apprenticeships and would create nearly 1 million new apprenticeship opportunities on top of the current expected growth of the apprenticeship system.\n\n\u201cIn order to mitigate the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and respond to the needs of the many Americans who are currently out of work and searching for new opportunities, the House passed a forward-looking bill that would create nearly one million new Registered Apprenticeship, youth apprenticeship, and pre-apprenticeship positions over the next five years,\u201d said Rep. Castor.\n\n\u201cBy reauthorizing the National Apprenticeship Act, we are investing in the livelihoods of our neighbors by prioritizing skills training and increasing access to trade schools. It will connect our Tampa neighbors to better jobs and better wages, as apprenticeship opportunities are direct pathways to high-paying, stable jobs that you can raise a family on. Apprenticeships provide important opportunities for young people who are looking for long-term rewarding careers that do not require a traditional four-year college degree. And we already have a great local partners like Hillsborough Community College and local building trades training we can build on.\u201d\n\n\u201cFlorida\u2019s Registered Apprenticeship Programs have been underfunded for years, and the National Apprenticeship Act of 2020 could provide an infusion of funds for trade schools and skills training that will allow Floridians to choose well-paying careers that don\u2019t require a college degree,\u201d said Business Manager Randall King Local 915, IBEW, Tampa. \u201cWe are grateful for Rep. Castor\u2019s longstanding commitment to our apprenticeship programs that fill the needs of Florida\u2019s ever-growing economy and provides a path into high-paying jobs around the state.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:39:51Z"], ["https://crist.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2208", "Crist Urges Gov. DeSantis To Request FEMA Aid for Pinellas Coastal Communities Impacted by TS Eta", "2020-11-20", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Charlie Crist", "C001111", "crist.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-FL) sent a letter to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis asking for the state to request FEMA assistance for Pinellas residents impacted by Tropical Storm Eta.Following storm surge, high tides, and massive amounts of rainfall, Tropical Storm Eta has left many Pinellas homes and businesses flooded. \r\nA pdf of the letter can be found here, with the text appearing below.   November 20, 2020 The Honorable Ron DeSantis  \r\nGovernor, State of Florida  \r\nThe Capitol  \r\n400 S. Monroe Street  \r\nTallahassee, FL 32399-0001 Dear Governor DeSantis, As you know, Tropical Storm Eta made landfall just north of Tampa Bay on November 12th, bringing storm surge, high winds, and excessive rainfall to the southern and west coasts of Florida for several days. Following the storm, my office received numerous reports of flooded and damaged homes and businesses throughout Pinellas County.  The highest proportion of damaged properties occurred in low-lying areas like Madeira Beach, Shore Acres, Gulfport, and other waterfront communities. I have been told by Madeira Beach city officials that 80 percent of properties in the town were damaged by flooding from Tropical Storm Eta. Storm survivors are understandably feeling anxious about how to repair their homes and businesses, where to seek assistance, and what options they have for financing repairs. For this reason, I urge you to request additional assistance from FEMA, including Individual Assistance, so Pinellas communities can be set on the path to recovery. In addition, Tropical Storm Eta has exacerbated an existing problem in John's Pass where high volumes of sand have been accumulating in some areas, making those areas impassable by boat. The City of Madeira Beach has shared with me that their beach groins were also damaged in the storm, which will result in more rapid sand accumulation. I ask that the State work with local and federal stakeholders to find a solution to the sand accumulation, as well as provide support for Madeira Beach to repair its beach groins. Thank you for your attention to this serious matter. Sincerely, ______________________________  \r\nCharlie Crist  \r\nUNITED STATES CONGRESSMAN", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://soto.house.gov/media/press-releases/soto-introduces-bill-help-ensure-zero-out-pocket-costs-vaccines", "Soto Introduces Bill to Help Ensure Zero-Out of Pocket Costs for Vaccines", "2020-11-20", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Darren Soto", "S001200", "soto.house.gov", "soto", "https://soto.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09) introduced the Helping Adults Protect Immunity Act (HAPI) Act to ensure more Americans can receive necessary vaccines, including any future COVID-19 vaccine, at no out-of-pocket cost. The legislation would create parity in vaccine coverage between traditional Medicaid and Medicaid expansion programs. The bill would also provide enhanced federal matching funds for states to better reach at-risk and vulnerable patient populations. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) has introduced the Senate companion bill.\n\n\"If we want to come out of this crisis, we've got to ensure our low income and communities of color have access to a COVID-19 vaccine with no out-of-pocket costs,\" said Congressman Soto. \"Our legislation will be the difference between the virus continuing to spread and the economic recovery of our nation. Overall, the HAPI Act will improve public health across America and ensure our most vulnerable communities are not left behind.\"\n\nCurrently, those enrolled in traditional Medicaid face varying out-of-pocket costs and can be forced to pay for vaccines, while those enrolled in Medicaid through the expansion made possible by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) pay $0 in out-of-pocket costs for vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This lack of consistency and the resulting barriers to access impede efforts to improve vaccination rates among at-risk populations.\n\nA future vaccine's effectiveness will be determined in part by how many Floridians get vaccinated. The HAPI Act would also give states funding to enhance reimbursement rates to the health care providers who will be responsible for vaccinating many of the most at-risk and hardest-to-reach populations.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:39:51Z"], ["http://teddeutch.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402892", "House Passes Bipartisan Bill to Address Libyan Conflict", "2020-11-19", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "FL", "Ted Deutch", "D000610", "teddeutch.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed theLibya Stabilization Act, a bipartisan bill introduced byCongressman Ted Deutch(FL-22), Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and International Terrorism,Ranking Member Joe Wilson(SC-02),Congressman Ted Lieu(CA-33), andCongressman Tom Malinowski(NJ-07).\r\nSince April 2019, Libya has increasingly endured foreign intervention in an escalating conflict that undermines U.S. interests and regional stability. The war has provided Russia a foothold in North Africa and influence over Libya's energy industry, undermined NATO solidarity and threatened European security, destabilized Libya and the Eastern Mediterranean more broadly, and exacerbated a humanitarian and migrant crisis. The Libya Stabilization Act sanctions those who deploy mercenaries, support militias, violate the UN arms embargo, and commit human rights violations in Libya. It also calls on the United States to take a more active role in diplomacy to resolve the conflict; to support humanitarian assistance, democratic governance, civil society, and future elections; and to improve Libya's public sector financial management, specifically of the Central Bank and National Oil Corporation, which are flashpoints between the warring parties.\r\n\"Congress has not lifted its attention from Libya,\"Chairman Deutchsaid. \"In fact, with this bill's passage, a bipartisan House is notifying all parties to the conflict, including outside actors, of our support for diplomacy and our willingness to use sanctions against obstructive actors that undermine ongoing political talks and refuse to withdraw military arms and forces from Libya. We are committed to work with our partners in Europe, the UN, regional states, and the Libyan people to achieve a comprehensive political solution to finally end the conflict and help rebuild Libya. I call on my colleagues in the Senate to pass this bill and send it to the president's desk.\"\r\nFor nearly a decade now, Libya has been beset by civil war fueled by toxic foreign interference at the expense of the lives and future of the Libyan people. With the passage of the Libya Stabilization Act by the House of Representatives, Congress is sending a clear message in support of a sovereign Libya free of foreign intervention,\" saidRanking Member Wilson. This crucial bill will place a real cost on foreign powers who have meddled in Libya and prolonged the suffering of the Libyan people, especially the Russian Federation. I am grateful that this bill also importantly provides much-needed support for Libyan civil society to strengthen the democratic institutions of the Libyan state. \"It has been important for Congress to step in where the White House hasn't in terms of driving policy decisions around Libya,\"Rep. Lieusaid. \"As a global leader, the United States cannot allow bad actors to take advantage of regional instability and worsen the humanitarian crisis in Libya. Our bill is intended to strengthen our government's role in diplomatic efforts to bring peace to Libya and end this conflict.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://teddeutch.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402893", "US Representatives Call on Pompeo & Craft to Prioritize the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen and Warn of Consequences of Houthi Designation", "2020-11-19", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "FL", "Ted Deutch", "D000610", "teddeutch.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, U.S. Representatives Ted Deutch (FL-22) and Ro Khanna (CA-17) led a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft calling for the administration to prioritize the worsening humanitarian crisis in Yemen and to support productive measures to expedite needed assistance to the Yemeni people.\r\n\"Years of civil conflict, together with the devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, have greatly increased the risk of famine and starvation to Yemeni civilians, especially women and children, a problem exacerbated by funding shortfalls in the international humanitarian response.\"\r\nThe letter warns of the consequences of designating the Yemeni Houthis as it would likely interrupt the already overstrained humanitarian response and disrupt the precarious UN-led political process in Yemen. As the Members acknowledge, \"We have no illusions about the dangerous actions of the Houthis, but a blanket designation will dramatically increase risks associated with transferring humanitarian funds to Yemen.\"\r\nSpecifically, the Members urge the Trump Administration to:\r\n \r\n    Restore the $73 million in U.S. humanitarian assistance suspended in March.\r\n    Call on donors to make up the estimated $1.77 billion deficit of the U.N. Humanitarian Appeal for Yemen fund.\r\n    Push Saudi Arabia and other countries to end the restriction on commercial and humanitarian shipments in and out of Yemen.\r\n    Work with the international community to press the Houthis to end the obstruction of aid and humanitarian assistance delivery.\r\n \r\nThe letter was co-signed by U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ted Lieu (CA-33), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Debbie Dingell (MI-12), and Tom Malinowski (NJ-07).\r\nThe letter is supported by the organizations Win Without War and the Friends Committee on National Legislation.\r\nThe text of the letter is below. Click here for a signed PDF version.\r\n\r\nDear Secretary Pompeo and Ambassador Craft,\r\n  \r\nWe write to express grave concern about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Yemen. We worry that the Trump administration's actions, including the potential escalation of sanctions against the Houthis, will have a disastrous impact on the ability of aid organizations to provide relief to millions of Yemenis who depend on this assistance for survival. We urge the Administration to take immediate steps to mitigate these harmful effects and combat rising food insecurity and malnutrition in Yemen.\r\n  \r\nYears of civil conflict, together with the devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, have greatly increased the risk of famine and starvation to Yemeni civilians, especially women and children, a problem exacerbated by funding shortfalls in the international humanitarian response.\r\n  \r\nBefore the COVID-19 pandemic, international humanitarian assistance allowed certain regions of Yemen to avoid falling into famine. Now, as the pandemic continues to spread, the level of desperation and food insecurity is even more severe. The country now has the highest number of malnutrition cases since the war began in 2015. In 2020 alone, Yemen saw a 10 percent increase in cases of malnutrition, and a 15.5 percent rise in acute cases. More than half a million cases of acute malnutrition among children under five have been reported in southern Yemen, and the UN warns the results of a survey of the north currently underway are expected to be equally concerning. This puts hundreds of thousands of lives in immediate peril.\r\n  \r\nThe Administration's reported new designation is likely to only worsen this devastating humanitarian crisis and poses a serious obstacle for both the already overstrained humanitarian response and precarious political process in Yemen.\r\n  \r\nThe heads of top humanitarian aid organizationsOxfam America, Save the Children, Mercy Corps, CARE USA, and International Rescue Committeewarned that a designation of Ansar Allah could cause even greater suffering, given the number of people under its jurisdiction, its control over state institutions, and the already frightening levels of food insecurity and humanitarian need across Yemen. As you know, individual Houthi leaders were already subjected to U.S. and U.N. sanctions prior to the imposition of this new designation. We have no illusions about the dangerous actions of the Houthis, but a blanket designation will dramatically increase risks associated with transferring humanitarian funds to Yemen.\r\n  \r\nAmidst this unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe and ongoing funding shortfalls, the chilling effect of the sanctions designation on international donors' willingness to contribute will likely put malnutrition programs that are desperately needed at risk of being curbed, and do significant harm to innocent civilians in Houthi-controlled areas.\r\n\r\nWith thousands of lives at stake, we urge the Administration to take the following steps:\r\n  \r\n1) Restore the $73 million in U.S. humanitarian assistance suspended in March and consider additional aid in response to the consequences of COVID-19.\r\n  \r\n2) Use U.S. leverage at the U.N. to press key international donorsespecially Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwaitto make up the current funding deficit for malnutrition treatment programs which, according to UNICEF, amounts to roughly $1.77 billion. These countries have contributed significantly less in 2020 to the U.N. Humanitarian Appeal for Yemen than in years pastthe UAE has provided no moneyand must bear a share of the cost of the humanitarian response if Yemenis are to avoid starvation.\r\n  \r\n3) Utilize U.S. influence on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Saudi-led coalition to press for an end to restrictions on commercial and humanitarian shipments in and out of Yemen. These restrictions have devastated the economy, which imported 90 percent of its food prior to the conflict, and exacerbated skyrocketing food prices, which are now on average 140 percent higher than pre-conflict averages.\r\n  \r\n4) Urge the international community to use its leverage to press the Houthis to end the obstruction of aid and prevent obstacles to the delivery of humanitarian assistance.\r\n  \r\nWe ask that you as representatives of our nationwhich has historically been the largest single provider of humanitarian assistance worldwideensure the U.S. and the global community come together to end the war, and urgently meet the funding need for emergency food assistance, malnutrition treatment, and restoration and sustenance of Yemen's food systems. The U.S. must be at the forefront of encouraging contributions to the international humanitarian response in Yemen, not disincentivizing aid donors with the threat of additional harmful sanctions.\r\n\r\nThe consequences are catastrophic if we fail to do so.\r\n\r\nSincerely,\r\nMembers of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://castor.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=403429", "Rep. Castor to USF President Currall: Preserve the College of Education and the High Quality Teacher Pipeline for Tampa Bay area", "2020-11-19", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Kathy Castor", "C001066", "castor.house.gov", "castor", "https://castor.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) wrote University of South Florida (USF) President Steven Currall and the USF Board of Trustees urging them to preserve the College of Education\u2019s undergraduate program, which serves as the largest single provider of teachers to the Tampa Bay area. USF\u2019s College of Education has benefited from over $34 million in federal grants throughout Rep. Castor\u2019s time serving in Congress.\n\n\u201cAs local school superintendents, education professionals and many in the business community have expressed, the contributions of the College of Education to our school districts and the community are central to our economic vitality. Our local school districts are our largest employers \u2013 and the Tampa Bay area is growing. We must guarantee a strong, continued USF pipeline of the highest quality teaching professionals. USF draws many of its students from our region and when they graduate, many stay and serve our neighbors. The impact of the USF College of Education on the economy of the Tampa Bay region is remarkable, and it must continue,\u201d wrote Castor.\n\n\u201cWhen I initially learned of the drastic cuts to the College of Education and the recommendation to dramatically change its mission, I asked my team to compile a list of the federal grants that have been awarded to the College. It is impressive. In the last decade, USF\u2019s College of Education has won over $34 million in federal grants. The U.S. Department of Education grants for 2020 to the College of Education are significant, exceeding a million dollars for Special Education, Middle School education and Literacy and Bilingual Instruction. At a time when diversity is a key issue for USF and all of us, it is outstanding that the Education faculty have received a National Science Foundation grant for $1.5 million to address pathways for success directed to pre-collegiate Black Males in STEM. The combination of undergraduate and graduate collaboration certainly are key to winning these federal investments,\u201d Castor continued.\n\nThe letter can be read here and below:\n\nNovember 19, 2020\n\nSteven C. Currall\n\nPresident\n\nOffice of the President\n\n4202 E. Fowler Avenue\n\nTampa, FL 33620\n\nRE: Urge USF to preserve College of Education undergraduate degrees and the high quality teacher pipeline for Tampa Bay area\n\nDear President Currall and USF Board of Trustees:\n\nIt has been my privilege to work with the University of South Florida (USF) for over a decade to better our community and maximize support for the university through federal grants and federal agencies. Together we have had enormous success. Part of our shared mission in service is to improve the economic opportunities for students and families, our public schools and the entire Tampa Bay community.\n\nThat is why I am very concerned by your recent announcement to end undergraduate degrees provided by the USF College of Education.\n\nAs local school superintendents, education professionals and many in the business community have expressed, the contributions of the College of Education to our school districts and the community are central to our economic vitality. Our local school districts are our largest employers \u2013 and the Tampa Bay area is growing. We must guarantee a strong, continued USF pipeline of the highest quality teaching professionals. USF draws many of its students from our region and when they graduate, many stay and serve our neighbors. The impact of the USF College of Education on the economy of the Tampa Bay region is remarkable, and it must continue.\n\nWhen I initially learned of the drastic cuts to the College of Education and the recommendation to dramatically change its mission, I asked my team to compile a list of the federal grants that have been awarded to the College. It is impressive. In the last decade, USF\u2019s College of Education has won over $34 million in federal grants. The U.S. Department of Education grants for 2020 to the College of Education are significant, exceeding a million dollars for Special Education, Middle School education and Literacy and Bilingual Instruction. At a time when diversity is a key issue for USF and all of us, it is outstanding that the Education faculty have received a National Science Foundation grant for $1.5 million to address pathways for success directed to pre-collegiate Black Males in STEM. The combination of undergraduate and graduate collaboration certainly are key to winning these federal investments.\n\nI also am aware of the population trends in our area and the enormous need for teachers. While other institutions of higher education such as the Colleges of Education at the University of Florida and the Florida State University prepare teachers, those who graduate from USF remain the largest single provider at this time. USF has valued the teaching profession from its founding sixty years ago and I urge you to work with federal and state legislators and others to bolster it.\n\nThe Congress has passed several economic emergency aid packages this year and another is on the way that will hopefully provide robust resources for the State of Florida, colleges and universities to avoid draconian cuts such as your decision to scale back the USF College of Education. In fact, this moment provides an opportunity for USF to provide leadership in the area of teacher preparation. Once again it could provide new and diverse pipelines for prospective teachers who will continue to make a mark in the Tampa Bay area and beyond.\n\nI urge you to reconsider your decision. If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me or my Education Legislative Assistant, Joicelynne Jackson, at 202-225-3376.\n\nSincerely,", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:39:51Z"], ["https://crist.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2206", "Rep. Charlie Crist Urges GSA to Begin Presidential Transition", "2020-11-18", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Charlie Crist", "C001111", "crist.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Charlie Crist Urges GSA to Begin Presidential Transition \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        November 18, 2020\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Washington, D.C. - Following the General Service Administration's (GSA) delay in allowing an official presidential transition ahead of President-elect Biden's inauguration January 20, Representative Charlie Crist (D-FL) released the following statement. \r\nA smooth and peaceful transition of power between presidential administrations is a hallmark of American democracy. Every sitting President in modern American history has participated in this process to ensure the continuity of government, regardless of party affiliation. It is the solemn duty of every President to acknowledge the will of the American people and work with the incoming Administration so they are adequately prepared to confront the threats facing our nation on day one, said Crist. \r\nThe delay we are seeing from the GSA and the White House to begin this process is unprecedented. We are in the middle of a global pandemic, and every day of delay is precious time lost. The current Administration has the opportunity to bring this country together and save countless lives in the months to come. It's time to move the process of peacefully transitioning power forward.\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://alceehastings.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402476", "Hastings, Hudson Mark the 25th World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims", "2020-11-17", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "FL", "Alcee Hastings", "H000324", "alceehastings.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) and Congressman Richard Hudson (R-NC), Co-Chairs of the International Road Safety Caucus issued the following statement marking the 25th World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, which took place on Sunday, November 15, 2020:\r\nOn the 25th World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, we remember all of the people killed and seriously injured on the roads, thank first responders for their bravery, and re-dedicate ourselves to the task of preventing these tragedies. As Co-Chairs of the Global Road Safety Caucus, Congressman Hudson and I call on our colleagues in the United States Congress, Executive Branch agencies, and every community in America to remember, support, and act to prevent these avoidable tragedies and save lives, said Hastings.\r\nAs Co-Chair of the Global Road Safety Caucus in Congress, I join with my colleague Congressman Hastings to recognize the 25th World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. We must continue to promote safety practices and make improvements to our roads and infrastructure to protect people and families, said Hudson.\r\nBACKGROUND:\r\nThe World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, was initiated in 1995 as the European Day of Remembrance and quickly spread around the globe. In 2005 the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 60/2, recognizing November 15th as the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. \r\nThis year, the stated goals of World Day of Remembrance 2020 include remembering all people killed and seriously injured on the roads; acknowledging the crucial work of the emergency services; advocating for better support to road traffic victims and their families; and promote evidence-based actions to prevent and eventually stop further road traffic deaths and injuries.\r\nIn September 2020, the United Nations passed a resolution declaring the years 2021 to 2030 a new Decade of Action for Road Safety. Additionally, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3.6 includes a call to address the personal, medical, and financial burdens associated with road traffic deaths and injuries.\r\nMore than one million people die from road crashes every year, and tens of millions are seriously injured. Road traffic crashes are the number one killer of young people aged 1529 and the eighth leading cause of death among all people worldwide. In Florida's 20th Congressional district and North Carolina's 8th Congressional district, road traffic crashes claimed 1,947 and 669 lives respectively between 2014 and 2018, costing an estimated combined $27 billion in medical expenses, lost wages, vehicle damages, administrative costs, and uninsured costs.\r\n Congressman Alcee L. Hastings serves as the Vice Chairman of the House Rules Committee, Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, and Dean and Co-Chairman of the Florida Delegation.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://teddeutch.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402889", "House Passes Bipartisan Bill to Protect Seniors from Scams", "2020-11-17", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "FL", "Ted Deutch", "D000610", "teddeutch.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Seniors Fraud Prevention Act, legislation introduced by U.S. Representatives Ted Deutch (D-FL), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), and Peter Welch (D-VT) and U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Susan Collins (R-ME) in the Senate.\r\nThe Seniors Fraud Prevention Act was incorporated as Title II of Stop Senior Scams Act (H.R. 2610). One in twenty seniors in the U.S. is a target of fraud schemes, costing them at least $36.5 billion per year. Yet, the National Adult Protective Services Association has found that only 1 in 44 seniors actually report that they are victims of a fraud scheme. The Seniors Fraud Prevention Act would help protect seniors and their families from becoming the victims of fraudulent schemes designed to steal their assets. The legislation would create an office within the Federal Trade Commission charged with tracking scams, educating and alerting seniors to new scams, and establishing a more effective complaint system to ensure reports of fraud are quickly addressed by the appropriate law enforcement agency.\r\nCongressman Ted Deutch: \"Scams targeting seniors are becoming increasingly sophisticated and deceptive. To protect our seniors, many of whom live on fixed incomes and could lose a life's worth of savings, we need a stronger response in tracking, targeting, and warning against new scams. I hope the Senate will move quickly on this bill that could help seniors protect their assets.\"\r\nCongressman Vern Buchanan: Scams targeting the elderly are growing at a disturbing rate and need to be addressed by Congress. I'm pleased the House has passed our bill and hope it will be signed into law before the end of the year. Passing this bill would be a big step forward to protecting seniors andcombating fraud.\r\nCongressman Peter Welch: Every day, in Vermont and across this country, vulnerable seniors are being ripped off by scam artists. It's not uncommon for their victims to lose their life's savings. I am pleased that the House has passed this important bill and hope that it will soon be signed into law so that the FTC has the resources it needs to alert seniors of fraudulent schemes and help stop these criminals in their tracks.\r\nSenator Klobuchar: We must ensure all Americans have safety and dignity in their senior years, especially as we confront the coronavirus pandemic. New schemes designed to defraud seniors appear almost daily. These aren't simply a nuisancethese scams can wipe out an entire life savings. Passing this bipartisan legislation is a critical step to combat fraud targeting seniors.\r\nSenator Collins: As Chairman of the Senate Aging Committee, protecting seniors from fraud and abuse is one of my top priorities. The Seniors Fraud Prevention Act will enhance fraud monitoring, increase consumer education, and strengthen the complaint tracking system. Raising awarenessparticularly among older Americans who are more likely to be targetedis key to protecting seniors' hard-earned savings.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://teddeutch.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402890", "Rep. Deutch Applauds FAA Plan to Alter Routes at FLL Airport to Reduce Noise in Local Communities", "2020-11-17", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "FL", "Ted Deutch", "D000610", "teddeutch.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released its final Environmental Assessment report on the South-Central Florida Metroplex, which includes a plan to extend airplane take-off and landing routes at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL). This move will alleviate frequent noise issues experienced by residents in the communities surrounding the airport.\r\nU.S. Representative Ted Deutch (FL-22), who represents the Fort Lauderdale community surrounding the airport, issued this statement:\r\n\"This is a really big deal for the families around the airport who have suffered from the loud, frequent noise coming from low-flying airplanes. For years I have met with these residents and business owners, heard their concerns, and pushed the FAA to make these simple, noise-reducing changes.\r\n\"This achievement is thanks to the hard work of many in the community who have spoken out and made us aware of these challenges. We're also grateful for the efforts of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport team and state and local elected officials, particularly the leadership of Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner Ben Sorensen. Thank you also to the FAA for listening to our community and responding to their concerns.\r\n\"When air traffic returns to pre-pandemic levels, I'm pleased to know that the pre-pandemic noise levels will not return with it.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://castor.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=403415", "Rep. Castor\u2019s Bipartisan Measure to Take Aim at the Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic on Travel, Tourism Jobs Passes House", "2020-11-17", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Kathy Castor", "C001066", "castor.house.gov", "castor", "https://castor.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor\u2019s (FL14) bipartisan measure to study the impacts of COVID-19 on the bedrock tourism, travel and hospitality industries and provide immediate and long-term assistance for industry workers and small businesses passed the House of Representatives by voice vote as part of H.R. 8121 \u2013 Pandemic Effects on Home Safety and Tourism Act.\n\n\u201cThe bedrock tourism, travel and hospitality industries here in Tampa Bay and our neighbors who rely on those jobs need help from the devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, the House has passed my bipartisan legislation to help alleviate the burden on our local workers and small businesses, and gauge the true impact of this crisis on our economy.\n\n\u201cBy directing the Department of Commerce to study the long term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the travel, tourism and hospitality industries, we can create a plan to help these industries and workers bounce back and avoid the worst impacts in future emergencies. This comprehensive study will help us get the data we need for near-term action to serve those in the hard-hit tourism, travel and hospitality industries. And, in the long run, this study will help us understand the impact the pandemic has wreaked on travel, tourism and hospitality for future planning.\n\n\u201cWe must continue to put workers, families and small businesses first as we respond to the pandemic. The wellbeing of so many of our neighbors is in danger and I\u2019m grateful that we can come together in a bipartisan manner to develop an action plan and respond to the pain and concerns of so many. Thank you to my colleague Rep. Fred Upton for being my partner in this legislation. I anticipate the Senate passing its companion bill later this week, and urge the president to sign it into law right away.\u201d\n\nCastor\u2019s bill, the Protecting Tourism in the United States Act, which was passed as part of H.R. 8121 today directs the Department of Commerce to complete a study on the effects of the COVID\u201319 pandemic on the travel and tourism industry, including various segments - domestic, international, leisure, business, conventions, meetings, and events. The Act also directs the Department of Commerce to complete an interim study to get data for action soon after the bill is enacted.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:39:51Z"], ["https://crist.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2205", "DOJ Credits Crist\u2019s Spam Calls Task Force With Cracking Down on Millions of Scam Calls", "2020-11-17", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Charlie Crist", "C001111", "crist.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC U.S. Representative Charlie Crist released a statement following a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)reportciting Crist's Spam Calls Task Force as instrumental in the crackdown of millions of spam calls targeting the privacy and security of vulnerable Americans, especially seniors. The report details the implementation of the TRACED Act and how the new law helped fight the scourge of harmful spam calls through coordination of resources, legal action, regulatory efforts, and input from private industry.\r\nThe report credits the actions of Crist's Task Force as leading to hundreds of million fewer robocalls per month, stating:\r\n[Spam Calls Task Force] Working Group members have initiated enforcement actions against individuals and entities involved in perpetrating and/or facilitating massive unlawful robocall campaigns against the American public.\r\nThe Task Force's work includes two civil action cases brought by the DOJ against fraudsters impersonating the Social Security Administration, targeting the elderly and vulnerable victims, resulting in hundreds of millions of robocalls fewer per month.\r\nIt's great to see that the Spam Calls Task Force has had such a profound impact in such a short amount of time,said Rep. Crist. The onslaught of spam calls has been both an annoyance and a threat to Americans personal information and security. The Spam Calls Task Force is a simple, common sense solution that says your government works best when it works together. We should use every tool at our disposal to hold bad actors accountable and keep Pinellas families and seniors safe. I look forward to continuing to work alongside our federal partners to bring an end to this scourge.\r\nIn addition to thesupportfrom 18 health and technology organizations, including BayCare Health System and Moffitt Cancer Center, Crist's Spam Calls Task Force has alsoreceived praisefrom Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel.\r\nThe number of robocalls has exploded. Bad actors are finding new ways to dial and disturb us every day. So every new idea to combat robocalls is worth exploring, especially when they feature creative incentives to reduce them across the board, saidCommissioner Rosenworcel. Kudos to Representative Crist for his innovative effort to put an end to these nuisance calls.\r\nCrist first introduced legislation to create theSpam Calls Task Force Act, an interagency task force to tackle the onslaught of spam calls Americans receive on a daily basis, back in January 2019. Crist's bill went on to beincludedin a larger package of legislation, theTRACED Act, aimed at tackling this issue and was signed into law by President Trump in January of 2020.\r\nCurrently, the interagency Task Force includes the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Communications Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, Homeland Security Investigations, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and more. The working group is focused on opening lines of communication to improve coordination among the agencies, and with the private sector, to identify, investigate, prevent, and prosecute criminal robocall schemes.\r\nAt the federal level, Crist's Spam Calls Task Force has been so successful, the State Attorneys General has formed a Robocall Technologies Working Group as a multistate coalition to investigate the issue at a more local level.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://frankel.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3182", "Final Deadline Approaching for Americans Who Have Not Yet Received a Stimulus Check", "2020-11-17", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Lois Frankel", "F000462", "frankel.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "For eligible persons who have not received the Economic Impact Payment (EIP), also known as a stimulus check, of $1,200, November 21st is the final day to apply for it.\r\nThe CARES Act, which passed in March, guarantees a $1,200 EIP to every American with an income of up to $75,000, tapering off at $99,000, as well as $500 per dependent under the age of 17. Most Americans received their EIP automatically.\r\nAmericans who have yet to receive their EIP, most likely because they do not normally file a tax return or had other issues, like change of address or bank account, must use the Non-Filers Tool by November 21st in order to receive their payments.\r\nSince March, our phones have been ringing off the hook with calls from Floridians who are struggling to make it through the health and economic crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, said Rep. Frankel. These stimulus checks will help families who are just trying to make ends meetwe can't afford to let anyone fall through the cracks.\r\n  \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://stephaniemurphy.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1524", "Murphy, Waltz, Crenshaw Urge Defense Department to Recommend That President Award the Medal of Honor to Alwyn Cashe", "2020-11-17", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Stephanie Murphy", "M001202", "stephaniemurphy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S. Reps. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., Michael Waltz, R-Fla., and Dan Crenshaw, R-Tex., today sent a letter to the Acting Secretary of Defense, Chris Miller, urging him to formally recommend to the President that he posthumously award the Medal of Honor to U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe for actions taken in Iraq on October 17, 2005. In August, the previous Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper, sent a letter to the three Members of Congress, stating that the Department of Defense had concluded that SFC Cashe's actions merit award of the Medal of Honor. At the same time, the Secretary of Defense informed the three Members that Congress needed to enact legislation to waive the five-year time limit that typically applies to such awards. The Secretary of Defense concluded: Once legislation is enacted authorizing the President of the United States to award, if he so chooses, the Medal of Honor to SFC Cashe, I will provide my endorsement to the President. Upon receiving this letter, Reps. Murphy, Waltz and Crenshaw swiftly introduced legislation, H.R. 8276, to waive the five-year time limit and pave the way for SFC Cashe to receive the Medal of Honor. The bill was unanimously passed by the House and the Senate and is expected to be signed by the President in the coming days. Once H.R. 8276 is signed into law, we respectfully request that you, on behalf of the Department of Defense, swiftly provide your endorsement to the President.We recognize and respect that the final award authority for the Medal of Honor rests solely with the President, wrote the Members of Congress.\r\nOn October 17, 2005, while deployed to Iraq, SFC Cashe saved the lives of multiple soldiers after their Bradley fighting vehicle hit an improvised explosive device and caught fire. SFC Cashe repeatedly returned to the burning vehicle to pull his soldiers out of the flames, all while he himself was on fire and exposed to enemy gunfire. He later passed away from his wounds.\r\nSFC Cashe was born in Sanford, Fla. and raised in Oviedo, Fla., both of which are located in Murphy's congressional district. The full text of the letter can be found here and below. November 17, 2020 The Honorable Chris Miller  \r\nActing Secretary  \r\nDepartment of Defense  \r\n1000 Defense Pentagon, Room 3E880  \r\nWashington, DC 201310-1000 Dear Acting Secretary Miller: We write regarding the late Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe, whose well-documented heroism in Iraq on October 17, 2005 led to him being posthumously awarded the Silver Star. There has been a years-long campaign to get SFC Cashe's Silver Star upgraded to the Medal of Honor. On October 17, 2019, we wrote a letter to then-Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, expressing our view that SFC Cashe earned the highest award for military valor that our nation bestows, and asking that his case be scrutinized with the utmost care. On August 24, 2020, the Secretary formally responded to our letter. He wrote: After giving the nomination careful consideration, I agree that SFC Cashe's actions merit award of the Medal of Honor. However, 10 U.S.C.  7274 requires that the Medal of Honor be awarded within five years after the date of the act justifying the award. Before we can take further action with this nomination, Congress must waive this time limit. Once legislation is enacted authorizing the President of the United States to award, if he so chooses, the Medal of Honor to SFC Cashe, I will provide my endorsement to the President. The final award authority for the Medal of Honor rests solely with the President. On September 16, 2020, we introduced H.R. 8276, which waived the five-year time limit with respect to SFC Cashe and thereby authorized the President to award SFC Cashe the Medal of Honor. The bill was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives by unanimous consent on September 22, 2020. The bill was approved by the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent on November 10, 2020. The bill will soon be presented to the President for his signature. Once H.R. 8276 is signed into law, we respectfully request that you, on behalf of the Department of Defense, swiftly provide your endorsement to the President. We recognize and respect that the final award authority for the Medal of Honor rests solely with the President. Thank you for your consideration of this request. Sincerely, Stephanie Murphy  \r\nMember of Congress Michael Waltz  \r\nMember of Congress Dan Crenshaw  \r\nMember of Congress\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lawson.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-lawson-requests-support-for-conservation-projects-in-florida", "Rep. Lawson Requests Support for Conservation Projects in Florida", "2020-11-16", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Al Lawson", "L000586", "lawson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "November 16, 2020\n\t\t\t Rep. Lawson Requests Support for Conservation Projects in Florida \n\t\t\tWASHINGTON DCU.S. Rep. Al Lawson (FL-05) sent a letter to Chief of the United States Forest Service Vicki Christiansen requesting the support of the Osceola National Forests' Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) application. These funds would restore longleaf pine habitat, improve watershed protection and increase public recreational access by acquiring the Pineroots property and the Summers property.\r\nProtecting these lands will deliver expanded access to hunting, fishing and hiking, which contribute to my state's robust outdoor recreational economy. Rep Lawson said. The state will help manage the lands for public recreational access as part of an existing Wildlife Management Area, creating a double win and increased public opportunities with the USFS' acquisition of these two inholdings.\r\nThe Osceola National Forest comprises more than 200,000 acres that span northward to the Florida-Georgia state line. The Osceola National Forest's FY22 LWCF application will help acquire the longstanding inholdings within Osceola's authorized boundary from willing sellers, including the6,980-acre Pineroots property and the 7,188-acre Summers property.\r\nBoth projects are in the Forest's Pinhook Swamp Purchase Unit, an area established by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to connect the Osceola National Forest to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, providing a critical wildlife corridor in the eastern United States.\r\nRep. Lawson believes these conservation projects will also help preserve the Suwannee River's headwaters, which is itself a popular recreational destination and critical water source for the state of Florida.\r\n \n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://frankel.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3181", "Representatives Lowey, Lee, DeGette, Speier, Frankel, Lawrence, and Bera Push Back Against Trump Administration\u2019s Efforts to Expand the Global Gag Rule", "2020-11-13", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Lois Frankel", "F000462", "frankel.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY17/Rockland-Westchester), Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement with colleagues addressing the current administration's renewed effort to expand the Global Gag Rule. \r\nToday, more than 140 members of the House of Representatives sent a letter to the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Departments of State and Health and Human Services expressing opposition to the administration's unprecedentedproposed effortto expand the Global Gag Rule as a 60-day public comment period comes to a close. Led by Representatives Nita Lowey, Barbara Lee, Diana DeGette, Jackie Speier, Lois Frankel, Brenda Lawrence, and Ami Bera, the letter demands answers on outstanding implementation questions.\r\nAlso known as the Mexico City Policy, the Global Gag Rule prevents foreign organizations receiving U.S. global health assistance from providing information, referrals, or services for legal abortion or advocating for access to abortion services, even with their own money. The proposed rule would newly extend these harmful restrictions to all global health contracts.\r\nThis administration's expanded Global Gag Rule has gravely diminished the effectiveness of U.S. foreign assistance, silenced medical professionals, threatened the health of the world's most vulnerable women at an unprecedented level, and has forced clinics to choose between providing limited reproductive health services while accepting U.S. foreign aid or providing inclusivefamily planning and reproductive health care with a limited budget, said Congresswoman Nita Lowey. \r\nIn the letter, the lawmakers noted that the State Department's own review of the Global Gag Rule, released in August 2020, documented serious disruptions to global health programming, and organizations have reported that they received little guidance from the U.S. government, leading to overreach in implementation and overinterpretation of the policy's restrictions out of fear and uncertainty over compliance.\r\nThe lawmakers also stressed that further expanding this policy will likely again produce significant confusion resulting in a chilling impact on health services. They emphasized that now, during an unprecedented global pandemic, is not the time to expanda policy that threatens access to health care programs, including COVID-19-related programs, which may disproportionately impact vulnerable populations and communities around the world.\r\n\"The health ofwomen around the world is severely endangered by the Trump administration's oppressive Global Gag Rule,\" said Congresswoman Barbara Lee. \"Especially as we battleCOVID-19globally,healthcare implementersand providers should not be restricted from providingthe best care for their patients and providing them withcomprehensive reproductive health care.An anti-choice administration and politicians should not be in the position of giving healthcare providers ultimatums and preventing them from even discussingabortion with their patients.\r\nNoorganizationshould be forced to choose between providing patients withaccess tolife-saving medical care or accepting U.S. aidthatthey need to stay open, said Congresswoman Diana DeGette. The Global Gag Rule is nothing more than another dangerous attempt to eliminate women's rightsto reproductive care worldwide and should be withdrawn immediately.\r\nThe Trump Administration won't stop until all women are denied the right to make decisions about their bodies and their health care, said Congresswoman Jackie Speier, co-chair of the Democratic Women's Caucus. As if its unprecedented reinstatement and expansion of the Global Gag Rule weren't enough, the Administration proposes to go even further to rip away health care amid a global pandemic and undermine the effectiveness of our foreign assistance. I urge the Administration to abandon this cruel and counterproductive proposal and instead do some good by working with our global health partners to fight the coronavirus pandemic and keep us all safe. \r\nThe Trump administration continues to wage a dangerous war on women's health, even in the middle of a global pandemic, said Congresswoman Lois Frankel. It's shameful that this administration is requesting to expand the dangerous, deadly Global Gag Rule, which threatens health care access for millions of women and girls around the world.\r\nThe Trump Administration will stop at nothing to roll back women's reproductive rights, said Congresswoman Brenda L. Lawrence, co-chair of the Democratic Women's Caucus. In the midst of a global pandemic, reinstating and expanding the Global Gag Rule not only reduces the effectiveness of U.S. global health assistance, but forces partners to choose between providing reproductive health services and the organization's survival, ultimately harming some of the most vulnerable communities seeking access to care. This Administration's cruelty knows no bounds.\r\nThe Trump Administration's Global Gag Rule jeopardizes life-saving global health programs and makes it even harder for women and families in developing countries to access critical reproductive health care,said Congressman Ami Bera, M.D.The Administration's decision to expand this policy will further hinder our ability to fight against epidemics like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria at a time when the global community is already reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic. I stand with my colleagues in opposition to this harmful policy.\r\nThe letter also outlines several specific questions for response and urges the administration to withdraw the proposed expansion, which will cause unmitigated harm to the world's most vulnerable people.  \r\nFull text of the letter available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://soto.house.gov/media/press-releases/soto-calls-desantis-release-final-cares-acts-funds-counties-cities-towns", "Soto Calls on DeSantis to Release Final CARES Acts Funds to Counties, Cities, Towns", "2020-11-13", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Darren Soto", "S001200", "soto.house.gov", "soto", "https://soto.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "KISSIMMEE, FL - Today, Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09) led Members of the Florida Congressional Delegation in sending a letter to Governor Ron DeSantis requesting he immediately release the remaining CARES Act federal dollars in the Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) to all Florida counties, cities and towns. The State of Florida is currently holding millions in CARES Act funds which should be transferred to counties and cities with under 500,000 residents.\n\nIn September, Osceola County reported it was waiting on $50 million in CRF. After Congressman Soto sent a letter to Governor DeSantis, a portion of the federal funds were released.\n\n\"The CRF funding was meant to be a vital lifeline for maintaining uninterrupted operation of local government and services during this global pandemic,\" wrote the Members. \"We ask that you consider immediately release all remaining CRF resources to all Florida counties, cities, towns. We further request that you provide us with status updates and share your disbursement plan with us so we can continue to keep our constituents informed.\"\n\nUnder the CARES Act, 13 of Florida's jurisdictions have been able to apply directly to the U.S. Department of Treasury for CRF funds. The vast majority of Florida's 67 counties, cities and towns are relying on the State of Florida to immediately release the remaining CRF funding. All CARES Act funding must be spent by December 31, 2020.\n\nThe letter was signed by Reps. Alcee L. Hastings, Kathy Castor, Charlie Crist, Val B. Demings, Theodore E. Deutch, Stephanie N. Murphy and Debbie Wasserman Schultz.\n\nThe letter can be read here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:39:51Z"], ["https://crist.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2203", "Crist Pledges to Work with Local, State and Federal Officials to Assist Pinellas Home and Business Owners Impacted by Tropical Storm Eta", "2020-11-12", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Charlie Crist", "C001111", "crist.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Crist Pledges to Work with Local, State and Federal Officials to Assist Pinellas Home and Business Owners Impacted by Tropical Storm Eta \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        St. Petersburg, FL,\r\n        November 12, 2020\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      St. Petersburg, FL U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-FL) released a statement following the destructive impact of Tropical Storm Eta on Pinellas County and the Tampa Bay Area. Following storm surge, high tides, and massive amounts of rainfall, Hurricane Eta has left thousands of Pinellas homes and businesses flooded, and thousands more without power.\r\nMy heart is with my neighbors in Pinellas and the Tampa Bay Area as we assess the damage left behind by Tropical Storm Eta,said Rep. Crist. In the coming days, weeks, and months, I will work with officials at the local, state and federal level to make sure Pinellas home and business owners get the help they need.\r\nTo those impacted, I know it feels like a lot right now, but you are not alone. We are in this fight with you.\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://alceehastings.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402475", "Hastings Statement Commemorating Veterans Day", "2020-11-11", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "FL", "Alcee Hastings", "H000324", "alceehastings.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Fort Lauderdale, FL) Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) made the following statement in recognition of Veterans Day:\r\n This Veterans Day, I would like to thank each and every veteran in South Florida and across our nation for serving with bravery, selflessness, and distinction. Let us honor and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our nation and values.\r\n Today and everyday, it is important to not only salute our Veterans, but also fight for them as fiercely as they fight for us. This is why I recently introduced H.R. 8690 the Armed Forces Tax Deferred Relief Act to protect our servicemembers' pay. As a result of President Trump's reckless Social Security Tax deferral, servicemembers would be forced to pay double their Social Security tax withholding in the first four months of 2021.\r\n The State of Florida has the third highest veteran population in the nation. I proudly represent more than 25,000 veterans in Florida's 20th Congressional District. We owe our veterans a debt of gratitude. This is why I will always be a vocal advocate for the needs of the veteran community. To the veterans in my district and across our nation, happy Veterans Day and thank you for your service.\r\nHastings introduced H.R. 8690 the Armed Forces Deferred Tax Relief Act on October 27, 2020 to protect servicemembers' paychecks from President Trump's politically motivated Social Security tax deferral, as detailed in the Presidential Memorandum he issued on August 8, 2020. The billdirects the Secretary of Defense to compensate members of the Armed Forces for certain taxes deferred pursuant to Internal Revenue Service Notice 2020-65. If such deferred taxes are withheld by the Secretary of Defense during the period beginning on January 1, 2021 and end by April 30, 2021, the Secretary shall make a payment to such a member in an amount equal to the deferred tax withheld.  \r\n  \r\nCongressman Alcee L. Hastings serves as the Vice Chairman of the House Rules Committee, Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, and Dean and Co-Chairman of the Florida Delegation.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wassermanschultz.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2538", "Wasserman Schultz Statement on Veterans Day", "2020-11-11", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Debbie Wasserman Schultz", "W000797", "wassermanschultz.house.gov", "wassermanschultz", "https://wassermanschultz.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Sunrise, Fla. \u2013 U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) chairs the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee and she released the following statement on Veterans Day:\n\n\u201cToday we honor and thank all those who served our nation in defense of freedom, democracy and liberty. Their bravery and selflessness is a debt our nation will never be able to fully repay.\n\n\"But we must not be complacent in merely thanking our veterans for their service. We need to back it up with action. I\u2019m proud that House Democrats have succeeded in securing strong funding for some of the services our veterans need most: mental health, suicide prevention, expanded health care access for women veterans, homeless assistance, and so much more. We are also committed to improving and expanding the care, education and job opportunities that veterans need to transition into civilian life. But our work is far from over.\n\n\"We cannot waver in providing the support, benefits and resources our brave women and men earned while serving in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine, National Guard and Reserves. The sacrifices they have made must be repaid the only way we can: by ensuring every veteran, once they return home, has the chance to pursue all that America promises.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:39:51Z"], ["http://teddeutch.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402888", "Inter-Parliamentary Task Force on Online Antisemitism Holds First Briefing with US, Canadian, and Australian Community Groups", "2020-11-10", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "FL", "Ted Deutch", "D000610", "teddeutch.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On Tuesday, November 10, the Inter-Parliamentary Task Force to Combat Online Antisemitism held its first virtual briefing with community organizations from the United States, Canada, and Australia. The briefing covered the state of online antisemitism, how community groups are responding, and provided recommendations for what actions legislators should take to address the issue. It will be followed by a subsequent briefing with community organizations from Israel and the UK at the end of November. The event included presentations from the American Jewish Committee (Holly R. Huffnagle, US Director for Combatting Antisemitism) the Simon Wiesenthal Center (Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Director Global Social Action Agenda), the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (Richard Marceau, VP of External Affairs and General Counsel), B'nai Brith Canada (Michael Mostyn, CEO), Canadian Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (Jamie Kirzner-Roberts, Policy Director), Executive Council of Australian Jewry (Alex Ryvchin, Co-CEO), Community Security Group (Justin Kagan, CEO), and Online Hate Prevention Institute (Dr. Andre Oboler, CEO).\r\nThe organizations encouraged social media platforms to adopt a standard of what antisemitism is; called for reforming Section 230 in the United States; demanded accountability of the platforms and personal accountability of their local executives; and highlighted the need to address antisemitism in encrypted networks and alt-tech social networking platforms.\r\nLaunched in September 2020, the Task Force is focused on increasing awareness of and developing responses to growing online antisemitism. It is comprised of bipartisan legislators and parliamentarians from Israel, the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.\r\nRep. Ted Deutch (US, Democratic): The strength of this historic task force comes from our geographic and political diversity. Together, we will build a global coalition to bring awareness to and combat the spread of antisemitism online.\r\nMK Michal Cotler-Wunsh (Israel, Blue and White): It is very moving to see this initiative come to fruition, of bipartisan elected officials from around the world coming together to combat online antisemitism. It speaks to the tremendous urgency and imperative that we collaborate to address the issue, and ensure that the prospective promise of 'Never Again' is fulfilled.\r\nRep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (US, Democratic): We are living though a time when hate of all kinds is rapidly increasing, especially over the Internet. While online platforms have fostered global connections and reshaped society, they can also be a magnifier of and a catalyst for antisemitism, racism, misogyny, and other forms of hate and discrimination. Amid this global pandemic, when more people are online, the urgency to act is even greater. We must expose online antisemitism and racism that goes unaddressed or inadequately addressed on social media platforms, especially as disinformation continues to rise.\r\nRep. Chris Smith (US, Republican): \"Online anti-Semitism transcends national boundaries and can reach homes exponentially in communities around the world. It is a global threat, requiring consistent and coordinated global attention. This Task Force allows us to share best practices in combatting online anti-Semitism.Together we shall prevail.\"\r\nRep. Diaz-Balart (US, Republican): I was honored to join with so many colleagues and renowned organizations from around the world in uniting against online antisemitism. We are committed to working together to fight this insidious hatred, and to ensure a safer, brighter future for generations to come.\r\nMP Anthony Housefather (Canada, Liberal): Antisemitism transcends both national borders and political movements. The Inter-Parliamentary Task Force met on the eve of Veteran's Day/Remembrance Day. As we remember those who serve and those who bravely fought for us, we remember the deep alliance between the countries represented on the task force. We continue the alliance by joining together to combat a pernicious form of hatred.\"\r\nMP Marty Morantz (Canada, Conservative): Antisemitism is an ancient and ubiquitous hate so we must be relentless in combatting it in all its manifestations,including online. That's what this task force is all about.\r\nMP Randall Garrison (Canada, NDP): There could not be a more important time for the creation of the inter-parliamentary task force to combat online antisemitism. We have seen this age-old scourge rear its ugly head during the pandemic both at home and abroad and this initiative sends a clear message to those peddling hate that they will not do so with impunity.\r\nMP Andrew Percy (UK, Conservative): \"Our taskforce's recent briefing event has highlighted the importance of colleagues working together across the globe to tackle the worrying rise of antisemitism. This is a global problem involving online platforms which have no national or geographic boundaries and that is why it is so important that legislators across the world work together to identify solutions.\r\nFormer MP Michael Levitt: There could not be a more important time for the creation of the inter-parliamentary task force to combat online antisemitism. We have seen this age-old scourge rear its ugly head during the pandemic both at home and abroad and this initiative sends a clear message to those peddling hate that they will not do so with impunity. MP Josh Burns (Australia, Labor): The fight to eradicate online antisemitism and extremism is a mammoth task, so it was a valuable first step for our Inter-Parliamentary Taskforce to hear from global experts in the field, including from Australia's ECAJ, OHPI and CSG. We have much to achieve but a strong group of Parliamentarians across international and party lines who are determined to achieve meaningful results to end online antisemitism.  \r\n\r\n\r\nMembers of the Task Force include: Congressman Ted Deutch (Democrat, United States), Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Democrat, United States), Congressman Chris Smith (Republican, United States), Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (Republican, United States), Member of Knesset Michal Cotler-Wunsh (Blue and White, Israel), Member of Parliament Anthony Housefather (Liberal, Canada), Member of Parliament Marty Morantz (Conservative, Canada), Member of Parliament Randall Garrison (NDP, Canada), Member of Parliament Josh Burns (Labour, Australia), Member of Parliament Dave Sharma (Liberal, Australia), Member of Parliament Andrew Percy (Conservative, United Kingdom), and Member of Parliament Alex Sobel (Labour and Cooperative, United Kingdom), and former Member of Parliament Michael Levitt (Liberal, Canada).", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lawson.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-lawson-secures-funding-for-transitional-housing-assistance-grants", "Rep. Lawson Secures Funding for Transitional Housing Assistance Grants", "2020-11-10", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Al Lawson", "L000586", "lawson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "November 10, 2020\n\t\t\t Rep. Lawson Secures Funding for Transitional Housing Assistance Grants \n\t\t\tWASHINGTON DCU.S. Rep. Lawson (FL-05) recently helped to secure $1,000,000 in Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for the City of Jacksonville and the Refuge House in Tallahassee, Fla. The grants for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program will provide aid to victims who are homeless, or in need of transitional housing as a result of their victimization.\r\nBoth centers will use grant funds to offer holistic, victim-centered approaches to provide transitional housing and support services that move individuals into permanent housing and help them secure employment and integrate into a community.\r\nIt was a great honor to help get the Transitional Housing Assistance Program started, Rep. Lawson said. One in three women will encounter some form of physical abuse from their significant other. We must continue to fight until every woman, in every part of our society, can live free from violence and fear.\r\nThe City of Jax project will receive $450,000 of the allotted grant to provide scattered-site residences for survivors and their families through private landlord housing units. The township will continue its partnerships with Changing Homelessness and Hubbard House to provide a holistic, victim-centered, and multidisciplinary approach to transitional housing needs in the community.\r\nThe remaining $550,000 of the grant will be going towards the Tallahassee non-profit organization, Refuge House. The organization will provide a mixture of communal, clustered, and scattered-site housing units for 88 survivors while continuing its partnerships with Big Bend Continuum of Care, Inc., the Capital Area Community Action Agency, Inc., CareerSource Capital Region, CareerSource North Florida, and CESC, Inc.\r\nThe project will assist survivors for an anticipated minimum of 6 months and a maximum length of 24 months. Services offered will focus on empowering victims towards self-sufficiency and permanent housing.\r\n \n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lawson.house.gov/media/press-releases/us-rep-al-lawson-earns-100-percent-rating-on-human-rights-campaign-congressional-scorecard", "U.S. Rep. Al Lawson Earns 100 Percent Rating on Human Rights Campaign Congressional Scorecard", "2020-11-10", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Al Lawson", "L000586", "lawson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "November 10, 2020\n\t\t\t U.S. Rep. Al Lawson Earns 100 Percent Rating on Human Rights Campaign Congressional Scorecard \n\t\t\tWASHINGTON DCU.S. Rep. Al Lawson (FL-05) recently earned a 100-rating supporting on the Human Rights Campaign Congressional Scorecard for the 116th Congress. The score chart was used to measure a candidate support for equality and equality promoting measures.\r\nThis recognition is given to members of Congress for supporting and aiding the LGBTQ community along with some of society's most marginalized groups. Throughout the duration of his career, Lawson has been dedicated to working towards an equal America.\r\nAlthough the nation has made huge strides in its fight against discrimination, and our fight for equality, the war is not over yet, Rep. Lawson said. We must recommit to standing against bigotry, discrimination and hatred wherever and whenever it is found. I am honored to have received this recognition. We must continue to fight an oppressive system and bring our nation closer to equality for all.\r\nThe congressional scorecard tracks co-sponsorship of pro-equality legislation, including the Equality Act, John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, Do No Harm Act, Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act, Safe Schools Improvement Act, Every Child Deserves a Family Act, FAMILY Act and International Human Rights Defense Act.The HRC Congressional Scorecard is a snapshot of the most significant actions in the current Congress related to LGBTQ issues. It reflects most of the votes and co-sponsorships of congress.\r\n \n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://stephaniemurphy.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1520", "Senate Passes Murphy, Crenshaw, and Waltz Bill to Authorize the President to Posthumously Award the Medal of Honor to Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe", "2020-11-10", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Stephanie Murphy", "M001202", "stephaniemurphy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONThe U.S. Senate today approved a bipartisanbillintroduced by U.S. Reps. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., Dan Crenshaw, R-Tex., and Michael Waltz, R-Fla., to authorize the President of the United States to posthumously award the Medal of Honor to U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe for actions he took in Iraq on October 17, 2005. The bill,H.R. 8276, would waive a federal law that generally requires a Medal of Honor to be awarded within five years of the actions that form the basis for the award.The bill, which previously passed the U.S. House of Representatives on September 22, will now be transmitted to the President to be signed into law.Once the President signs H.R. 8276, the Department of Defense will be in a position to formally recommend to the President that he award SFC Cashe the Medal of Honor.\r\nI am so grateful the Senate passed our bill to pave the way for the President to award Alwyn Cashe the Medal of Honor,said Murphy. We are now very close to recognizing this unbelievably heroic soldier, who died saving his men, with our nation's highest award for combat valorwhich he earned beyond a shadow of a doubt. We are one step closer to properly recognizing Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe for his bravery in risking his own life to save his fellow soldiers,said Crenshaw.He is deserving of the Medal of Honor, our nation's highest military award for bravery on the battlefield, and we urge President Trump to quickly sign our bill into law to make sure that happens. It's not every day you read an extraordinary story like Alwyn Cashe's,Waltz said.His bravery in the face of danger has inspired so many alreadyand this is a significant step forward to properly recognize him for his heroism. I'm incredibly proud to see both sides of the aisle, in the House and the Senate, come together to honor Cashe's legacy and award him the Medal of Honor. Reps. Murphy, Crenshaw, and Waltz filed their bill following an August 24, 2020letterthat the Secretary of Defense sent to them, responding to an October 2019letterhe received from the three Members of Congress. The Members had asked senior Pentagon leaders to review SFC Cashe's case and expressed their view that SFC Cashe's actions warranted an upgrade from the Silver Star to the Medal of Honor. In his response, the Secretary of Defense stated: After giving the nomination careful consideration, I agree that SFC Cashe's actions merit award of the Medal of Honor. The Secretary added: Before we can take further action with this nomination, Congress must waive this [five-year] time limit.Once legislation is enacted authorizing the President of the United States to award, if he so chooses, the Medal of Honor to SFC Cashe, I will provide my endorsement to the President. On October 17, 2005, while deployed to Iraq, SFC Cashe saved the lives of multiple soldiers after their fighting vehicle hit an improvised explosive device and caught fire. SFC Cashe repeatedly returned to the burning vehicle to pull his soldiers out of the flames, all while he himself was on fire and exposed to enemy gunfire. He later passed away from his wounds. SFC Cashe was born in Sanford, Fla. and raised in Oviedo, Fla., both of which are located in Murphy's congressional district.To see Rep. Murphy speak on the House floor about SFC Cashe, clickhereandhere.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://castor.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=403413", "Castor, McKinley Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Halt Flow of Opioids to Pill Mills", "2020-11-09", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Kathy Castor", "C001066", "castor.house.gov", "castor", "https://castor.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa-FL14) and David McKinley (R-WV-01) introduced the Preventing Pill Mills Through Data Sharing Act to require drug wholesalers that ship opioid to drug stores and clinics to take greater responsibility for reporting suspicious quantities to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). This legislation builds on the work of Castor\u2019s Using Data to Prevent Opioid Diversion Act, which was signed into law in 2018.\n\n\u201cFar too many families in Florida and across the country continue to struggle with opioid addiction, and the COVID-19 pandemic only has exacerbated this ongoing public health crisis,\u201d said Castor. \u201cI\u2019m proud to introduce this legislation with Rep. McKinley to equip the DEA with necessary tools to hold drug distributors, manufacturers and pharmacies accountable and identify, report and halt suspicious orders of controlled substances. Our bipartisan, bicameral bill will take the necessary steps to increase transparency and hold all companies and pharmacies on the supply chain accountable. Most importantly, it will go a long way in keeping our communities informed and ensure our neighbors are safe.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhile Congress has been rightly focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, the opioid epidemic has not gone away. In fact, across the country overdose deaths have only increased,\u201d said McKinley. \u201cWest Virginia is all too familiar with the opioid epidemic, in the past millions of prescription drugs flooded into our communities and ripped families apart by the horrors of addiction. Our bipartisan bill ensures that the Drug Enforcement Agency will be able to collect and share data necessary to identify and prevent pharmaceutical companies from dumping mass amounts of pills into vulnerable communities, which will help keep American families safe.\u201d\n\nSenators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) have previously introduced a companion bill in the Senate.\n\nThis legislation will:\n\nRequires drug manufacturers and distributors to report the sale, delivery or other disposal of all controlled substances on a monthly, rather than quarterly basis as current law requires.\n\nExtends the penalties and reporting requirements that currently apply to drug manufacturers and distributors to pharmacies.\n\nRequires DEA to provide quarterly reports to manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies in a format and manner that better facilitates the identification of suspicious orders.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:39:51Z"], ["http://alceehastings.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402474", "Hastings Statement on Election of President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris", "2020-11-07", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "FL", "Alcee Hastings", "H000324", "alceehastings.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Fort Lauderdale, FL) Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) released the following statement on the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris:  \r\n\r\nOn the heels of one of the most tumultuous periods in recent history, the victory of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris symbolizes the unity, diversity, and resilience of the American people, despite the hardships our nation has endured over the past four years.  \r\n\r\nI join the millions of Americans in celebrating Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on their victory and stand ready to work side by side with them on a transformative legislative agenda to get our nation back on track.  \r\n\r\nI am so elated by the glass ceiling that has been shattered by Kamala Harris, who has made history as the first female, first Black, and first South Asian American Vice President-elect. She has undoubtedly paved the way for women of color to make a difference for our nation for generations to come.   \r\n\r\nOver the past four years, Donald Trump has inflicted real harm upon our democracy, our planet, and the health and well-being of the American people. This year has brought with it extreme adversity, including a deadly pandemic, a stalled economy, in addition to renewed national calls for racial justice. It is our duty to come together to deliver pandemic relief, restart our economy, mend our democracy, tackle climate change, and heal our nation.  \r\n\r\nIn the 117th Congress and under the incoming Biden Administration, we have the opportunity to come together to deliver a better future for all Americans. The 2020 election represents a resounding mandate for change, and I stand ready to work with the new Administration, my colleagues in the House, and all who wish to join me from either side of the aisle, to deliver that change.  \r\n\r\n Congressman Alcee L. Hastings serves as Vice-Chairman of the House Rules Committee, Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, and Co-Chairman of the Florida Delegation.\r\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://shalala.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2624", "Donna Shalala Congratulates Joe Biden on Being Elected the Next President of the United States.", "2020-11-07", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Donna Shalala", "S001206", "shalala.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Donna Shalala Congratulates Joe Biden on Being Elected the Next President of the United States. \r\n    \r\n     \r\n\r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Washington,\r\n      November 7, 2020\r\n    \r\n     | \r\n    Carlos Condarco\r\n    (2022253931)\r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n    \r\n      MIAMI, FL Today, Congresswoman Shalala (FL-27) issued the following statement in response to reporting that Vice President Joe Biden has been elected the next President of the United States:\r\nMany years ago, Alexis de Tocqueville observed that the greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.' The American people have seen the failures and fracturing of our country under President Trump and have chosen a new direction. Vice President Biden's victory is a triumph for our republic and its founding principles of freedom, justice and democracy.\r\nAs president, Joe Biden will work tirelessly to restore and rebuild our country at home and abroad.Vice President Biden's victory is a testament to the integrity and diligence of election officials across the country, the resilience of our democratic systems, and the perseverance of the American people.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wilson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/wilson-roberts-statement-on-reports-of-social-media-disinformation", "Wilson, Roberts Statement on Reports of Social Media Disinformation", "2020-11-06", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "FL", "Frederica Wilson", "W000808", "wilson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Miami, FLToday,Congresswoman Wilson and Miami-Dade NAACP president Ruban Roberts issued the following statementabout reports of false information circulating on social media warning of planned racially motivated attacks. \nWe are deeply alarmed by reports of disinformation being spread on social media warning of planned racially motivated violence to take place this weekend. This information is reportedly being falsely presented as an official statement by the NAACP.\nWe urge everyone in District 24 and anyone who has received these messages to remain calm and vigilant. In the wake of the still-undecided presidential election, there may be more disinformation on social media and other platforms. Please do not react in a way that may put you in harm's way and always verify questionable information and ensure that it is coming from a reputable source.\nFor information about the reported false messages circulating on social media, please contact Miami-Dade NAACP president Ruban Roberts by email at miamidadecommunications@gmail.com or call 1-877-NAACP-09.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://soto.house.gov/media/press-releases/soto-state-puerto-rico-plebiscite-results", "Soto Statement on Puerto Rico Plebiscite Results", "2020-11-04", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Darren Soto", "S001200", "soto.house.gov", "soto", "https://soto.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "\"The moment to finally admit the 51st state of our Union is upon us. For the third time in history, Americans in Puerto Rico have reached a clear consensus: their destiny lies with statehood. Now we must grant both Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia full voting representation and equal treatment as states. The time to act is now.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:39:51Z"], ["https://soto.house.gov/media/press-releases/soto-escobar-woodall-introduce-legislation-keep-families-together-united-states", "Soto, Escobar, Woodall Introduce Legislation to Keep Families Together in the United States", "2020-11-02", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Darren Soto", "S001200", "soto.house.gov", "soto", "https://soto.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Congressman Rob Woodall (GA-7) and Congressman Darren Soto (FL-9) introduced H.R. 8708, the American Families United Act. This bipartisan legislation is designed to preserve and promote family unity by amending the Immigration and Nationality Act to help millions of U.S. citizens reunite with their loved ones.\n\nThe American Families United Act would protect the rights and interests of U.S. citizens in our immigration system, and provide the Attorney General and the Department of Homeland Security Secretary discretion to allow certain individuals to be reunited in the United States. This legislation could help Alejandra Juarez, a Polk County resident of over 20 years, who was deported from the United States to her home country of Mexico. Alejandra's husband, Sgt. Temo Juarez is an Iraq combat veteran who served in the Marines and the Infantry Regiment of the Army National Guard. Together, they raised their two U.S.-born daughters Pamela, 19, and Estela, 11, in Davenport, Florida.\n\n\"I was at the Orlando International Airport when my constituent, Alejandra Ju\u00e1rez, a mother and wife, boarded a plane and headed for Mexico, a country to which she was born but did not call home,\" said Congressman Soto. \"She left behind her two American-born daughters, Pamela and Estela, and her husband, Temo, a veteran of both the U.S. Marines and Army. Since that day, I made a promise never to give up fighting to reunite them. The American Families United Act is key to fixing the broken immigration system that tears families apart and threatens the social fabric of thousands of communities across the country. We will reunite the families impacted by the Administration's cruel immigration policies!\"\n\nThe legislation, introduced by former Congressman Beto O'Rourke, was inspired by Edgar Falcon, an El Pasoan and constituent of Texas' 16thCongressional District. Edgar married his wife Maricruz on the U.S.-Mexico border in 2013 after Maricruz was refused a visa. Since then, Edgar has traveled between his family's home in Ciudad Juarez and his job in El Paso, but his ability to commute has been strained by the coronavirus pandemic.\n\n\"For decades, families like Edgar's across the U.S.-Mexico border have been forced to live apart from one another due to outdated immigration laws,\" said Congresswoman Escobar. \"Thousands of innocent children and families have been separated by a border between them, and we cannot stop fighting until every single family is reunited. The American Families United Act is a critical step in the right direction and will help bring loved ones together. Much more work remains in the 117th Congress and I look forward to achieving broader, bolder, and more comprehensive changes to our immigration system in the new year.\"\n\n\"Families belong together,\" said Congressman Woodall. \"In many cases today, immigration policy provides U.S. citizens with absolutely no pathway for citizenship\u2014or even a legal status\u2014for their spouse. These policies either keep families apart or encourage families to stay in the shadows. We can do and must do better. We should be encouraging people to get right by the law. This bill keeps the families of American citizens together while undocumented spouses and some parents wait in line for their chance to become an American citizen.\"\n\n\"I thank Congresswoman Escobar, who's courageously supporting this bipartisan bill,\" said Edgar Falcon, American Families United President and El Pasoan. \"Our members are extremely grateful for her leadership, as well as the leadership of Congressman Woodall and Congressman Soto. We call on their Congressional colleagues to pass this bill because Americans have the right to marry for love without being forced to choose between marriage and our country.\"\n\n\"This legislation recognizes that family unity is at the core of our values as a nation. The American Families United Act is an important step in aligning the law of our land with the compassion and common-sense citizens expect from the world's humanitarian leader,\" said Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. \"We are grateful to Representatives Escobar, Woodall and Soto for their commitment to enshrining in law the universal truth that families belong together.\"\n\n\"As a coalition of business leaders, we recognize that a pro-business environment requires an immigration system that creates jobs, grows the economy, and keeps families together,\" said Juan Carlos Cerda, Texas Dreamer and Business Outreach Manager, American Business Immigration Coalition. \"We support the American Families United Act because it provides a pathway to legal status for more than 17% of Dreamers who have earned a degree and 1.7 million mixed-status families who are working and contributing to our country. We applaud Rep. Escobar for her bipartisan efforts to provide a solution for these essential workers, and we look forward to working with her on additional solutions that address our broken immigration system.\"\n\nTo view the bill text, click here and to view a section-by-section of the bill, click here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:39:51Z"], ["https://shalala.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2622", "Donna Shalala Receives Assurances that Ballots will be Delivered on Time", "2020-10-31", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Donna Shalala", "S001206", "shalala.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Donna Shalala Receives Assurances that Ballots will be Delivered on Time \r\n    \r\n     \r\n\r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Washington,\r\n      October 31, 2020\r\n    \r\n     | \r\n    Carlos Condarco\r\n    (202-225-3931)\r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n    \r\n      MIAMI, FL Today, U.S. Representative Donna Shalala (FL-27) issued the following statement in response to reporting yesterday that mail-in ballots were piling up at the Princeton post office in southern Miami-Dade County:\r\n Over the past few weeks, my office has been in regular communication with the Miami-Dade County Postmaster's office to voice concerns about the timely delivery of vote-by-mail ballots. I have received assurances from the Postmaster that USPS is running extra sorting shifts, expediting election mail, and scheduling extra pickups leading up to election day.\r\nIf voters haven't yet returned their mail-in ballot, they should deposit it in a drop box at an early voting location, at one of the Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections (SOE) offices, or at one of the four additional drop-off sites that the SOE has set up. If they've already voted by mail, they should check the SOE's website to make sure their ballot has been received and counted. If they cannot confirm that their ballot was received, voters can vote in person at an early voting site or at their assigned precinct on Election Day.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://frankel.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3175", "Frankel, Waltz Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Highlighting U.S. Commitment to The Women, Peace, and Security Agenda", "2020-10-30", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Lois Frankel", "F000462", "frankel.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Co-Chairs of the bipartisan Women, Peace and Security Caucus (WPS) Representatives Lois Frankel (FL-21) and Michael Waltz (FL-06) were joined by 23 members to introduce a House Resolution commemorating the 20th anniversary of the landmark UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which established the women, peace, and security agenda by recognizing the relationship between gender equality and long-term peace and security.\r\nThe resolution reaffirms the United States' commitment to global leadership in increasing women's meaningful participation in processes to prevent, manage, resolve, and recover from conflict, in accordance with the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017.\r\nWomen and girls play an important role in the security and peacefulness of their countries, said Rep. Frankel. Where there is gender equality, there is a greater likelihood that conflicts are prevented and ended.\r\nTwenty years have passed since the United Nations recognized the importance of women's inclusion worldwide  but the message is still as relevant as ever. The United States understands the importance of this message and will maintain its role as a successful leader of the women, peace and security agenda. Empowering women and ensuring their inclusion in peacemaking and security efforts is a bipartisan issue of global importance that will provide long-term stability and security worldwide, said Rep. Michael Waltz.\r\nA copy of the full text of the House Resolution is available here.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://frankel.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3176", "Rep. Frankel, Florida Lawmakers, Urge Governor DeSantis to Extend November 1 Deadline to Allow Public Officials to Operate Safely and Virtually as COVID-19 Surges Nationwide", "2020-10-30", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Lois Frankel", "F000462", "frankel.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Representative Lois Frankel (FL-21) and Democratic members of the Florida Congressional delegation sent a letter to Governor Ron DeSantis urging him to extend the November 1 expiration for Executive Order 20-69, which allows local government boards to meet virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic. This would provide Floridians with an avenue for civic engagement while protecting the health and safety of the public and elected officials.\r\nWith COVID-19 surging in Florida and throughout the country, the Governor must give local boards and governments the ability to conduct their meetings safely, said Rep. Frankel. Pretending the pandemic is over jeopardizes lives and livelihoods.\r\nThe letter states in part, We have heard from constituents and officials across the state who are worried about the risk to their own health, as well as the risk to their communities, by requiring in-person meetings while the state is experiencing an increase in positive COVID-19 cases..\r\nThe letter continues, We therefore respectfully urge you to extend your executive order to allow the option of virtual meetings until it is clear that requiring in-person meetings would not pose a risk to the health of our public officials or their constituencies.\r\nFull text of the letter is available here.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mucarsel-powell.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=801", "Mucarsel-Powell Releases End-Of-Term Success Report, Highlights Large Number Of Constituent Cases Closed, Bills Cosponsored, And Millions In Funding Returned To The District", "2020-10-30", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Debbie Mucarsel-Powell", "M001207", "mucarsel-powell.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Mucarsel-Powell Releases End-Of-Term Success Report, Highlights Large Number Of Constituent Cases Closed, Bills Cosponsored, And Millions In Funding Returned To The District \r\n    \r\n     \r\n\r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Washington,\r\n      October 30, 2020\r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n    \r\n      MIAMI, FL  Today,U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (FL-26)released an end-of-term report that highlights an impressive number of legislative accomplishments, constituent correspondences, and over half a billion dollars in total grant funding returned to the district.\r\nThrough the 116th Congress, I am working in a bipartisan manner to be a productive voice for my constituents. I am proud to be an active freshman Member of Congress by reaching across the aisle to bring over half a billion dollars back home to fix some of our state's most pressing issues,said Mucarsel-Powell. It is the honor of a lifetime to be your Congresswoman, and I look forward to continuing my duties in serving and fighting for our community.\r\nThe report includes a numerical breakdown of Mucarsel-Powell's successes, a list of top legislative accomplishments, and testimonials from constituents. The full report can be viewedHERE.\r\nSome highlights from the report include:\r\n \r\n    32 Measures Introduced\r\n    460 Measures Cosponsored\r\n    740 Constituent Cases Closed\r\n    7 Town Halls\r\n    54,750 Responses Sent\r\n    118 Newsletters Sent\r\n    242 Meetings\r\n    72 Events\r\n    $537.9 Million in Grant Funding Secured\r\n \r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mucarsel-powell.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=803", "Mucarsel-Powell Again Urges Action To Prevent Disinformation Among Latino Voters In Florida And Nationwide", "2020-10-30", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Debbie Mucarsel-Powell", "M001207", "mucarsel-powell.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Mucarsel-Powell Again Urges Action To Prevent Disinformation Among Latino Voters In Florida And Nationwide  \r\n   As Reports Of Disinformation Campaigns Targeting Latinos Continue, Law Enforcement Agencies Recognize Attempts To Influence Elections \r\n     \r\n\r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      Washington,\r\n      October 30, 2020\r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n\r\n  \r\n    \r\n      MIAMI, FL  Today,U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (FL-26),member of the House Judiciary Committee,attended a briefing from law enforcement and intelligence agencies on foreign attempts to influence the upcoming election. This follows Mucarsel-Powell and U.S. Rep Joaquin Castro's (TX-20), Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair and Intelligence Committee Member,request to law enforcement and intelligence agencies to take investigative action against disinformation influence campaignstargeting Latino and Spanish-speaking voters in South Florida and across the country.The FBI responded to Mucarsel-Powell's previous calls for an investigation in disinformation on October 14, 2020, which can be foundhere.\r\nOur nation's law enforcement and intelligence agencies must immediately investigate and take action against the threats and lies designed to influence our elections and Latino voters,said Mucarsel-Powell.I have continuously called for action to protect our voters in South Florida, who represent an important and diverse voice. Now is the time for our law enforcement agencies to recognize that Latinos of all political persuasions continue to face a wave of disinformation before Election Day and it must be stopped.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 1213, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"party\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Democrat", "p1": "FL", "p2": "2020"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=FL&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 1213, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=FL&year=2020", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=FL&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 1176, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=FL&year=2020&chamber=House", "selected": false}, {"value": "Senate", "label": "Senate", "count": 37, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=FL&year=2020&chamber=Senate", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=FL&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "FL", "label": "FL", "count": 1213, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&year=2020", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=FL&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "2020", "label": "2020", "count": 1213, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=FL", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2020-10-30,https~3A~2F~2Fmucarsel-powell~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fnews~2Fdocumentsingle~2Easpx~3FDocumentID~3D803", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=FL&year=2020&_next=2020-10-30%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fmucarsel-powell~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fnews~2Fdocumentsingle~2Easpx~3FDocumentID~3D803&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 457.3075333610177, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}