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Dear Neighbor,
It has been a busy week in Washington and here at home. Despite the hustle and bustle as we strive to get legislative priorities across the finish line before the August District Work Period, I am continuing to do all I can to learn from you and to serve as your voice in Washington. Please continue reading to learn more about my efforts on your behalf.
Also, please join me in wishing my father, former Congressman Mike Bilirakis, a very happy birthday as he turns 93 years old today! I look forward to celebrating with him.
Supporting our National Security in the Face of Growing Concern: I have received many phone calls over the last week from constituents who are concerned with President Biden’s troubling decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine and rising tensions with a nuclear power. I certainly share their concern over the President’s lack of leadership in this matter and the impact that sending so many weapons and supplies to Ukraine will have on our own military readiness. Of course I support the people of Ukraine as they fight back against a brutal Russian invasion, however, Americans deserve transparency and accountability for how their tax dollars are being spent as well as a well-thought out exit strategy. Click here to read more of my thoughts on this developing situation.
These growing concerns are one of the main reasons I proudly voted in favor of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) last week. This year’s NDAA includes provisions to provide for the needs of servicemembers and their families through a record 5.2% pay increase, improved housing allowance and access to healthcare, and much needed oversight from bureaucratic overreach. It safeguards taxpayer dollars by cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse while defunding woke initiatives and countering Communist China’s aggression. It also contains language that will provide assistance to the 8,000 servicemembers who were discharged for exercising their medical freedom and refusing to comply with the covid-19 vaccine mandate. In addition to removing penalties they endured, the bill provides a path back to service. I was extremely disappointed that my proposed amendment to add the Major Richard Star Act into the NDAA was not accepted. I also supported an amendment to the NDAA that would strip any funding for Ukraine from the package for the reasons mentioned above. Unfortunately, not enough of my colleagues joined me on that measure and it did not pass. However, the NDAA is still an important step forward in keeping our country safe during these turbulent times!
Getting Things Done Four provisions I authored to improve public health outcomes, advance critical research, and ensure vulnerable children have access to mental health services passed out of the Health Subcommittee last week.
The National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act aims to unite the federal government in a mission to cure and prevent Parkinson’s, alleviate financial and health burdens on American families, and reduce government spending over time. Parkinson’s disease is the second most common – and fastest-growing – neurological disease globally with nearly 90,000 new cases diagnosed every year. My brother, Dr. Emmanuel Bilirakis, battled Parkinson’s Disease for many years prior to his death just a few short weeks ago. I will continue this fight in memory of my dear brother and on behalf of all my constituents who are still struggling with this debilitating disease. My bill builds upon past success and strives to replicate other national project models that have helped advance health care goals. This critical legislation will provide hope to those who are suffering and hopefully lead to better patient outcomes with less expensive disease management.
The bipartisan Gabriella Miller Kids First Act 2.0 would reauthorize and increase funding for the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Kids First initiative, which has supported lifesaving research of treatments for childhood cancer and is set to expire in September. Pediatric cancer remains the number one disease that leads to the death of American children. While survival rates have improved for some types of pediatric cancers, thousands of children are lost to cancer each year and many more encounter life threatening complications related to harsh chemotherapies. This program’s foundational research is critical for facilitating a better understanding of pediatric cancers and holds the promise for the development of better treatments and possible cures. As a longtime advocate for children and rare disease patients, I am proud to push for the continuation of this crucial research.
During the hearing, two provisions I authored passed as part of the reauthorization of the SUPPORT Act which is a large package containing a variety of measures to improve mental health and substance abuse treatment options throughout the country.
The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act will help stop the illicit use of the highly dangerous sedative causing fatal overdoses nationwide, xylazine. My goal is to save lives and to make sure law enforcement has the tools it needs to respond appropriately to those who are making these deadly concoctions killing so many of our neighbors. At the same time, we must ensure that those veterinarians who are using xylazine for legitimate purposes have the ability to continue doing so. Our legislation strikes that right balance.
And, the Ensuring Medicaid Continuity for Children in Foster Care Act of 2023 will fix a technical glitch in federal statute created by passage of the Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018 which threatens to keep the most at-risk children from being able to access appropriate mental and behavioral health services covered by Medicaid. Most children who are placed in the foster care system have experienced significant trauma. We need to prevent exacerbation of their situation by ensuring continuity of care in a setting that meets their individual needs. I am committed to ensuring foster care kids have continued access to quality trauma-informed treatment in a supportive environment that enables them to heal, without losing access to Medicaid services. I am proud to work across the aisle to fix this unintended bureaucratic roadblock and am committed to working in a bipartisan fashion to ensure children get the appropriate health care they need and deserve.
Protecting Consumers: I’m glad to see the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) engaging in its statutory mission to protect consumers and hope it will continue to aggressively pursue scammers who are defrauding millions of vulnerable Americans. Unfortunately, Robocall scammers continue to harass Floridians. Rather than go after legitimate business, I will continue to press the FTC to continue to devote its resources towards stopping these fraudsters.
I also have filed legislation that will provide safeguards to ensure that human remains are disposed of in a manner that preserves the dignity and choices of the patient or next of kin. The industry has been largely unregulated and sadly many families have been exploited for profit. Our bill gives family members the peace of mind of knowing that their wishes are being honored. Click here to learn more
Preventing Abuse of Power: My colleagues and I are pushing back against the Biden Administration’s attempts to weaponize federal agencies against conservative voices who are exercising their rights. Click here to learn more about our efforts.
Learning from You Here at Home:
Meeting with Local Stakeholders: Each month I hold office hours in my Citrus, Hernando and Pasco county offices. Here are just a few constituents I met with this month. During these meetings, we discussed the lack of Child Baker Act facilities in Hernando County, immigration, cryptocurrency concerns, education, and the need for a uniform data privacy standard. Should you have a federal issue you wish to discuss with me or a member of my team, please call 727-232-2921 to make an appointment. My team and I are here to serve you!
I also enjoyed speaking with St. Leo Mayor Vincent D’Ambrosio and Clerk Andrea Calvert regarding their Town Center project plans and the desire to change the zip codes within town limits. I look forward to working with them on both of these initiatives.
Additionally, I recently visited the CEMEX plant in Hernando County which employs about 150 people. I enjoyed learning about the work they are doing to meet international demand for cement while integrating environmentally sustainable products.
Supporting Economic Development and Helping to Alleviate Flooding: As noted in this article, I’ve been working for several years on the Anclote River Dredging project by securing millions in federal funding and working through ridiculous bureaucratic hurdles. I’m glad this long overdue project is finally moving forward. The dredging project will help facilitate economic development, improve public safety and alleviate flooding conditions along the Anclote River.
Celebrating Success:
Congratulations to my friend, Judge Shaw Crane on his appointment as Chief Judge for the Sixth Judicial Circuit. I am confident he will continue to do a great job in this new role.
Community Connection
I am fortunate to have a team of dedicated staff who regularly attend events throughout our community, especially when I am required to be in Washington, DC. Through their collective efforts, I am better able to stay connected to the issues that matter most to my constituents. As part of my commitment to developing a better understanding of the issues facing constituents in Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties members of my team attended several events last week. Here are a few highlights.
My team was honored to accept an invitation to visit Mr. John Thomas’s farm in Citrus County as they prepared their cattle for shipment. Each double-decker truck loaded contained 80 cows. Gaining a deeper knowledge of the challenges faced by those in the industry is incredibly helpful as I prepare for the federal farm bill reauthorization.
My team was proud to attend the Grand Opening of St. Benedict’s Apartments in Crystal River.
Additionally, my team was pleased to volunteer at the Mid-Florida Farm Share food distribution in Hernando County.
Constituent Corner
My office recently received this email after my team honored his service at the Battle of the Bulge and then attended his father's recent funeral service.
Everything you did for our dad was a dream come true for him. To recognize him with his certificate, your presence at both that ceremony and his funeral, would make our father's chest fill with pride. His last year or 2 of life was very uncomfortable, so I know now he rests in a much better place, especially happy with the ceremony at Bay Pines. Thank you again for all your efforts, and your obvious care and love for all of us who have served. I wish you very best life can offer- and thank you for YOUR service, in all you have done!
This is just one example of the work we do each day. Constituent services are a critical element of our congressional office. The federal government is a massive operation, and my office is available if you ever need assistance in navigating the bureaucracy or cutting through red tape. We are here to serve you!
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