Hello, Friends —
On Wednesday night in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the nation observed numerous wishful Republican candidates present their viewpoints at the first presidential debate. Their diverse stances underscored a shared sentiment: Under Joe Biden, the American people have been left behind and forgotten. The hardworking men and women who form the backbone of Northwest Florida and our nation are being forced to suffer through the financial consequences of Bidenomics and find their God-given rights and beliefs disrespected — all while the Left continues their attempt to inject their "woke" social agenda into our government to politically prosecute opponents.
One thing is for certain — the voice of Florida's First District will resonate beyond the halls of Congress. I will remain unwavering in my commitment to bring the Biden administration to heel and in my fight to put America First!
REP. GAETZ: 'HUNTER BIDEN SPECIAL COUNSEL SHOULD TESTIFY UNDER OATH'
Click Here To Watch!
On Tuesday, I joined the "Chris Salcedo Show" on Newsmax to discuss the political appointment of Special Counsel David Weiss, and his corrupt investigation into the Biden Crime Family — PLUS Democrats attempting to reinstate their tyrannical mask mandates.
In an October 2022 meeting, Special Counsel Weiss claimed he was prevented from bringing charges against Hunter Biden by Joe Biden's politically captured Department of Justice. He committed to testifying before the House Judiciary Committee. Now, Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed Weiss to Special Counsel in order to kill his testimony. After speaking with Chairman Jim Jordan and members of the House Judiciary Committee, it's clear Weiss's appointment is just the next step in the cover-up after Hunter's sweetheart plea deal didn't work. It is incumbent upon us to ensure Special Counsel David Weiss stands before Congress and answers to the American people!
CONGRESSMAN GAETZ PRESSES DEA FOR ANSWERS ON JOE BIDEN'S MARIJUANA DESCHEDULING PROCESS
On Thursday, I sent a letter to Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Anne Milgram regarding the Biden administration's lackadaisical process to deschedule marijuana. My letter follows up on Administrator Milgram's July 27 testimony to me before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance.
In response to my questioning as to why the Biden administration has not removed marijuana from the list of Schedule I drugs, Milgram stated that the "President had sent a letter to the Secretary of HHS and to the Attorney General to ask for the scheduling/descheduling process to begin." I believe it is important for the administration to be transparent with Congress and the American people regarding where the process of descheduling marijuana stands. Therefore, in order for the House Committee on the Judiciary to continue oversight of this matter, I requested the DEA administrator provide a copy of the letter she referenced by September 15, 2023.
To read more about the letter I sent to the DEA, click here.
AROUND THE DISTRICT
TEAM GAETZ ATTENDS POW/MIA LUNCHEON!
Last Friday, my Director of Military Affairs had the honor of attending Freedoms Foundations, Pensacola Chapter, and Pensacola Navy League's POW/MIA Luncheon at the Pensacola Yacht Club. This event commemorates the sacrifice of Prisoners of War (POW) and Missing in Action (MIA) from past conflicts. The guest speaker was Colonel Edward Hubbard of Fort Walton Beach, who shared of his own experience as a POW during the Vietnam War. His story of confinement, survival, and resilience was an inspiring and moving experience for all in attendance.
NAVAL AIR STATION PENSACOLA AND BLUE WAHOOS 'SALUTE TO SERVICE'
On Friday night, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Naval Air Station Pensacola teamed up for a "Salute to Service" in which the players donned "call-signs" and celebrated Northwest Florida’s immense contribution to our national defense. The patriotism that flows throughout our community is why I'm so proud to call Northwest Florida home!
TEAM GAETZ ATTENDS RANGER SWAMP WALK
On Saturday morning, my Director of Military Affairs joined 6th Ranger Training Battalion at Camp James E. Rudder for their annual Swamp Walk where they expose friends and family to the conditions, which ALL Ranger School candidates endure during the final phase before earning the treasured "Ranger Tab." This tab designates them as one of the most elite soldiers in the world. While the graduates are here for a few weeks of their career, we must remember that the instructors and staff of 6RTB are in the swamp year-round molding our future leaders. Rangers lead the way!
HURRICANE SEASON SALES TAX HOLIDAY
I encourage all Northwest Floridians to prepare for the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season, which started June 1st. After assessing damage done from hurricanes in the past few years, it's crucial to have at least 7 days of supplies on hand. These supplies include food, water, medicine, batteries, etc.
To help with purchasing these supplies, do not forget to take advantage of the Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday. The tax exemption period will begin Saturday, August 26 and extend through Friday, September 8th.
Here are some additional tips to safely prepare for potential emergencies and keep you and your loved ones safe:
Prepare a kit. Ensure you and your family have a disaster kit ready to go in case of an emergency. For more information on items to include in a kit, visit https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes
Get to know your surroundings. Know the elevation of your house and property. Hurricanes often bring storm surge, which is considered the greatest threat to property and life during any tropical storm. Know your communities' evacuation routes and how you would evacuate to higher ground. For more information on potential storm surge areas visit https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/surge/
Consistently check the weather. The Coast Guard's mobile app for boating safety is a tool to check marine weather from your phone. With the mobile app, you can check the weather at nearby NOAA buoys, which provide wind speed and direction along with wave height. Checking weather any time you plan to get underway and throughout your time on the water is highly recommended.
Secure your boats. Review your hurricane plan with your local marina to ensure you have a plan to both bring your boat in and strap it down ashore or otherwise ensure it is properly equipped to ride out the storm at the marina.
Listen to local officials. When it comes to hurricane response and preparedness, the most important link in the chain is you: prepare your boat for the season, have a hurricane mooring plan, and monitor channel 16 on your VHF radio when on the water. Prior to planning a trip, keep an eye on the weather, port conditions, and other hurricane warnings.
For further questions, please consult the Emergency Management websites for the county you reside in:
- Escambia County
- Santa Rosa County
- Okaloosa County
- Walton County
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING MOSQUITO-BORNE ILLNESS
The Florida Department of Health has reported that Escambia County is under a mosquito-borne illness alert. Two cases of West Nile Virus have been reported in Escambia County since July. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Florida Department of Health have published helpful guidelines on how to prevent the spread of West Nile Virus:
- Drain standing water to stop mosquitoes from multiplying.
- Cover your skin with clothing and use mosquito repellent.
- Cover doors and windows with screens to keep mosquitoes out.
For more information, please visit the links below. If you think you or a family member might have West Nile Virus, talk with your healthcare provider.
- Florida Health Mosquito-Borne and Other Insect-Borne Diseases
- Florida Health Mosquito-Borne Disease Prevention
- CDC West Nile Virus Prevention
IMPORTANT PASSPORT ANNOUNCEMENT
Earlier this month, my team attended a State Department Passport Briefing. The State Department has been experiencing record weekly volume (500,000 applications/week) since April. Given the influx of applications, the processing times have not changed since March. Please see the following expected processing times immediately below:
Routine Passport Service: 10-13 weeks
Expedited Passport Service: 7-9 weeks
The State Department advises constituents that have a passport that is expired or is expiring within one year to renew their passports even if they do not have travel planned. My team will continue to fervently work to provide Northwest Floridians with a pleasant and timely passport experience. If you need assistance with acquiring a passport, please contact Nate Oliphant at [email protected] or call my District Office at 850.479.1183.
UPCOMING SERVICE ACADEMY NOMINATIONS
One of the most important duties I have as your Congressman is to nominate students to various United States service academies. These include the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.
The students nominated represent the very best of our district and the entire country. This year, I will nominate up to ten individuals for each vacant academy slot allotted to our district. To request a military academy nomination from our office, please click here and complete the form. Submissions are due by Friday, October 13th. If you have not submitted your printed form, please do so to my district office as soon as possible!
I wish you the best as you pursue your goal of attending one of the U.S. service academies and serving our country. Please direct any further questions about the application process to my Director of Military Affairs, Austin Bury at [email protected].
For more information and frequently asked questions about academy nominations, click here.
THE 2023 CONGRESSIONAL APP CHALLENGE HAS BEGUN!
The Congressional App Challenge is a public effort to encourage kids to learn how to code. Students compete to code original applications for the chance to be selected for recognition, win prizes, and have their work put on display in the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
Official registration for the 2023 Congressional App Challenge is now open! Students can register for the 2023 Congressional App Challenge and start coding their apps for 2023 using the link below. The competition deadline is November 1st, 2023.
Click here to register for the Congressional App Challenge!
GAETZ IN THE NEWS
Newsmax — August 22, 2023
Gaetz to Newsmax: Impeach Biden or Risk Looking 'Unserious'
"'I'm telling you, on this [House] Judiciary call that I just got off of moments before ... we had some of the more moderate members of the Republican Conference, saying that 'we need the powers of an impeachment inquiry.' And I was heartened by the full-throated support for that position that we received from our Judiciary colleagues,' Gaetz said."
Breitbart — August 18, 2023
Matt Gaetz Introduces Resolution to Censure Judge Tanya Chutkan for Open Bias and Partisanship
"Gaetz continued, 'Judge Tanya Chutkan's impracticality of her tough sentencing of Jan. 6th defendants, despite openly supporting the violent Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, showcases not only a lack of impartiality but also a disregard for the sacred duty of a judge to uphold justice fairly.'"
Marijuana Moment — August 24, 2023
GOP Congressman Pushes DEA Head For Update On Biden's Marijuana Scheduling Review
"At last month's hearing, the administrator also told Gaetz that she would ask HHS about the timeline for the department's review, which needs to be completed before DEA can weigh in — so the congressman is also requesting an update on that discussion in the new letter. 'While it is reassuring that President Biden has formally requested that the process of descheduling marijuana from the list of Schedule I drugs commence, it was concerning to hear you say that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has not provided a timeline for sending you its descheduling recommendation based on its review,' the congressman wrote."
WHAT WE'RE READING
Breitbart — August 23, 2023
Exclusive: Joe Biden's Email Alias on Government Network Raises Suspicion
Revolver News — August 21, 2023
Undercover Cop Caught Cutting Fences on Jan 6? New Evidence Intensifies Suspicions Surrounding Key Fedsurrection Player
The Federalist — August 23, 2023
After Hunter's Sweetheart Deal Went South, Here's What's Next From Biden's Compromised DOJ
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