Hello, Friends —
I'm proud to report Northwest Florida had yet another successful week in the U.S. House of Representatives. After months of battling the Biden administration and defending livelihoods of the small-business vendors of Crab Island, I'm excited to announce that the Destin City Council has PASSED a resolution supporting our efforts to protect Crab Island from federal overreach. Improving safety and responsible commerce on Crab Island is best managed in cooperation with local governments, not through bureaucratic intrusion. Thank you to Mayor Bobby Wagner and the Destin City Council for taking this critical first step. We will continue to fight to save Crab Island!
REP. GAETZ DEMANDS ANSWERS REGARDING NPR'S TAXPAYER-FUNDED RACIST CONTENT
On Wednesday, I sent a letter addressed to Patricia de Stacy Harrison, the President and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), and John F. Lansing, the President and CEO of National Public Radio (NPR), in which I highlighted the use of taxpayer funds to play Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan's speeches during a weekly radio show.
NPR's affiliated station at Morgan State University, recognized as "We Educate African Americans (WEAA) 88.9," is receiving taxpayer funding while prominently featuring the Nation of Islam's anti-American values. This situation compels me to uncover the precise allocation of taxpayer dollars from the CPB to the aforementioned affiliated station on behalf of the American people. Furthermore, I am seeking information about the comprehensive vetting procedures in place to ensure that taxpayer funds are not inadvertently providing a platform for extremist, anti-American content.
In the midst of the House of Representatives' progress with appropriations legislation, I am fully committed to introducing amendments that are specifically aimed at preventing the utilization of taxpayer dollars to broadcast such content on any NPR-affiliated station.
The full text of my letter to Patricia de Stacy Harrison and John F. Lansing can be found here. Additionally, exclusive coverage of the letter by Daily Caller can be found here.
REP. GAETZ HOLDS DOJ ACCOUNTABLE FOLLOWING LAWSUIT AGAINST SPACEX
On Monday, I sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland demanding the Department of Justice (DOJ) provide documentation regarding their lawsuit against Elon Musk’s spacecraft manufacturer, SpaceX.
The crux of the DOJ’s lawsuit against SpaceX revolves around their allegation that the company's hiring policies violate federal law by hiring U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents over foreigners for job opportunities. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has previously stated that due to the advanced-weapons technology classification of rockets, U.S. law mandates that employees possess at least a green card.
Accordingly, I am requesting that the specific documents pertaining to the lawsuit be provided to my office by September 8th, 2023, and that Attorney General Garland make himself available to brief Congress prior to his scheduled September 20th testimony before the House Judiciary Committee.
Full text of my letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland can be found here. Additionally, exclusive coverage of the letter by Fox Business can be found here.
AROUND THE DISTRICT
TEAM GAETZ ATTENDS OKALOOSA COUNTY WOMEN'S HALL OF FAME CEREMONY
Last Monday, my staff was honored to attend and present Special Congressional Recognition Certificates to the five newest inductees into the Okaloosa County Women's Hall of Fame. The impact they've made will be felt for generations to come. Congratulations to Bonnie Barlow, Cindy Frakes, Honorable Judge Patricia Grinsted, Colonel Teresa Ryan, and Lieutenant Betty Jo Hunter on a job well done, and thank you for your contributions to making our community a better place for all.
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!
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.
GAETZ IN THE NEWS
The Daily Wire — August 31, 2023
Matt Gaetz Calls For Pentagon Accountability Over U.S.-Trained Coup Leaders
"'If the true desired end state was really to strengthen national borders and national capabilities, we would definitely follow who broke bad,' Gaetz said. 'But that isn't the desired end state. Just being there is the desired end state — which is a betrayal of our national interest.'"
Florida Politics — August 31, 2023
Matt Gaetz demands Kevin McCarthy get tougher on Biden family investigation, spending cuts
"'No vote on Term Limits. No vote on a balanced budget. No plan to have individual appropriations bills considered. No full release of J6 tapes. No spending cut to raise the Debt Limit,' Gaetz posted. 'Trump has been charged with 91 counts. We haven't even subpoenaed Hunter Biden – or any Biden for that matter. I know it is the tendency of political leaders to self-preen, but the truth is that while some GOP House work has made positive reforms — it isn't good enough. Not even close, actually. We are going to have to seize the initiative and make some changes.'"
WEAR Pensacola — August 30, 2023
Matt Gaetz demands broadcasting giants defend tax-funded 'Black-supremacist' content
"'Americans would be shocked to learn that Black supremacy, ethnic extremism, or historical revisionism of any kind, especially of this magnitude, is being funded by their tax dollars,' Gaetz wrote in his letter. He also noted that WEAA, which is an acronym for "We Educate African Americans," received more than $250K in taxpayer money in 2021."
WHAT WE'RE READING
Marijuana Moment — August 30, 2023
Top Federal Health Agency Says Marijuana Should Be Moved To Schedule III In Historic Recommendation To DEA
The Federalist — August 25, 2023
CCP Funding In Public School Systems Is A Pervasive Threat, New Report Finds
Fox News — September 1, 2023
Biden apparently used pseudonym to discuss White House hire with Hunter, 2014 email shows
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