Dear Neighbor,

It was another busy week in Washington as I continued working on measures to hold the Biden Administration accountable for its actions that would inflict further harm on hardworking Americans and on proposals that would help constituents throughout Florida’s 12th Congressional District.   Also, last Thursday marked the 82nd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.  Tragically, the attack killed 2,403 American service members and wounded almost 1200 more. Despite inflicting heavy casualties, the Japanese attackers failed to achieve their objective of disabling the U.S. fleet.  The attack compelled the United States to enter WWII, which marked a critical turning point in the war effort and a significant step forward for protecting humanity from the evils of the Nazi regime. As Japan quickly learned, their actions awoke a sleeping giant, filled with a steadfast resolve to defend our nation’s sacred principles of liberty, justice and freedom.  I ask that we all remember the lives who were lost on that fateful day and celebrate the remarkable contributions to the world that those within the Greatest Generation made so selflessly. 

I’d also like to wish Happy Hanukkah to all those who began celebrating last week. May this festival bring blessings upon you and your family during this especially difficult time for the Jewish faithful across the world!  

Please continue reading to learn more about my efforts on your behalf last week.  

Making Washington Work for You:  We must secure America's energy future and provide a competitive advantage against China - the world's top carbon polluter- by boosting domestic energy production.  There are practical steps we can take to modernize our infrastructure and ensure America continues to lead the world in reducing emissions- while keeping energy costs low for Americans.  I co-sponsored HR 1, the Lower Costs Energy Act, which passed the House earlier this year and would help our nation achieve these goals.  However, it remains stalled in the Senate.  I will continue to urge my colleagues in the Senate to do the right thing and pass the bill to strengthen our national security, boost global competitiveness, lower costs for consumers, and help ensure we remain the leader in reducing emissions.    

The Biden Electric vehicle mandate is unrealistic and unaffordable.  Americans should have the freedom to determine what type of car best meets their needs and consumer demand – not government regulation- should drive the industry’s decision making.    Last week, I was proud to vote for H.R. 4468, the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act of 2023, which would prohibit Biden’s EPA from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing its proposed rule that would enact Biden’s de facto ban on the sale of new vehicles that use gasoline and other liquid fuels. I will continue to stand up against Biden’s radical Green New Deal agenda and defend consumer choice. 

Restoring Fiscal Sanity:  According to this new report, Bidenomics is continuing to hurt Americans with a recent analysis of government data indicating that Americans are paying an additional $11,434 per year for basic necessities due to inflation. 

In another fiscally irresponsible move, President Biden is once again attempting to circumvent the rule of law and leave hardworking Americans, including some who never went to college, paying a huge bill as he seeks to implement another radical student loan forgiveness scheme referred to as the SAVE plan. Specifically, the SAVE scheme:  expands the share of borrowers’ exempted income (150 percent to 225 percent of the federal poverty line) that is used to calculate their monthly payments, cuts the amount that borrowers have to pay each month from 10 percent of their income to five percent, and forgives loan balances as early as 10 years.  Biden’s unilateral plan would exacerbate the problems of rising college costs and excessive borrowing.  Last week, I proudly voted for a measure to disapprove his newest student loan scheme.


Stopping the Indoctrination of Students:  President Biden’s weak leadership and refusal to enforce our laws has turned America’s colleges and universities into the frontlines of foreign interference. By providing American academic institutions with lucrative funding opportunities, our adversaries in Beijing, Moscow, and around the globe are allowed to freely expand their influence within our nation, undermine our interests, steal our research, and indoctrinate our students with their propaganda.  I was proud to vote in favor of the Deterrent Act, which passed the House last week.   It slashes the foreign gift reporting threshold for colleges and universities to $50,000, with an even stricter $0 threshold for countries and entities of concern.  It also closes reporting loopholes and provides transparency to Congress, intelligence agencies, and the public.  Additionally, the bill holds our largest private institutions accountable for their financial partnerships by revealing concerning foreign investments in their endowments.

Supporting Military Families:  It was great to stop by the American Red Cross’s event in the Capitol to ship care packages and holiday greetings to American military families serving overseas this holiday season.  We must never forget the continued service and sacrifice of our military families!
 
Raising Awareness:  The most recent CDC statistics indicate that the number of suicides in the United States has reached a historic high, with rates among those 75 and older being the highest age group affected.   This disturbing trend reflects the fact that we need to do more to provide access to those who are struggling with mental health issues and remove barriers to seeking help.  If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available.  Please call 988.  

Strengthening Broadband Connectivity:  In last week’s Communications & Technology Oversight Hearing, we examined the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)’s efforts to strengthen our nation’s communication systems.  During my questions, I asked administration officials for specific details about the implementation of programs designed to improve broadband connectivity in rural areas throughout the country.  I want to be sure our community receives its fair share of allocated funds.  Click here to listen to the exchange. 

Improving Patient Outcomes and Protecting Consumers:  I was proud to have received the Luminary Advocacy Award from rare disease patients and advocates last week. As Co-Chairman of the Congressional Rare Disease Caucus in Congress, I will continue working to remove regulatory barriers that prevent and slowdown the development of treatments and cures for rare disease patients. 

Also, in last week’s Energy & Commerce Committee markup, we passed a total of 44 bills.  Many of these proposals, including four of those I authored, will help improve patient outcomes and provide enhanced consumer protections for all Americans.  The next step for each of my bills is consideration by the full House on the Floor.  I've provided some basic information about each proposal below: 

The Cutting Copays Act would lower the cost of prescription drugs for the nation’s most vulnerable seniors by removing cost-sharing of generic medications for enrollees in Medicare Part D’s Low Income Subsidy Program.  Record inflation has caused spikes in the costs of basic goods and services which have hurt those on a fixed income the most.  Research shows us that we can help improve patient outcomes for our most vulnerable seniors by removing barriers to proper disease management and medication compliance. We can also reduce overall costs by incentivizing beneficiaries to choose cheaper generic, but just as effective, alternatives to expensive brand-name drugs. Seniors should never be forced to choose between buying groceries and buying their medications. By removing these copayments, we can help alleviate that burden.

The Expanding Access to Diabetes Self-Management Training Act will improve patient outcomes and help avoid costly complications that often stem from this chronic illness by enhancing access in Medicare to education and diabetes self-management training services that have proven effective for beneficiaries.  By providing diabetes patients with these self-management resources, seniors will be empowered to take control of their own health and well-being, and we can help mitigate the negative impact this disease has on them and their families.  

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 earlier this year.   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.  It takes a terrible toll on the physical, emotional and economic well-being of everyone involved.  The lack of treatment options leave patients, families and the American taxpayers in a terrible quandary. We must change our approach to get better results, which is exactly what our legislation will do.  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 TICKET Act will improve transparency in the entertainment industry by requiring all event ticket sellers to display the total ticket price—including all required fees—in any advertisement, marketing or promotional materials.  It would mirror current advertising guidelines for airline tickets, requiring that consumers are able to see the full price of the ticket before purchase.  This will ensure that when American consumers are buying tickets (for concerts, theater, sporting events, etc) they have full transparency throughout the process.   Recent studies show that fees can contribute anywhere from 21% to as much as 58% of the total cost of tickets.  There is nothing more disappointing for an avid fan than being lured into the prospect of an affordable ticket to see his or her favorite sports team or band only to learn later in the check-out process that the final price tag is significantly higher.  Our pro-consumer bill brings much needed transparency to the whole ticketing industry, and I’m committed to working towards reforms that protect consumers and provide certainty in the marketplace.  

Learning from You Here at Home: A special thank you to those who came out to my West Pasco Holiday Open House in New Port Richey last week.  My team and I enjoyed discussing local issues and talking about plans for the new year!

Also, it was great to see so many neighbors this weekend when I participated in the Dade City, Brooksville, Inverness and New Port Richey Christmas parades.  

Celebrating Success: Crystal River is indeed quite charming. It is wonderful to see this part of Florida's 12th Congressional District getting the national attention it deserves. 

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 proud to join former Florida House Speaker Chris Sprowls and former OSU Football Star Kamryn Babb for the launch of a new local non-profit, Patros, which is working to support children who are being raised in homes without paternal support. 

My team also celebrated the groundbreaking of the expansion of Hwy. 41 in Citrus County.  This much needed project will help alleviate traffic congestion and improve highway safety.  

Additionally, my team enjoyed learning more about the integral role North Bay hospital plays in improving community health outcomes by providing charitable care throughout West Pasco. 

Constituent Corner

My office recently received this message from a constituent after my team helped expedite a request of the DOD for his family to visit a naval facility.

Sir, please continue the good fight to help make America great again.  Also, I would like to thank you and Angel, one of your staff members, who was outstanding and very professional in helping me with my requestfor assistance to visit Guantanamo Bay Naval Facility.  

 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!  

Sincerely,

Gus Bilirakis
Member of Congress