FL-27 Newsletter Vol. 118, Issue #57 Dear Friends/Amigos, I secured major wins in my position as the Chairwoman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee this week, including the passage of my bill — the VERDAD Reauthorization Act — in the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The Maduro regime needs to learn that actions (like arresting two of your opponent's campaign team) have consequences. I also questioned Isabel Guzman, Administrator of the Small Business Administration, over a damning report from KPMG identifying 55 management fixes at the agency. Inadequate loan process reviews, poor record-keeping, and legal compliance issues plague Guzman's SBA, and I asked her about this in a hearing at the House Small Business Committee. Here in Miami, my office will be holding a Job Fair for residents of Florida's 27th Congressional District on April 4th. Learn more about it below! It is an honor to serve you in Congress. Let me know how I can better serve you by calling my office at (202) 225-3931 with your opinion. Sincerely/Atentamente, María Elvira Salazar U.S. Representative (FL-27) AMERICA MUST ACT ON CUBA AND HAITI For the past two weeks, Cuba and Haiti have become front page news because of the latest crises affecting both countries. I spoke on both issues in a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. Last Sunday, the Cuban people took to the streets to demand freedom, food, and electricity. In response, the regime blamed the United States for all issues on the island, including chronic shortages and rolling blackouts. Let me be clear: the Cuban regime is the only entity to blame for this crisis. The Cuban people need our help, and the United States must respond to their calls for freedom. In Haiti, gangs threaten to destabilize the Western Hemisphere as they fight to control the capital city, Port-au-Prince. These gangs are vicious, and their leader Jimmy 'Barbecue' Cherizier plans to seize the country for himself. The threat of gangs is one Latin America is very familiar with, but this crisis is the most extreme Haiti has faced in centuries. American leadership is necessary now more than ever. I urged the Biden Administration to act now, before these crises get worse. To read more about my speech, click here. ADDRESSING MAJOR ISSUES AT THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION The consulting firm KPMG conducted its annual audit of the Small Business Administration (SBA) and reported major failures. Specifically, the report says that inadequate loan process reviews, poor record-keeping, and legal compliance issues are the norm at President Biden’s SBA. Small businesses in Miami rely on the critical services the SBA provides to them. When I asked SBA Administrator Isabel Guzman about this, she constantly deflected responsibility even though this report was conducted more than three years into her tenure. As a member of the House Small Business Committee, be assured that I am working to keep Administrator Guzman accountable. Read more about my line of questioning here. THE MADURO REGIME MUST PAY FOR ATTACKING DEMOCRACY AND MARÍA CORINA MACHADO Last week, the House Foreign Affairs Committee took a major step in punishing the Maduro regime for blatantly violating the terms of the Barbados Agreement and jailing the main opposition candidate María Corina Machado's campaign staff. Late last year, I introduced a bill called the VERDAD Reauthorization Act. It essentially reauthorizes the sanctions the United States placed on the Maduro regime in 2019 laid out in the VERDAD Act. After it was reported that Nicolás Maduro sicced his corrupt Attorney General after more of María Corina's staff, it was clear that the United States had to fight fire with fire. I was proud to join my colleagues Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) in celebrating the House Foreign Affairs Committee's passage of the VERDAD Reauthorization Act. We hope the Senate takes this legislation up and send the message to the Maduro regime that actions have consequences. Read my press release with Senator Rubio here. Read my joint statement with Rep. Wasserman Schultz here. JOB FAIR IN MIAMI COMING UP! ¡FERIA DE EMPLEO EN MIAMI PRONTO! I am very pleased to announce that on Thursday, April 4th, 2024, my office will be hosting a Job Fair for residents of Florida's 27th Congressional District! More than 50 employers from the public and private sectors will attend and answer your questions about job openings. The event will be held at Miami-Dade College, Eduardo J. Padrón Campus from 10am to 2pm. The address is 627 SW 27th Avenue, Miami, FL 33135. Parking is free! To register for the Job Fair, click the link here. If you have any questions about the event, feel free to call my Miami office at (305) 668-2285. CASEWORK TESTIMONIALS! My office is one of the best in Congress and is always happy to help our constituents with federal casework. Whether it’s navigating the difficult immigration bureaucracy, securing Social Security benefits, or getting your passports renewed on time before a family vacation, my staff is always willing to help my constituents solve their toughest challenges! Read some testimonials below: “Incredible help and service, thank you!” – NP “Excelente atención sumamente professional.” – MP “Más que satisfecha, estoy agradecida con la atención recibida y los resultados.” – L. If you need help with federal casework AND reside in Florida’s 27th congressional district, call my office at (305) 668-2285! CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA! ‌ ‌ ‌ Have questions? Reach me at: [link removed] Washington, D.C. 2162 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-3931 Miami, FL 5725 SW 8th St Suite 200, Miami, FL 33144 Phone: (305) 668-2285 Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar | 2162 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]