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Dear Neighbor:
This weekend, we have seen Iran launch an unprecedented attack against our closest ally, Israel. While the vast majority of the Iranian projectiles were intercepted by Israeli and allied forces, the bold escalation of conflict is further proof of President Biden's failed foreign policies. His continued undermining of Israel and appeasement of Iran emboldens our enemies and is making the world less safe. As Israel faces this latest vicious attack from Iran, America must show our full resolve to stand with our staunchest ally. I stand firm in my unwavering support for Israel and will continue to push for a proper American response to Iran's attack.
An issue that consumed much of our attention last week was a proposal to reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). I am troubled by the fact that current FISA authorities have been used to violate the law more than 278,000 times by the national security state, including against President Trump. There has yet to be any consequences for this illegal activity by our government. While the proposed reauthorization bill made some improvements upon current law and I do believe it is important to ensure our government has the tools needed to thwart future terror attacks, this legislation lacked essential reforms to FISA that would have protected our Fourth Amendment rights. One specific concern was that the bill did not require the FBI to obtain a warrant before searching our data or a prohibition on the government purchasing our data from third-party data brokers. I voted for an amendment to add such language into the bill; however several of my Republican colleagues joined with Democrats to defeat the amendment. Absent these much needed reforms, I simply could not vote to continue a program that has been so blatantly abused and give enhanced power to the very authorities that we've seen weaponized against President Trump and American citizens.
Despite my disappointment with passage of the FISA reauthorization bill over my objections, we did make tangible progress last week on several other priorities. Continue reading to learn more!
Making Washington Work for You: My colleagues and I in the House and Senate released new draft language that would establish a national privacy standard. Through this landmark legislation, we have incorporated the critical input that has been gathered during multiple legislative hearings in my Energy & Commerce Subcommittee this Congress. The end result is a product that will help safeguard all Americans' sensitive data, maximize transparency, and empower users to control how their personal information is collected, used, and stored. This legislation also holds companies to the highest standard for establishing and maintaining strong data security protections, and sets vital data minimization standards to bolster cybersecurity nationwide. Additionally, it preempts the state laws and sets one national privacy standard to replace the patchwork of state laws, which is a key priority of our Subcommittee. I am optimistic that this bipartisan, bicameral package will be expedited through the legislative process and signed into law very soon.
Securing the Border: There have been over 9 million illegal aliens encountered attempting to enter our country since President Biden took office. This does not include those we know have entered without being encountered by Border Patrol. The Biden Border Crisis has made our nation less safe. We must return to America First policies.
There has also been a historic spike in the number of Chinese nationals attempting to invade our country.
This should alarm every American and should prompt the Senate to pass HR 2 – legislation that would require President Biden to secure our border immediately!
Keeping Kids Safe and Empowering Parents: Teens are constantly connected through devices and their reality is a blend of virtual and real-world experiences, which are proven to exacerbate isolation and negative social interactions such as bullying. We’ve seen far too many children succumb to tragedy after being exposed to harmful online content and behaviors. Through multiple Congressional hearings with whistleblower testimonies, it is clear that there is widespread, bipartisan consensus that Big Tech has failed to mitigate the risks, improve transparency, empower parents, and safeguard their youngest users. My colleagues and I introduced historic legislation that will require them to do so. Click here to learn more about my bill.
Also, in last week’s Communications & Technology Subcommittee hearing, we examined Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. I’m concerned about how these protections are being used to shield the Big Tech industry from liability while these same companies engage in systemic censorship based upon political ideology and refuse to take reasonable steps to protect their youngest users from harmful content.
Restoring Fiscal Sanity: New economic data shows that Bidenflation keeps heading in the wrong direction and is continuing to hurt American consumers.
Also, Biden's war on American energy has had catastrophic results and hardworking Americans are the ones feeling the brunt of it at the pump, with gas spiking more than 45% nationwide since President Biden took office. Additionally, in 2022 President Biden drained our Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) for his political benefit. Now, he has canceled plans to refill the SPR. Biden's radical Green New Deal agenda and assault on domestic oil production is another example of Biden putting America's national security at risk. We’ve got to do the right thing and return to America-First policies.
Fighting for Our Nation’s Heroes: I always enjoy meeting with constituents visiting Washington, DC. This week I had the chance to sit down with my friend and constituent, Dr. Zack Kalarickal, and his colleagues with the American Dental Association. Dr. Zack has been instrumental in helping me garner support in Congress for my VETCARE bill. My critical legislation would expand Veterans’ access to oral health care.
Improving Access to Quality Healthcare: In our Health Subcommittee hearing, we discussed the importance of preserving access to telehealth services and various legislative proposals to achieve that goal, including my PREVENT DIABETES Act and EASE Act. Click here to learn more.
Raising Awareness: In honor of National Autism Awareness Month, I will keep working to increase understanding and acceptance to create a world where all people with autism can reach their full potential.
Investing in Our Future: I'm inviting local middle and high school students and their parents to attend my upcoming U.S. Service Academy Night featuring presentations by each of the five U.S. Service Academies. Participants will learn about the Congressional nomination process and about how to prepare for a successful appointment. Service Academies offer an elite education to the best and brightest students who are ready to make a commitment to serve their country in the Armed Forces. During undergraduate studies, young men and women are developed into professional officers. The Service Academy Night provides students and families with the best information possible about how to prepare for this unique learning opportunity. Information about the Academy prep schools, ROTC scholarship opportunities to USF and other universities, and military institutes will also be shared. Guidance Counselors, Mentors, Coaches, JROTC staff, and other school officials are also invited and encouraged to attend. For more details, please see the flyer below.
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 attend the dedication of Touchton Park, a tribute to the legacy of community involvement of the Touchton Family in East Pasco County.
My team also enjoyed a presentation by Ed Blommel, Regional Director for the Florida Department of Agriculture. He presented trends in the industry, including new advancements in technology and the challenge of recruiting new farmers to the field, given that the average age of the American farmer is 58. These are important issues as we work to keep America fed!
Additionally, my team was excited to hear from Moore Hallmark, the speaker at the North Tampa Bay Chamber recently. Moore represents the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and he discussed the challenges small businesses are facing as a result of burdensome and unnecessary overregulation.
Constituent Corner
My team recently received this message after intervening to fix an error in this constituent's VA case so that the Veteran could obtain the benefits that were earned.
Thank you so much for your prompt action. It is sad that you had to get involved but after 18 months of absolutely zero action your office has been the key to unlocking a very slow and unresponsive process.
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! |
