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Dear Neighbor,
Wishing every mom a very Happy Mother's Day! There are few things more beautiful and enduring than a mother's love for her child. I am so fortunate to have an incredible mother, Evelyn Bilirakis. While Alzheimer’s has changed our relationship over the years, she continues to be a source of inspiration. The lessons of patience, tenacity and grace she has taught through example will always remain with me. My sons are also fortunate to have a wonderful mother. My wife, Eva, has done a tremendous job with our four sons. I hope all the moms in our community enjoy their special day!
Please continue reading for an overview of my work on your behalf last week.
Making Washington Work for You: As you may have read, one of my colleagues introduced a Motion to Vacate the Chair, which would have removed Speaker Johnson and required the House to go through the tenuous process of picking a new leader. I am focused on moving the country forward, restoring fiscal sanity, securing our border and re-implementing an America First agenda. A vote to vacate the Chair would have been a diversion from that goal, which is why I voted along with the vast majority of my colleagues to table the motion.
Supporting our Allies: President Biden must stop undermining our closest ally with his statements about how Israel chooses to defend itself against terrorists who are trying to wipe the country off the face of this earth. We have an obligation to ensure Israel has the tools it needs to defend itself and win this war. In the midst of talks to release the hostages, our critical ally is weakened by unnecessary tension between the U.S and Israel. I am also disgusted at how many colleges and universities have responded to anti-Semitism, lawlessness, and chaos on campus. We are seeing Jewish students harassed and daily operations disrupted. Of course, free speech is protected but that doesn’t give anyone the right to: trespass on private property, intimidate their peers, or violate the civil rights of others. My heart breaks for the Class of 2024 – as many of them weren’t able to have a graduation ceremony from high school due to COVID lockdowns in 2020. Fortunately, in my home state of Florida – we aren’t seeing the same problems because our state leaders passed legislation that requires zero tolerance for these pro-terrorist, disruptive activities. Florida proved you can require order while respecting everyone’s rights. If we remain silent in the face of these transgressions, we neglect a moral imperative and do so at the peril of civil society. There is no room for bigotry and hatred – and taxpayer dollars certainly should not be spent promoting vile points of view.
Stopping the Flood of Illegal Immigration: We should all be outraged by newly released documents showing that Biden has flown hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens into the country through a controversial parole program for four nationalities — with the vast majority entering the U.S. via airports in Florida. Floridians don’t want to see our tax dollars being used to circumvent the rule of law by bringing inadmissible aliens to the US. Make no mistake - this program is not about any urgent humanitarian cause – as required by the Immigration and Nationality Act – but rather it’s a thinly veiled attempt to detract from the crisis at the border.
Additionally, it is unconscionable that your hard earned tax dollars are being diverted to pay for the care of illegal aliens while millions of Americans can barely afford to make ends meet. Read more about this concern here. The Biden Border Crisis is costing the United States approximately $150.7 billion annually. These are dollars that could be far better spent. We need to return to an America First agenda!
Ensuring Election Integrity: Last week, a bill I co-sponsored, the Equal Representation Act, passed the House with my full support. While only citizens of the United States are able to vote for their preferred candidates for federal offices, the current practice for apportionment wrongly includes noncitizens in the census count, such as illegal immigrants, in a state’s population for the purpose of calculating how many Representatives and electors are allocated to each state. This unfairly benefits states with higher noncitizen residents over states with a lower concentration of noncitizens, resulting in the former getting a higher apportionment of Representatives and electors and hence a stronger voice in the federal government. I will continue working to ensure election integrity throughout the process.
Helping Seniors - My colleagues and I are working to empower seniors to make the health care decisions that best fit their individual needs without fear of a lifetime penalty for delayed enrollment in Medicare. Click here to learn more.
Restoring Fiscal Sanity- Last week, the Federal Reserve announced they would keep interest rates at a two-decade high because of Bidenflation, making the American Dream of homeownership unattainable for tens of millions of Americans. It is no real surprise to see a new poll showing that the majority of Americans felt that they were better off under the economic policies of the Trump Administration than the abysmal failed policies of the Biden Administration.
Last week, I voted for the Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act which would prohibit the Secretary of Energy from banning products based on what type of fuel that product uses. Unfortunately, this legislation is necessary in light of the fact that this Administration continually exceeds its oversight authority to push its relentless Green Agenda without regard for the cost to American consumers and their right to choose which products they prefer. It is time to restore fiscal sanity.
Raising Awareness – An estimated 1 in 5 Americans have a mental health condition and help is available. May is Mental Health Awareness Month - a time to encourage those who are struggling to reach out for help. Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. The first step is often the hardest, but you are not alone. The 988 Lifeline is available to help provide support for anyone in emotional distress at any time - day or night. Call, text, or chat 988 to get the support you need.
Learning from You Here at Home: I had the chance to speak to a group of local nurses about the challenges facing their industry. Nurses truly are our front line heroes – making sure their patients receive quality care during some of the most challenging times in their lives. I look forward to working on the priorities they raised.
I was also honored to give a legislative update to the Trinity Rotary about the work I am doing to protect children and ensure the most vulnerable among us receive the best possible care.
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 went to the annual Boy Scouts of America Celebration held at St. Leo University. This year, Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco was honored for his service to our community.
My team was also honored to participate in the first home dedication for a fallen Firefighter's family in the Do Good Village in Pasco County. Their husband and father, Patrick (Pat) Williams, worked as a firefighter with the Kansas City, MO Fire Department for 33 years until he passed away from an occupational illness. What a beautiful tribute to this first responder. I wish the Williams Family all the best and welcome them to our community!
Additionally, my team attended the Grand Opening of Habitat for Humanity in New Port Richey.
Constituent Corner
My team recently received this message after helping a constituent obtain a copy of his military records.
I wanted to personally thank you for getting my DD 214 for me. After MANY years of trying on my own, you accomplished what I could not! Thank you again.
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!
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