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Dear Neighbor,
As we near the end of the year, I remain focused on delivering solutions that keep our children safe, strengthen our communities, support families, and grow our economy. From advancing online safety reforms to reducing costs, protecting our classrooms, and helping hurricane survivors rebuild, I’m committed to ensuring that every family has the opportunity to thrive. Here are some of the key efforts we’ve made over the past week.
Protecting Kids: For too long, tech companies have failed to adequately protect children and teens from the perils of the online world. Last week, we unveiled a suite of online safety bills to address the challenges facing our kids in the digital age. Parents, educators, and lawmakers all agree that meaningful, lasting protections are urgently needed-and this was an important first step. Click here to listen to my opening remarks during the hearing.
Our bill requiring parental consent before children can download apps is one example of a commonsense measure that keeps parents informed and involved in their kids’ digital lives. By equipping parents with effective, easy-to-use tools, we help prevent exposure to harmful apps and protect children’s privacy while fostering open communication and digital literacy at home. Learn more about the legislation here.
Additionally, the House passed three critical bills to protect our kids from Chinese Communist Party influence in America’s classrooms. The PROTECT Our Kids Act, the CLASS Act, and the TRACE Act block CCP-linked funding, shut down propaganda programs like Confucius Classrooms, and ensure parents are informed and empowered. We’re taking decisive action to keep foreign adversaries out of our schools and safeguard the education of America’s children with transparency for parents.
Providing Hope for Kids with Cancer: Last week, the House also passed the Give Kids a Chance Act, a bipartisan effort to give children battling cancer and rare diseases a real chance at life. This legislation strengthens incentives for pediatric drug development, restores critical programs like the Rare Pediatric Disease FDA Priority Review Vouchers, and ensures life-saving therapies reach the kids who need them most. I am proud to have helped author this bill and to support its passage on the House Floor.
Watch my remarks here.
Helping Hurricane Survivors: Pasco County is now accepting applications for its federally funded Better Future Individual Housing Program, which assists residents in repairing, rebuilding, or replacing homes damaged by Hurricanes Idalia, Helene, and Milton. To learn more about this opportunity, click here.
Making America Affordable Again: Too many Americans continue to feel the strain of rising costs. That’s why I’m working to lower energy prices by cutting duplicative regulations and boosting responsible domestic production.
Removing Red Tape: Small businesses are the backbone of our economy-making up 99.9% of all U.S. businesses and employing nearly 46% of America’s private-sector workforce. We should be helping them grow, not burdening them with unnecessary red tape. Last week, the House passed the DUMP Red Tape Act, which establishes a dedicated long-term reporting hub for small businesses and requires the SBA Office of Advocacy to submit these reports to Congress annually. This increased transparency and oversight will help us identify and cut regulations that stifle growth. I remain committed to reducing needless regulatory burdens so America’s small businesses can thrive.
Promoting Tourism: I’m working on bipartisan legislation to boost tourism and strengthen our economy. Click here to learn why this measure matters for Florida and for communities nationwide.
Remembering Pearl Harbor: Eighty-three years after the attack on Pearl Harbor, we continue to honor the bravery of those who served and the memory of those we lost. Their sacrifice shaped our history and inspires us still.
Learning from You: Tomorrow-December 8th-at noon, I will be hosting a tele-townhall. All constituents are invited to join me, and I look forward to hearing from you.
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 proudly attended the Grand Opening of the Wilton Simpson Senior Center in East Pasco, celebrating the launch of a state-of-the-art facility that will serve as a cornerstone for senior services in our community.
My team also attended the unveiling of the WWII Memorial in Brooksville honoring the bravery, sacrifice, and unwavering patriotism of the Greatest Generation.
Additionally, my team enjoyed hearing directly from local small business owners at the Hernando County Chamber of Commerce’s monthly meeting—an invaluable opportunity to learn about their successes, challenges, and ideas for strengthening our community.
Constituent Corner
My team recently received this message from a constituent after my team helped correct an error in calculating his Military Retired Pay, resulting in a one-time retroactive payment in the amount of $24,562.
Thank you very much for your prompt responses and information about this issue. The effort you have put into communicating with the constituents who contact you is most appreciated and will be remembered for the future.
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. Also, if you are planning a trip to Washington, DC please let us know 90 days in advance so we can help make the most of your visit. We are here to serve you! |
