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Dear Neighbor,
I hope you and your family are enjoying a safe and happy Labor Day Weekend. During this time of year, we recognize and celebrate the invaluable contributions the American workforce has made on our economy. When given the freedom to thrive, there is no one better able to innovate, adapt, and excel than American workers. As a society, we must continue to embrace the values of ingenuity, entrepreneurship, and work ethic –as these have been the cornerstone of our historic success!
Last week, I continued on my August District Work Period Listening Tour, attending as many events in our community and talking with as many constituents as possible. Sadly, the message I am still consistently hearing is that many of our neighbors and small businesses are struggling with inflation and they are pleading for help. Please be assured I will do everything I can to fight for that desperately needed relief.
I’d especially like to thank everyone who took the time to participate in my tele-townhall. We had a good discussion about the need to fight inflation, lower the cost of living, restore American Energy Independence, and secure the border. I was honored to be joined by approximately 6,500 neighbors, and I really appreciated their feedback. Your input helps make me a better Member of Congress! Please continue reading to learn more about my efforts on your behalf!
Protecting Children
Last week, I had the chance to speak with remarkable youth leaders throughout Pasco County about the issue of cyberbullying. New research shows that 46% of all U.S. teens say they use the internet "almost constantly," and 97% say they use the internet daily. This is having an alarming impact on their mental health. It’s also subjecting them to more illegal drugs and harmful content. Big Tech companies are knowingly exposing our children to this danger and turning a blind eye in order to maximize profits. We must hold them accountable and empower parents with the information and tools they need to keep kids safe!
Additionally, I was proud to co-sponsor Reese’s law, which was recently enacted. It will help protect children by requiring the development of new safety standards regarding button or coin batteries. The bill was named after Reese Hamsmith, an 18-month-old child who tragically died after ingesting a small button battery from her family’s television remote control. Unfortunately, this type of accident is on the rise throughout the country, and we can do more to raise awareness in order to keep kids safe. Click here to learn more!
Restoring Energy Independence
I enjoyed meeting with employees of Seminole Electric Cooperative last week to discuss our nation’s energy crisis. We all want clean air, clean water, and environmental protection; however, these goals do not have to be achieved at the expense of jobs, prosperity, and national security. The best way to reduce emissions reductions is through innovation. We cannot continue to punish and handcuff American energy producers along the way. Fundamentally, I support an “all of the above” energy strategy that includes increasing domestic production, providing incentives for the development of renewable resources, and promoting conservation. New and emerging technologies will allow the United States to better harness the existing swath of renewable and nonrenewable energy sources that are available. The time to modernize our nation’s power generation is now!
Supporting Tourism
It is great to see Florida's tourism industry rebounding to pre-pandemic levels. Travelers realize that Florida remains free and open for business due to our state's strong leadership! As the Co-Chair of the Travel and Tourism Caucus in the House, I understand that tourism, a job-creating industry, is vital to our economy.
Feeling the Impact of Raging Inflation
Grocery prices surged 13 percent in August, the largest increase in over 40 years. This is a burden on every hard-working American family, and a direct result of Democrats’ disastrous policies. Sadly, more than just our grocery prices are impacted. For example, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has announced that the newly signed tax and spending bill will result in a higher price to bring new drugs to market. This is terrible news for patients who are anxiously waiting for a breakthrough treatment or cure, particularly those suffering from a rare disease. As the Co-Chairman of the Rare Disease Caucus in the House, I have had the chance to meet with many rare disease patients. They are often relying on innovation-which will be stifled under this new law-to improve their quality of life or in some cases save their lives.
 Also, natural gas, which runs America’s factories and farms, has skyrocketed- recently hitting $10. By comparison, Natural Gas was at $2.50 when Biden took office. This is what happens when you wage war on domestic energy production; American consumers ultimately pay the price!
Saving Lives
Customs and Border Patrol recently seized enough fentanyl to kill 42 million people during a bust, and they tell us that they are only able to catch a fraction of what is coming in daily through our southern border. Enough is enough! We need to secure the border to save lives!
Protecting our Nation from Cyber Attack
Last week, I enjoyed visiting the Florida Center for Cybersecurity (Cyber Florida) and USF’s new Global and National Security Institute (GNSI). I spoke with Gen. (Ret.) Frank McKenzie who serves as the Executive Director for both programs about the work his team is doing to strengthen our national security and protect Americans from cyber-related crime. Our country is a beacon of liberty and freedom with interests across the globe, and there is no doubt non-state actors and foreign governments have interests that are hostile to those of the United States. In recent years, those hostilities have increasingly been manifested through cyberwarfare. Sophisticated cyber actors and nation-states exploit vulnerabilities to steal information, money, and intellectual property.
We also know through our intelligence gathering process that these bad actors are working to develop capabilities to disrupt, destroy, or threaten the delivery of essential services. The United States must stand ready, be capable to respond to all potential threats against American interests, and continue to cultivate the human and technological assets needed to fulfill this primary objective. The programs I learned about last week are helping meet that present and future need. I am grateful to the University of South Florida and to General McKenzie for their leadership and proactive work in this area.
Supporting Small Businesses
Weekly, I highlight newly opened or expanded businesses in our community that my team has visited. Congratulations to our newest small business owners and best wishes for your continued success!
Congratulations to Lisa Mondok, owner of MaddyLu's Furniture in Tarpon Springs, which has recently opened!
Constituent Corner
My office recently received the following message from a constituent after helping him get an expedited appointment for a passport.
Thank you to James for all his help. We didn't realize that my son's passport expired when he turned 18, and our family was set to go on a celebratory cruise for his high school graduation. I tried everything to get an appointment online, to no avail. But after calling your office, James was able to help us out. It was a wonderful family celebration of such an important milestone and we are so grateful for you making it happening!
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! |
