WASHINGTON, July 14 -- Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis, R-Florida, issued the following news release: Congressman Gus Bilirakis has coauthored 8 provisions which were filed earlier as amendments to this year's National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Each provision seeks to remedy an injustice Veterans are facing, enhances care and services available to members of the military, their families or Veterans or enhances U.S. national security through maximization of strategic partnerships. "Each year, thro  more

WASHINGTON, July 14 -- Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis, R-Florida, issued the following news release: Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), and Congressman Mike Levin (D-Calif.) introduced legislation that would help ensure Veterans receive the highest quality care possible from private providers. The VA Clinical Training in Evidence-based treatments And Military (TEAM) Culture Act will require that Veterans receive culturally competent, evidence-based mental he  more

WASHINGTON, July 14 -- Rep. Charlie Crist, D-Florida, issued the following statement: U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) released the following statement announcing the inclusion of several Crist policies in the FY'21 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill which passed the full committee and is expected on the House floor in the coming weeks. The bill includes legislation championed by Crist, making key investments in Pinellas families, children, s  more

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida, July 14 -- Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Florida, issued the following news release: Representative Lois Frankel (FL-21) released the following statement after helping pass the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies funding bill for Fiscal Year 2021 out of the Appropriations Committee. This bill includes healthy aging provisions that Rep. Frankel championed that provides $10 million to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention to expand its healt  more

WASHINGTON, July 14 -- Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Florida, issued the following news release: Representative Lois Frankel (FL-21), released the following statement after helping pass the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies funding bill for Fiscal Year 2021 out of the House Appropriations Committee. The bill provides $250 million for Everglades restoration and allows authorized projects to move forward. The bill also invests in the restoration and maintenance of beaches, harbors, and wa  more

MIAMI, Florida, July 14 -- Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, D-Florida, issued the following news release on July 13: U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (FL-26), member of the bipartisan Congressional Coronavirus Task Force, and County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava led a press conference with local officials to discuss the surge in COVID-19 cases and renew bipartisan calls for coordinated action from the State of Florida, Florida's Department of Health, and Miami-Dade County to address the public   more

WASHINGTON, July 14 -- Rep. Donna Shalala, D-Florida, issued the following statement after state reported more than 15,000 cases of COVID-19 - the highest single day total infections in any state since the beginning of the pandemic: "This weekend's reports confirm that Florida is now an epicenter of this global pandemic. Governor DeSantis cannot continue to deny science as our hospitals are being overwhelmed. "I urge Governor DeSantis to issue statewide mandatory mask and stay-at-home orders   more

KISSIMMEE, Florida, July 14 -- Rep. Darren Soto, D-Florida, issued the following news release: Last week, Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09) sent a letter to the Federal Railroad Administration to inquire about the recently proposed reduction of Amtrak's long-distance service starting in October and the newly reduced service on the Silver Star and the Silver Meteor. According to the letter, reductions in routes could potentially impact tourism in Central Florida, making economic recovery from the   more

WASHINGTON, July 14 -- Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, issued the following transcript on CNBC's Squawk Box: U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined Squawk Box on CNBC to discuss rising cases of COVID-19 in Florida, reopening schools, additional help for small businesses, Joe Biden's economic plan, banning Chinese companies from U.S. capital markets, and more. See below for highlights and watch the full interview here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZx2u0e6mqo. On rising COVID-19 case numbers in   more

MIAMI, Florida, July 14 -- Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, issued the following statement commemorating the victims of the "13th of March" Tugboat Massacre by the Castro dictatorship: "Twenty-six years ago the world witnessed the barbaric sinking of the '13th of March' Tugboat, which took 41 lives, including 10 children, at the hands of the Castro brothers. I join the Cuban-American exile community as we commemorate those who senselessly perished in search of freedom and a future free of tyranny  more

MIAMI, Florida, July 14 -- Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, issued the following statement on July 13 after the Trump administration announced its policy on the People's Republic of China maritime claims in the South China Sea: "Today's announcement by the Trump administration makes clear that the United States will support our regional allies in defense of a free and open Indo-Pacific. The People's Republic of China (PRC) cannot be allowed to illegally assert control over maritime territory in t  more