WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Florida, chair of the House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment, issued the following opening statement as part of a virtual hearing entitled "Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Reauthorization: Creating Opportunities for Youth Employment": * * * We meet for the first of three bipartisan hearings focusing on reauthorizing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. It was last reauthorized in 2014   more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Rep. Bill Posey, R-Florida, issued the following news release on May 18, 2021: Representative Bill Posey's (R-Rockledge) legislation--the National Estuaries and Acidification Research Act or NEAR Act--aimed at fighting coastal acidification and helping estuaries like our Indian River Lagoon--passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support. "Estuaries are some of most diverse ecosystems in the country, and because estuaries are places where freshwater mixes wit  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Massachusetts, issued the following joint statement on May 18, 2021, with Reps. Andy Levin, D-Michigan, Yvette D. Clarke, D-New York, and Val Demings, D-Florida: * * * On Haitian Flag Day, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Congressman Andy Levin (MI-09), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (NY-09) and Congresswoman Val Demings (FL-10) released the following statement announcing the formation of the Hous  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Florida, ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, issued the following news release on May 18, 2021: * * * In a Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee hearing on automated vehicles, Subcommittee Republican Leader Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) said that, while full autonomy is still years away, we need to set the industry on the path to a fully autonomous vehicle future today. Excerpts and highli  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Rep. Charlie Crist, D-Florida, issued the following news release on May 18, 2021: U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) released a statement in support of two key pieces of legislation condemning hate crimes related to the COVID-19 pandemic (S. 937) and reaffirming the need to combat hate, bigotry, and violence against the Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community following the tragic Atlanta shootings which look the lives eight innocent people (H  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Rep. Charlie Crist, D-Florida, issued the following statement on May 17, 2021: * * * Congressman Charlie Crist (D-FL) issued the following statement on the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia. "On this International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, I am proud to represent a district that embraces and celebrates our gay, trans, and bi residents. I am proud to elevate their voices as Vice Chair of the LGBTQ Equality Caucus, and  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Rep. Brian Mast, R-Florida, issued the following news release on May 18, 2021: U.S. Congressman Brian Mast (FL-18) today sent a letter to President Biden asking him to direct Lieutenant General Scott Spellmon, the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to visit the communities affected by the Army Corps' toxic discharges from Lake Okeechobee before he authorizes the poisoning of American citizens this summer. "Lieutenant General Scott Spellmon swore to me  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Rep. Brian Mast, R-Florida, issued the following statement: * * * U.S. Congressman Brian Mast (FL-18) released the following statement after being fined $500 by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA-12) for following guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that vaccinated individuals do not need to wear a mask: "The truth is, from this moment on, Americans must ignore lies and start to listen to scientists. The scientists at the CDC are telling us if y  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Rep. Brian Mast, R-Florida, issued the following news release on May 18, 2021: U.S. Congressman Brian Mast (FL-18) today attempted to bring his bill to sanction the financial backers of Hamas up for a vote on the House Floor, but House Democrats all voted against the sanctions bill. The Palestinian International Terrorism Support Prevention Act is a bipartisan bill that passed the House of Representatives in 2019 unanimously. Today, 200 House Democrats who previously suppo  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Rep. Val Demings, D-Florida, issued the following news release on May 18, 2021: Today Rep. Val Demings (FL-10), Congressman Andy Levin (MI-09), Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (NY-13), and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) released the following statement announcing the formation of the House Haiti Caucus. Said the Members: "We come to Congress with vastly different backgrounds and from all corners of our country, yet we have found common ground in our deep commitment to   more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Reps. Ted Deutch, D-Florida, and Jackie Walorski, R-Indiana, chairman and ranking member of the House Ethics Committee, issued the following joint statement on May 18, 2021, regarding Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-North Carolina: * * * Pursuant to Committee Rule 7, the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ethics (Committee) determined to release the following statement: On May 14, 2021, the Committee received a notification from the Office of the Sergeant at Arms that  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Rep. Al Lawson, D-Florida, issued the following news release: U.S. Rep. Al Lawson (FL-05), Rep. Alma Adams (NC-12), and Rep. Val Demings (FL-10) introduced the HUD Inspection Act of 2021. This bill forces U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) to take greater action when federal assisted housing properties fail to come into compliance with federal housing laws. "It is inexcusable that HUD inspectors are inaccurately passing units that display clear evidence   more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Rep. Brian Mast, R-Florida, issued the following news release on May 18, 2021: The U.S. House of Representatives today passed legislation written by U.S. Representatives Brian Mast (FL-18), Bill Posey (FL-15) and Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1), called the National Estuaries and Acidification Research Act (NEAR Act), aimed at fighting coastal acidification and helping waterways like the St. Lucie Estuary, Caloosahatchee Estuary, Indian River Lagoon and Lake Worth Lagoon. The bill   more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, issued the following news release: Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) on Monday joined Sen. Rick Scott of Florida and 17 other Republican colleagues on a resolution condemning the attacks against Israel by Hamas, an Iranian-backed and funded terrorist organization, and reaffirming the United States' unwavering commitment to our ally Israel and its right to take whatever means are necessary to stop the murder of its citizens and foreign nationals resid  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, issued the following floor statement on May 18, 2021: * * * U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) gave a speech on the Senate floor describing the need for strong, American industrial policy in Congress's ongoing efforts to confront the historic challenge posed by the Chinese Communist Party. A lightly edited transcript of Rubio's remarks on the Senate floor can be found below. Rubio: "A year ago Saturday, the Trump Administration launched somethin  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), John Kennedy (R-LA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mike Braun (R-IN), Tom Cotton (R-AR), John Boozman (R-AR), Joni Ernst (R-IA), John Hoeven (R-ND), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Todd Young (R-IN), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), John Barrasso (R-WY), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) in   more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) issued the following statement after reports indicate that the Biden Administration will waive sanctions on the company constructing the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline. The report comes just two days after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he would make clear to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that the Biden Administration views Nord Stream 2 as "a Russian strategic pro  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) charged his Judicial Advisory Commission (JAC) for the 117th Congress to begin accepting applications. The JAC closely resembles Rubio's bipartisan commission for the 116th Congress. Prior to that, Rubio partnered with then-Senator Bill Nelson for eight years on a similar bipartisan commission. Former Lieutenant Governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera serves as the JAC's statewide chair  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, issued the following news release on May 18, 2021: Senator Rick Scott announced several amendments to the Endless Frontier Act that he will introduce to hold Communist China accountable, improve national security, secure our supply chains and protect American interests. Senator Rick Scott said, "Since being elected to the Senate just two years ago, I've been clear that the threat posed by Communist China is the most significant national securit  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, issued the following news release on May 18, 2021: Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan outlining his priorities for the agency including protecting and preserving our environment while bolstering our economy and protecting American jobs. In his letter, Senator Scott also stresses the importance of ensuring Florida receives the funding and federal support needed to preserve our wat  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, issued the following news release on May 18, 2021: Senator Rick Scott released the following statement urging Chairman Bernie Sanders to immediately call a hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on the Budget to address America's growing debt crisis and the rising inflation caused by President Joe Biden's reckless tax and spend agenda. With the passage of the Democrats' American Rescue Plan, which dedicated less than 10% of funding to fighting CO  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, issued the following news release on May 17, 2021: Senators Rick Scott, John Barrasso, Marsha Blackburn, John Boozman, Mike Braun, Shelley Moore Capito, Tom Cotton, Kevin Cramer, Ted Cruz, Joni Ernst, Josh Hawley, John Hoeven, Ron Johnson, John Kennedy, Cynthia Lummis, Marco Rubio, Thom Tillis, Tommy Tuberville and Todd Young announced a resolution condemning the attacks against Israel by Hamas, an Iranian-backed and funded terrorist organizatio  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and colleagues sent a public comment letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra, urging HHS to withdraw the Proposed Rule on the Title X family planning program, which would eliminate the Trump Administration's 2019 Protect Life Rule. If finalized, the Proposed Rule would direct tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to enrich Planne  more