WASHINGTON, June 14 -- Rep. Val Demings , D-Florida, chairwoman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery, issued the following statement as part of a virtual hearing entitled "Examining Climate Change: A Threat to the Homeland" on June 8, 2021: * * * We are here today to discuss climate change and our nation's response. Climate change is a major threat to our country. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's mission is to, and I quote, "se  more

WASHINGTON, June 15 -- Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Florida, issued the following news release on June 14, 2021: U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan today called on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to upgrade the manatee from "threatened" to "endangered" under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). "Manatees are beloved, iconic mammals in Florida," said Buchanan. "We should provide these gentle giants with the highest levels of federal protection." According to Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commis  more

WASHINGTON, June 15 -- Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Florida, issued the following news release on June 14, 2021: U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) announced that the IRS will continue to provide an American Rescue Plan tax credit to help local small businesses cover the costs of providing paid sick and family leave for workers through September. Along with using the leave to care for themselves and family who are sick, workers can also use leave to get their coronavirus vaccinations and take time off to re  more

WASHINGTON, June 15 -- Rep. Darren Soto, D-Florida, issued the following statement on June 14, 2021: * * * Natural Resources Committee Chair Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ) released the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) analysis of Reps. Darren Soto (D-FL) and Jenniffer Gonzalez Colon's (R-PR) bill, H.R. 1522, the Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act. Rep. Soto's statement on the analysis is below. "As we prepare for the second legislative hearing to discuss H.R. 1522, the Puerto Rico Statehood Admissi  more

WASHINGTON, June 15 -- Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Florida, issued the following news release on June 14, 2021: U.S. Representatives Mike Waltz (FL-6), Jim Banks (IN-3), and Claudia Tenney (NY-22) will introduce a censure resolution condemning and censuring U.S. Representatives Ilhan Omar (MN-5), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Rashida Tlaib (MI-13), and Ayanna Pressley (MA-7) for defending foreign terrorist organizations and using rhetoric which contributed to anti-Semitic attacks across the Unite  more

WASHINGTON, June 15 -- Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Florida, ranking Republican member of the House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Technology, issued the following news release on June 14, 2021: House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Research & Technology Ranking Member Michael Waltz (R-FL) was joined by Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC), Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK), and Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) to introduce legislation establishing a national stra  more

WASHINGTON, June 15 -- Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Florida, issued the following news release on June 14, 2021: Congresswoman Kat Cammack (FL-03) and House Freedom Caucus Founder Congressman Jim Jordan (OH-04) announced a new partnership with Young America's Foundation (YAF) to create an officially recognized caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Campus Free Speech Caucus. The group will aim to educate other legislators about the clear bias against free speech on campuses and help bring nat  more

WASHINGTON, June 15 -- Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined Senators Jim Risch (R-ID), Todd Young (R-IN), and Mike Crapo (R-ID) in sending a letter to U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield to ask her to bring much needed international attention to the violent human rights abuses committed by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen. "We write to express serious concern over the systematic and wid  more

WASHINGTON, June 15 -- Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) welcomed the U.S. Air Force's announcement that Eglin Air Force Base (AFB) will be the location for a second F-35A Squadron, doubling the number of F-35 fighter jets at the base from 24 to 48. From his position on the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Rubio has continuously supported the F-35 program, securing key funding for the program over the years, and has encouraged th  more

WASHINGTON, June 15 -- Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, issued the following news release on June 14, 2021: Ahead of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting this week, Senator Scott released the following statement calling on Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell to stop ignoring the harmful impacts of inflation on American families and lay out a clear plan to address the crisis created by President Biden and Democrats' reckless spending. According to a survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Ba  more

WASHINGTON, June 15 -- Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ron Johnson (R-WI), and colleagues introduced the Iran Nuclear Treaty Act. It would require the president to submit any renewed nuclear deal with Iran to the Senate for ratification. The Iran Nuclear Treaty Act would strengthen the role Congress plays by ensuring the advice and consent of the Senate is taken into account for a new nuclear agreement, as well as prevent waivin  more

WASHINGTON, June 15 -- Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) urged U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to make use of all available diplomatic tools to confront the Ortega regime's authoritarian and oppressive tactics to secure power and undermine fundamental rights in Nicaragua. Citing the recent wave of arrests of leading figures of the political opposition, business sector, and civil society, the Senator  more

SAN FRANCISCO, June 12 -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, issued the following statement to mark five years since the attack at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, which occurred on June 12, 2016: * * * "As we mark five years since the shooting at Pulse Nightclub, Americans join Orlando and the LGBTQ community to honor the 49 beautiful souls senselessly murdered while simply enjoying a night of dancing and celebration. Today, our heart breaks again thinking of the brave survivors an  more