Thursday - November 21, 2024
*Florida Editor Tipoffs Newsletter for Thursday November 14, 2024 ( 27 items )  

Amata Hails Nomination of Sen. Rubio to Secretary of State
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 (Rep.) -- Del. Aumua Amata Radewagen, R-American Samoa, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata is hailing the announcement that President-elect Trump is nominating Senator Marco Rubio of Florida to serve as the next Secretary of State. Congresswoman Amata with Chairman of the Senate Small Business Committee Marco Rubio "This is one of the most important positions in the U.S. Government, and Senator Rubio is an excellent choice," said Congresswom  more

Bilirakis and Matsui File Legislation to Improve Drug Development Process for Rare Disease Patients
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 -- Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis, R-Florida, issued the following news release: Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Doris Matsui (D-CA) have filed the Scientific External Process for Educated Review of Therapeutics (EXPERT) Act. This bill requires the FDA to establish externally-led science-focused drug development meetings targeting rare diseases. Over 90% of rare diseases have no FDA-approved treatment. One driver is the difficulty for overworked FDA staff to delve into speci  more

Bilirakis Applauds Rubio Appointment to Serve as Secretary of State
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 -- Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis, R-Florida, issued the following news release: Congressman Gus Bilirakis released the following statement after President-Elect Donald J. Trump announced that Florida's U.S. Senator Marco Rubio will serve as Secretary of State. "I am thrilled that my good friend and fellow Floridian, Senator Marco Rubio has been named the incoming Secretary of State by President-Elect Donald Trump. Senator Rubio is an America-First leader and has proven himself to   more

Bilirakis Supports Florida Delegation Members' Appointment to Key Positions
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 -- Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis, R-Florida, issued the following news release: Congressman Gus Bilirakis issued the following statement in support of President-Elect Trump's announcement appointing Members of the Florida Delegation to key Administration positions. "American voters spoke loud and clear with the landslide victory handed to President Trump and Republicans nationwide, and President Trump is not wasting any time fulfilling that mandate. He is declaring war on the deep  more

Blackburn Joins Newsmax to Discuss Trump Cabinet, GOP Senate Appointments, and Biden's Lame-Duck Judicial Nominees
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 -- Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) spoke with Bianca de la Garza on Newsmax's Newsline about who she hopes will replace Senator J.D Vance (R-Ohio) and Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) in the Senate, President Trump's Cabinet appointments, and the need to block activist judges from being seated on the federal bench. Watch the full interview here. Click here to download Senator Blackburn's inter  more

BLS - Southeast Region Issues Report Entitled 'Consumer Price Index, South Region - October 2024'
ATLANTA, Georgia, Nov. 14 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Southeast Regional Information Office issued the following report on Nov. 13, 2024, entitled "Consumer Price Index, South Region - October 2024": * * * Area prices rose 0.3 percent in October; up 2.5 percent over the past year * * * The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the South rose 0.3 percent in October, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The monthly i  more

CONGRESSMAN CARLOS GIMENEZ CONGRATULATES U.S. SENATOR MARCO RUBIO ON NOMINATION TO SECRETARY OF STATE
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 -- Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Florida, issued the following news release: Today, Congressman Carlos Gimenez (FL-28) congratulated his dear friend U.S. Senator Marco Rubio of the Great State of Florida on his official nomination for Secretary of State by President-elect Donald J. Trump. Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Senator Marco Rubio has proven to be a strong leader from his early beginnings as a commissioner in the City of West Miami, Speaker of the Florida House of Repre  more

Dr. Paul Requests Information on FEMA Official Instructing Employees to Withhold Assistance From Trump Supporters
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 -- Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell requesting information regarding recent reports that a   more

Fla. U.S. Attorney: Ex-Banker Pleads Guilty in $16M International Bribery and Money Laundering Scheme Involving Former Comptroller General of Ecuador
MIAMI, Florida, Nov. 14 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Markenzy Lapointe, issued the following news release on Nov. 13, 2024: A Miami man pleaded guilty yesterday for his role in a multimillion-dollar international bribery and money laundering scheme. According to court documents, John Christopher Polit, 43, a former banker, laundered the bribe proceeds paid for the benefit of his father, Carlos Ramon Polit Faggioni, the former Comptroller General of Ecuador, throug  more

Fla. U.S. Attorney: Multi-Kilogram Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 19 Years in Federal Prison
ORLANDO, Florida, Nov. 14 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida issued the following news release on Nov. 13, 2024: U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron today sentenced George Pherai-Bogeajis (35, Orlando) to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. The court also ordered Pherai-Bogeajis to forfeit four vehicles and four firearms used in the offense,   more

Fla. U.S. Attorney: Sebring Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Possessing With Intent to Distribute Over 8 Kilos of Fentanyl
MIAMI, Florida, Nov. 14 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Markenzy Lapointe, issued the following news release: On Nov. 7, Joseph Christopher Copeland, 57, was sentenced to 264 months in federal prison, to be followed by ten years' supervised release, by U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon, for possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Copeland imported 8.9929 kilograms of fentanyl from Mexico to his residence in Sebring, Fla., using a veh  more

In 2023, the majority of home health aides and personal care aides were women
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics issued the following document from Economics Daily: * * * In honor of National Home Care and Hospice Month, we are highlighting data about two of the most common occupations that provide care to people with illnesses or disabilities in a home or community-based setting--home health aides and personal care aides. In 2023, women accounted for 87 percent of all home health aides and 80 percent of personal c  more

Justice Dept.: California Teenager Pleads Guilty in Florida to Making Hundreds of 'Swatting' Calls Across U.S.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Nov. 13, 2024: Alan W. Filion, 18, of Lancaster, California, pleaded guilty today to four counts of making interstate threats to injure the person of another. Filion faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set. "This prosecution and today's guilty plea reaffirm the Justice Department's commitment to using all tools to hold accountable every indivi  more

Justice Dept.: Client of Fraudulent Tax Shelter Scheme Pleads Guilty to Obstruction
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Nov. 13, 2024: * * * Ohio Doctor Fabricated and Backdated Documents in Response to Civil Subpoena * * * An Ohio doctor pleaded guilty today to corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the due administration of the internal revenue laws. According to court documents and statements made in court, Dr. Suman Jana, of Strongsville, was a client of fraudulent tax shelter promoter Michael Meyer and his sub-promoter  more

Justice Dept.: Ex-Banker Pleads Guilty in $16M International Bribery and Money Laundering Scheme Involving Former Comptroller General of Ecuador
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Nov. 13, 2024: A Miami man pleaded guilty yesterday for his role in a multimillion-dollar international bribery and money laundering scheme. According to court documents, John Christopher Polit, 43, a former banker, laundered the bribe proceeds paid for the benefit of his father, Carlos Ramon Polit Faggioni, the former Comptroller General of Ecuador, through the U.S. financial system and into various inv  more

Justice Dept.: Idaho Man Sentenced for Computer Hacking and Extortion Scheme
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Nov. 13, 2024: An Idaho man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for hacking into the computer servers of 19 victims across the United States, stealing personally identifiable information (PII) belonging to more than 132,000 people, and attempting to extort a Florida orthodontist for payment in Bitcoin by threatening to disclose stolen patient records and other PII. According to court documents, in   more

Rep. Cory Mills Honors Veterans Day With Heartfelt Message
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 -- Rep. Cory Mills, R-Florida, issued the following statement on Nov. 12, 2024: * * * Florida's 7th Congressional District - Congressman Cory Mills (FL-07) released the following statement in honor of Veterans Day, extending heartfelt wishes to all veterans for their service and dedication to our nation. In addition, Congressman Cory Mills also released a statement celebrating National Veterans Small Business Week, recognizing the significant contributions of veteran-owned   more

Rep. Maxwell Frost Announces Nearly $3M in Federal Funding to Eliminate Traffic Fatalities in Orlando
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 -- Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Florida, issued the following news release on Nov. 13, 2024: ORLANDO, FL - Today, U.S. Representative Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10) announced a nearly $3 million federal grant to Central Florida from the Department of Transportation's (DOT) Safer Streets and Roads for All grant program. Specifically, over $2.1 million was awarded to Metroplan Orlando to support their work to save lives by reaching zero traffic deaths and serious injuries in the r  more

Rescheduled: House Homeland Security Committee Members Higgins, Bishop to Hold Joint Subcommittee Hearing on Biden-Harris Administration Failure to Protect Unaccompanied Alien Children, Vet Sponsors
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 -- Rep. Clay Higgins, R-Louisiana, chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement, issued the following news release on Nov. 13, 2024: The House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement Chairman Clay Higgins (R-LA) and Subcommittee on Oversight, Accountability, and Investigations Chairman Dan Bishop (R-NC) will hold a hearing on November 19, 2024, at 2:00 PM ET, to hear from experts on how the Department of Ho  more

Rubio Statement on Nomination to Lead State Department
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 -- Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) released a statement on his nomination by President-elect Donald J. Trump to serve as the United States Secretary of State. "Leading the U.S. Department of State is a tremendous responsibility, and I am honored by the trust President Trump has placed in me. As Secretary of State, I will work every day to carry out his foreign policy agenda. Under the leadership of President T  more

Sen. Rick Scott Issues Statement Following Vote for Senate Majority Leader
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 -- Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, issued the following news release: Today, Senator Rick Scott released the below statement following the Senate Republican Conference's vote for Senate Majority Leader. Senator Rick Scott said "I may have lost the vote, but I am optimistic. I ran for leader with one mission: to fundamentally change how the Senate operates and upend the status quo so we can actually start representing the voters who put us here. When I announced, I said that we   more

Sen. Rick Scott on CPI Report: President Trump Will End the Biden-Harris Inflation Crisis
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 -- Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, issued the following news release: Today, following the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Senator Rick Scott released the below statement highlighting the need to implement substantive fiscal reforms in the new year to finally put an end to the ongoing inflation crisis fueled by the Biden-Harris administration's reckless tax-and-spend agenda. October's CPI data shows that there has been a signi  more

Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee Sets Nov. 20 Business Meeting
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 -- The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee issued the following information for a business meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 20, 2024, at 342 Dirksen Senate Office Building: AGENDA Nominations 1. Nomination of the Honorable Val Butler Demings to be a Governor, United States Postal Service; 2. Nomination of the Honorable William Zollars to be a Governor, United States Postal Service; 3. Nomination of the Honorable Gordon Hartogensis to be a Governor, Un  more

Three NUWC Division Newport engineering agents perform first modernizations to submarine in Australia
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 -- The Naval Sea Systems Command issued the following news: Traveling across the globe is nothing new for Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport In-Service Engineering Agents (ISEA) Matthew George, Daniel Braman and Dillon Savitzky, but the trio recently experienced a historic first Down Under. Members of the Handling Systems Engineering Branch in the Sensors and Sonar Systems Department, the agents participated the first three-week Submarine Tendered Mainten  more

U.S. Central Command Forces Strike Iranian Aligned Targets in Syria in Response to Attacks on U.S. Personnel on 12 November
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Florida, Nov. 12 -- The U.S. Central Command issued the following news release: TAMPA, Fla. Today, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted strikes against an Iranian-backed militia group's weapons storage and logistics headquarters facility. These strikes were in response to a rocket attack on U.S. personnel at Patrol Base Shaddadi. There was no damage to U.S. facilities and no injuries to U.S. or partner forces during the attack. These strikes will degrade the  more

U.S. Central Command Strikes Houthi Facilities and Weapons Systems
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Florida, Nov. 13 -- The U.S. Central Command issued the following news release: TAMPA, Fla. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces executed a series of precise airstrikes on multiple Houthi weapons storage facilities situated within Houthi-controlled territories in Yemen, Nov. 9-10. These facilities housed a variety of advanced conventional weapons used by the Iran-backed Houthis to target U.S. and international military and civilian vessels navigating international water  more

USDA Issues World Agricultural Supply & Demand Estimates Report for November 2024
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued the following World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report (No. 654) on November 8, 2024: Here are excerpts: * * * WHEAT: The outlook for 2024/25 U.S. wheat this month is for slightly larger supplies, domestic use, and ending stocks but unchanged exports. Supplies are raised on higher imports, increased 5 million bushels to 120 million, all on Hard Red Spring. Domestic use is raised, all on food use, based main  more