MIAMI, Florida, May 3 -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida issued the following news release on May 2, 2025: * * * Florida Legislature Passes Bill Attacking Citizen-Led Amendment Process TALLAHASSEE, FL -- Today, the Florida Legislature passed House Bill 1205, attacking citizen-led amendments. If the Governor signs this bill into law, it would make it nearly impossible for everyday Floridians to pass citizen-led amendments in the future. Bacardi Jackson, executive director of th  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The U.S. Air Force issued the following news: * * * Four Airmen received the prestigious service-level Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award at the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes April 30. Lt. Col. Michael P. Redding, Capt. Brandon W. Seyl, Master Sgt. Erica D. Johnson and Tech. Sgt. Christopher P. Leung II were honored for their exemplary leadership and dedication to the U.S. Air Force mission. * Lt. Col. Michael P. Redding, a U-28A Draco weapons evaluator pilot and strategic pl  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Florida, issued the following news release: * * * Buchanan Announces Congressional Education Award Recipients Presented Awards to 120 Educators in the 16th District BRADENTON, Fla. -- Congressman Vern Buchanan announced the recipients of his Congressional Educations Awards. Buchanan established the Congressional Education Awards eleven years ago to give special recognition to administrators, educators and support staff in Florida's 16 th Congressio  more

WASHINGTON, May 3 -- The U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security has released the following 32-page public communication dated April 1, 2025, from the U.S. Lumber Coalition Inc. Here are excerpts: * * * To: The Honorable Howard Lutnick Secretary of Commerce Attn: Bureau of Industry and Security Docket No. 250310-0030; X-RIN 0694-XC117; BIS-2025-0011 U.S. Department of Commerce 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20230 Re: Comments of the U.S. Lumb  more

WASHINGTON, May 3 -- Rep. Brian Mast, R-Florida, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: * * * Chairman Brian Mast Commends President Trump's Pick of Waltz for U.N. Ambassador WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast issued the following statement in response to President Trump's nomination of Michael Waltz to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. "Outside of Elise Stefanik, there is no one in Washington the unaccountab  more

MIAMI, Florida, May 3 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Coast Guard issued the following news release: * * * Coast Guard offloads more than $14 million in illicit drugs interdicted in Caribbean Sea U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Venturous' crew offloaded approximately 5,300 pounds of cocaine and marijuana worth an estimated $14.1 million, Friday, at Coast Guard Base Miami Beach. The seized contraband was the result of four interdictions in the Caribbean Sea by the crews of USCGC Diligenc  more

WASHINGTON, May 3 -- Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Florida, issued the following news release: * * * Congressman Dunn Unleashes American Space Travel by Cutting Bureaucratic Red Tape WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Neal Dunn (Florida-02) introduced the Secure U.S. Leadership in Space Act, legislation that would encourage greater investments in spaceports by allowing space facilities to qualify for municipal revenue bonds. The bill would add spaceports to the Internal Revenue Code to ensure that local  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Florida, issued the following news release: * * * Congresswoman Wilson and Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick Visit I.C.E. Broward Transitional Center Following Death of Haitian Woman Detainee Following the death of a Marie Ange Blaise, a 44-year old Haitian Woman Detainee at the Broward Transitional Center on April 25, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (FL-24) and Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20) visited the U.S. Immigration and Custo  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The U.S. Department of Defense issued the following news: * * * DOD Announces Winners of the 2024 DOD Fire and Emergency Services Awards The Department of Defense Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) supports the Department in safeguarding and advancing vital national interests and assures military readiness and resilience. The F&ES community, comprising both military and civilian firefighters, provides a critical pillar of support to military installations and defense comm  more

WASHINGTON, May 3 (TNSFR) -- The Federal Reserve System has released a notice regarding two significant applications for bank holding company mergers, one based in Oklahoma and the other in Texas, involving the acquisition of banks in Florida and Washington. These applications, submitted under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 and related regulations, seek approval for ownership and control transfers of established regional banks through holding company structures. Regent Capital Corporation  more

TALLAHASSEE, Florida, May 2 -- Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Florida, issued the following news release: * * * Governor Ron DeSantis Appoints Twelve to the Florida Rehabilitation Council TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Derek Arnold, Margaret "Peggy" Aune, Bonnie Barlow, Diane Cholcher, Farides Garcia, Richard Ippolito, Chris Leto, Paul Micklow, Nicole Reed, Kelly Rogers, Meredith Stanfield, and Alisa Stock to the Florida Rehabilitation Council. Derek Ar  more

TALLAHASSEE, Florida, May 2 -- Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Florida, issued the following news release: * * * Governor Ron DeSantis Signs One Bill TALLAHASSEE, Fla.-- Today, Governor Ron DeSantis signed the following bill: CS/HB 1205 - Amendments to the State Constitution To view the transmittal letter, click here. *** Original text here: https://www.flgov.com/eog/news/press/2025/governor-ron-desantis-signs-one-bill  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued the following news release: * * * HSI Tampa, CBP partnership combats threats at Florida's ports, strengthens international trade U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations has entered into a formal agreement with U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Office of Trade Regulatory Audit to establish a full-time presence with HSI Tampa investigators to identify  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, issued the following news release: * * * IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... Sen. Rick Scott's Regulation Decimation Act Attracts Growing Support WASHINGTON, D.C. - In case you missed it, Senator Rick Scott's Regulation Decimation Act sees growing support as it was recently highlighted in a Washington Examiner op-ed by American Enterprise Institute's Kevin R. Kosar. Senator Scott's bill requires federal agencies to repeal ten existing regulations before i  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis, R-Florida, issued the following news release: * * * James and Bilirakis Spearhead Bill to Empower Parents to Better Protect Children WASHINGTON, D.C. - This week, Representative John James (MI-10) introduced the App Store Accountability Act, a landmark bill designed to increase safeguards within app stores to empower parents and protect children. Congressman Gus Bilirakis, who is Chairman of the Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee, which   more

WASHINGTON, May 1 -- The Naval Sea Systems Command issued the following news: * * * NUWC Division Newport engineer mentors university students on underwater vehicle projects NEWPORT, R.I. - Two university senior design teams, and their Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport mentor, presented their unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) Capstone projects to Division Newport staff on April 9. The students from Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island, were tasked with co  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Sen. Ashley Brooke Moody, R-Florida, issued the following news release on May 1, 2025: * * * Out of the Gate, Moody Emerges as Champion to Eliminate Costly Rules of Biden-Era "Green New Scam" WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Today, Senator Ashley Moody's Congressional Review Act to roll back the Biden-Harris administration's Green New Scam initiative--applying costly performance standards to commercial freezers and refrigerators--passed the U.S. Senate. This irresponsible and illogical  more

WASHINGTON, May 3 -- Rep. Ken Calvert, R-California, issued the following news release: * * * Rep. Calvert Cosponsors Bipartisan Canadian Snowbird Visa Act Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-41) joined together with Rep. Laural Lee (R-FL-15), Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ-4), and other House members to cosponsor the Canadian Snowbird Visa Act, H.R. 3070, a bipartisan bill to extend the duration Canadian citizens who own or lease a residence in the United States may stay--from 182 days to 240 days annually  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued the following news release: * * * Secretary Rollins Announces New State Directors for the Farm Service Agency and Rural Development (Washington, D.C., May 2, 2025) - U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins today announced the latest slate of presidential appointments for key Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Rural Development (RD) State Director roles. "When America's farming communities prosper, the entire nation thrives. This  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following opening statement on April 30, 2025, at a nominations hearing for Drug Enforcement Administration administrator and U.S. Marshals director: * * * I'd like to welcome everyone to this hearing to consider the nominations of Terrance Cole, to serve as the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Gadyaces Serralta, to serve as the Director of the United States Ma  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The U.S. Senate conducted six committee hearing on May 1, 2025: * * * NOMINATIONS Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the nominations of Matthew Lohmeier, of Arizona, to be Under Secretary of the Air Force, Justin Overbaugh, of Florida, to be a Deputy Under Secretary, and Daniel Zimmerman, of North Carolina, to be an Assistant Secretary, who was introduced by Senator Hagerty, all of the Department of Defense, after the nominees testified   more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Sen. Ashley Brooke Moody, R-Florida, issued the following news release on May 1, 2025: * * * Senator Ashley Moody Introduces the Secure U.S. Leadership in Space Act to Bolster Florida's Public-Private Aerospace Partnerships, Strengthen Spaceports WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Ashley Moody introduced the Secure U.S. Leadership in Space Act, to ensure the United States remains competitive and at the forefront of space innovation and exploration. The legislation seeks to  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The U.S. Department of Defense issued the following news: * * * U.S. Navy Proves Sea-Based Hypersonic Launch Approach The U.S. Navy's Strategic Systems Programs is continuing on the path toward the nation's first sea-based hypersonic fielding with a successful end-to-end flight test of a conventional hypersonic missile from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. This test marked the first launch of the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) capability utilizing the Na  more

WASHINGTON, May 3 -- The U.S. Navy issued the following news story: * * * U.S. Navy Proves Sea-Based Hypersonic Launch Approach The U.S. Navy's Strategic Systems Programs is continuing on the path toward the nation's first sea-based hypersonic fielding with a successful end-to-end flight test of a conventional hypersonic missile from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. This test marked the first launch of the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) capability utilizing the Navy's cold-g  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- The U.S. Department of Education issued the following news release: * * * U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon Visits SLAM Charter School in Miami U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon visited Sports Leadership Arts Management (SLAM), a charter school in Miami, Florida. Secretary McMahon joined Congressman Burgess Owens on Sirius XM's "The David Webb Show" in front of a live audience of parents and families impacted by school choice. Following the studio event,  more