2022 Legislative Session – Week 2 Representative Bob Rommel
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The Mello Minute
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RPOF Newsletter – From the desk of Joe Gruters
Chairman’s MessageBiden again fleeces Floridians in favor of blue statesThe Biden administration announced Florida would get significantly less money than other states for bridge repairs! Governor Ron DeSantis highlighted this week how Florida is receiving less than $245 million for bridge repairs out of the almost $27 billion for bridges nationally through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The formula used to calculate the amount given to states penalizes Florida for doing its job and successfully maintaining the infrastructure that Floridians require to live and work every day. But even then, Florida’s small amount still does not add up. “The Biden Administration continues to punish states that are succeeding,” Governor DeSantis said. “Despite obstacles created by the Biden Administration, the State of Florida continues to thrive and foster an environment that draws new residents and tourists every single day. By doing so, Florida has continued to grow, and our infrastructure must be able to keep up the pace. The Biden Administration though is short-changing Florida yet again.” The federal government claims the funding is based on the number of bridges in disrepair. But states with a similar or fewer number of bridges in disrepair are frequently receiving more than twice as much funding as Florida. Florida has more than 12,500 bridges statewide, and the Bridge Formula Program has identified 408 bridges that are in poor condition and provided $245 million for those. Under the same formula, Washington State has 416 bridges identified as in poor condition, similar to Florida’s 408, but Washington State is set to receive $605.1 million from the federal government. Connecticut has 248 bridges identified as in poor condition and is set to receive $561.4 million in funding, over twice as much as Florida is receiving with 160 fewer bridges to repair. Biden’s home state of Delaware will receive $225 million, just $20 million less than Florida, but has only 19 bridges to repair according to the formula. This is just another attempt to harm Floridians because our leaders have rightly criticized the Biden Administration’s reckless policies, and Florida stands out as a leader in job creation and economic growth while the nation, as a whole, suffers under Democrat mismanagement. Americans see it all. Destructive Democrat policies have created a wave of new Florida arrivals. Between July 2020 and July 2021, Florida added 220,890 new residents from other states, the largest net gain in the country. People are fleeing other states for the free and growing state of Florida, and all of them will need access to quality infrastructure that was not available in the states they left. Florida $20 million to Panama City to fully restore water systems Speaking of infrastructure, Governor DeSantis has announced more than $20 million has been awarded to Panama City to make repairs and replace 2.4 miles of water lines, 2.4 miles of stormwater lines and 3 miles of sewer lines that were damaged by Hurricane Michael. These improvements will fully restore water quality, functioning stormwater drainage and dependable sewer for the area. “Since the beginning of my administration, we have remained committed to helping Northwest Florida recover from Hurricane Michael, and today I am proud to award another $20 million to help Panama City’s recovery,” Governor DeSantis said. “This project will make a real difference by restoring water, sewer and stormwater infrastructure in the city.”
New substance abuse prevention curriculum for schools First Lady Casey DeSantis announced the launch of a free substance abuse prevention curriculum for Florida schools. The School Assemblies Toolkit, part of Florida’s “The Facts. Your Future” campaign, directly engages youth in Florida to improve their understanding of the destructive effects of drug abuse and helps teens to reach their full potential. “With the heartbreaking overdose death statistics, we’re witnessing across the country, and as a mom of three, I want Florida’s youth to know they have the power to resist and overcome drug use and abuse,” said First Lady DeSantis. “Our ‘The Facts. Your Future’ initiative is reinventing the way substance abuse prevention is taught in our schools.
Defense spending in Florida has nearly $100 billion impact Governor DeSantis announced Thursday that Florida’s military and defense industry supported more than 860,000 jobs in 2020 and Florida experienced a 12 percent increase in direct defense spending from $44 billion in 2018 to $49.3 billion in 2020. According to the recently published 2022 Florida Defense Industry Economic Impact Analysis by the Florida Defense Support Task Force (FDSTF), defense spending in 2020 generated more than $96.6 billion in value-added economic impacts, or 8.5 percent of the entire Florida economy. “My administration has worked hard to make Florida the most military friendly state in the country,” Governor DeSantis said. “Creating a military friendly environment has not only benefited veterans and current military personnel, but also our economy by creating civilian opportunities in a thriving defense industry.” Florida Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez Lt. Gov. Nuñez on Fox News: Hispanics ‘flocking’ to Republican Party for freedom, opportunities During an interview on Fox & Friends Weekend, Lt. Gov. Nuñez slammed President Biden’s disastrous policies that are leading more Hispanics to join the Republican Party, according to recent polls. “When you look at these numbers, it should not be a shock to anyone. We have seen the disastrous policies across the board from Biden since he took office. You have seen that Hispanic voters are flocking to the Republican Party,” Lt. Gov. Nuñez said. “We are the party that will provide them freedom, that will provide them opportunities for their families. And when you see children that are being indoctrinated in the schools and that Biden and his cronies are calling their parents domestic terrorists, those are things that really have an impact on the voters. And that’s why I strongly believe that the midterm election and beyond is going to be an incredible turn of events for the president and for the party.” Read and watch more: https://www.foxnews.com/media/fl-lt-gov-nunez-hispanics-flocking-to-republican-party-for-freedom-opportunities Senator Marco Rubio Senator Rubio smacks down Chuck Schumer on filibuster Senator Marco Rubio smacked down Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on the Megyn Kelly Show for playing to his New York base over the filibuster in hopes of not being primaried by someone like AOC. “I think a lot of Democrats, particularly Chuck Schumer in a state like New York, see that over the last few years you’ve had longtime incumbents taken out by people from the far left, and they’re concerned about it,” Senator Rubio said. ”Maybe he thinks he’s still going to win but doesn’t want to go through that process.” Rubio told Kelly that Schumer is looking only at his own political fortunes and not what is good for the country or even considering the constituents that other senators must answer to at election time. Read more: https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/rubio-schumer-politics-senate/2022/01/14/id/1052528/ Watch the interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTn0oXGrmS4 ICYMI Another Historic Win For The Florida GOP This week, the Florida GOP notched another historic win by doubling the number of newly active registered voters in one month. According to the latest Florida Department of State, Division of Elections data, Florida Republicans have an advantage of 45,153 active registered voters who are showing their preference for conservative Republican principles. Under the leadership of Governor Ron DeSantis and state and local leaders, Florida will remain a free and open state and continue to attract Republicans. The total number of current, active registered voters is: REP: 5,122,213 DEM: 5,077,060 NMP: 4,081,300 Tweets https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1483883471529549825
https://twitter.com/marcorubio/status/1483855332430565387
https://twitter.com/FloridaGOP/status/1483887080845586436
https://twitter.com/AGAshleyMoody/status/1483901993378844672
https://twitter.com/JimmyPatronis/status/1482759903085268992
https://twitter.com/RonDeSantisFL/status/1481681260288389120
https://twitter.com/TeamMarco/status/1482083346314235904?s=20 REMEMBER: @FloridaGOP and retweet and share. The Republican message must be spread around the state, and you are integral to making that happen.
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| PAID FOR BY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF FLORIDA. NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATE’S COMMITTEE. WWW.FLORIDA.GOP |
“Freedom Works” – From the desk of Joe Gruters
Chairman’s Message
“Freedom Works”
“We have made Florida the freest state in these United States.”
Governor DeSantis delivered a rousing State of the State speech Tuesday to launch the 2022 Legislative session in Tallahassee, noting Florida’s stand-out successes this past year and reaffirming his priorities for year ahead.
Here’s a summary look at the Governor’s address.
Freedom
Governor DeSantis fully embraces President Reagan’s adage that “Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction,” and has made Florida a beacon of freedom in the nation. He said:
“While so many around the country have consigned the people’s rights to the graveyard, Florida has stood as freedom’s vanguard.
In Florida, we have protected the right of our citizens to earn a living, provided our businesses with the ability to prosper, fought back against unconstitutional federal mandates and ensured our kids have the opportunity to thrive.”
Fiscal Responsibility
At a time when the federal government has been spending money we don’t have at obscene levels, burdening our children with crushing debt for no discernable reason, Governor DeSantis is proposing a $99.7 billion budget that loads fully $15 billion into reserves while still increasing funding in key areas such as education, the environment and law enforcement.
“Florida’s revenues have exceeded estimates by billions of dollars over the past year. December’s revenues came in at more than $500 million over the latest monthly estimate.
And this is all being done with no income tax and the lowest per capita tax burden in America.”
A Powerful Economy
A strong economy impacts everyone’s quality of life and Florida is the envy of the nation in this regard. Much of this success is owed to Governor DeSantis’ strength and courage in maintaining Floridians’ freedoms in the face of authoritarian dictates. Everyone has benefitted.
“Job creation in Florida is far exceeding the national average. And our labor force has increased six times faster than the nation’s.
Florida also leads the nation in business formations, which have increased by 61% since I took office in 2019. In 2021, Florida saw 114,000 more new businesses than second place California — even though California has a population that is 40% larger.”
Putting Kids First
While other states shamelessly locked kids out of school and then masked them up if they ever let them return, all in a moral perversion to protect adults, Florida put children first and kept schools open and children breathing. Florida teachers met the challenge of the times and it shows in our students’ scores. And educators have been acknowledged with increased minimum salaries and bonuses, while the state also enacted the needed Parents Bill of Rights to ensure parents can make the best decisions for their children.
“Education represents a major pillar of Florida’s future. I’m happy to note that Florida is again ranked number three for K-12 achievement in the latest Education Week Quality Counts rankings. We have worked hard to keep schools open, increase teacher compensation, promote workforce education and protect the rights of parents.
In pockets across America, schools are closing once again. These closures are enormously destructive and will not be tolerated in the state of Florida. Florida has led the way in putting our kids first.”
Environmental Protection
Florida’s quality of life and economic security are inextricably linked to the good stewardship of our natural resources. Governor DeSantis has been a bold leader in this area, winning accolades from many environmental organizations.
“We Floridians are heirs to a unique environment that makes our state the envy of the nation for fishing, boating and other outdoor activities. Three years ago, we promised bold action to safeguard Florida’s natural resources, improve water quality and restore the Everglades. With the support of the Legislature, especially Speaker Chris Sprowls and President Wilton Simpson, we have secured historic funding to support these efforts.
Since January 2019, 42 Everglades restoration projects have broken ground, hit a major milestone or finished construction, record funding has gone to conduct research and secure technologies to mitigate blue-green algae and red tide, and the state now has dedicated streams of revenue to promote coastal resiliency and water quality improvements.”
Honor Law Enforcement and Protect Communities
While baffling and dangerous notions of defunding police, eliminating bail and freeing violent criminals early have taken tragic hold in some parts of the nation, Governor DeSantis has made it clear those won’t happen in Florida.
“These soft-on-crime policies have been tried in communities throughout the country to disastrous results: crime has skyrocketed, morale for police officers has plummeted and quality of life has been destroyed.
We have stood by the men and women of law enforcement. Not only do we reject defunding law enforcement — we enacted $1,000 bonuses for all police, fire and EMTs in Florida. I’m asking the Legislature to re-up these bonuses for another year. They deserve it.”
Election Integrity
Perhaps nothing is more essential to our republic than trustworthy, transparent elections. Florida already has some of the best election laws in the nation in protecting the sanctity of the vote, making it easy to vote and hard to cheat. But there is still more to be done to ensure that cheating is all but impossible.
“Ballot harvesting has no place in Florida and we need to increase the penalties for those who do it. We also need to ensure that supervisors clean the voter rolls, that only citizens are registered to vote and that mail ballots only go to those who actually request them before each individual election.
To ensure that elections are conducted in accordance with the rule of law, I have proposed an election integrity unit whose sole focus will be the enforcement of Florida’s election laws. This will facilitate the faithful enforcement of election laws and will provide Floridians with the confidence that their vote will count.”
Read the entire speech here: https://www.flgov.com/2022/01/11/governor-ron-desantis-state-of-the-state-address-3/
Florida
Governor DeSantis announced nearly $17 million to the City of Bonita Springs in Lee County through the Rebuild Florida Mitigation General Infrastructure Program.
The flood mitigation money will pay for critical improvements to 2.5 miles of stormwater infrastructure through the heart of the city, and will repair damage caused by Hurricane Irma.
“Today we are excited to be able to make an impact in Bonita Springs,” Governor DeSantis said. “This award will help the city make key stormwater system improvements and is one of the many projects we have awarded utilizing long-term recovery funds to make meaningful infrastructure improvements. We are going to continue to support infrastructure that builds our resiliency.”
Governor DeSantis has secured an additional 15,000 doses of Regeneron for the people of Florida, which will be immediately utilized to support new monoclonal antibody sites. Unfortunately, this action was necessary because the Biden Administration federalized distribution of the lifesaving monoclonal antibody treatments based on political calculations.
Actually, Democrats have continuously politicized Covid. The Department of Emergency Management had covid testing kits that went unused when the covid pandemic subsided, and has received three extensions on their expiration date. In the deceitful world of Nikki Fried, these were being “hidden.” But Florida was just waiting for the Biden administration, and as the nation well knows, they are slow in responding to every need.
So last week, Governor DeSantis highlighted the importance of these lifesaving therapeutics and called on the Biden Administration to release its stranglehold on the supply of monoclonals and increase Florida’s supply by at least 30,000 doses per week. In response to this pressure, the federal government will be sending 30,000 more monoclonal antibody doses to Florida.
Additionally, the Florida Division of Emergency Management sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offering logistical support to receive the additional doses as quickly as possible, including picking them up and driving them to Florida.
“But for the federal government’s decision to restrict supply of monoclonal antibody treatments to Florida, my administration would have already opened additional monoclonal antibody treatment sites throughout the state,” Governor DeSantis said.
Attorney General Ashley Moody
In 2020, Americans lost more than $520 million through robocall scams. Attorney General Ashley Moody is taking action by pressuring the Federal Communications Commission to put measures in place to stem the tide of foreign-based illegal robocalls attempting to scam Americans.
Attorney General Moody, as part of a bipartisan group of attorneys general, sent a letter to insist the FCC require companies that allow foreign calls into the United States to take steps to reduce or block robocalls entering the U.S. telephone network. These necessary steps include implementing STIR/SHAKEN, a caller ID authentication technology that helps prevent spoofed calls.
“Scammers often use robocalls in an effort to quickly engage millions of targets across the country,” Attorney General Moody said. “Robocalls using spoofed numbers are difficult to track and even harder to stop — especially when they originate from overseas. That is why I am calling on the FCC to work with telecommunications companies to put up barriers to reduce the number of foreign robocalls bombarding Americans’ telephones.”
Read more:http://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrel.nsf/newsreleases/6C239762654091F6852587C600691DB5
Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis
Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis is highlighting his Born Free legislative priorities for the 2022 legislations session. The CFO’s top priorities include $10 million in funding for Florida’s Urban Search & Rescue Task Forces, providing tax relief so Floridians can protect their homes and lower their insurance premiums, and continuing efforts to protect consumers.
“Florida’s strength is based on a love of freedom. We’ve got over 800 people a day flocking to our state because we have worked hard in Tallahassee to protect freedoms; not squash them,” CFO Patronis said. “We’ve got blue lock-down states working hard to crush their economies, undermine law enforcement and fire firefighters over not taking the jab, while allowing big corporate businesses – with zero loyalty to our country – to treat Americans with complete indifference. We’ve also got an Administration on the federal level unlawfully using rules to try and turn the Sunshine State into a California or New York. We’re not having ANY of it.”
Read more: https://www.myfloridacfo.com/sitePages/newsroom/pressRelease.aspx?id=6066
Read the priorities here: https://www.myfloridacfo.com/documents/Born-Free-Legislative-Priorities.pdf
Tweets
https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1481075960342622212
https://twitter.com/marcorubio/status/1481343635883020290
https://twitter.com/AGAshleyMoody/status/1481299587084296199
https://twitter.com/JimmyPatronis/status/1480952608802185225
https://twitter.com/FloridaGOP/status/1481356021985591297
https://twitter.com/teamrondesantis/status/1481011785629057024?s=20
https://twitter.com/TeamMarco/status/1481357312363220995
REMEMBER: @FloridaGOP and retweet and share. The Republican message must be spread around the state, and you are integral to making that happen.
PAID FOR BY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF FLORIDA. NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATE’S COMMITTEE.WWW.FLORIDA.GOP
The Melo Minute
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RMCCC Member John Dugan Endorsed by Naples Better Government Committee
Our fellow Republican Men’s Club of Collier County member is endorsed by Naples Better Government Committee.
See News Release Below:
As part of its mission to promote better government in the City of Naples, Collier County and the State of Florida, Naples Better Government (NBG) meets individually with each candidate to discuss their qualifications and platform statement requested and provided prior the interview and endorsement.
Three of the five candidates running for a seat on City Council were interviewed on Thursday, January 6–incumbent Raymond Christman, John Dugan and Ian Robert Rudnick. It is important to note that two candidates, current Councilman and Vice Mayor Terry Hutchinson and Beth Petrunoff, did not participate in the interviews. Hutchinson withdrew from the interviews about two weeks prior indicating an inability to attend. Responding late to the invitation, Petrunoff indicated a fundraiser conflict making it difficult for her to attend unless a time adjustment was made.
Christman, Dugan and Rudnick impressed the Directors with their grasp of the issues facing the City and willingness to do whatever they could to get the City running efficiently under the leadership of a new City Manager. According to NBG Bylaws, candidates are to be interviewed and a ballot containing the names of all candidates in that race issued to each Director. A voting Director can vote for one or more or for no candidate, with an endorsement requiring a 60 percent majority vote by a quorum of the Directors.
Naples Better Government is pleased to endorse Raymond Christman, John Dugan and Ian Robert Rudnick, all of whom received 60 percent or more of the vote
2021 Wrap Up: Congressman Donalds Remains Committed to Southwest Florida
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RPOF Newsletter – From the desk of Chairman Joe Gruters
| Governor DeSantis forces Biden reversal on treatments
: RPOF NewsletterAfter initially reducing Florida’s monoclonal antibody treatments again, the Biden Administration has changed direction under pressure from Governor DeSantis. The state of Florida has been notified that the feds are preparing to send an additional 30,000 monoclonal antibody doses to Florida. This decision came the day after Governor DeSantis demanded the Biden Administration release its stranglehold on monoclonals and provide the state with the additional doses to support new monoclonal antibody sites, and expand treatment capacity at existing sites. “The Legislature and I worked together to allocate more than $800 million for the rapid deployment of monoclonal antibody treatments throughout the state,” Governor DeSantis said. “After pressure from Florida, the federal government has begun planning to send 30,000 additional doses to our state, so we can stand up new sites and expand capacity at existing sites. We expect the Biden Administration to follow through so Floridians will have access to these life-saving treatments.” New monoclonal antibody sites are being stood up in Duval, Collier, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Seminole counties, adding to the existing sites. The federal government never should have taken over the supply. Florida and other states who had prioritized monoclonal treatments to great success were obtaining all the supplies needed until the Biden administration stepped in and took control of the supplies to spread them out to, it turns out, blue states at the expense of red states. “Prior to the federal government takeover of the monoclonal market, Florida successfully distributed approximately 30,000 doses per week when we managed our own supply,” Governor DeSantis said. “The state has more than $800 million available to quickly deploy monoclonal antibody treatments throughout the state, and the only thing holding us back is the insufficient supply of treatment from the federal government.” So when the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that Florida’s allocation for this week is nearly 2,000 doses less than its allocation last week, and nearly 10,000 doses less than New York — a state with a smaller population — Governor DeSantis and his team leaped into action and got results. Florida Investing in Florida’s high-tech manufacturing abilities Governor DeSantis announced nearly $10 million for Osceola County and Valencia College to support semiconductor and other advanced technology manufacturing in Osceola County. “Expanding domestic manufacturing capability is important for Florida and our nation,” Governor DeSantis said. “The strategic investments we are making today will help bring microchip and semiconductor manufacturing back to our state at a time when the supply chains are more fragile than ever. Certainly, we cannot allow this important industry to become captive to the Chinese Communist Party.” The money includes $6 million to help develop infrastructure connecting the county’s emerging NeoCity technology district with the county’s workforce, plus $3.7 million to Valencia College to develop a new program that will train students to utilize robotics technology for semiconductor manufacturing. These two grants will combine to create manufacturing jobs while developing a talent pipeline that supports industry growth. NeoCity is an effort in Osceola County to develop a location for semiconductor research, development, and manufacturing through partnerships within the emerging high-tech industry. Attorney General Ashley Moody Ashley Moody targets smash and grab crimes Attorney General Ashley Moody is working with state legislators to proactively crack down on organized retail theft in Florida, also known as “smash-and-grabs,” before the national trend can take hold here. Attorney General Moody held a news conference with lawmakers in Hialeah to announce legislative efforts to help law enforcement and prosecutors dismantle retail theft crime rings. Organized retail theft is on the rise nationwide, and the Attorney General is dedicated to ensuring that Florida remains ahead of the trend to prevent retail crime waves. “We’ve seen the damage and disorder caused by brazen criminals across the country through terrifying smash-and-grab robberies, and we must continue to innovate to stay ahead of this national crime trend,” Attorney General Moody said. “Last month, I launched FORCE to bolster our efforts to stop and prevent organized retail crime in Florida and this legislative session, I will partner with state legislators to make sure our laws are effective in helping law enforcement and prosecutors stop retail theft gangs from targeting our stores.” Read more here:http://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrel.nsf/newsreleases/EA0AC36E5B9C0ACB852587C0006B8CE4
ICYMI Democrat activist fails to stop Governor DeSantis Democrat activist Ben Frazier, a professional trouble-maker with a long rap sheet, trespassed on private property and attempted to disrupt Governor DeSantis’ press conference related to the distribution of life-saving COVID treatments for Duval County. The Democrat activist was politely asked to leave and refused multiple times, upon which he was escorted out by law enforcement. This is not the first time Frazier has run afoul of the law. He does not have a history of respecting law and order, much less standard protocol for a press conference. After his removal, Governor DeSantis held the press conference to address the pressing issues related to life-saving treatments against COVID. The Governor is successfully fighting to increase the supply of COVID treatments that the Biden Administration is dangerously denying Florida residents. Democrats must not stand in the way of people getting the COVID treatments and information they need and deserve. Biden’s approach has failed. He attempted to deliver fewer life-saving treatments to Florida residents this week than last week while giving more to New York and its smaller population. For Biden to pick and choose serving states based on political preference is wrong. Fortunately, Governor DeSantis prevailed as was able to induce the feds to increase Florida’s supply by 30,000 doses. Tweets https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1478716663134572546 https://twitter.com/marcorubio/status/1478398700695269377?s=20 https://twitter.com/FloridaGOP/status/1478483471928545282 https://twitter.com/AGAshleyMoody/status/1478121228066082824 https://twitter.com/JimmyPatronis/status/1478753833857728524 https://twitter.com/teamrondesantis/status/1478053390987010056?s=20 https://twitter.com/TeamMarco/status/1478395122735894541?s=20 REMEMBER: @FloridaGOP and retweet and share. The Republican message must be spread around the state, and you are integral to making that happen.
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| PAID FOR BY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF FLORIDA. NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATE’S COMMITTEE. WWW.FLORIDA.GOP |
ICYMI: Sen. Rick Scott Highlights Wins of 2021 and Priorities for 2022
| Senator Rick Scott highlighted several legislative wins of the 117th Congress from 2021 and major priorities he will continue to fight for in 2022, including initiatives to make Washington work for American families, protect the United States’ national security from the threats of Communist China and other enemies and fight for freedom and democracy in Latin America and around the world.
Senator Rick Scott said, “Three years ago, I began my term in the U.S. Senate determined to make Washington work better for Florida families and protect the American dream. We’ve rattled Washington and secured some big wins, but there is still work to do to reform the tired, dysfunctional ways of Congress and the federal government. “As we begin 2022, I can promise this: I’ll be fighting like hell against Biden and Democrats’ systemic socialism and far-left policies that are destroying our financial security with massive debt, increasing government dependency and killing the American dream. We need to get back to the fundamentals: protecting our national security, building a strong, market-driven economy, ensuring Florida receives the fair treatment, federal support and resources it needs, and standing up for human rights, freedom and democracy around the globe. I’m looking forward to another great year doing a job I love: fighting for Florida families in the United States Senate.” Read more about issues Senator Rick Scott continues to fight for HERE or below. |
Priorities that Matter Most to Floridians
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Making Washington Work
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Securing the United States’ Southern Border
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Ensuring Free and Fair Elections
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Standing With Israel
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Holding Biden Accountable for the Failed and Deadly Afghanistan Withdrawal
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Fighting for Freedom and Democracy in Latin America
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Holding Communist China accountable
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Several of Senator Scott’s bills passed the U.S. Senate, including:
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Several of Senator Scott’s measures that became law:
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RPOF Newsletter – Chairman’s message
Chairman’s Message
Stopping Woke Indoctrination in Florida
Governor DeSantis announced the Stop the Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees (W.O.K.E.) Act, a legislative proposal that will give businesses, employees, children and families tools to fight back against woke indoctrination.
The Stop W.O.K.E. Act will be the strongest legislation of its kind in the nation and will take on both corporate wokeness and Critical Race Theory. Today’s proposal builds on actions Governor DeSantis has already taken to ban Critical Race Theory and the New York Times’ 1619 project in Florida’s schools.
“In Florida we are taking a stand against the state-sanctioned racism that is critical race theory,” Governor DeSantis said. “We won’t allow Florida tax dollars to be spent teaching kids to hate our country or to hate each other. We also have a responsibility to ensure that parents have the means to vindicate their rights when it comes to enforcing state standards. Finally, we must protect Florida workers against the hostile work environment that is created when large corporations force their employees to endure CRT-inspired ‘training’ and indoctrination.”
Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez has a particular disdain for the woke culture and the need to fight it. “As the daughter of Cuban exiles who fled from Marxist ideology, I am proud to stand alongside Governor DeSantis and support this proposed legislation that will put an end to the wokeness that is permeating our schools and workforce,” she said.
Chris Rufo, Senior Fellow and Director of the Initiative on Critical Race Theory at the Manhattan Institute, is perhaps more responsible than any other single person for unmasking the pervasiveness of the woke poison in schools and corporations. And he strongly supports what Governor DeSantis is doing as a model for other states.
“In the last year they have accelerated critical race theory in K-12 public schools and they have done something that no government should do, step between parent and child,” Rufo said. “Governor Ron DeSantis is not only protecting all of the employees and students in the state of Florida. He is providing a model for every state in the United States of America. Critical Race Theory is wrong; it offers nothing to improve the lives of anyone of any racial background.”
Florida
Protecting Floridians from illegal aliens being shipped to Florida
Governor DeSantis continues efforts to stop the flow of illegal aliens being brought into Florida, and to protect Floridians from the ongoing border crisis created by President Biden.
The Governor announced proposals for the upcoming legislative session that will hold accountable private entities that knowingly or recklessly assist the Biden Administration in resettling illegal immigrants into Florida. The legislation would also strengthen E-verify enforcement and codify and build upon the steps he has taken to protect the state of Florida through executive orders. Additionally, Governor DeSantis announced that the Department of Children and Families (DCF) published an emergency rule to prohibit the issuance or renewal of any license to house unaccompanied alien minors who seek to be resettled in Florida unless there is a cooperative agreement between the state and federal government.
“We have a responsibility to stand up for the rule of law, we have a responsibility to the Constitution, and we have a responsibility to stand up against an administration that has decided they don’t want to have a secure border,” Governor DeSantis said. “These are a robust series of proposals and I believe we are going to get a lot of support from the legislature. The laws of our country require us to enforce the law and that is what needs to be done.”
Congressman John Rutherford of Jacksonville, where the Biden administration has been transporting illegal aliens under cover of night, joined the Governor at the announcement.
“This crisis at the southern border is not the result of a failed policy from the Biden Administration — it is their policy,” Congressman Rutherford said. “The decision to move illegal immigrants into Jacksonville threatens the lives of folks here in Northeast Florida. Enough is enough. I’m thankful that Governor DeSantis is putting the safety of Floridians first and is fighting back against the Biden open border agenda.”
Law enforcement also stands with the Governor.
“I am grateful that the Governor has not wavered in his efforts to keep Florida safe and in his support for those men and women on the front lines working hard at it every day,” said Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams.
Governor DeSantis sends help to tornado-ravaged Kentucky
Governor DeSantis has offered Florida’s support in response to the deadly tornadoes that struck nine states over the weekend — and hard-hit Kentucky took him up on the offer.
Over the weekend, the Florida Department of Emergency Management coordinated with the emergency management offices of the nine affected states to identify resource gaps and offer support as needed. The State of Florida has resources and experience dealing with weather disasters, including emergency management personnel, Urban Search and Rescue Teams, ambulance strike teams and recovery disaster specialists. The State of Florida also proactively offered assistance for any mutual aid requests.
“The devastation left in the wake of the tornado outbreak over the weekend is an unthinkable tragedy, and Casey and I are keeping the victims and all impacted individuals in our prayers as initial recovery efforts begin,” Governor DeSantis said. “The State of Florida has been communicating with our partners in the impacted states since early Saturday morning and we stand ready to provide any assistance needed during this time.”
On Thursday, Florida deployed a nine-person State All-Hazards Incident Management Team from the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) as well as Clay, St. Johns, and Flagler counties to Kentucky to support the tornado outbreak response efforts.
The deployment team consists of an Incident Commander, Public Information Officer, Liaison Officer, Operations Section Chief, Deputy Operations Section Chief, Plans Section Chief, Logistics Section Chief, and two State of Florida Liaisons. The team will be embedded in the Kentucky State Emergency Operations Center and provide operational support to the Kentucky Emergency Management division. The team is anticipating a 14-day deployment.
Read more here: https://www.flgov.com/2021/12/14/governor-ron-desantis-offers-support-to-states-affected-by-tornado-outbreak/
Workforce education gets another boost
Governor DeSantis announced nearly $11 million in funding for the 2021 Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant and Apprenticeship State Expansion Grant recipients. This funding is part of Governor DeSantis’ efforts to make Florida the best state in the nation for workforce education by 2030.
Including these most recent grants, more than $30 million has been invested since 2019 to expand registered apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs. This creates opportunities for individuals to earn the high-value skills and nationally recognized credentials necessary for high-earning careers, and support our growing industries and globally competitive economy.
“By investing in career training and apprenticeship programs, Florida is expanding opportunities in a way that will strengthen key sectors of the economy,” Governor DeSantis said. “Through this program, we are offering alternatives to the traditional, and expensive, brick and ivy education experience and helping Floridians obtain good jobs without going into debt.”
Read more here: https://www.flgov.com/2021/12/14/governor-ron-desantis-awards-11-million-to-further-career-and-apprenticeship-opportunities/
Senator Marco Rubio
Demings admits she doesn’t have a message for Florida
Even Val Demings knows she doesn’t have a message for Floridians. Apparently she’s waiting on D.C to tell her what it should be. At a virtual event with the National Organization for Women last week, Demings admitted that she’s waiting for Democratic leadership in Washington to tell her what her message should be.
“Well, we have not figured it out yet ’cause we’re taking our time,” Demings said. “We have some of the greatest minds through the [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee] as well as the [Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee] and others around the nation who are working on, ‘What’s that simple message?'”
Watch Demings admit she has not figured out her message:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOvb5ZE5SyA
Attorney General Ashley Moody
AG Ashley Moody was on Fox Business’s Varney and Company discussing Florida’s efforts to fight crime. In Florida, The AG and Republican leadership are working diligently to ensure prevention of mass theft, and to support our law enforcement officers.
Watch her comments here: https://twitter.com/AGAshleyMoody/status/1471214608383987712
ICYMI
Governor DeSantis willing to send illegal aliens to Delaware
National Review reported on the Governor’s plans:
Florida governor Ron DeSantis on Monday called for legislation to block contractors that help fly illegal immigrants to Florida from doing business with the state.
“They’ve done over 70 flights in the last six months, dump people here. And we had—a few weeks ago—one of those people that Biden dumped, ended up committing a murder in northeast Florida,” DeSantis said in an interview on Fox News’s The Ingraham Angle. “Our view is, if they’re going to be dumping, we want to be able to facilitate transfer to places like Delaware, and, so, we have $8 million in my new budget to be able to do that.”
DeSantis said he is seeking to pass legislation to ban contractors who work with the Biden administration on these flights from doing business with the state government.
“We are going to pass legislation that says if you are facilitating Biden’s policies—which is effectively a mass human smuggling operation—you are not going to be able to do business with the state of Florida or other local governments,” DeSantis said.
Read more here: https://www.nationalreview.com/news/desantis-says-florida-will-boycott-contractors-that-help-feds-fly-in-illegal-immigrants/
Watch Governor DeSantis’ interview on Laura Ingraham’s show here:https://www.foxnews.com/media/desantis-biden-effectively-running-human-smuggling-operation-with-secret-flights-into-florida
Tweets
https://twitter.com/RonDeSantisFL/status/1471191217765507074
https://twitter.com/marcorubio/status/1469432717775360002
https://twitter.com/FloridaGOP/status/1470776639248285710
https://twitter.com/AGAshleyMoody/status/1471238534971412491
https://twitter.com/JimmyPatronis/status/1471156561431179271
https://twitter.com/teamrondesantis/status/1471191935138377736
https://twitter.com/teammarco/status/1471153000332906500?s=21
REMEMBER: @FloridaGOP and retweet and share. The Republican message must be spread around the state, and you are integral to making that happen.
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