Commissioner William L. McDaniel, Jr. Announces A Night With Your Commissioner

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January 13, 2021
7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Collier County Commissioner William L. McDaniel, Jr. District 5, invites Collier County residents to attend A Night With Your Commissioner event on Wednesday, January 13, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at UF/IFAS Collier Extension, 14700 Immokalee Road, Naples, Florida. Guests are invited to attend either in-person or remotely. Due to COVID-19 guidelines, a maximum of 50 guests are allowed at this
event on a first-come, first-served basis. Face coverings are mandatory.

To participate remotely, register at https://us02web.zoom.us/s/87077569122?pwd=dDRiMzJ5NktiRjN6UWNuRzhodGJPQT09

Beginning January 13, 2021, and every second Wednesday in 2021, Commissioner Bill McDaniel will host this series of events designed to facilitate open discussion on a variety of relevant topics.

“A Night With Your Commissioner is our way of encouraging District 5 residents who are interested in Collier County Government to participate in open and casual conversations about topics that are important to them,” said Commissioner McDaniel. “I am looking forward to meeting both face-to-face and virtually with folks who may not have had much contact with their government in nearly a year. As a public servant, I intend to stay in close communication with the community to make sure that we are providing the very best level of government services possible.”

Commissioner McDaniel will provide opening remarks and introduce several key members of the County administrative team. Guests are encouraged to submit questions that will be drawn randomly during a question and answer session.

More than one commissioner may be present and participate in Commissioner McDaniel’s District 5 event. The discussion may include items for action at a future Board of County Commissioners meeting.

For more information, call Sue Filson, Executive Aide to Commissioner McDaniel, at (239) 252-8605 or via email at Sue.Filson@colliercountyfl.gov

Diaz-Balart, Soto Reintroduce Venezuela TPS Act

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Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25), Darren Soto (FL-09) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) introduced the bipartisan Venezuela TPS Act of 2021. The legislation designates Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), protecting approximately 200,000 Venezuelan nationals in the United States from deportation.

“I am proud to once more join my colleague, Congressman Darren Soto, to introduce the Venezuela TPS Act in the 117th Congress,” said Congressman Diaz-Balart. “Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans remains a top priority for me, and it continues to be crucial to the thousands of Venezuelan nationals that have sought safety in the United States after fleeing the oppressive, murderous Maduro dictatorship. I will continue working tirelessly with my friend, Congressman Soto, and my other colleagues to advance this important legislation.”

“The whole world has witnessed Maduro’s blatant disregard for human rights, including arbitrary arrests, media censorship, imprisonment of the opposition and the use of lethal force against peaceful protesters,” said Congressman Soto. “Until political stability and food security are restored and economic recovery is underway, designating Venezuela for TPS is the best way to show our support to refugees in Florida and across the country. I thank my colleagues Reps. Diaz-Balart and Wasserman-Schultz for joining this bipartisan effort to assist the thousands of Venezuelans who now call Florida home. It’s time to carry out our nation’s strongly held American values of compassion and democracy!”

The bipartisan Venezuela TPS Act of 2019 passed the House of Representatives on July 25, 2019.

Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Four New Actions to Increase Vaccinations, Reaffirms Commitment to Putting Florida “Seniors First”

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Longwood, Fla. – Today, during a press conference at Orlando Health in Seminole County, Governor Ron DeSantis announced four new actions the state is undertaking as it enters the fourth week of a proactive approach to increase vaccinations, especially for Floridians 65 and older.

Governor DeSantis said, “Florida is putting Seniors First and I’m pleased to announce four new actions that will continue our proactive approach to offering the vaccine to Floridians 65 and older, as well our continued efforts to vaccinate frontline health care workers and long-term care facility residents. Partnerships with Florida hospitals remain critical to our efforts, but this alone is not enough to reach our vaccination goals.

“To that end, I am directing the Florida Division of Emergency Management to partner with the Florida Department of Health to identify additional sites to administer the vaccine and to be open 7 days per week, including the conversion of state-supported testing sites and partnerships with places of worship in underserved communities. I am also directing the Division to hire additional nurses to support these sites and accelerate vaccinations in Florida’s over 3,000 assisted living facilities. We will continue to build on these efforts in the coming weeks.”

The Governor was joined at today’s event by Orlando Health CEO David Strong, State Senator Jason Brodeur and State Representative Scott Plakon, where he also helped kickoff the opening of Orlando Health’s seven new community vaccination sites.

Watch the full press conference by clicking HERE.

 

FOUR NEW ACTIONS TO CONTINUE FLORIDA’S PROACTIVE APPROACH TO VACCINATIONS

1) Expanding access to vaccine with additional state-supported sites. Governor DeSantis has directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management to work with the Florida Department of Health to identify state-run COVID-19 testing sites that can convert into vaccine sites. Additional information regarding the locations of these sites will be available in the coming days.

2) Deploying the vaccine into underserved communities.
Governor DeSantis has directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management to identify places of worship and other locations in underserved communities where the vaccine may be administered. Florida has already begun a pilot program in Escambia County, where over 500 seniors have received their vaccine and have been scheduled for their booster shot, which they will receive at the same location.

3) Reinforcing vaccination efforts with additional staff.
Governor DeSantis has directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management to immediately hire 1,000 contract nurses to support vaccination efforts. These nurses will be deployed throughout the entire state to help run vaccination sites, including public sites run by the state or counties and private sites such as South Seminole Hospital. These nurses will supplement the many personnel already in the field, including 800 Florida National Guardsmen, who have been supporting the state’s response since the beginning of the pandemic.

4) Continuing to prioritize long-term care facility residents.
There is no time to waste to vaccinate Florida’s most vulnerable residents. Governor DeSantis is directing the Florida Division of Emergency Management to assume additional responsibilities regarding the administration of vaccines in Florida’s over 3,000 assisted living facilities, supplementing and accelerating the efforts being undertaken by CVS and Walgreens, pursuant to their agreement with the federal government.

STATE OF FLORIDA VACCINE ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO-DATE

The opening of hospital vaccination sites along with these four new actions are a timely complement to our first three weeks of vaccinations, which included the following accomplishments:

Florida was the first state in the nation to:

  • Begin offering vaccines to staff and residents of our over 4,000 long-term care facilities.
  • Begin offering vaccines to EMTs and paramedics; and
  • Mobilize our county health departments and county emergency managers to actively vaccinate seniors in the community.

Week One

  • Five pilot hospitals received an allocation of the Pfizer vaccine for frontline health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities. At the Governor’s direction, they shared with neighboring hospitals.
  • The Governor directed the Florida Department of Health, Florida Division of Emergency Management and Florida National Guard to mobilize EMS strike teams to immediately begin offering vaccines to staff and residents of long-term care facilities to supplement Operation Warp Speed partner efforts a week ahead of schedule.
  • Florida offered vaccines to all staff and residents at over 100 facilities in Pinellas and Broward Counties in just 6 days.

Week Two

  • Florida received the first shipment of the Moderna vaccine, which was immediately sent to over 170 hospital locations that spanned the entire state.
  • The Governor also signed an executive order to give next vaccination priority to seniors over the age of 65, as well as highlighting the start of CVS and Walgreens’ administration of vaccines at long-term care facilities.

Week Three

  • Florida remained full speed ahead at vaccinating the state’s most vulnerable residents and sent doses of vaccine to all 67 county health departments.
    • Florida received over 127,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine and distributed doses to the remaining county health departments and hospitals that had not received the vaccine to-date.
  • Florida received over 118,900 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which is being used to administer the second dose at the original five pilot hospitals, and long-term care facilities in Broward and Pinellas Counties who received their first dose through Florida Department of Health and Florida National Guard strike teams.

Week Four (Underway)

  • As Florida enters Week Four, Governor DeSantis’ administration is taking the necessary steps to ensure the vaccine – that is now present in every corner of the state – gets administered as quickly as possible.

ORLANDO HEALTH VACCINATION SITES

Today, Orlando Health announced the opening of the following community vaccination sites:

  • Orlando Health South Seminole Hospital
  • Orlando Health Dr. P. Phillips Hospital
  • Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies
  • Orlando Health – Health Central Hospital
  • Orlando Health South Lake Hospital
  • Orlando Health St. Cloud Hospital
  • Bayfront Health St. Petersburg

Orlando Health has the capacity to administer over 10,000 vaccines per week. As is the case with all vaccinations in the state of Florida, vaccines will be reserved for individuals 65 years of age and older, frontline healthcare workers, staff and residents of long-term care facilities and individuals hospitals deem to be extremely vulnerable to COVID-19.

To receive a vaccine at one of the Orlando Health locations, please visit vaccine.orlandohealth.com to register.

Senator Rick Scott Weekly Update

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U.S. Sen. Rick Scott Recognizes Human Rights Awareness Month
In recognition of Human Rights Awareness Month, Senator Rick Scott would like to take the opportunity to recognize those who are fighting for their freedom around the globe. As Americans, we must support all who are oppressed by dictators and denied the right to live freely.

Since his time as Governor, Senator Scott has worked to support the fight for freedom in Cuba, Venezuela and throughout Latin America. Senator Scott is focused on securing a stronger and more vibrant Latin America – with the understanding that ending the Cuban dictatorship will lead to greater stability and freedom for the entire region.

Senator Scott has also been an outspoken opponent of the human rights atrocities in Communist China. For over a year, Senator Scott has been calling on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to reconsider its decision to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in Communist China, where more than one million Uyghurs are being held in concentration camps while the people of Hong Kong are being arrested and having their rights stolen.

Senator Scott will continue to stand with those fighting for freedom around the globe.
Sen. Rick Scott Blasts IOC’s Shameful Disregard for Human Rights in China

On July 20, 2020, Senator Rick Scott released the below statement following a speech by International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach, who claimed that “boycotts and discrimination because of political background or nationality are once again a real danger” and warned about what he called “the growing misuse of sport for political purposes.”

For nearly a year, Senator Scott has been urging the Committee to reconsider its decision to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in Communist China as General Secretary Xi Jinping commits genocide against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang and restricts the human rights of Hong Kongers.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Uyghur prisoners in Communist China are being rounded up, blindfolded, shaved and loaded onto trains to be taken to concentration camps, and all IOC President Bach is concerned about is his claim that people are using sports for political purposes. This is nonsense and reveals a shameful disregard for the victims of General Secretary Xi and the Chinese Communist Party’s crimes.

“Beijing is committing genocide against the Uyghurs simply because of their religious beliefs and is cracking down on the human rights of Hong Kongers. The world must unite against this horrific injustice. This isn’t about politics or a boycott. It’s about basic human rights. The IOC should find a new home for the 2022 Olympic Games, and if Bach continues to refuse to acknowledge Communist China’s human rights abuses, then the IOC should find a president who does.”

Read more HERE.

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Sen. Rick Scott to International Olympic Committee: Stop Ignoring Communist China’s Genocide and Find a New Home for the 2022 Winter Games

On October 21, 2020, following a series of stories detailing Communist China’s oppression and genocide of Uyghurs, a religious and ethnic minority living in the northwestern province of Xinjiang, Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board members urging them to stand up for human rights and move the 2022 Olympic Games out of China. For over a year, Senator Rick Scott has been calling on the Committee to stand up for freedom and urge Communist China to stop violating human rights, or find a new home for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

Read the Senator’s letter HERE.

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Sen. Rick Scott Urges State Department to Classify Communist China’s Atrocities Against Uyghurs as Genocide

On December 10, 2020, Senator Rick Scott wrote a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging the State Department to shine a light on the severity of Communist China’s oppression and atrocities against the Uyghurs, a religious and ethnic minority living in the northwestern province of Xinjiang, and classify the actions as genocide.

Read the Senator’s letter HERE.

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Sen. Rick Scott Joins Congressman Ted Yoho in Letter Urging United Nations to Investigate Uyghur Human Rights Abuses in Xinjiang

On November 17, 2020, Senator Rick Scott joined Congressmen Ted Yoho and Tom Malinowski and Senator Jeff Merkley in a letter to United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres urging the UN to investigate the Communist Party of China’s ongoing human rights abuses and genocide against Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

Senator Rick Scott said, “It’s shameful that Communist China’s campaign of genocide against the Uyghurs has been ignored by the UN Human Rights Council for so long. The UN Human Rights Council must immediately hold a special session to address this growing crisis. I am proud to join my colleagues to call on the UN to take immediate and forceful action to expose and condemn Communist China’s despicable human rights abuses.”

Read the Senator’s letter HERE.

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Sen. Rick Scott to International Olympics Committee: Stand up for Human Rights; Don’t Host Olympic Games in Communist China

On October 17, 2019, Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to the President of the International Olympics Committee urging the Committee to reconsider its decision to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in Communist China.

Read the Senator’s letter HERE.
 
Sen. Rick Scott to International Business Community: Stand up for Human Rights and Refuse to do Business with Cuban Regime

On October 23, 2020, Senator Rick Scott sent an open letter calling on business leaders around the world to support those fighting for freedom and democracy, and refuse to do business with the Cuban regime. The international business community must unite against dangerous dictators and put human rights above profits.

Read the Senator’s letter HERE and the Spanish version HERE.

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Sen. Rick Scott Applauds President Trump and the Administration for Rolling Back Obama-Era Cuba Policies

On September 23, 2020, Senator Rick Scott applauded the Trump Administration’s announcement of new travel restrictions and sanctions against the Cuban regime, including prohibiting American citizens from importing Cuban-origin alcohol and tobacco products in order to deny the regime of additional sources of revenue. Senator Rick Scott has been urging the Administration to continue to take concrete steps to hold the Cuban Regime accountable.

Senator Rick Scott said, “I’m glad the Trump Administration is continuing to demonstrate their commitment to freedom and democracy in Latin America. I’ve been calling on the Administration to limit the flow of money to Cuba and implement tougher sanctions for some time and I’m glad they have taken action to deny the Cuban regime sources of revenue. Americans citizens should not be providing additional sources of revenue to a regime that uses its profits to oppress its own people and support murderous dictators like Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. These new travel restrictions and sanctions roll back Obama-era policies of appeasement to the Castro regime. Cuba is the root of the evil we see in Latin America and we must continue to fight until we see a new day of freedom in our hemisphere.

Read more HERE and the Spanish version HERE.

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Sen. Rick Scott Applauds Administration for Charging Venezuelan Dictator Maduro with Narco-Terrorism

On March 26, 2020, Senator Rick Scott released the below statement applauding the Department of Justice for charging Nicolás Maduro and 14 current and former Venezuelan officials with narco-terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking and other criminal charges.

Senator Rick Scott said, “I’ve encouraged the Trump Administration to do everything in its power to hold Maduro accountable for his crimes and the genocide he is committing on the people of Venezuela. I am glad the Department of Justice is taking the historic step to indict Maduro. His brutal regime is crumbling and it’s time for him to back down. We will never stop fighting to free the people of Venezuela, and the United States will always stand with those fighting for freedom, democracy and human rights.”

Read more HERE and the Spanish version HERE.

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Sen. Rick Scott Meets with Interim President Juan Guaidó in Miami

On February 6, 2020, Senator Rick Scott joined Interim President of Venezuela Juan Guaidó and South Florida lawmakers at a rally to promote freedom in Venezuela. Senator Scott and Interim President Guaidó also met to discuss how the U.S. can continue to help the fight for freedom and democracy and end Maduro’s murderous regime.

Senator Rick Scott said, “It was an honor to join Interim President Guaidó in Miami today as we continue working to bring freedom to the people of Venezuela. We will never stop fighting for an end to Nicolas Maduro’s brutal regime, and the United States will always stand with those fighting for freedom, democracy and human rights.”

Read more HERE.

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Sen. Rick Scott to EU: Do More to Enforce Sanctions on Maduro Regime

On February 4, 2020, Senator Rick Scott released the below statement following reports that Spain’s Transport Minister Jose Luis Abalos met with Maduro’s illegitimate vice-president, Delcy Rodriguez, in Spain this week. Members of Maduro’s ruthless regime are banned from entering the European Union (EU). During Senator Scott’s meeting with Interim President Juan Guaido on Saturday, Senator Scott discussed the need for the EU to do more to enforce sanctions against the Maduro regime.

Senator Rick Scott said, “I called on the EU to join the United States and do more to help the Venezuelan people, and I was encouraged when the EU joined as a partner in this worldwide fight against evil. But allowing a Maduro official to enter the EU shows they are not strongly enforcing their own sanctions. More must be done. If we are serious about helping the people of Venezuela and getting Maduro to step aside, the EU needs to do a better job of enforcing their sanctions. And Spain, as a member of the EU, needs to do their part and not allow members of its government to legitimize Maduro’s regime. People are dying. Europe, the United States and freedom-loving nations around the world need to do everything in our power to isolate Maduro in Venezuela and cut off the supply of money from Cuba to Caracas.”

Read more HERE.

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Sen. Rick Scott Applauds Pres. Trump Action to Restrict Travel to Cuba

On June 4, 2019, Senator Rick Scott released the following statement after President Trump’s Administration announced new restrictions on U.S. travel to Cuba, banning many education and recreational trips.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Cuba continues to be the most powerful force propping up Nicolas Maduro as he starves and kills his own people. The Cuban Regime is a willing and active participant in Maduro’s genocide. The United States is right to take every action possible to cut off ties with Cuba. I applaud President Trump for taking this important step to restrict U.S. travel to Cuba. Money spent in Cuba goes directly to the Castro Regime and helps keep Maduro and his brutal regime in power. Limiting the flow of money to Cuba is critical to freeing Venezuela and protecting the national security of the United States.”

Read more HERE and the Spanish version HERE.
Senators Rick Scott and Ed Markey Lead Colleagues in Bipartisan Resolution Demanding Olympic Committee Move 2022 Olympic Games Out of China Unless Country Address Human Rights Abuses

On March 4, 2020 Senators Rick Scott and Ed Markey introduced a bipartisan resolution calling on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to move the 2022 Winter Olympics out of China and rebid it to another country unless Beijing addresses its violation of human rights. This resolution was also sponsored by Senators Jim Inhofe, Dick Durbin, Martha McSally, Doug Jones, Marco Rubio, Tom Cotton, Todd Young, Marsha Blackburn and Mike Braun.

This resolution follows Senator Scott’s continued calls on the IOC to stand for freedom and urge Communist China to stop violating human rights, or find a new home for the 2022 Olympic Games.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Communist China should not be allowed to host the 2022 Olympic Games while simultaneously running concentration camps, violating human rights and oppressing the people of Hong Kong. The Olympic Games are an incredible opportunity to allow the world’s best athletes to represent their countries and unite our nations, and should not be hosted by one of the world’s worst human rights abusers. Today, the Senate is sending a clear message to the IOC: stand up for freedom and urge Communist China to do the right thing, or find a new home for the 2022 Olympic Games. It’s not about politics, it’s about human rights.”

Read more HERE.

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Supporting Governor Ron DeSantis on Nikki Fired Silly Accusations

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Statement by RPOF Executive Director Helen Aguirre Ferre
Re: Letter from Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried to Governor Ron DeSantis related to the distribution of the COVID vaccine

Tallahassee, FL—”It’s nice to see that Commissioner Nikki Fried is taking time out of her vacation to send out an ill-informed, irresponsible letter on social media that prioritizes politics over helping Floridians who are interested in the vaccine. Frankly, she should be embarrassed to have signed this letter (let’s be honest – it was auto-penned).

“Either the Commissioner is asleep at the switch or she is intentionally sharing misinformation.

“Here are corrections to some of the most egregious lies in her letter:

  • Commissioner Fried incorrectly states that Florida has received over 1.2 million doses of the vaccine. However, this number includes projected vaccine deliveries in the future and is not the actual number of doses that have been sent to Florida. Florida continues to work with county health departments to ensure that shipments are utilized as quickly as possible.
  • In a letter dated December 30th, Commissioner Fried cites that yesterday the state had a 22.75% positivity rate, when in fact the positivity rate was 8.72%. Commissioner Fried is intentionally citing an obvious data outlier from December 28th, as pointed out in a press release issued by the Florida Department of Health (link here). Citing obvious data outliers is dangerous and inflammatory.
  • Commissioner Fried’s insinuation that the Governor is not properly utilizing the Florida National Guard is ridiculous. In fact, the Governor mobilized the Florida National Guard weeks ago to form strike teams with the Florida Department of Health to begin vaccinating residents of long-term care facilities, making Florida the first state in the nation to begin vaccinating long-term care residents. Since March, the Governor has mobilized the Florida National Guard to coordinate multiple facets of our state’s response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, and they continue to operate state supported testing sites.

Just this morning, Governor DeSantis held a press conference at Kings Point in Delray Beach to provide an update regarding Week Three of Florida’s vaccine distribution plan and to kick off the vaccinations for 300 senior citizens 65 and over at Kings Point. At the event, the Governor was joined by Palm Beach County Mayor and Democrat Dave Kerner, Dr. Alina Alonso from the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County, and staff and administrators from Kings Point, a community for seniors. Today’s event was a great example of the ongoing collaborative effort between the state of Florida, county health departments and community partners.

Since day one, all Commissioner Fried has done is politicized the pandemic. If Commissioner Fried actually cared about what is happening, she would take a lesson on leadership from Governor DeSantis to help unify and coordinate resources to achieve results for Floridians. She is clearly only interested in being a partisan hack– Floridians deserve better.

If Commissioner Fried is still confused and wants a briefing, she should call DEM Director Moskowitz– or Mayor Kerner who attended this morning’s 9 am press conference with the Governor – instead of rubber stamping a letter at 3pm which was written by her political team.

 

Rick Scott Fights for Religious Freedom

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Americans have the right to freely exercise religion – it’s a sacred right that Senator Scott will always fight for. Unfortunately, during the pandemic, many liberal governors and mayors have used their emergency powers to target churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship, while letting other businesses operate.

Last week, Senator Scott led his colleagues in introducing a resolution to reaffirm the Senate’s commitment to protecting Americans’ freedom of religion. Senate Democrats blocked its passage. As your United States Senator, Senator Rick Scott will never stop fighting to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, and to protect the rights of the American people, including the right to freely exercise religion.

Read more on Senator Scott’s efforts below.
Sen. Rick Scott Leads Colleagues in Resolution Defending Right to Freely Exercise Religion

On December 18, Senator Rick Scott led his colleagues in a resolution defending the First Amendment to the United States Constitution – the right to freely exercise one’s religion. This resolution was also supported by the Family Research Council and Alliance Defending Freedom.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Religious liberty is our first freedom, and there is no pandemic exception to the First Amendment. Unfortunately, liberal governors and mayors across the country have used their emergency powers as a sword to go after churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship, instead of a shield to protect the public health. For months, they have argued that these houses of worship should not meet and congregants could not sing, while they applaud massive political protests. That’s wrong. Today, my colleagues and I stand together against these misguided and hypocritical attempts to target religious institutions. We will always fight for the religious liberty of all Americans.”

Read the full resolution HERE.

Diaz-Balart Secures Critical Funding in FY2021 Bill

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Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25) issued the following statement after the House passage of FY2021 funding bill.

“The FY2021 funding bill includes big wins for our nation and for Florida. This bill prioritizes funding to enhance our infrastructure, support our military and law enforcement, and strengthen our national security. In addition, school safety remains a top priority, Everglades Restoration receives a significant influx of funding, and programs that our farmers and growers rely on will continue. It also supports critical housing programs such as the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Homeless Assistance Grants.

“Attached to this bill are several legislative priorities, including an end to surprise billing— patients will now know the real cost of a scheduled procedure before it takes place. Additionally, this bill includes the final version of WRDA 2020, thereby ensuring the Moore Haven Lock and Dam is renamed in honor of fallen FWC Officer Julian Keen, Jr.

“We have already seen Florida capitalize on the programs these bills fund, and with its passage today, our state will continue to benefit from them moving forward.”

Congressman Diaz-Balart, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, was successful in including the following items in the 2021 appropriations omnibus.

Parting Shots

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Jim Carter
President, Men’s Republican Club

Moving Forward As my last message to you as President, I want to thank you for all your support and dedication as Constitutional conservatives who believe in our great Republic, the United States Of America.

Our job is never done. Like you, I’m devastated by what happened to our President, Donald Trump. It’s now evident major election fraud took place in several key states. Dominion voting systems is a major problem.

Key Democrats are at the heart of the matter, along with the main stream media and social net works (Facebook. Google, etc.) who act like none of these problems exist. The chief strategist is Geoge Soros who created the Open Society Foundation. The connections between this organization and Dominion are like Who’s Who in the Democratic Party. The Pelosi’s, Fienstein, Emhoff (Harris’s husband), The Clinton’s and of course Biden, the King of Identity politics. Look at his proposed cabinet.

This all screams for National Election Reform. We must eliminate mail in voting. Not absentee voting, which has a verification process. The other is a disaster. What is even more appalling is Republican controlled legislatures and Judges who fail to take action. It’s my opinion, fear and self preservation are becoming more important than taking corrective action. I hope I’m wrong.

As I write this I have no idea what will happen in Georgia. I’m optimistic we will hold the line. If we don’t it will be a rough two years until 2022. Here, we can take back both the House and Senate. Yes, by then the Country will be enraged by Draconian politics at all levels of government.

During this period Florida will emerge as the model for Republican politics. We will have to double down in our efforts to beat back the radical left. Our job will be to re-elect Governor DeSantis and Senator Rubio along with more Republicans to U.S. House and Florida State legislature.

Also, Attorney General and all District and City attorney positions. These are a MAJOR target of the left. Buckle up, get ready, never lose hope. I’m never giving into identity politics. It’s the ultimate action of stupidity.

Elect and appoint individual’s based on knowledge, skills and ability. Not gender, skin color , sexual preference to name a few. I’ve never seen those as important in a decision making matrix. Let’s make 2021 a great year.

Senator Rick Scott Week in Review

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This week, Senator Rick Scott led his colleagues in a resolution defending the First Amendment to the United States Constitution – the right to freely exercise one’s religion. The resolution is supported by the Family Research Council and Alliance Defending Freedom.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Religious liberty is our first freedom, and there is no pandemic exception to the First Amendment. Unfortunately, liberal governors and mayors across the country have used their emergency powers as a sword to go after churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship, instead of a shield to protect the public health. For months, they have argued that these houses of worship should not meet and congregants could not sing, while they applaud massive political protests. That’s wrong. Today, my colleagues and I stand together against these misguided and hypocritical attempts to target religious institutions. We will always fight for the religious liberty of all Americans.” 

Senator Scott also spoke on the Senate floor urging passage of resolution defending religious liberty – watch his speech below.

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See more of what Senator Scott has been up to this week below.

Sen. Rick Scott Applauds EPA Decision to Grant Florida Permitting Authority

Senator Rick Scott applauded the Environmental Protection Agency’s announcement granting the State of Florida permitting authority under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. This designation eliminates duplicity in permitting and helps protect Florida’s environment by allowing Florida to follow the state’s permitting program standards, which are just as stringent, if not more so, than what is currently in place on the federal level. During his time as Governor of Florida, Senator Rick Scott signed legislation to request this designation from the federal government.

Senator Rick Scott said, “This designation is great news for the State of Florida – it gives our state the ability to make the best decisions for our unique environment, with input from the public and environmental stakeholders. The duplicative rules on the state and federal levels were a waste of taxpayer dollars, and created confusion for everyone involved, which is why I fought to streamline this process. I will keep working to cut unnecessary government red tape and improve efficiency on every level of government, while also making sure our environment is protected for generations to come.” Read more HERE.

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Sen. Rick Scott Applauds Commerce Department Decision to Add Chinese Drone Company to Entity List

Senator Rick Scott released the following statement applauding the decision by the U.S. Department of Commerce to add 77 entities, including Chinese-made drone company DJI, to the Entity List for actions deemed contrary to the national security or foreign policy interest of the United States. These include entities in China involved in military-civil fusion and destabilizing military modernization activities, including entities that supported the militarization and unlawful maritime claims in the South China Sea, entities that enable human rights abuses, and entities that engaged in the theft of U.S. trade secrets.

For more than a year, Senator Scott has been warning about the threat Chinese-made drones may have on national security. Senator Scott and colleagues introduced the American Security Drone Act to prohibit the U.S. Government from purchasing drones manufactured in countries identified as national security threats, like Iran and China.

Senator Rick Scott said, “For more than a year, I’ve fought to prevent the U.S. Government from purchasing technology, like drones, with American tax dollars from Chinese companies backed by their government. I’ve had countless discussions with the Administration and my colleagues on the risks of buying drones from DJI and other Chinese-backed companies, and the threat these drones pose to our national security. I’m glad the Commerce Department made the decision today to include DJI in its Entity List. We can no longer turn a blind eye to Communist China and allow their technology into some of the most critical operations of the U.S. Government. Now more than ever, we must pass my American Security Drone Act to protect our national security.” Read more HERE.

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Sen. Rick Scott to Australian Prime Minister: U.S. and Australia Must Work Together to Combat Communist China’s Aggression

Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison thanking him for Australia’s efforts to fight against Communist China’s quest for world domination, and affirming the United States’ support as the two nations continue to stand strong against Communist China.  Read more, including the full letter, HERE.
Sen. Rick Scott in National Review: Republicans Must Not Cave on Blue-State Bailouts

Senator Rick Scott wrote an op-ed for the National Review on why he will continue to fight any proposal that uses taxpayer dollars, intended for coronavirus relief, to bail out wasteful states, like New York and California, that want to use taxpayer money to backfill their poorly-managed budgets and pension plans.

In the op-ed, Senator Rick Scott wrote, “What Democrats really want is for Congress to just send money to liberal politicians who have already shown they can’t be trusted with it. If these politicians have budget shortfalls, it’s because they did not prioritize their struggling constituents in the first place, and instead wasted money on other things. New York and California are of course free to burn tax dollars for fun. But they shouldn’t expect Florida and the rest of the country to pay when the bill comes due.

I’ve argued all along that states have the ability to moderate the economic harm caused by the COVID pandemic through reasoned, balanced measures that protect citizens without destroying their economies. States also have taxing authority and the ability to borrow money if their fiscal situations get too dire.

The federal government can play a significant role in boosting the unemployment-insurance program, propping up small businesses to avoid layoffs, and investing in vaccine research, development, and distribution. But it shouldn’t write blank checks to poorly managed states.

… All this is to say that states do not need bailouts; they want bailouts so they can use the money — intended to address the fallout from COVID — to plug the long-standing holes in their budgets and pension systems. It’s as simple as that.

…Bailing out those who have done so much damage to their states and our country already would be a boondoggle of epic proportions. We must not let it happen.”

Read the full op-ed in the National Review HERE.

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Sen. Rick Scott on Fox & Friends: I Refuse to Spend Taxpayer Dollars on Unnecessary State Bailouts 
Watch the interview HERE or below.

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Sen. Rick Scott in Newsweek: Biden Appointees are Weak on China

Senator Rick Scott wrote an op-ed for Newsweek on how the potential Biden administration’s foreign policy nominees and their tired ways of thinking have allowed Communist China to steal American technology and American jobs, and threaten our standing in the world.

In the op-ed, Senator Rick Scott wrote, “Last month, Communist China’s former vice minister for foreign affairs, Fu Ying, made clear what the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) hopes to see from a potential Biden administration: a ‘join hands and cooperate’ approach, one that doesn’t ‘point a finger at the Chinese system or take action against Beijing for its policies on domestic matters.’

What the CCP really means is that it wants America to turn a blind eye to the genocide it is now committing against the Uyghurs, the freedoms it is now stripping from the people of Hong Kong and its bellicose threats against Taiwan. The CCP wants an America that won’t stand up for human rights—one that is simply a passive witness to the ruthless terror China will continue to bring upon its own people and the increasing global dominance that is a centerpiece of Xi Jinping’s agenda.

Lucky for the CCP, it might have just that in a potential Biden administration.

… The nominees—all with a history of appeasing adversaries around the world—are part of the strand of foreign policy elites who are more interested in placating the chattering classes in D.C., Davos and Brussels than in actually representing the American people. They exist in a bubble of group-thinkers who advocate the old, broken approaches to policy that cower to the interests of dictators like Castro, Maduro, Khamenei and Xi.

… If we really care about the future of our country and standing for human rights around the world, we are going to have to take on Communist China and build upon the Trump administration’s actions, not leave them behind. 

To do otherwise would be a great show of weakness—one that the CCP will surely exploit.”

Read the full op-ed in Newsweek HERE.

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Fox News: COVID-19 vaccine is ‘going to help our economy’: Sen. Scott

Fox Business: Stimulus deal won’t bail out blue states who won’t open economies: Sen. Rick Scott

Fox News Radio: Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) On China’s Threat To America: “We Have To Stand Up And Hold Them Accountable”

News Service of Florida: EPA Shifts Permitting Decisions To Florida

Florida Daily: Rick Scott Calls on State Department to Look Closer at China’s Treatment of the Uyghurs

Florida Daily: Marco Rubio, Rick Scott Vote to Approve the NDAA

The Floridian: Rick Scott Fights to Protect First Amendment for Places of Worship

Radio Televisión Martí: Senadores Rubio y Scott reaccionan a amenazas contra Orlando Gutiérrez Boronat

Diario La Verdad: Rick Scott responsabiliza a Maduro por los muertos de Güiria

Diario de La Prensa de Lara: Scott: Maduro y Su Régimen Son Responsables de Las Vidas Perdidas

 

December 11 – State Representative Bob Rommel

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December 11, 2020

 

Our office will be sharing Interesting Facts every Friday!  If you know an interesting and fun fact, feel free to submit it to our office at priscilla.grannis@myfloridahouse.gov.

 

The past two weeks have included some geographical, historical and current facts about Florida as well as Florida’s symbols.

This week, we will delve into Florida’s rich history – the good and the not so good.

 

HISTORY OF FLORIDA’S CAPITOL

 

 

The Capitol

 

Florida’s Capitol over the years has reflected the growth of the state. In the early 1820s, legislators transferred government business from St. Augustine to Pensacola for alternating sessions. Travel was hazardous and took almost twenty days – clearly an unsatisfactory arrangement. As a result, Tallahassee was chosen as the capital of American Florida in 1824, primarily because it was the midway point between the two principal cities.

Three log cabins served as Florida’s first Capitol. In 1826, a two-story masonry building, 40′ X 26′, was built. It was to be the wing of a larger sturcture planned for the future. Although this larger portion was started, it was never completed due to financial problems.

As Florida moved toward statehood, the needs of government grew. There arose a demand for a suitable state house or public building for the use of the Territorial Legislature. On March 3, 1839, Congress appropriated $20,000 for the erection of a new Capitol. The old structure was razed immediately, and Florida’s government temporarily moved into rented quarters.

The brick Capitol was completed in 1845, just prior to the installation of the new State government. This structure remains the core of the Old Capitol to the present day.

The capitol remained virtually unchanged during the Civil War years when Tallahassee was the only Confederate capital east of the Mississippi to avoid capture by Federal troops.

By the 1880s, Florida suffered growing pains caused by an economic boom and expanding population. By 1891 the Capitol needed thorough repair. The building was repainted, a small cupola was added, and plumbing was installed.

The first major alteration to the Capitol came in 1902 when the addition of two wings provided more room for the growing State government, and the familiar dome was added. This was the last time Florida’s government operated under one roof. By 1911 State government was moving to other buildings. Further additions to the Capitol were made in 1923, 1936, and 1947.

 

Florida’s population continued to grow as did its need for government services. In 1972 the Legislature authorized money for a new Capitol Complex to include House and Senate chambers and offices, along with a twenty-two-story executive office building completed in 1977.

Restoration of the old Capitol became an issue in 1978 with the then Governor Reubin O’D. Askew and House Speaker Donald Tucker favoring outright demolition. Luckily, the old Capitol building was saved and refurbished, being reopened to the public in 1982.

 

Resource:   https://dos.myflorida.com/florida-facts/florida-history/the-capitol/

 

 

Another interesting fact is that Florida has no income tax and a balanced budget.
Let’s keep it that way!

 

Representative Bob Rommel
District 106