Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25) was re-elected by the House Republican Steering Committee to continue his service as the leading Republican on the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriation Subcommittee.

“I am grateful to my colleagues, the Steering Committee, and Ranking Member Granger for reiterating their trust in me, and, once again, electing me to be the lead Republican on the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Subcommittee on Appropriations. During my years on T-HUD, as former Chairman and now Ranking Member, I have brought millions of federal dollars to South Florida to support our veterans, the elderly, the disabled, and other vulnerable populations. These federal dollars were especially evident when Miami-Dade County effectively ended veteran homelessness in 2018.

“I have also worked diligently to maintain and upgrade our nation’s roadways, seaports, transit systems, and airports. Further, I have successfully been able to bring these investments into our community. Whether through the first federal capital for the SMART plan, PortMiami receiving the largest grant for port infrastructure development, or helping to build the Underline, I am thankful to have been at the forefront of obtaining these funds.

“I’m thrilled to continue working on the T-HUD Subcommittee, and I again thank my colleagues for this opportunity. I look forward to continuing this collaboration in the 117th Congress.”

Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25) issued the following statement after the Department of State announced its designation of the Cuban regime as a State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST).

“The Trump Administration has placed the Cuban regime back where it belongs— on the SST list — due to its support of terrorist groups such as the FARC and ELN, harboring fugitives such as an FBI Most Wanted Terrorist Joanne Chesimard and propping up the Maduro regime. The previous administration should never have delisted the Cuban regime in 2015, particularly at a time when the regime’s intelligence services are assisting international terrorist organizations and assisting in the brutal suppression of the Venezuelan people. The Trump administration has once again kept its promise to hold the malevolent, anti-American regime in Cuba accountable for its actions. The Cuban regime has oppressed the Cuban people, aided terrorist organizations, and wreaked havoc throughout our hemisphere. That is why President Reagan included it in the SST list in 1982. I applaud the Trump Administration’s decision to place the regime on that list once again.”

In 2019, Diaz-Balart sent a letter to Secretary Pompeo urging him to reclassify the Cuban dictatorship as a State Sponsor of Terrorism.

Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25) issued the following statement after the House voted to certify Electoral College votes.

“This year, we had a very close presidential election where razor-thin majorities in a handful of states determined the outcome. A thriving democracy depends on much more than just elections –it requires trust, transparency, and fairness. All Americans must be absolutely confident, without a shadow of a doubt, that their differences can be resolved at the ballot box, and that they have full say in the selection of their leaders. Unfortunately, to this day, many Americans still do not trust the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

“The presidential election has concluded, and Joseph R. Biden will be sworn in as the 46^th President of the United States on January 20^th. Just like the challenges to members of the Electoral College in 2000, 2004, and 2016, the 2020 challenges will not change the outcome of this election. However, I take my oath to support and defend the Constitution very seriously. Article II, Section 1, Clause 2 of the Constitution provides that state legislatures have the sole authority to determine the manner of choosing electors. Yet, in the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election, in several states, many state officials nonetheless changed the presidential election rules and regulations despite lacking the constitutional authority to do so. It is precisely for this reason that I agreed, along with 125 of my colleagues, to join the amicus brief in State of Texas v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, brought by 17 states against Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. I am gravely concerned about numerous reports of irregularities and last-minute changes that violated basic constitutional requirements in those states and others such as Arizona. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case and did not address any of the important constitutional questions presented. So now, the responsibility falls to Congress as to whether the electors from these states were “regularly given” and “lawfully certified” under the Electoral Count Act of 1887. For this reason, and after much study and deliberation, I have become convinced that the electors in some states were selected in an unconstitutional manner. I simply cannot vote to uphold a slate of electors under those circumstances.

“I understand full well that we live in extremely polarizing times. That is why I feel it is especially important that we redouble our commitment to the Rule of Law, institutions and customs that have served us well for over 200 years. When we finally put the 2020 election behind us, and the Congress resumes its work on behalf of the American people, these troubling issues must be resolved for future elections so that all Americans can be fully confident in their fairness, and in their outcomes.”