Politics
Delegation for 9.1.26: Softer Session — space state — Lake America — Hope heat — Caracas concerns
Softer Session
With the House’s August recess concluded, lawmakers have returned to Washington — for the most part. A light schedule, the exhaustion of the campaign trail and perhaps a forward look past the end of the current Congress meant dozens of lawmakers missed vote series on Monday evening.
In total, 46 lawmakers skipped a vote on a prison safety bill (S. 307) and 42 missed one on court access (S. 32), including five members of Florida’s congressional delegation who won’t return to the next Congress: retiring Republican Reps. Vern Buchanan and Neal Dunn, and Democratic Rep. Frederica Wilson, as well as Rep. Cory Mills, who recently lost a Republican Primary, and Rep. Byron Donalds, the Republican nominee for Governor.
In neither case did the absence of members affect the outcomes of the votes. The court bill passed 378-10, and the prison bill cleared the chamber 376-8. For what it’s worth, Rep. Randy Fine, an Atlantic Coast Republican, was among the dissenting votes in both cases, and is part of a contingent that doesn’t want to pass Senate bills until the upper chamber takes up an election reform package. It’s also not terribly unusual for logistics to force absences from votes on days when lawmakers are traveling to D.C. Rep. John Rutherford, a Jacksonville Republican favored for re-election, missed the first vote but made it to the floor for the second.
In Donalds’ case, the campaign trail demands a certain level of attention as he runs statewide. On the morning of the votes, he opened a campaign office in Miami-Dade County alongside running mate Bryan Avila, and this evening he will appear in Tampa for a unity event with Republican Cabinet candidates and a long-awaited political rally alongside outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Meanwhile, there remains internal debate within the Republican caucus over whether to take up bills of substance or contention, including a looming vote to avert a government shutdown on Sept. 30, before the Midterms.
If the House takes up a Senate proposal to fund the government through Dec. 11, it could be considered as soon as Wednesday. But if leadership decides to further negotiate, the Senate is not expected to return from recess until Sept. 14.
The House, of course, will have Subcommittee hearings all week, though none were held Monday. But floor votes are likely to be limited to noncontroversial bills.
There will be business in the House this week, but with the Labor Day holiday ahead, neither chamber is expected to meet in Washington next week. And rumors abound on the Hill that the rest of September could see only limited activity.
For any lawmakers who do face General Election opponents, moments in their home district will be cherished between now and November.
Space state
The space industry employs workers on both of Florida’s coasts, something highlighted by Sen. Ashley Moody in an event at Honeywell Aerospace in Clearwater.
The Plant City Republican spotlighted products developed for the Orion and Artemis spacecraft and stressed the importance of those missions to Florida’s economy and U.S. dominance in orbit.
“In the interest of national security, America must remain the world’s leader in space, and Florida is center stage,” Moody said. “That is why strengthening our state’s space industry is one of my priorities in the Senate, and why I continue fighting for resources to support Florida space operations and to help increase the skilled workforce needed to keep us shooting for the stars.”
She also promoted manufacturing skills training, which would be incentivized under her Technical Reinvestment and Apprenticeship Development through Endowment Sharing (TRADES) Act (S. 4907). She also discussed how her Secure U.S. Leadership in Space Act (S. 1560) would bolster public-private partnerships by making spaceport facility bonds tax-exempt, similar to airport bonds.
Moody has been among lawmakers pushing to relocate NASA headquarters to Cape Canaveral and to pass legislation allowing private industry to invest more directly in NASA.
Editorial outreach
Sen. Rick Scott isn’t up for election this cycle, so he spent much of a Senate recess penning op-eds.
Those included a guest column in The Wall Street Journal on the strength of the dollar, a submission to the Naples Daily News on artificial intelligence in education, and a piece in RealClearPolitics on China meddling in U.S. healthcare.
“I have spent years fighting to hold Communist China accountable because I know that as our strategic adversary, they want to harm Americans,” the Naples Republican wrote in RealClearPolitics. “They want to win, and they are willing to use your hospital room to do it.”
He expressed more optimism to Journal readers, saying that the U.S.’ continued dominance abroad remains intact, with the dollar as the world’s reserve currency. He praised President Donald Trump’s economic policies in the piece.
“Some will argue that maintaining our status as the global reserve currency makes American goods more expensive abroad, discouraging other countries from buying from us; but the data tells a different story. Thanks in part to President Trump’s trade policies, exports have increased 23%, adjusted for inflation, since he first took office in 2017 — all while the dollar maintained reserve-currency status.”
Meanwhile, he cautioned readers of his hometown paper about raising a new generation to be cautious about AI.
“Replacing human interaction with AI is a clear threat to every child’s interpersonal development,” he wrote. “AI is a tool. It’s not supposed to be a catch-all, stand-in for therapists, doctors, lawyers, scientists, poets, or philosophers. It can never replace human connection. It does not possess the humanity we need to support one another or to override a parent’s guidance.”
Making waves
Many House Republicans raced back to Washington to be the first to try to codify Trump’s demand to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America. The first with a bill (H.R. 10196) in the hopper appeared to be Rep. Jimmy Patronis.
“President Trump put America back on the map. Now we’re putting America on Lake Ontario,” Patronis said. “Canada can call it whatever they want, but here in America, I say we call it Lake America. I’m a proud American, and I’ve always believed there’s nothing wrong with a little more American pride. So I figured, why stop at the Gulf? Lake America sounds a whole lot better.”
The Fort Walton Beach Republican suggested New York communities on the shores of the Great Lakes should embrace the change the same way Florida’s Panhandle got on board with a new moniker for the Gulf of Mexico.
“Representing Florida’s First Congressional District, including Destin and Pensacola, I saw firsthand the pride and patriotism that came with the Gulf of America,” Patronis said. “I love that energy, and I think this is another opportunity to build on it. This is another tool in President Trump’s toolbox to put America First and restore pride in our great country.”
Fighting for Israel
In less than a term, Fine has become arguably the most visible Jewish Republican in Washington. That earned the Atlantic Coast congressman a prominent speaking role at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s National Leadership Summit in Las Vegas this weekend.
At the event, he suggested the GOP’s strong support of Israel had led to a shift in voting practices of Jewish Americans, and that such positions should not be abandoned. He cheered the resignation of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, and the GOP Primary defeat of Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, caucus colleagues whom Fine frequently accused of antisemitism. But he also said the fight against anti-Jewish sentiment must be waged on the left and right.
“The same donors who are giving money to (Michigan Democratic Senate candidate) Abdul El-Sayed also gave money to a Nazi running against me in my Primary,” he said. “This just goes to show that the alliance between Nazis and Muslim terrorists is real in America. When I was 13 years old, I made a promise to myself that I would never back down from a fight. That still holds true today.”
And the lawmaker nicknamed the “Hebrew Hammer” said he won’t abandon his pugnacious views.
“In the 1930s, there were only two kinds of Jews – those who left, and those who died,” he said. “Today, both in the State of Israel – and here in the United States – there is a third kind. Those who fight. I am proud to be one of those.”
Stargazing
After the successful launch of NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope this weekend, Rep. Mike Haridopolos announced that human advancement once again lifted off from Florida’s Space Coast.
“From Mercury and Apollo to the Space Shuttle, Artemis, and now Roman, Kennedy Space Center continues to be America’s launchpad to the stars,” the Indian Harbour Beach Republican said. “Today’s successful launch of the Roman Space Telescope, which will travel nearly one million miles from Earth and give us an entirely new view of the universe, is another proud moment for America’s space program and for Florida’s Space Coast.”
The telescope, launched into space by a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, will use infrared technology to peer deeper into the dark matter and dark energy components of the cosmos and search for planets outside the solar system. It was named after NASA’s first chief astronomer.
The Roman telescope will travel about 1 million miles from Earth and spend several months preparing and testing its systems before beginning its mission.
“Roman is exactly the kind of success story we want to see across NASA,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman.
“Delivered ahead of schedule and on budget, this mission reflects more than a decade of dedication from the NASA workforce and our industry partners. Now, Roman will give us a new atlas of the universe, push the boundaries of discovery, and demonstrate what is possible when America’s space program pairs bold ambition with disciplined execution.”
Hope heat
The publication of a grand jury report on the Hope Florida scandal has two members of Florida’s delegation calling for a federal investigation.
Democratic Reps. Kathy Castor of Tampa and Darren Soto of Kissimmee sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding the alleged misappropriation of $10 million from a Medicaid settlement. The grand jury report says most of the money in question went toward campaigns to defeat two ballot measures opposed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Castor and Soto said the matter deserved attention from Washington, D.C.
“We learned several new items from the grand jury report, including an alarming money trail that funneled $8.5 million in taxpayer dollars into a political action committee controlled by James Uthmeier, then Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Chief of Staff and now Florida’s Attorney General. Uthmeier’s PAC then transferred $7 million directly to the Republican Party of Florida and $1.23 million to the Florida Freedom Fund, another Uthmeier-controlled PAC,” the letter states.
“We also learned that the repayment schedule for the settlement required Centene to wire transfer the $10 million to the Hope Florida Foundation within seven days, while allowing Centene a year and 45 days to repay the remaining $57 million to the State. The grand jury report noted that ‘The Centene settlement itself seems rushed as it materialized rapidly after years of inactivity. Then, once reached, it took a mere seven days to fund. We believe the rush was due to the impending election, which was just 45 days away.’”
The information could have political implications, with Uthmeier up for re-election this year and Sen. Ashley Moody also named in the report. But Castor and Soto said the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) should investigate potential fraud with federal dollars.
“We urge CMS and OIG (Office of the Inspector General) to seriously consider the new information brought to light in this case and to provide full transparency into any federal government involvement with the State,” the letter states.
Seniors first
If federal government actions lower drug prices, Rep. Gus Bilirakis said patients should feel the benefit before insurance companies do.
The Palm Harbor Republican just introduced the Part D Premium Protection Act, which includes protections for insurers and seniors against price increases resulting from the Inflation Reduction Act. Those protections are scheduled to expire this year, and Bilirakis wants the ones for patients left in place.
“Insurance companies have had two years to adjust and do not need additional taxpayer protection. But seniors living on fixed incomes shouldn’t be left holding the bag,” Bilirakis said. “My bill puts the relief where it belongs — with seniors. If Washington has a choice between protecting an insurance company’s bottom line and lowering a senior’s monthly prescription drug bill, I’m going to choose the senior every single time.”
His bill would allow seniors enrolled in stand-alone Medicare Part D plans to receive a uniform credit applied directly to their 2027 premium bills, based on the average premium relief beneficiaries received in 2025 and 2026. The bill also directs all those savings to patient premiums. Meanwhile, the bill allows insurers’ protections to expire as planned.
“Everywhere I go, seniors tell me that every dollar matters. Groceries cost more. Utilities cost more. Insurance costs more. Healthcare costs more,” Bilirakis said. “They worked their entire lives, paid into Medicare and Social Security, and played by the rules. They shouldn’t have to choose between filling a prescription, buying groceries or keeping the lights on. I’ll keep fighting to make Washington work for them instead of protecting the profits of big insurance companies.”
Research legacy
The last $1 million grant secured for Florida International University by Wilson is on its way.
The funding, awarded in this year’s Community Project Funding requests, is being released by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and will support FIU’s Everglades Task Force – Research, Development, Remote Sensing/Geographic Information System Support. The funds will also be used to leverage existing partnerships to upgrade and modernize carbon flux measurement towers, deploy remote sensing and geographic information systems and develop a climate technologies and community engagement hub facility.
“As Congress’s top Democrat on water resources and the environment, protecting our waterways is my critical mission. There is no South Florida if we do not protect the Everglades and Biscayne Bay,” said Wilson, a Miami-Dade Democrat.
“I will also stand with FIU as it delivers critical research and restoration efforts. As a proud steward of the environment, I am proud that this work will positively impact generations of South Floridians.”
Wilson, who is retiring at the end of this congressional term, said the funding marks the culmination of $11.5 million in congressionally directed support for the environmental mission.
Earlier this year, Wilson attended the grand opening of FIU’s Coastal Conservation and Restoration Laboratory and, with FIU President Jeanette Núñez, toured the new Coastal Conservation and Restoration Laboratory in Biscayne Bay. That included a visit to the robotics space where a research robot, RV Wilson, has been named for the congresswoman.
Caracas concerns
Rep. María Elvira Salazar’s mixed reaction to a Venezuela oil deal made national headlines this weekend. The Coral Gables congresswoman initially took to social media to express serious reservations about a deal that leaves acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez, deposed leader Nicolás Maduro’s running mate, in charge of the nation.
“Any oil ‘deal with Venezuela’s interim regime has an expiration date: the day President Trump leaves the White House,” Salazar posted. “Venezuela’s acting dictator is just buying time. The regime has stolen American investments before, and it will do it again the moment it can. A lasting deal can only be made with a democratically elected government that respects the rule of law, protects private property and is backed by strong democratic institutions.”
She later deleted the posts, though the New York Post had published them for posterity. Salazar later called the arrangement “a great deal for the United States and the Venezuelan people.”
But the seeming contradiction also pushed her on Sunday to release an extended statement unconstrained by X’s character limit.
“My position on Venezuela has not changed one inch. I support bringing Venezuelan oil out of China’s hands and bringing American investment and influence back to Venezuela. That is good for America, and it can be very good for the Venezuelan people. This administration is the only one capable of doing that,” she said.
“But I have said it again and again: Delcy Rodríguez and the remnants of Maduro’s regime cannot be Venezuela’s future. I want this deal to be a success. I want American companies investing in Venezuela. And I want this agreement to last for generations. But you cannot build lasting prosperity with a dictatorship. Venezuela’s oil should open the door to freedom. That means strong democratic institutions, the rule of law, and free elections. Oil can rebuild a country. Only democracy can secure its future.”
On this day
Sept. 1, 1807 — “Aaron Burr acquitted of treason” via History.com — The former Vice President was acquitted of plotting to annex parts of Louisiana and Spanish territory in Mexico to establish an independent republic. The court found that, though he had conspired against the United States, he was not guilty of treason because he had not engaged in an “overt act,” a requirement of the law governing treason. Nevertheless, public opinion condemned him as a traitor, and he fled to Europe. Burr, thoroughly discredited after his duel with Alexander Hamilton, concocted a plot with James Wilkinson, commander in chief of the Army, to seize the Louisiana Territory and establish an independent empire.
Sept. 1, 1995 — “Company that employs Howard Stern agrees to pay $1.715 million” via the Los Angeles Times — In the largest settlement of its kind, the broadcasting company agreed to resolve more than 100 claims of indecency involving Stern’s radio shows. Under the settlement with the Federal Communications Commission, Infinity Broadcasting agreed to pay the U.S. Treasury and resolve all pending FCC action against the company. In addition, the company agreed to alert all on-air personnel to the federal law prohibiting the broadcast of indecent speech. In the press release announcing the settlement, Infinity said its payment to the Treasury is voluntary and that it is not admitting any wrongdoing or liability.
Happy birthday
Best wishes to Rep. Rutherford, who turns 74 on Wednesday, Sept. 2.
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Peter Schorsch publishes Delegation, compiled by Jacob Ogles, edited and assembled by Phil Ammann and Ryan Nicol.
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