Shift on Israel?

Support for Israel has long been among those issues that united the Florida congressional delegation across party lines. But as the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu draw increased international scrutiny, will that shift?

There were signs publicly in the last week that cracks may start to occur but also signals that some of the staunchest supporters of Israel in Congress hail from the Sunshine State.

Rep. Randy Fine, an Atlantic Coast Republican, drew the most attention when he questioned widespread reports of Palestinian children starving in Gaza, and waved away concerns even if it occurs.

“Release the hostages. Until then, starve away. (This is all a lie anyway. It amazes me that the media continues to regurgitate Muslim terror propaganda),” Fine posted.

But the comments drew fire from all sides. The American Jewish Committee, led by former Democratic Rep. Ted Deutch of Florida, issued a response, including “lying that starvation is a legitimate tactic is unacceptable.” The words even drew a sharp rebuke from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican and significant figure in MAGA politics, who said Fine’s remarks would spur more antisemitism.

Perhaps more importantly, Fine’s assessment was countered by President Donald Trump, who, when asked about reports from Gaza, said, “That’s real starvation stuff. I see it and you can’t fake that.”

Meanwhile, Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Miramar Democrat, issued a statement that stepped back from her historically unwavering support of Israel.

“Since Hamas’ horrific terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, I’ve remained steadfast in my commitment to securing the safe return of all Israeli hostages and ending Hamas’ cruel and oppressive control in Gaza — for the safety and future of both Israelis and Palestinians,” said Cherfilus-McCormick, ranking Democrat on the House Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee.

“At the same time, I have been deeply disappointed by the Netanyahu government’s continued failure to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches the Palestinian civilians who are in desperate need. The scale of starvation and suffering in Gaza is overwhelming. The current approach isn’t working.”

Despite a historic consistency among Florida Democrats regarding Israel, the delegation’s youngest member for some time has criticized Netanyahu. Rep. Maxwell Frost, an Orlando Democrat, noted he co-sponsored legislation to halt the U.S. delivery of bombs to Israel, weapons that have been used in the continued military actions in Gaza.

“The devastation and massacre of Palestinians must end. I’ll keep pushing for aid, but how can we expect it to be delivered as bombs drop? Aid alone is not enough,” he posted.

But Republicans in the delegation remained openly supportive of Israel overall, even while they sidestepped discussion of starvation policy specifically.

Sen. Rick Scott, a Naples Republican, noted that Trump has held that the fastest way to end a humanitarian crisis in Gaza is for Hamas to release individuals held hostage since the Oct. 7 attacks in 2023.

“Iran-backed Hamas attacked Israel and started this war. That is a fact,” Scott posted. “For 664 days, Hamas terrorists have held innocent people hostage in Gaza under the cruelest conditions. This isn’t over until we bring every hostage home and Hamas is destroyed.”

House Foreign Affairs Chair Brian Mast, a Stuart Republican, encouraged the Trump administration to keep up sanctions on Palestinian leaders connected with Hamas. “You can’t give aid and comfort to the terrorists who kill Americans and Israelis and expect to be welcomed on American soil with open arms,” he said.

Stopping scams

After years fighting scams as Florida’s Attorney General, Sen. Ashley Moody wants to take the fight to the national stage.

The Plant City Republican, at a hearing on elder abuse and neglect, told colleagues on the Senate Aging Special Committee that several Florida programs could act as models at the federal level.

“I personally heard many heartbreaking stories of scammers and fraudsters taking advantage of seniors in Florida and stealing significant sums of their hard-earned savings. Unfortunately, we know there are many more stories we haven’t heard, as these cases are often unreported. It is so important that we efficiently identify and bring awareness to these scams, encourage our seniors to come forward and develop effective programs to bring scammers to justice,” Moody said.

She especially noted a Senior Protection Team created in the state Attorney General’s Office by Moody in 2019, bringing civil, criminal and health care fraud experts together, trying to protect Floridians age 60 and older.

“We started working with elder organizations across the state of Florida and tried to come up with new ways to not only identify the bad actors but actually hold them accountable and put them in jail,” she said. “Many, many times, we recognize there’s victimization, but we never do the follow-up or the follow-through, and those people go on to victimize many other people.”

She wants federal officials to also work on protecting seniors. Her office said about one in 10 seniors will experience elder abuse, but only about 7% of cases typically get reported to authorities. That’s a problem in Florida, a state with more than 5 million seniors.

Smell test

Scott has emerged on behalf of Floridians who obsess over “best by” dates of items in their pantries or refrigerators. The Naples Republican announced the Food Date Labeling Act.

The bipartisan measure, introduced with Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, attempts to clarify what can be confusing expiration dates, creating a bifurcated, simple scheme where “Best If Used By” applies to quality and “Use By” confers an assurance of safety. The bill would also preempt responsibility for labels to the federal government.

“If a quality date is used on a food package, such quality date shall be preceded by the uniform quality date label phrase … If a discard date is used on food packaging, such discard date shall be preceded by the uniform discard date label phrase,” the bill proposes.

“Families across the country are working hard to take care of their families, make good decisions, and put food on the table. The last thing they need to deal with are confusing food date labels that are leading to perfectly good food being thrown away, wasting money and resources,” Scott said.

“This bipartisan bill offers a clear, straightforward solution to help consumers make smarter choices, reduce food waste and support food donation efforts. I’m proud to work with my bipartisan colleagues to make our food system more transparent, efficient, and affordable for every American family.”

Zero Food Waste Coalition, ReFed, the World Wildlife Fund and Agri-Cycle are backing the bill.

Grading fiscal hawkishness

The Institute of Legislative Analysis this week ranked the legislative records of all members of Congress, naming the top 100 graded lawmakers as Champions of Limited Government. That list includes a dozen Florida Republicans, three of whom no longer serve.

Topping the list was Rep. Greg Steube, a Sarasota Republican with a rating of more than 96% from the fiscal conservative watchdogs. That makes Steube the No. 11 top-rated lawmaker in all of Congress for the Institute.

He beat former Rep. Matt Gaetz (No. 19) and Rep. Byron Donalds (No. 24) but noted those lawmakers all represent heavy Republican seats based on the Cook Political Report’s partisan voting index. Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (No. 25), Aaron Bean (No. 34) and Cory Mills (No. 35) all serve districts rated just R+5.

Bean boasted about making the list.

“Big government is never the answer,” the Fernandina Beach Republican said. “I will continue to protect our cherished constitutional freedoms and fight to keep Crazy Town out of Northeast Floridians’ lives and wallets.”

Rep. Kat Cammack showed up at No. 46, while former Reps. Bill Posey and Mike Waltz ranked Nos. 53 and 65, respectively. Mast got on the list at No. 68, while Scott appeared at No. 81. Rep. Gus Bilirakis just made the Champion status cut at No. 100.

The lowest rated member of the delegation was Rep. Frederica Wilson, a Miami-Dade Democrat ranked at No. 502 of the 527 members ranked.

Dousing the fires

A Tampa Bay lawmaker is spearheading the bipartisan effort to improve benefits and end the use of burn pits.

Rep. Gus Bilirakis, a Palm Harbor Republican, co-introduced the Waste and Illegal Property Eradication (WIPE) Act (HR 4526) in the House with Rep. Raul Ruiz, a California Democrat. The legislation will require safe disposal alternatives to burning military waste at homes and overseas. The House will include language in its version of the National Defense Authorization Act for the next fiscal year.

The bill, as written, also enhances protections for those veterans already exposed to burn pits, expanding coverage established under the PACT Act.

“Exposure to toxic emissions from burn pit toxins has led to tragic consequences for far too many members of our military community. We owe it to our heroes to transition to safer, more sustainable waste management technologies,” Bilirakis said.

“We have a moral obligation to explore ways to protect public health, reduce environmental harm, and fulfill our responsibility to those impacted by outdated and dangerous disposal practices. Our bill is an important step in the right direction.”

Ruiz, co-founder of the Burn Pits Caucus, said he saw health problems result from burn pits during his time as an emergency medicine physician.

“The WIPE Act takes urgent, practical steps to eliminate burn pits and strengthen protections for veterans who have already suffered too much,” he said. “These bipartisan bills are about accountability, prevention, and doing right by the men and women who sacrificed for our country. We must ensure no generation of veterans is ever again left to suffer from toxic exposure.”

Stock block

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna said colleagues, including (but not limited to) leadership in the House, are issuing dire warnings that she needs to stop trying to end stock trading in Congress.

“I can tell you that I got a lot of pushback from leadership and not just leadership in itself, but I actually received calls from other members of Congress saying that … what we were doing was going to hurt people. I was also told that I was putting the Republic in jeopardy, because I was going to cost us the Midterms if I brought this to the floor. And what I will tell you is what I’m trying to do is actually save the Republic. And so, if you think that that’s the biggest problem that we have in this country, maybe you shouldn’t be in a leadership position,” the Florida Republican said Wednesday to Fox News‘ Jesse Watters.

Luna vows to either get the bill to the floor or expose those who are trying to stop her. She intends to force a vote next month, reports POLITICO.

“I frankly believe if you want to be a stock trader, get into a different career field, but don’t do it in Congress,” she said. “I’m taking a lot of heat, not just from my own party, but we’re going to see it from the other side. And I’m ready to name names, so you either put it on the ground and let us vote on it, or you can continue to lie to the American people on your position on thinking that you should defend insider trading.”

Shots fired

After violent crime near the University of Florida locked down parts of the campus, Rep. Vern Buchanan made a renewed push to pass the Thin Blue Line Act (HR 378). The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office said a man fired at deputies, resulting in a firefight near the school.

“Today’s shooting near the University of Florida is yet another reminder of the dangers our law enforcement officers face simply for doing their jobs,” Buchanan said.

“Our nation is witnessing a deeply troubling wave of violence against the brave men and women who protect and serve our communities. Sandy and I are praying for the safety of those involved in Gainesville and are grateful for the quick, courageous response of the first responders on the scene.”

The bill filed by Buchanan would make the last several challenges attempted murder or murder of a law enforcement officer an “aggravating factor” in deciding if prosecutors pursue the death penalty.

“Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. Just last night, an NYPD officer was killed in the line of duty. In recent days, an ICE agent was violently dragged by an illegal immigrant evading arrest and three officers were ambushed in Ohio simply for wearing the badge. These are just a few of the many disturbing attacks targeting those who protect and serve,” the Longboat Key Republican said.

“These senseless attacks are a sobering reminder of the immense sacrifices made by our first responders. Congress must pass my Thin Blue Line Act to ensure that anyone who murders or targets a law enforcement officer faces the full force of the law. We must send a clear message: if you target our heroes, you will face justice.”

In the incident near UF, the matter would not apply, as the suspect died while exchanging fire with deputies.

No more questions

As Gov. Ron DeSantis pushes for a new mid-decade census, Steube wants to ensure Democrats don’t have to fill out the questionnaires the census already sends out each year.

The Sarasota Republican this week filed the Freedom from Government Surveys Act, which would abolish penalties for failing to complete the American Community Survey, an annual demographics survey. Steube wants participation in the Census follow-up to be voluntary.

“No American should ever be penalized or harassed for exercising their right to privacy,” Steube said. “Every year, the Census Bureau forces more than 3 million citizens to either pay a steep fine or answer deeply personal questions about their private lives.”

Sen. Jim Risch, an Idaho Republican, filed the Senate companion bill.

The questions on the community survey cover ethnic backgrounds, along with queries about day-to-day activity like daily work commutes and whether individuals need assistance with bathing. Some businesses are asked about items like how much agricultural products are generated on properties.

Women’s health

Rep. Lois Frankel wants the House to step in and stop efforts to deny federal funding to Planned Parenthood. The West Palm Beach Democrat co-introduced the Restoring Essential Healthcare Act, which would repeal a ban on Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood health centers passed by the Republican-led House.

“As required by federal law, Planned Parenthood does not use Medicaid funding for abortion care. Medicaid reimbursements support preventive and lifesaving services such as STI (sexually transmitted infection) testing and treatment, cancer screenings, birth control and HPV vaccinations,” Frankel said.

“This cruel ban does not exist in isolation. The harm is compounded by recent Republican deep cuts to Medicaid, affordable health coverage and food assistance. These ugly policies work hand in hand to strip basic necessities from those who can least afford to lose them.”

South Florida funding

The House budget for the Interior Department calls for millions to come to South Florida for Everglades restoration and related efforts.

Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, a Hialeah Republican who serves as Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said the money would be critical for the region.

“I was proud to support the FY 2026 Interior funding bill, for which I obtained critical funding for Everglades preservation and restoration efforts, Big Cypress National Preserve and the Miccosukee Tribe, among other Southern Florida priorities,” he said.

“This bill also promotes American energy independence, enhances U.S. competitiveness, ensures access to public lands and reduces burdensome (former President Joe) Biden-era red tape, all while cutting wasteful spending by 6%.”

The funding includes $73.8 million for the State and Tribal Wildlife Grant Program that benefits South Florida tribes, making up a significant part of more than $93 million outlined by Díaz-Balart.

There’s also $11.6 million specifically for the Everglades Project, along with $6 million for algal bloom research, $1 million for monitoring water quality and ecosystem health in South Florida and almost $1 million for the Miami Lakes’ Big Cypress Drainage Improvements Project. The House legislation also bans drilling in the Big Cypress National Preserve.

Marshal plan

Gadyaces Serralta, who in Trump’s first term was appointed as Marshal for Florida’s Southern District, will now head the Justice Department’s Marshals Service nationwide.

The Senate on Thursday confirmed Serralta for the job. The one-time Miami Police Major and Palmetto Bay Police Chief holds a bachelor’s in Criminal Justice Studies from Florida International University and a master’s in Leadership from Nova Southeastern University, both Sunshine State Institutions.

“Congratulations to my friend Gadyaces Serralta on his confirmation as Director of U.S. Marshals HQ,” posted Attorney General Pam Bondi. “Gaddy will be a great leader of America’s oldest federal law enforcement agency — welcome to work, Gaddy!”

On this day

Aug. 1, 1975 — “Helsinki Final Act signed” via History.com — During Richard Nixon’s presidency, he and National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger fashioned a foreign policy toward the Soviet Union known as “détente,” a lessening of tensions between the nations. By the summer of 1975, the spirit of détente was flagging. Nixon had resigned in disgrace. The United States withdrew from Vietnam without securing a victory. Progress on arms reduction talks with the Soviets came to a standstill. In July, however, the Soviet Union and the United States attempted to reinvigorate the policy by calling the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, where the attendees signed the Helsinki Final Act establishing the conference as an ongoing consultative organization.

Aug. 1, 1946 — “Atomic Energy Commission created” via the Department of Energy — Almost a year after World War II ended, Congress established the United States Atomic Energy Commission to foster and control the peacetime development of atomic science and technology. Reflecting America’s postwar optimism, Congress declared that nuclear energy should be employed not only in the Nation’s defense, but also to promote world peace, improve the public welfare and strengthen free competition in private enterprise. After long months of intensive debate among politicians, military planners and atomic scientists, President Harry Truman confirmed the civilian control of nuclear energy by signing the Atomic Energy Act.

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Peter Schorsch publishes Delegation, compiled by Jacob Ogles, edited and assembled by Phil Ammann and Ryan Nicol, with contributions by A.G. Gancarski.

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