Obamacare, Florida’s insurer

As a government shutdown extends into its third week with little end in sight, Democrats in Florida’s congressional delegation remain firm that the caucus must hold the line until the budget addresses the expiration of premium tax credits in the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Democratic Reps. Kathy Castor and Darren Soto, who both continue to work in the Capitol, filmed a video together for social media, sharing stories of constituents bracing for a massive hike in premiums.

“We both have top 10 Obamacare districts and people are shocked,” said Soto, a Kissimmee Democrat. “Florida really loves Obamacare. Why is that? We have a lot of small businesses, a lot of independent contractors, and our rates are going to go up by 75% or more on Nov. 1 if we don’t resolve this.”

Castor said a 61-year-old neighbor relying on coverage for cancer treatments may no longer be able to afford chemotherapy.

“This is not an unusual story. I’m hearing these stories from neighbor after neighbor after neighbor,” the Tampa Democrat said. “We have so many small-business owners, so many folks who are working part-time, or they’re working in real estate or tourism. The Affordable Care Act is fundamental to who they are.”

Reps. Maxwell Frost, Soto and Debbie Wasserman Schultz spotlighted the issue this week in a remote news conference from offices in Washington, D.C. They noted that 12 of the 15 congressional districts in the country with the most significant number of ACA enrollees are in Florida.

“If these credits expire, thousands of people we represent face double, triple or quadruple price hikes in their premiums,” said Wasserman Schultz, a Weston Democrat. “But you all know what that really means. Families will be forced to drop coverage. Chronic diseases will go undiagnosed. ERs will be flooded. People will needlessly die. Our communities will be ravaged. And it’s not just ACA families who will be hit.”

Frost, an Orlando Democrat, said the prioritization of tax cuts passed earlier this year showed the misplaced priorities of Republican leadership. He criticized President Donald Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson for refusing to address the issue.

“Democrats are standing strong, saying we are the party of the working class, we’re the party of working people, and we don’t want people’s health care costs to go up anywhere from 50% to 300%. We don’t want millions of people in this country losing their health care because we believe health care is a human right for every single person in this country, and that’s what we’re fighting for,” he said.

“In the meeting that Donald Trump and Mike Johnson had with our leaders, Mike Johnson said that health care is an extraneous issue. Donald Trump said we can handle this later. We can handle it in December. This is part of the reason why people hate Congress so much. How out of touch is that for the billionaire President of the United States to sit in the Oval Office and say, ‘No, let’s clock in at the end of the year.’”

But Rep. Byron Donalds, a Naples Republican, reiterated that he considers the issue a distraction.

“Obamacare is a mirage,” Donalds told CNN. “The cost structure is too expensive. Premiums have risen substantially. The credits hide the true cost. The deductibles are too high. Democrats had a trifecta and could’ve made credits permanent — they refused. Why? They wanted it to be a political weapon.”

Paycheck deployment

Messaging from Republicans representing Florida, meanwhile, is shifting significantly as a government shutdown lingers past the two-week mark, with little sign that it will end anytime soon. They are focusing attention on the potential loss of pay for soldiers during the stalled talks.

Republicans in the House, for the most part, have left Washington. At the same time, Democrats in the delegation, who are denied part-time staff or interns, hold meetings and personally guide local groups on tours of the Capitol.

Rep. Jimmy Patronis, a Panama City Republican, issued daily press releases marking the first 10 days of the federal shutdown but stopped after that. His last one noted that Senate Democrats’ refusal to accept a House-passed package meant military members would miss a paycheck on Oct. 15.

This week, Trump signed an order stating that soldiers would be paid, deeming them essential and calling for unawarded grant funds to cover the cost. Rep. Aaron Bean, a Fernandina Beach Republican, celebrated that.

“Today, our troops received their paycheck because President Trump stepped up and did what Senate dysfunction nearly prevented. With military livelihoods at stake, the Senate failed to act, blocking a common sense funding extension nine separate times,” he said.

But Republicans in Florida’s congressional delegation still focused on further threats to service members’ salaries. Republican Reps. Vern Buchanan, Scott Franklin and Cory Mills signed onto a letter from GOP House veterans to Senate Democrat veterans encouraging them to take up the House resolution.

“We hope you receive this letter in the manner in which it is intended: as brothers and sisters in arms, not as partisans,” the letter reads. “Passing this continuing resolution is not a concession by one side or the other. It is an act of solidarity with those who continue to serve.”

Senate defense

While the House remains largely closed during the shutdown, regular business has continued in the Senate, including passage of a National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in the upper chamber.

Sen. Rick Scott touted wins, both for Florida and for conservatives, in the budget bill.

“We were able to secure big wins for Florida and our military in this year’s Senate-passed NDAA, including pay raises for our troops and projects that make life better for military families in Florida with critical military construction projects throughout the state,” the Naples Republican said.

“We will also make great investments in our national security by getting Communist China out of our supply chains, drug manufacturing and technology, keep Homestead Air Reserve Base ready for a renewed flying mission, and ensure readiness across all domains. These efforts are critical to support our troops and keep future generations of Floridians and Americans safe.”

Scott’s office noted the NDAA includes $950 million in construction projects within Florida, including for a Child Development Center at Eglin Air Force Base. The bill also extends a prohibition on non-military use of Homestead Air Force Base.

The Senate bill also includes a directive to the Department of War to increase the use of civilian cargo aircraft to support the growth and development on the Space Coast.

On the policy side, Scott celebrated provisions prohibiting the purchase of solar cells from China and increasing alliances with Taiwan.

“Our military men and women represent the best of what it means to be an American and a Floridian. They wake up every day, often in dangerous places and away from their loved ones, to fight for the freedoms that make our country great,” he said.

“As Florida’s United States Senator, I am proud to work with President Trump, a true champion of our warfighters and veterans, to support our service members and their families.”

The House passed its own version of the NDAA in September.

Remembering Abbey Gate

Four years after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, Sen. Ashley Moody is joining a joint resolution to establish a National Day of Remembrance for service members killed in the Abbey Gate bombing.

“It is our solemn duty to honor the courageous men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation at Abbey Gate,” Moody said.

“That’s why I am proud to co-sponsor a resolution establishing a National Day of Remembrance. As we remember their sacrifice, we also pay tribute to the Gold Star Families who have faced unimaginable grief. We will never forget their loved ones’ bravery, nor the cost of our freedom.”

Moody’s office announced her co-sponsorship of the resolution pegging the deaths on former President Joe Biden’s “Botched Withdrawal of Afghanistan.”

White House endorsement

Trump officially endorsed U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack’s re-election bid. He praised the Gainesville Republican in a Truth Social post.

“Congresswoman Kat Cammack is doing a fantastic job representing the wonderful people of Florida’s 3rd Congressional District,” Trump wrote.

“In Congress, Kat is working tirelessly to Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Support our Amazing Farmers and Ranchers, Advance American Energy DOMINANCE, Keep our now very Secure Border, SECURE, Champion our Military/Veterans, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment. Kat Cammack has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election — SHE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!”

Cammack embraced the support.

“Honored to be in the fight with Donald Trump for the future of our country,” she wrote on her X account. “We’re defending conservative values, protecting our communities and getting the job done.”

The support for the three-term member of Congress isn’t surprising, but it should help insulate Cammack from a Republican Primary challenge. That could be especially important if lines for her district change substantially as the Florida Legislature begins an unprecedented mid-decade redistricting effort.

Sharia Law motion

Rep. Randy Fine’s effort to ban Sharia law in federal statute has a Senate sponsor. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, an Alabama Republican, has filed legislation in the upper chamber.

“If you want to peacefully practice your religion, you have every right to do so under the Constitution,” Tuberville said. “But if you want to come to the United States and advocate for the practice of Shariah Law over U.S. law, you should not be here. We do not want people who chant ‘death to America’ residing in our communities and endangering our families.”

Fine said that brings the legislation a step closer to passage.

“Our nation is built on freedom, equality and the rule of law, and our Western values are incompatible with sharia,” Fine said. “I am grateful to Senator Tuberville for his leadership and for standing with me. Along with Congressman Self and the 14 other members of the House who have co-sponsored this critical legislation, we are defending the Constitution and American values.”

Russian communication

As a Committee she heads continues to investigate the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna said she reached out to Russia and was given a report the U.S. government refused at the time. It contradicts many official findings of several U.S. investigations that determined Lee Harvey Oswald to be the lone shooter.

“I had asked for these files months ago and was promised I would be receiving them. The Russian government delivered on (its) promise. The timing could not be more serendipitous. Much of the information that has been released is being corroborated by the declassified files our own government has released,” Luna posted on X.

“It’s a known fact that JFK did not want nuclear war, and that he engaged in back-channel conversations with the Russian government in an effort to prevent it. You’ll notice, given current world events, it seems that President Trump is finishing what Kennedy started.”

She released the report the same day that she touted the prospect of opening commerce with Russia. She praised reports that Trump will hold another summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin and suggested a trade deal would result from any talks, as well as an end to the war in Ukraine, which she now blames on British pressure for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“POTUS is likely going to be able to negotiate a multi-trillion-dollar trade deal with Russia, which would greatly impact our markets positively,” she posted on X.

“Please join me and praying for the President as he navigates this process. There are many people (who) want war. He does not. Peace is the prize. Let us also pray for the people of Russia and Ukraine. Peace is very close.”

Green energy attack?

As Trump followed through on threatened layoffs in the face of a government shutdown, he took issue first with Department of Energy offices focused on renewables, local power and minority economic impact, according to The Hill.

That angered Castor, who previously chaired the House Climate Crisis Select Committee.

“American families deserve lower electric bills. Instead, President Trump continues to reward polluters who keep electric rates high for families and small-business owners,” the Tampa Democrat said.

“Trump’s latest firings and the gutting of initiatives that lower energy costs for families add insult to injury. The American people will pay the price with higher utility bills.”

She said that could have a significant impact both on Florida’s natural resources and on the bank accounts of citizens.

“At a time when Floridians and families across the country are demanding affordable, reliable energy – and grappling with a health care crisis — these reckless attacks on clean energy initiatives make our nation less competitive and more dependent on foreign energy. I will continue fighting in Congress for clean energy jobs and lower costs for working families.”

Booing carbon taxes

Meanwhile, Buchanan, Vice Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, joined a Trump administration call to oppose a global carbon tax.

The Longboat Key Republican published an op-ed on RealClearWorld criticizing a tax approved by the International Maritime Organization on vessels worldwide. Buchanan shared a byline with Daniel Blazer, co-founder of Palmetto-based World Direct Shipping.

“If America caves to an unaccountable global tax, it will open the door to further encroachments on our sovereignty and weaken our ability to compete with China in industries vital to our security,” the op-ed reads. “If we push back, we can protect American jobs, strengthen our supply chains and keep our economy competitive.”

That backs up a position taken by the administration. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a joint statement saying the U.S. won’t accept that unfair burden at U.S. ports.

“The United States will be moving to levy these remedies against nations that sponsor this European-led neocolonial export of global climate regulations,” that statement read.

Acting on aerospace

Several Florida lawmakers said it’s time for steps to be taken to protect the commercial air and space above Florida.

Rep. Greg Steube led a bipartisan letter to Duffy and Federal Aviation Administrator Bryan Bedford calling for the creation of an Airspace Coordination Team (ACT) to modernize radar and other air traffic infrastructure. The high number of space launches creates urgency to the matter, the letter reads.

“Just last year, the Eastern Range (U.S. Space Force’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center) supported 93 launches, delivering nearly 1,400 orbital assets into space and marking Florida as home to the world’s busiest spaceport,” he said.

“With the demand for launches expected to significantly increase in the coming years, challenges associated with the inefficiency of communication among those who operate within and around the vicinity of Cape Canaveral have exposed our commercial, defense, and tourism partners to unnecessary risk and delay. Such a lack of coordination and communication has already led to significant setbacks for our commercial partners.”

Moody signed the letter, as did 20 Republicans in the House delegation and three Democrats. Additionally, 15 members of the Florida Legislature also signed.

Other Republicans cheered the effort to the Washington Examiner.

“Florida’s Space Coast is the heart of America’s space and aerospace industry,” said Mike Haridopolos, a Space Coast Republican.

“To sustain that success, we must modernize our systems and strengthen coordination to protect our airspace. As launches grow more frequent, our technology and infrastructure must evolve to meet the pace. Creating an Airspace Coordination Team will make Florida’s skies safer, our launches more efficient and our economy stronger. Florida should lead the world in how we manage airspace, streamline operations and ensure safety.”

War off Florida’s shore?

While questions are being raised about the legality of U.S. attacks on Venezuelan vessels in the Caribbean, Rep. Carlos Giménez has made clear he supports the operation.

The Miami-Dade Republican appeared on CNN, where he supported any effort to stop drug trafficking into the U.S.

“President Trump is doing more to protect our country from the drug cartels than ANY other President in history,” he said. “I applaud his work to annihilate the narco-terrorists and restore peace in Venezuela with Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado at the helm.”

Machado won an opposition Primary for President of Venezuela before being disqualified from the ballot in 2024. Months later, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro claimed victory in the election over the candidate she supported, despite international observers saying he rightfully lost re-election.

Giménez also praised SOUTHCOM Admiral Alvin Holsey, who announced his retirement after less than a year at the post, amid controversy around the actions.

As a Representative of the District closest to the military activities, Giménez said he welcomes the action.

“I fully support all of President Trump’s military actions against the narco-terrorist Nicolás Maduro’s narco-terrorist regime,” he posted on X, reiterating the message in Spanish and English. “Thank you to all our media outlets for their round-the-clock coverage on the greatest military operation in the history of the Caribbean.”

On this day

Oct. 17, 1871 — “Martial law declared over KKK violence” via the Oregon Education Association — President Ulysses Grant declared martial law in nine counties in South Carolina. Earlier in the year, he had signed into law the Ku Klux Klan Act, which made it a federal crime to deprive American citizens of their civil rights through racial terrorism. The writ of habeas corpus was suspended to bypass biased White judges. Six hundred Klansmen were eventually jailed. More than 200 were indicted, with 53 pleading guilty to crimes and five more found guilty at trial. While a significant moment, racial violence targeted at Black people continued long after martial law was lifted.

Oct. 17, 1979 — “Jimmy Carter signs measure creating a Department of Education” via The New York Times — President Carter signed legislation at a White House ceremony attended by 200 applauding education officials. The Cabinet-level department was a 1976 Carter campaign promise. “I don’t know what history will show, but my guess is that the best move for the quality of life in America in the future might very well be the establishment of this new Department of Education,” Carter said. Opponents had charged that the department would lead to federal encroachment in local education matters and expand an already sprawling bureaucracy. The legislation won approval in Congress after a vigorous lobbying campaign by the National Education Association.

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Peter Schorsch publishes Delegation, compiled by Jacob Ogles, edited and assembled by Phil Ammann and Ryan Nicol.