Big DOGE bark

While streamlining bureaucracy has bipartisan support, the work of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency has dominated news cycles since the start of President Donald Trump’s administration.

Most notably, the digital work of a team led by tech executive Elon Musk has prompted protests and legislative responses by congressional Democrats. Rep. Maxwell Frost, an Orlando Democrat, was among leaders last week during marches by U.S. Representatives to the Department of Treasury and Education; lawmakers were denied entry in both instances.

“Today we went to the Department of Education and demanded answers in defense of our students, in defense of our teachers, in defense of families and communities that are built around public education,” Frost said outside the federal agency. “We’re not going to let them destroy our public school system and destroy the futures of millions of kids across this country.”

At the same time, Florida lawmakers from both parties have made clear they support making the government more efficient. Just this week, Reps. Byron Donalds, a Naples Republican, and Jared Moskowitz, a Parkland Democrat, introduced the Bipartisan Value Over Cost Act (HR 1118), which seeks contractual flexibility, maximizes the use of modern technology, and encourages a reduction in regulatory burdens for small businesses.

“The General Services Administration’s (GSA) ‘Lowest Overall Cost Alternative Standard’ is burdensome, has resulted in higher costs, government waste, and we need change,” Donalds said. “I have reintroduced the ‘Bipartisan Value Over Cost Act’ to solve this problem once and for all. Last Congress, this common-sense legislation was passed with unanimous support in the U.S. House of Representatives, and I once again look forward to the successful passage of this proposal in the 119th Congress.”

But supporting efficient government and endorsing any recent acts of DOGE don’t go hand in hand. Moskowitz also issued a statement slamming the Musk-led group for gaining access to sensitive Treasury Department records. A judge issued a preliminary injunction to stop that work once 19 state attorneys sued the administration. Moskowitz said the administration should ensure the work doesn’t detrimentally affect Americans.

“As the first Democrat to join the DOGE Caucus in Congress, I made explicitly clear that I will work across the aisle with colleagues in both the legislative and executive branches to make government more efficient — a goal that Americans across party lines share,” Moskowitz said.

“But that cannot and should not include cuts to the Social Security and Medicare benefits that Floridians have paid into their entire lives and have earned for their retirements. Elon Musk and the DOGE should pledge today that Americans’ privacy will be protected and that the DOGE’s access to this system will not result in any missed or minimized payments for the millions of Americans who depend on earned benefits like these.”

No Republicans in the delegation rushed to defend DOGE’s access to records, but most continued to praise DOGE’s other work. Some pointed to savings that could lead to more resources for valuable services to Florida. Rep. Scott Franklin, for example, spotlighted perceived waste at the Federal Emergency Management Agency when many Floridians still need storm relief.

“Wow. DOGE uncovered that, just last week, FEMA spent $59 million housing illegal aliens in New York City,” he posted. “FEMA funds are meant for natural disasters like hurricanes and wildfires. Not the unnatural disasters created by the (Joe) Biden Admin. Let the Big DOGE Eat!”

Cuba crackdown

Sen. Rick Scott issued a renewed push for sanctions against Cuba. The Naples Republican filed the Denying Earnings to the Military Oligarchy in Cuba and Restricting Activities of the Cuban Intelligence Apparatus (DEMOCRACIA) Act, which would authorize the President to impose economic penalties on any foreign individuals who knowingly engage with Cuba’s military.

“Cuba is the root of instability in Latin America and a constant threat to the national security of the United States, only emboldened by the past four years of Biden-Harris appeasement policies,” Scott said. “The illegitimate, communist Castro/(Miguel) Díaz-Canel regime harbors terrorist groups, denies freedom and democracy to the Cuban people while providing a secret police force to (Nicolás) Maduro to oppress the Venezuelan people, and hosts a Chinese Communist Party spy station 90 miles from Florida.”

Scott filed the bill with Sen. Tommy Tuberville, an Alabama Republican. Florida’s senior Senator said it was in the interest of national security to impose harsher economic consequences on the communist nation 90 miles off Florida’s shore.

“The Cuban regime props up ruthless dictators and allows a foothold in Latin America for Russia, Iran and Communist China to spread their influence,” Scott said. “President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have already taken action to hold the Cuban regime accountable, including reversing Biden’s dangerous decision to remove them from the State Sponsor of Terrorism List, but we must keep the pressure going. My DEMOCRACIA Act will build on their efforts by implementing severe sanctions against Communist Cuba and closing the existing gaps in sanctions.

“It will also authorize the President to provide unrestricted internet service to the people of Cuba that is not censored by the Cuban regime. The United States continues to stand with the Cuban people, and this bill will send a powerful message as we work to bring a new day of freedom and democracy to Cuba and the entire Western Hemisphere.”

Straits of Florida

Meanwhile, Sen. Ashley Moody is focused on ensuring that few people migrate illegally from Cuba and other Caribbean nations into Florida. The Plant City Republican discussed the need for immigration enforcement on Fox News’ Faulkner Focus.

She stressed the illegal immigration happening in the Sunshine State wasn’t just those originating from nearby nations. She said some individuals would come from China, travel through London and the Bahamas, and then boat into Florida virtually unabated. Her office specifically pointed at the Straits of Florida, between Cuba and the Florida Keys, where greater enforcement was needed.

“Under the last President, in Florida, we saw Chinese nationals coming across our border illegally go up 8,000%. Think about that number,” Moody said. “And while Gov. (Ron) DeSantis was asking for more and more help, it wasn’t happening. So he declared an emergency surge of state assets. That’s what you do to protect your jurisdictional bounds. And that’s what President Donald Trump is going to do for America.”

Wadley Pass

Rep. Kat Cammack said she’s making progress in getting the area known as the McGriff Channel, or “Wadley Pass,” in Dixie County closer to becoming more manageable for recreational and commercial boating use.

The Gainesville Republican announced funding for potential work on the McGriff Channel has been added to the Water Resources Development Act. She had secured votes in the U.S. House to add the funding to that act and announced Scott included the matching provision in a year-end package from the Senate.

“I’m thrilled to have secured this crucial step in getting the challenges with McGriff Channel resolved,” Cammack said.

“This issue has persisted for far too long, and it’s time we get the Jacksonville Army Corps back on track to advance this project. From here, we will be keeping the pressure on the Army Corps to ensure this project gets done in a timely manner. I look forward to sharing more updates later this year as we gather further information on potential dredging and restoration efforts.”

Follow the money

If any foreign dollars are funding U.S. education, Rep. Aaron Bean said parents need to know.

The Fernandina Beach Republican has reintroduced the Transparency in Reporting of Adversarial Contributions to Education (TRACE) Act, which would require disclosure of any such resources in use that may impact their child’s education.

“American schools are for education, not espionage. We cannot allow our students — the future of our great nation — to be corrupted by foreign adversaries who are systematically and aggressively attempting to influence our nation’s K-12 schools,” Bean said.

“Yet this is what happens when our institutions of learning accept the Trojan horse of foreign funding. I am proud to reintroduce this bill to solidify the rights of parents to know how foreign influence may be impacting their child’s classroom and to deter the ability of foreign nations to reach America’s youth.”

He filed the legislation with Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, a Pennsylvania Republican.

American business first

According to Rep. Cory Mills, Small Business Administration assistance provided with U.S. dollars should help American companies before those with ties to China. The New Smyrna Beach Republican filed legislation to ensure businesses controlled by the Eastern superpower aren’t benefiting from programs to strengthen homegrown operations.

“We are putting America’s small businesses first,” Mills said. “They are the backbone of our economy. Businesses linked financially or politically to the Chinese Communist Party will not see a single dollar of relief from the U.S. government. The communist regime’s emboldened actions are a threat to our nation and fiscal security. The CCP is not just challenging our economic interests; they’re actively working to create instability in global markets.”

The Preventing SBA Assistance from Going to China Act would prevent the SBA from assisting companies with 25% or greater Chinese ownership.

Several Florida colleagues co-sponsored the bill, including Reps. Vern Buchanan, Greg Steube and Daniel Webster.

“Small businesses are the backbone of America’s economy, and taxpayer dollars should support them — not companies tied to the Chinese Communist Party,” said Webster, a Clermont Republican. “This bill is a common-sense solution to safeguard our national security and ensure that the Small Business Administration prioritizes American entrepreneurs.”

Prepare for launch

Rep. Mike Haridopolos’ recent speech on the House floor was fueled by a private space tech company based in Rockledge. The Space Coast Republican praised Eta Space for developing an experimental satellite that will study the use of cryogenic fuels in space.

“As we return to the moon and set our sights on Mars, one major challenge remains: the ability to refuel spacecraft in orbit,” Haridopolos said. “This requires storing fuels at temperatures hundreds of degrees below freezing and transferring them while traveling at 17,000 miles per hour in microgravity. That’s no easy task.”

“The dedicated team at Eta Space has been at the forefront of solving this challenge. But like so many small businesses driving innovation, they needed support at a critical moment.”

In the halls of Congress, Rep. Greg Steube urged two recent delegation members now in Trump’s administration to act against Iranian militia operating in Iraq. The Sarasota Republican called on Rubio, a former Senator, and National Security Adviser Michael Waltz to review sanctions and military assistance being delivered in the Middle East.

He cited a report by the Defense Department Inspector General that found Iraqi Defense and Interior Ministries officers sympathetic to Iran.

“It is completely unacceptable that taxpayer dollars have long supported a system where Iranian-backed militias are armed, trained, and legally part of Iraq’s government. Replacing ISIS with Iran-backed terrorist militias does not make sense and only fuels the onslaught of terror that the Iranian regime seeks to export,” Steube said.

He co-led a letter to Rubio and Waltz with Rep. Joe Wilson, a South Carolina Republican, urging sanctions on individuals connected to the Badr Corps. The lawmakers also ask that the Badr Corps, the Abu Fadl Al-Abbas Brigades, and other Iran-sympathetic militias be designated as foreign terrorist organizations. Finally, they ask that all U.S. assistance to Iraq’s security forces be stopped until Iranian influence is rooted out.

“Under President Donald Trump’s leadership, the world will be safer, and America will be stronger,” Steube said.

Rep. Neal Dunn, a Panama City Republican, was among the co-signatories.

Saving the manatees

Florida delegation members launched a fresh bipartisan push to restore manatees’ place on the Endangered Species Act.

Reps. Darren Soto, a Kissimmee Democrat, and Buchanan, a Longboat Key Republican, filed the Manatee Protection Act (HR 135) to upgrade the current status of West Indian manatees from “threatened” to “endangered.”

“Last year, over 550 manatees died in Florida,” Soto said. “This is alarming and should prompt us to take action to protect them from experiencing further tragedies. We must do everything in our power to protect these precious mammals.”

Buchanan, the Republican co-chair of the delegation, criticized the 2017 downgrading of manatees and said it is now more urgent to restore federal protections.

“Manatees are beloved, iconic mammals in Florida,” Buchanan said. “The heartbreaking number of manatee deaths over the past few years is staggering and extremely concerning, which is why upgrading their ESA status is absolutely critical. We must do everything we can to protect these gentle giants and Florida’s official marine mammal.”

Soto also introduced legislation (HR 704) requiring the Postal Service to issue stamps celebrating manatees, similar to the Save Manatee stamp last year that generated proceeds for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the sea creatures’ habitats.

Sanctioning the ICC

Months after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Trump ordered sanctions on the United Nations-backed institution.

“The ICC has no jurisdiction over the United States or Israel, as neither country is party to the Rome Statute or a member of the ICC,” Neither country has ever recognized the ICC’s jurisdiction, and both nations are thriving democracies with militaries that strictly adhere to the laws of war.

As House Foreign Affairs Chair, Rep. Brian Mast issued a statement supporting the administration’s position. Mast also filed a bill with Rep. Chip Roy, a Texas Republican, to impose statutory sanctions, but Senate Democrats blocked the legislation.

“Thank you, President Donald Trump, for standing with Israel despite Senate Democrats’ decision to side with terrorists and the globalist bureaucrats in the ICC,” Mast said. “The ICC is fighting Israel, who is fighting to bring American hostages home.”

Emergency decor

Following Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s confirmation, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz questions why some of his first spending was painting his house.

House Appropriations ranking Democrat Rosa DeLauro and Wasserman Schultz, the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Subcommittee, sent a letter to Hegseth asking about the peculiar emergency expense.

“Why is $49,900 for emergency painting of this residence necessary and how does that use of funds comply with the administration’s stated goal of government efficiency?” the letter states.

Besides the fact that Hegseth’s salary as Defense Secretary is $246,000 a year — never mind his prior six-figure income as a Fox News host — the Democrats’ letter questions why he now wants the Defense Department to pay for a 4,000-square-foot furnished home in Washington, D.C., with $137,000 worth of upgrades. That includes $50,000 just for the paint job.

“We know that many service members and their families currently live in unacceptable housing conditions, including houses with mold, lead paint, and other hazards.” The letter reads. “What commitment will you make to provide service members with a similarly high quality of housing for themselves and their families?”

On this day

Feb. 11, 1946 — “Yalta Conference ends” via History.com — A week of intensive bargaining by the leaders of the three major Allied powers ended in Yalta, a Soviet resort town on the Black Sea. It was the second conference of the “Big Three” Allied leaders — President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet Premier Josef Stalin — and the war had progressed mightily since their last meeting in Tehran in 1943. With victory over Germany three months away, Churchill and Stalin were more intent on dividing Europe into zones of political influence than on addressing military considerations. The Soviets were to administer those European countries they liberated but promised to hold free elections.

Feb. 11, 1993 — “Miami prosecutor is Bill Clinton’s Attorney General choice” via the Los Angeles Times — President Clinton named Miami prosecutor Janet Reno as his nominee, putting an end, the White House hopes, to a frustrating and embarrassing saga for the new administration. A high-profile prosecutor for 15 years who has handily won reelection four times, the 54-year-old Reno would bring a strong background in criminal law and a reputation for integrity and political savvy to the Justice Department. As State Attorney for Dade County, which includes Miami and the surrounding area, Reno has handled several controversial criminal cases, including two politically sensitive police brutality prosecutions in one of the nation’s most racially volatile cities.

Happy birthday

Best wishes to Reps. Kat Cammack, who turns 37, and Neal Dunn, who turns 72, both on Sunday, Feb. 16.

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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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