Politics
Delegation for 9.4.26: October recess — travel agents — Space Academy — ballot cutoff — scolding socialism
October recess
Members of Florida’s House delegation could spend a bit more time on the campaign trail than expected. Speaker Mike Johnson announced Thursday that the lower chamber would break for recess after Sept. 17 and not return to Washington until after the Midterms.
The announcement came at the close of a short week back in Washington after an August recess, and before lawmakers take another week at home after Labor Day. They will return from Sept. 14 through 17 before leaving until the post-Midterms “lame duck” Session.
Of note, three members of the delegation didn’t come back to Washington this week either. Rep. Byron Donalds stayed in Florida as he campaigns for Governor. Rep. Neal Dunn, a Panama City Republican retiring at the end of the term, also did not vote in any roll calls this week, nor did Rep. Cory Mills, a New Smyrna Beach Republican who last month lost his re-election bid in the Republican Primary.
Some lawmakers saw little reason to stay in town, particularly after passing a continuing resolution to keep the government open through at least Dec. 11. Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, a Hialeah Republican and Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, noted that the House has passed its appropriations bills this year. While those should be in conference negotiations with the Senate, the next move belongs to those in the upper chamber.
“The Senate has yet to, as far as we know, even post a budget, let alone pass it,” he said.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agreed that keeping the government funded was the most important job on the House’s agenda. But they also feel work shouldn’t stop there.
“This bipartisan bill protects critical housing, nutrition, healthcare, veterans, and infrastructure programs while temporarily blocking the Trump administration’s reckless attempt to politicize federal grants,” said Rep. Frederica Wilson, a Miami-Dade Democrat. “Now, Congress must finish the job and pass full-year funding bills that lower costs, protect our communities, and put people first.”
Meanwhile, Rep. Randy Fine said he had little interest in staying in town to wait for the Senate to move on any budget or policy bills when they won’t take up House priorities.
“We have passed the SAVE America Act six times in the House — the Senate still has not passed it once,” the Atlantic Coast Republican said. “I voted against two Senate bills this week for that reason. I will not rubber-stamp their work while they sit on election security. Election security is non-negotiable; I am staying on this until it is done.”
Meanwhile, Democrats over the course of the current Congress have often criticized Republicans for extended breaks, and some were quick to point that out now.
“Wow, House GOP leaders don’t want to show up to work again. Americans want us to work together to lower costs, protect our healthcare and stop corruption,” said Rep. Darren Soto, a Kissimmee Democrat. “Their answer? Do nothing.”
But few lawmakers on either side of the aisle spoke out against a longer recess. That may be a sign that the Midterms have become increasingly urgent for members of both parties.
The Senate, meanwhile, still has plans to work in Washington as scheduled in September and October. And while the upper chamber wasn’t in Washington this week, lawmakers still had plenty on their own agenda.
Travel agent bailout?
Sen. Rick Scott sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy urging him to change a policy implemented under President Joe Biden that Scott said puts travel agents at financial risk.
Travel agents under a 2024 Transportation Department rule must refund customers within seven days of a qualified flight cancellation or delay, even though airlines face no such requirement. As carriers take their time paying back costs to agents, those professionals are often left on the hook for thousands of dollars returned to customers before their own offices recoup those costs.
“Travel agencies and advisers operate on slim margins, and many simply cannot afford to front refunds to their customers, particularly for group bookings worth tens of thousands of dollars, before the airline has returned the money,” said Scott, a Naples Republican.
“These small businesses are being held financially accountable for a timeline they do not control, while the airlines that actually hold the funds face no enforceable deadline. Many of these small businesses may go out of business if nothing is done. Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy, and travel advisers and agencies play a critical role in our tourism industry.”
Scott said that either airlines must adhere to the same deadlines as agents, or some other relief must be sought for the intermediaries. “Consumers deserve timely refunds, but that obligation should rest with the party holding the money, not with small businesses left waiting on the airlines,” Scott wrote.
Canaveral academy
Sen. Ashley Moody wants to see the U.S. Space Academy located in Florida as part of her latest attempt to boost the space sector.
The idea was recently rolled out by President Donald Trump, who set a goal to “educate and train an entire generation of skilled service members, engineers, and civil operators” for NASA, the Space Force, and the commercial space sector.
Moody said it’s a top priority and plans to file a bill to make the move.
“The newly established United States Space Academy belongs in Florida — America’s launchpad to the stars. That’s why the first thing I’ll do when I’m back in Washington is introduce legislation to bring the academy home to Florida — ensuring our nation’s next generation of space leaders is educated, trained, and prepared for a future in the final frontier right here on Florida’s Space Coast,” the Plant City Republican said.
She and Rep. Mike Haridopolos, a Space Coast Republican, co-led a letter to Trump and NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, outlining the benefits of locating the center in Florida. The message was signed by Scott and 21 other members of the House from both sides of the aisle.
“There is no better place to train the next generation of American space leaders than the state that has launched generations of Americans to the stars,” Haridopolos said.
“Florida has the infrastructure, the universities, the workforce, and the unmatched experience to make the United States Space Academy a success. As Chairman of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, I am proud to lead this bipartisan effort with Sen. Moody and our Florida colleagues to make the case for bringing this important new institution to the Sunshine State.”
Stopping sexual harassment
One issue on hold because of the House leaving early may be an effort to address sexual harassment complaints in Congress. Rep. Kat Cammack, a Gainesville Republican in charge of the Republican Women’s Caucus, has helped head that effort.
But while final recommendations may wait a few more weeks, she said the House must take matters seriously now. She stressed this after voting to censure Rep. Chuck Edwards, a North Carolina Republican.
“The Committee found a persistent pattern of unprofessional and inappropriate conduct toward two young women on his staff, and he did not deny much of the underlying conduct. In fact, defends it. He defends the gifts and the poetry, and he defends traveling with a young woman who had only just left his office. His argument is that none of it broke a rule, and that is precisely the problem,” she said.
“I was a congressional staffer myself before becoming a Member. I understand the responsibility Members have to the people who work for us. Members of Congress hold enormous power over the people who work for us. ‘Technically permitted’ is a low bar. Judgment is the standard.”
She said women in Congress are continuing to work across the aisle to improve the workplace environment.
“Congress cannot ask the American people to trust this body if we refuse to hold ourselves accountable. Yesterday’s vote was accountability after the fact,” Cammack said. “My work with Chairwoman (Teresa) Leger Fernández and the Democratic Women’s Caucus is about making sure the next staffer never has to get that far. We will have more to share on that work soon.”
Homeless camps
Raising concerns that the next Alligator Alcatraz could house America’s homeless, Rep. Maxwell Frost this week unveiled his No Homeless Detention Centers Act. The bill would bar the use of any federal funding to gather and house homeless people arrested for vagrancy or to force individuals into labor.
“There’s a growing effort in this country to treat homelessness like a crime instead of what it is — a housing crisis,” the Orlando Democrat said at a Washington news conference. “Homelessness is a housing issue.”
Frost said laws like Florida’s ban on public sleeping, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2024, were worsening economic conditions for those already left without a safe place to live. He called the “despicable” statute a “handcuffs, not housing” law.
“We’ve seen arrest numbers go up in my District and in Central Florida,” Frost said. “We’ve seen some horrible situations, including an older lady who was forced to the ground and went to jail simply because she was trying to find a place to sleep under I-4 under an overpass, and it has not helped this at all. It’s made the situation worse, and it puts people who are already in a poor situation in a worse place.”
Frost said he has also seen Democrat-controlled cities, including his hometown of Orlando, implement other policies criminalizing homelessness as well.
“It’s not just right-wing organizations,” he said. “It’s Democratic cities as well that are pursuing handcuffs instead of housing. That does not end homelessness. It just makes being homeless a crime.”
Ferry funding
When Rep. Kathy Castor returned home, she brought $850,000 in funding for a permanent ferry dock on Tampa Bay.
The Tampa Democrat secured the funding through a Community Project Funding request this fiscal year.
“The funding empowers the Tampa Bay Ferry to take another step toward launching service between St. Petersburg and Tampa, with strong federal support for a permanent ferry dock in downtown St. Petersburg,” Castor’s Office announced.
She presented a check in a ceremony to St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch and to Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority CEO Brad Miller and Board Chair Deborah Figgs-Sanders. Dylan Hubbard, owner of Hubbard’s Marina, was also part of the ceremony in St. Petersburg on Second Street Northeast, the road leading to the St. Pete Pier.
Ballot cutoff
Florida requires nearly all votes to be submitted by Election Day. Rep. Laurel Lee says it’s time for every state in the nation to hold the same cutoff time for receiving ballots.
The Thonotosassa Republican, who chairs the House Administration Elections Subcommittee, filed the Ballots by Election Day Act. That would require election officials across the country to stop receiving ballots after the polls close on Election Day.
“Having served as Florida’s Secretary of State and overseen elections across our state, I have seen firsthand that clear rules, firm deadlines, and consistent election administration work,” Lee said.
“Florida has shown that we can provide voters with accessible ways to cast their ballots while maintaining a clear deadline for when those ballots must be received. Election Day should mean election results. When the polls close, voters should have confidence that the voting is over and election officials can move forward with determining the results. The Ballots by Election Day Act applies that commonsense standard to federal elections across the country and provides greater certainty for voters, election officials, and the American people.”
Of note, Florida does accept a small number of ballots after polls close. For 10 days after an election, offices will accept military and overseas mail-in ballots, and Lee’s bill leaves protections for those voters in place.
Moody already filed a companion bill (S. 5001) in the Senate and said the change would improve confidence in elections while settling contests more promptly.
“The Ballots by Election Day Act is a simple fix to rebuild trust in elections. The fact that some states allow ballots to pour in for days after an election is absurd,” Moody said. “Passing our Ballots by Election Day Act would deliver results before bed. I’m happy to see my friend and colleague, Rep. Laurel Lee, join me in this fight to bring Florida’s blueprint for elections nationwide.”
Seasonal crops
While Rep. Vern Buchanan served as a liaison during negotiations on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), he says protections still need to be in place for Florida’s seasonal growers.
The Longboat Key Republican this week penned an op-ed in The Hill urging consideration in any review of the trade treaty.
“The strength of our food supply is imperative to our nation’s strength,” Buchanan wrote. “During this review, the United States faces a clear choice: protect our ability to grow our own food or continue down a path of greater dependence on foreign food supplies, at the expense of our food security, our supply chains and Americans’ confidence in what’s on their plate.”
He said Mexico’s dumping of low-quality crops has often undercut produce grown in Florida, and that this has worsened under the USMCA, with the cost of disruptive imports estimated at $14 billion in 2020 and $19 billion this year.
“For more than two decades, Mexican shippers have squeezed Florida farmers out of their own market by flooding it with low-priced produce during Florida’s own growing season. According to an October 2025 report from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Florida’s share of the fruit and vegetable market has fallen by nearly 50% over the past two decades, while Mexico’s share has surged by more than 200%,” he wrote.
“Bell peppers, cucumbers, squash, blueberries: entire sectors of Florida agriculture have taken steep losses in market share and revenue, even as consumer demand keeps growing. Multi-generational Florida farms, family operations that have fed this country for generations, are being forced to shut their doors.”
Scolding socialism
Another vote taken up this week was on a resolution on socialism, filed at a time when members of the Democratic Socialists of America have made inroads in Primaries.
“Socialism and the government takeover of our lives have no place in America. It is anathema to our way of life and the American Dream. I am proud to have supported this important resolution denouncing socialism and safeguarding our nation’s integrity,” said Díaz-Balart, dean of Florida’s congressional delegation.
“Socialism has wreaked havoc across our hemisphere. The catastrophic impact of socialism is undeniable. Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua are vivid reminders of the destructive consequences that socialist governance can have on societies and nations: decades of dictatorship and repression, the destruction of once-thriving nations, and forcing millions to flee their homeland.”
While all Republicans in the House backed the resolution, only eight Democrats voted for it. That included two members of Florida’s congressional delegation, Castor and Soto. South Florida Democratic Reps. Lois Frankel and Jared Moskowitz skipped the vote, while Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Frost and Wilson all voted against the resolution.
Wasserman Schultz, Democratic co-Chair of Florida’s congressional delegation, said it was misleading to lump socialism as discussed by progressives in the same category as Latin American dictatorships.
“I rise to condemn all socialist autocrats who place power and wealth over their own citizens. Yet this resolution ignores some of their worst evils,” she said on the floor, “then falls silent while American leaders mimic their cruel tactics.”
On this day
Sept. 4, 1957 — “Little Rock school segregation faces crisis” via the Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute — Three years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal, nine African American students attempted to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. The first day of school, a White mob gathered in front, and Gov. Orval Faubus deployed the Arkansas National Guard to prevent the Black students from entering. In response to Faubus’ action, a team of NAACP lawyers, including Thurgood Marshall, obtained a federal district court injunction preventing the Governor from blocking the students’ entry.
Sept. 4, 1886 — “Geronimo surrenders” via History.com — For 30 years, the Native American warrior had battled to protect his tribe’s homeland. However, by 1886 the Apaches were exhausted and outnumbered. General Nelson Miles accepted Geronimo’s surrender, making him the last Native American warrior to formally give in to U.S. forces and signaling the end of the Indian Wars in the Southwest. Geronimo and a band of Apaches were sent to Florida and then to Alabama, eventually ending up on the Comanche and Kiowa reservation near Fort Sill in the Oklahoma Territory. There, Geronimo became a successful farmer and converted to Christianity. He participated in President Theodore Roosevelt’s inaugural parade in 1905.
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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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