Politics
Emoji meme — spaced out — Powell push — farm bill — FEMA
Fist bump. America. Fire.
A political firestorm spread through Washington after a report that President Donald Trump’s hand-picked military leaders included a journalist from The Atlantic in a message thread on Signal about a recent attack on the Houthis. But one particular message became an instant meme.
National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, a former Northeast Florida Congressman who resigned his seat in January to take on his White House role, replied to developments of the counteroffensive attack with a series of emojis: a fist bump, an American flag and a flame.
The cartoon communication style, included in a thread intended to be private within a group of administration leaders, attracted criticism and was derided as immature and unprofessional. It also became the most imitated portion of the entire text conversation.
That came from Democratic critics, including some former colleagues of Waltz’s in the congressional delegation like Reps. Maxwell Frost and Jared Moskowitz. “No, this is not an article from The Onion,” posted Frost, an Orlando Democrat.
Moskowitz, a Parkland Democrat with a penchant for social media trolling, posted screenshots of the three emojis to his X feed on five separate occasions Monday, the day The Atlantic released news about the thread.
But perhaps more serious for Waltz, he was also quickly fingered as the reason The Atlantic reporter Jeffrey Goldberg ended up on the text chain. POLITICO reported that the episode prompted an internal conversation about whether Waltz should be forced from his White House role. “It was reckless to be having that conversation on Signal,” one official anonymously told the outlet. “You can’t have recklessness as the national security adviser.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, though, defended Waltz amid criticism. “As President Trump said, the attacks on the Houthis have been highly successful and effective. President Trump continues to have the utmost confidence in his national security team, including National Security Adviser Mike Waltz,” read a statement provided to CNN.
In Congress, Republicans expressed concerns about the thread but stopped short of demanding scalps. House Foreign Affairs Chair Brian Mast, a Stuart Republican and a close ally of Waltz during their time in the House, said he was “absolutely” concerned about using Signal to discuss classified information, according to The Hill. But Mast argued there was no “systemic thing” that warranted investigation.
Rocket roundtable
Sen. Ashley Moody convened space leaders from around the state as part of a push from Florida lawmakers to relocate NASA headquarters to the Space Coast.
The Plant City Republican led a roundtable discussion at Space Florida’s headquarters to discuss the benefits of such a move.
“We are working with leaders in the space industry to advance our efforts to bring NASA headquarters to Florida,” Moody said.
“Today’s discussion highlighted just how well-situated Florida’s Space Coast is for this monumental move, and how this effort would improve efficiency, foster collaboration with private space companies and capitalize on our well-trained, highly skilled aeronautical workforce. It would also boost our economy, increase tourism, and solidify Florida as the Space State. I am proud to be the sponsor of the CAPE Canaveral Act and will continue fighting in Washington to bring NASA headquarters here where it belongs.”
She filed a bill with Sen. Rick Scott to move NASA HQ to Florida. But Texas leaders also want the space agency there. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott launched a state commission to promote the industry there.
Rep. Mike Haridopolos, a Space Coast Republican, was also part of Moody’s forum, as was Florida International University Interim President and former Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez, who chairs Space Florida.
Space Florida CEO Rob Long participated, as did Embry-Riddle University President P. Barry Butler and Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Rodney Cruise, University of Central Florida physicist Dr. Philip Metzger, and EDC Florida Space Coast President Lynda Weatherman.
Pushing Powell
After years of criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, Scott called for the economic leader’s resignation.
“Jay Powell proves time and time again that he is a failure at the Federal Reserve,” Scott wrote in a Fox News op-ed.
Much of the write-up criticized policies under former President Joe Biden. Scott said Powell has mismanaged the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet to the point that it grew to an “unsustainable $6.8 trillion.”
“I talk to Floridians who can’t afford a mortgage because of high interest rates,” he said. “They’re working 40+ hours a week but still relying on food banks for dinner, and they don’t understand why their federal government has been driving policies for the past four years that make things worse for them. That is unacceptable and I know that I am not the only one here in Washington (who) is hearing these heartbreaking stories. Now, it is incumbent on those who have the power to reverse these failures to act.”
The demand from Scott comes as Trump and Powell publicly debate whether interest rates should be lowered.
Farm bill frustrations
The farm bill was supposed to pass nearly two years ago but remains mired in negotiations between the House and Senate. Can it be included in the budget reconciliation process?
Rep. Kat Cammack, the top Florida Republican on the House Agriculture Committee, said that’s “absolutely feasible.” But in an interview with Agri-Pulse Newsmakers, she clarified that it could be a tough row to hoe.
“Reconciliation, it’s a beast. It is an arduous process from start to finish,” the Gainesville Republican said. “And so even though you avoid the 60-vote threshold in the Senate, you have to really reconcile the House and the Senate, and really be mindful of revenues, impacts, outlays. And the farm bill is a beast of a bill in itself.”
Cammack said the process could be so lengthy that it’s unlikely to get done this budget year. Meanwhile, she said agriculture producers in Florida and nationwide desperately need certainty about what a farm bill will contain.
“I’ve heard, OK, we’re going to try to get this done by the beginning of Fall. I’m sorry, but we can’t go until the Fall for answers,” she said. “And so, there is a lot of us aggies on the Hill that are concerned that this is going to end up getting pushed to the back burner, as it has in the past, and we just can’t keep kicking the can down the road.”
Leadership fights
As House leadership navigates a tight majority to pass significant legislation, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna voiced irritation at Speaker Mike Johnson for how he has managed members not perfectly in lockstep with his agenda.
The St. Petersburg Republican, a loyalist to Trump who has criticized House leadership, voiced frustrations on X shortly after complaining that Johnson would leak details of budget negotiations with the Senate to press ahead of informing members. She touched on several disagreements she has had with the Louisiana Republican.
“Leadership has been dragging their feet on codifying anything Trump has done. Yet they’re actively working against parents being able to vote,” Luna posted, before arguing she was retaliated against while pursuing a post on the House Armed Services Committee (HASC).
“Did you know they also kept me off HASC (a female vet) because I voted with Rep. Thomas Massie to try to stop FISA in current form? If we’re going to talk to the press, at least be honest with what you guys are doing behind the scenes. I like Johnson, but the swamp is still alive and well.”
Union busting
Rep. Scott Franklin has renewed an effort to limit labor representatives’ ability to perform union work on the taxpayer’s dime.
The Lakeland Republican reintroduced the Taxpayer-Funded Union Time Transparency Act, which requires agencies to report how much “official time” union leaders are paid to do work while being paid as public employees.
“Taxpayers shouldn’t pay for empty federal office buildings or for federal employees to unionize on the clock,” Franklin said. “It’s just common sense — Americans deserve a full, detailed account of how bureaucrats use both their official time and office space for union-related work.”
Sen. Joni Ernst, an Iowa Republican, will carry a Senate companion.
The bill as written would require agencies to report the total amount of official time authorized under federal law, provide data on person-hours used for union duties, including negotiation, mediation and arbitration, reveal the square footage of federal space set aside for unions, along with reimbursement information and show year-over-year comparisons on all of this data with justifications for any increased spending.
“This is exactly the kind of waste and abuse my friend, Sen. Joni Ernst, and I are fighting to root out alongside the Trump administration,” Franklin said. “The President was right to order federal employees back to the office — but if taxpayers are footing the bill, workers must be accountable for how they spend their official time. Our bill will provide critical transparency and expose entrenched bureaucrats who have been skirting these important reporting requirements for far too long.”
Elevating FEMA
Two Representatives who know more than they want about hurricane recovery would like to elevate the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) status.
Rep. Byron Donalds, a Naples Republican, joined Moskowitz to file a bill that would make FEMA a Cabinet-level agency reporting directly to the President, as reported by Fox News. FEMA falls under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) umbrella.
Donalds represents Southwest Florida, which in 2022 took a direct hit from Hurricane Ian as a Category 5 hurricane. Moskowitz, meanwhile, previously served as Florida’s Director of Emergency Management.
“As the first Emergency Management Director ever elected to Congress, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges of preparing for, responding to and recovering from disaster events,” Moskowitz said. “As these emergencies continue to grow larger and more widespread, the American people deserve a federal response that is efficient and fast.”
Donalds said it could also serve the mission of government efficiency.
“It is imperative that FEMA is removed from the bureaucratic labyrinth of DHS and instead is designated to report directly to the President of the United States.”
More TPS changes
The Trump administration’s revocation of temporary legal status for 530,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans will impact residents of Florida more than any other state.
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Miramar Democrat and Haitian American, slammed the decision as an attack on those at risk of persecution in their homelands.
“As I’ve stated before, the abrupt removal of nearly half a million individuals is inhumane, irrational, and it will have an irreparable impact on businesses across the country and our economy at large,” Cherfilus-McCormick said.
“Those with humanitarian parole status legally work and pay taxes in the U.S. Across South Florida and throughout the nation, they have strengthened our workforce, supporting our airports, our hospitals, our small businesses and our schools.”
According to the Migration Policy Institute, 49% of Haitian immigrants in the U.S. live in Florida, along with 51% of Venezuelans and 76% of Cubans. Similar breakdowns were not available for Nicaraguans, but 11% of immigrants in the U.S. from Central America live in Florida, and Nicaraguans make up roughly 7% of that group, according to Institute data.
Cherfilus-McCormick said those communities need to be heard in Washington.
“I continue to remain in communication with those who would bear the brunt of this decision and am strongly urging the administration to reverse course immediately,” she said.
Blasting Global Media
While the decision to dismantle the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), including Radio Martí in Miami, generated bipartisan pushback in South Florida, Mast clearly supported the move.
Mast, a Stuart Republican, chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee. In that capacity, he has criticized silencing broadcasts worldwide.
“The U.S. Agency for Global Media, its outlets and its grantees are blatant examples of how the far left has hijacked your money and your agencies to support terrorist sympathizers, give cover to the CCP, and push anti-American propaganda at home and abroad,” Mast said.
“For years, USAGM’s leaders have ignored serious concerns about fraud, corruption, and their failure to uphold American ideals. President Trump, Kari Lake, and the Foreign Affairs Committee are going to act. If one dollar comes out of your pocket, it has to be explained how that money is better used abroad than in your own wallet — and if we can’t defend it, we will defund it.”
Energy enthusiasm
The senior Democrat in Florida’s congressional delegation wants to strengthen the economic relationship between the U.S. and Israel and sees energy as a strong conduit.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Weston Democrat, filed the BIRD Energy and U.S.-Israel Energy Center Reauthorization Act, extending the U.S.-Israel energy partnership through 2034.
That partnership calls for research and development collaboration between companies and researchers in both nations on renewable energy and energy efficiency.
“For over a decade, the BIRD Energy program has demonstrated the power of collaboration between the U.S. and Israel in advancing clean energy solutions,” Wasserman Schultz said.
“By reauthorizing and expanding this successful initiative, we are doubling down on our commitment to innovation, energy security and economic growth. This bill will help develop cutting-edge technologies like hydrogen and fusion energy while strengthening our shared energy infrastructure. Investing in this partnership is an investment in a cleaner, more resilient future for both nations.”
She filed the bill with Republican Reps. Buddy Carter of Georgia, Joe Wilson of South Carolina and Democratic Rep. Brad Schneider of Illinois.
“Israel is one of the United States’ strongest allies,” Carter said. “By expanding the mutually beneficial U.S.-Israel Energy Cooperation program, we will continue to grow our strategic partnership, increase our joint energy security, and ensure both nations have access to cutting-edge technology.”
Housing confirmed
Bill Pulte became the latest Florida man sworn into a key post in the Trump administration earlier this month. The Boca Raton resident was sworn in as Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency on March 14 by Vice President JD Vance.
The agency’s fifth Director, created amid the Great Recession to oversee Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Bank System, is the grandson of Pulte Homes’ founder. He has been a prominent philanthropist, supporting causes in Florida and Michigan for years.
“I am honored by President Trump’s trust as we usher in a Golden Age of housing and mortgage accessibility,” Pulte said.
“Safe and sound housing markets are the foundation of American homeownership, so I will be laser-focused on the safety and soundness of our regulated entities as we ensure that the dream of homeownership becomes a reality for as many Americans as possible.”
On this day
March 5, 1776 — “George Washington earns first Congressional Gold Medal” via the U.S. Navy — Boston was the American headquarters of the British army. After months of preparation, Gen. Washington, Commander of the Continental Army, ordered his men to begin bombarding the city. After a few days of heavy artillery fire, British Gen. William Howe, noticing he and his troops would not be able to defend the city with the decisive positioning of the Continental Army, decided it would be to withdraw. Because of his decisive victory during the Battle of Boston, Washington was awarded the first Congressional Gold Medal by the Continental Congress for his “wise and spirited conduct” in bringing about the British evacuation of Boston.
March 5, 1965 — “Martin Luther King-led march reaches Alabama capital” via The White House — Thousands of people joined along the way to Montgomery, with roughly 25,000 people entering the capital on the final leg of the march. The marchers made it to the entrance of the Alabama State Capitol building, with a petition for Gov. George Wallace. A few months later, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act, which President Lyndon B. Johnson signed on Aug. 6. The Voting Rights Act was designed to eliminate legal barriers at the state and local level that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote under the 15th Amendment — after nearly a century of unconstitutional discrimination.
___
Peter Schorsch publishes Delegation, compiled by Jacob Ogles, edited and assembled by Phil Ammann and Ryan Nicol.
A unique law in Florida that bars adult children over 25 and their parents from pursuing medical malpractice claims is close to repeal, following an overwhelming vote to do so on the House floor.
Members of the chamber voted 104-6 for HB 6017, which would delete from Florida Statutes the provision, known derisively as “free kill,” after 35 years on the books.
“It’s taken a long time to get here, but I’m so glad that we’ve made it,” said Fort Pierce Republican Rep. Dana Trabulsy, who filed the measure with Orlando Democratic Rep. Johanna López.
“We have a wonderful health care system in Florida, (but) mistakes happen. Malpractice happens, (and) nobody should lose a family member due to medical malpractice and lose the ability to access the courts just because they were the age of 25, unmarried with no dependents.”
Trabulsy noted that lawmakers passed the existing restriction in 1990 to reduce insurance rates.
“Lo and behold, insurance rates did not come down,” she said. “It’s about time that we change this law and put the courts back in the hands of Floridians.”
HB 6017 and its Senate analog (SB 734) by Jacksonville Republican Sen. Clay Yarborough encountered ample pushback in committee from medical and insurance organizations, including the American College of Physicians, Florida Hospital Association, Florida Insurance Council, Florida Medical Association, ProAssurance Corp., The Doctors Company and Florida Osteopathic Medical Association.
Retired OBG/YN Miriam Ramirez said she had to stop delivering babies due to the cost of medical malpractice insurance. Daniel Daube, a physician and surgeon who has worked in Panama City for more than 30 years, said Florida needs to attract more practitioners in the state for better care — something HB 6017 and SB 734 would counteract.
Kathryn Magar, Vice President of Claims and Insurance at hospital operator Health First, said the legislation would make her company’s four medical facilities all but uninsurable.
“I’ve yet to meet a clinician who got into the medical profession to cause harm,” she said. “The ‘free kill’ term is, quite frankly, offensive.”
They and others called the legislation “compassionate but misdirected” and argued it would lead to an influx of wrongful death lawsuits and even higher insurance and health care costs.
But that opposition was met with testimonies from dozens of Floridians who lost loved ones and then had no recourse to hold those responsible accountable.
Ethan Perez described maltreatment of his grandfather that included injection with hydrogen peroxide, which an autopsy deemed to be “homicide.” Darcy McGill, who buried her mother, called “free kill” Florida’s “dirty little secret.”
Cindy Jenkins, whose daughter died two years ago due to what she described as “horrific negligence” at a hospital in St. Johns County, said medical malpractice premiums are high in Florida because Florida has a lot of medical malpractice.
“The way you decrease medical malpractice premiums is to stop medical malpractice,” she said. “My child is a free kill. I have no justice.”
Lauren Korniyenko’s 70-year-old mother died in a hospital two days after what she called an “uncomplicated surgery to repair a fractured hip.” Brevard County law enforcement cordoned off the room as a possible homicide scene, she said, and the autopsy revealed staff ignored at least 10 “critical signs of a surgical site infection” that led to her death.
“In an era focused on greater scrutiny of government spending, this law enables the waste and abuse of taxpayer money,” she said.
They and many other family members attended Wednesday’s House floor vote, sitting in the East Gallery. Trabulsy and López recited their lost loved ones’ names.
AARP Florida and the Florida Alliance for Retired Americans backed the bills.
Ocoee Democratic Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis, a lawyer, said HB 6017 would help to wipe away “a stain on our state’s moral conscience.”
“Grief does not expire at 25. The bond between a parent and child does not dissolve with age, and the right to seek justice should never be determined by a birthday,” she said. “This legislation is more than legal reform; it’s a declaration of humanity.”
All six “no” votes came from Republicans: Reps. James Buchanan of Sarasota, Wyman Duggan of Jacksonville, Tom Fabricio of Miami Springs, Karen Gonzalez Pittman of Tampa, Toby Overdorf of Palm City and Will Robinson of Bradenton.
None asked questions about, or argued against, the bill before it passed.
HB 6017 will now go to the Senate, where Yarborough’s bill awaits a floor vote after clearing all three committees to which it was referred.
Yarborough can either substitute HB 6017 for his bill, amend his to match it, or send it back to the House to be amended to match his bill.
That third option is unlikely to happen; except for some organizational difference, the bills are identical.
If passed, the legislation will take effect July 1.
___
A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics contributed to this report.
Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
House Speaker Daniel Perez wants Florida to become the only state in the nation to permanently reduce its sales tax, proposing a 0.75% cut on Wednesday to bring the state sales tax from its current 6% to 5.25%.
“This will not be a temporary measure, a stunt or a tax holiday. This will be a permanent, recurring tax reduction,” Perez said.
Perez said it would be the most significant tax cut in state history, projecting that Floridians would save $5 billion annually.
“We have forgotten a fundamental truth — this money isn’t ours. Tax dollars don’t belong to the government, they belong to the people,” Perez said.
He noted that while the Legislature in recent history has “justifiably called out local governments for misspending and mismanagement,” lawmakers “have been reluctant to turn our gaze on ourselves and hold state government to those same standards.”
Pointedly, he said the state has a spending problem.
“More importantly, we have a recurring spending problem,” Perez added, noting that while member projects — often referred to as budget turkeys — “gain the most attention” because of vetoes, they don’t impact the state’s overall budget growth. He called such projects “irrelevant and incidental” to the state’s overall budget process in the long term.
Perez applauded the work of the Subcommittee Chairs to “find real savings” and said the results will be published Friday in the proposed House General Appropriations Act, which he said will likewise be historic.
“Our budget will not only be lower than the Governor’s proposed budget, it will also be lower than the budget passed by the Legislature last term. For the first time since the Great Recession, we will roll out a budget that actually spends less money than we did in the prior fiscal year,” Perez said.
Read more on Florida Politics.
Evening Reads
—“Here’s what Mike Waltz won’t tell you” via Chris Cillizza of So What?
—”Here are the attack plans that Donald Trump’s advisers shared on Signal” via Jeffrey Goldberg and Shane Harris of The Atlantic
—”The Atlantic editor who broke ‘Signalgate’ did nothing wrong. He could be prosecuted anyway.” via Mark Rasch of SLATE
—”How the Signal transcript undermines key Trump administration claims” via Aaron Blake of The Washington Post
—”Hegseth’s leak would have warned the enemy. The White House is using semantics to obscure that.” via David E. Sanger of The New York Times
—”Corporate America’s euphoria over Trump’s ‘Golden Age’ is giving way to distress” via Nick Timiraos, Alex Leary and Chip Cutter of The Wall Street Journal
—”‘Is Waltz Jonah from Veep?’: Team Trump fumes over its most idiotic scandal yet.” via Asawin Suebsaeng, Ryan Bort and Nikki McCann Ramirez of Rolling Stone
—”Florida bill opens door to firing squads, lethal gas for executions” via Romy Ellenbogen of the Tampa Bay Times
—”Sheriff’s office: ICE has deportation orders for 10,000 people in Orange County” via Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel
—”Say hello to FSU Health” via Christine Sexton of the Florida Phoenix
—”TMH calls for community action as Mayor, City Manager address ‘secret meetings’ backlash” via William L. Hatfield and Elena Barrera of the Tallahassee Democrat
Quote of the Day
“We have forgotten a fundamental truth – this money isn’t ours. Tax dollars don’t belong to the government, they belong to the people.”
— House Speaker Daniel Perez, proposing a permanent cut to the state sales tax.
Put it on the Tab
Look to your left, then look to your right. If you see one of these people at your happy hour haunt, flag down the bartender and put one of these on your tab. Recipes included, just in case the Cocktail Codex fell into the well.
House Speaker Daniel Perez gets a Tax Relief for proposing a first-ever reduction to the state sales tax.
You can’t run a bar without orange juice, and Senate President Ben Albritton is doing his part to keep Florida groves running, so he gets his pick of the best orange juice-based cocktails.
Pour a Smoke on the Water for Sen. Tracie Davis, whose legislation to protect medical professionals from surgical smoke moved through another Committee.
Breakthrough Insights
Tune In
Djokovic, Pagula featured tonight at Miami Open
Novak Djokovic and Jessica Pagula highlight tonight’s schedule at the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium (7 p.m. ET, Tennis Channel).
Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam singles champion, continues to play at a high level at 37. He is ranked fifth in the ATP Rankings and came into the tournament as the number four seed on the men’s side. In his career, he has won 99 titles and has earned a record $186 million in prize money in singles and doubles combined.
Djokovic is scheduled to face 25th-ranked Sebastian Korda this evening. The son of 1998 Australian Open Petr Korda has faced Djokovic only once before. Djokovic beat Korda in three sets in Adelaide, Australia, in 2023.
Pegula, the fourth seed in the women’s singles draw, faces 2021 U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu in a quarterfinal match. Pegula, who lost in the finals of the U.S. Open last year, briefly rose to become the top-ranked women’s tennis player in the world in 2023. She is currently ranked fourth in the WTA Rankings.
The tournament is the last hard-court event in the United States until July, when the tours return to Washington D.C.
___
Last Call is published by Peter Schorsch, assembled and edited by Phil Ammann and Drew Wilson, with contributions from the staff of Florida Politics.
Florida’s food banks could be set to feast on additional funding courtesy of the Senate’s proposed budget.
Senate appropriators are offering $38 million to set up a grant program for charities that produce fresh food products in Florida. Another $12 million would fund grants to expand the state’s food banks.
“Florida’s farmers, growers, and ranchers produce hundreds of different commodities every year. Fresh from Florida is more than just a slogan – it’s a way of life for those who feed our state and nation,” said Senate President Ben Albritton, a Wauchula Republican, in a release highlighting the allocation. “No matter how prosperous our state is, unexpected and unplanned things happen that can cause food insecurity for families.
“I don’t want any Floridian, especially children, to go to bed hungry every night, not knowing where their next meal will come from. That’s not something I’m willing to live with. Florida does a lot to help struggling folks back onto their feet and food is a part of that effort. We’re running to this fight to connect hungry families across our state with Florida farmers who produce fresh, wholesome food. This is a much-needed hand-up for families and farmers across our state. As I travel the state, attacking food insecurity unites Floridians like nothing else can. Food matters.”
The Senate’s proposed budget begins the process that will likely run until near the end of the 60-day Session. Alongside Wednesday’s announcement on food bank funding, the Senate is also offering $200 million to aid the state’s citrus industry.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) would administer the $38 million as part of a competitive grant program to promote food grown or produced in Florida.
To be eligible, recipients must submit monthly reports to FDACS detailing “the amount of food purchased by commodity type, purchase location, purchase date, delivery date, and distribution location,” per a Wednesday release summarizing the budget allocations.
Wednesday’s Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget proposal comes from the Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment and General Government, which Senate President Pro Tempore Jason Brodeur chairs.
“Food insecurity is without a doubt a real problem that some families in our state face,” Brodeur said in a statement.
“This funding will help expand food bank and pantry infrastructure to make fresh, healthy food available to families in need. I can’t think of a more conservative, more compassionate way to help these struggling families. This funding will be a win for Florida families and a win for Florida agriculture.”
The $12 million pool of money would be part of a joint effort between FDACS and Feeding Florida to better serve areas in need, with an emphasis on rural communities.
“The funds may be used to equip new locations, expand distribution routes, purchase transportation equipment, or provide necessary training to onboard pantry staff,” Wednesday’s release said.
When asked, Robin Safley, the Executive Director of Feeding Florida, said, “We applaud the Commissioner Simpson, the Senate President, Senator Brodeur and House leadership for recognizing the importance of food security and the role it plays in keeping Floridians healthy —especially when that fresh food comes from our state’s own bountiful harvests.”
Feeding Florida is the association representing Florida’s nine largest foodbanks which work closely with the Florida agriculture community and local farmers to bring Florida-grown food from the fields and into to the hands of those in need. Additionally, the networks work closely with Hope Florida and the Florida Department of Commerce to help families get job training and other resources they need to thrive.
“Florida’s farmers have a deep connection to our state and its people, going back in many cases for generations. Rain or shine, they are responsible for putting food on grocery shelves across the state and are our first and best line of defense against food insecurity,” said Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson.
“Expanding our food bank infrastructure will help connect more families across Florida with fresh, healthy, seasonal crops and produce grown right here in the Sunshine State.”
-
Entertainment8 years agoThe final 6 ‘Game of Thrones’ episodes might feel like a full season
-
Politics8 years ago
Congress rolls out ‘Better Deal,’ new economic agenda
-
Entertainment8 years ago
Mod turns ‘Counter-Strike’ into a ‘Tekken’ clone with fighting chickens
-
Entertainment8 years ago
New Season 8 Walking Dead trailer flashes forward in time
-
Tech8 years ago
Microsoft Paint is finally dead, and the world Is a better place
-
Tech8 years ago
Hulu hires Google marketing veteran Kelly Campbell as CMO
-
Politics8 years ago
Illinois’ financial crisis could bring the state to a halt
-
Tech8 years ago
Ford’s 2018 Mustang GT can do 0-to-60 mph in under 4 seconds