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House bill extending health care credits heads to floor — but without support of any Florida Republican

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A Democrat-sponsored petition is forcing a U.S. House vote on extending health care subsidies to the floor.

But no Republicans from Florida, the state with the most users benefiting from the tax credit, helped get it across the line. That’s despite U.S. Reps. Carlos Giménez and María Elvira Salazar favoring more modest compromises.

Ultimately, four House Republicans signed a discharge petition filed by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. That forces a vote on extending pandemic-era Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies for three years. All eight Democrats representing Florida in the House supported the petition.

All Republican signers — U.S. Reps. Robert Bresnahan, Brian Fitzpatrick and Ryan MacKenzie of Pennsylvania and Mike Lawler of New York — signed onto the effort a day after Speaker Mike Johnson said he would not allow any extension to reach the floor.

Of note, Giménez and Salazar had signed a petition Fitzpatrick separately filed seeking a shorter-term extension.

Salazar on Wednesday briefly posted about joining that petition.

“FL-27 has one of the highest numbers of families relying on the Affordable Care Act,” the Coral Gables Republican wrote. “That’s why I signed the discharge petition to force a vote to extend ACA subsidies, so health care costs don’t spike for working families. We can fight fraud, waste, and abuse without hurting people who depend on these plans.”

But Salazar deleted that post after Jeffries’ discharge petition reached a critical 218 signatures to force a long-term extension to the floor. She is one of four Florida Republicans being targeted in the 2026 Midterms by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Giménez had also signed a petition filed by U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democrat, seeking a short-term extension.

Neither has signaled whether they will support the three-year extension on the floor.

The Gottheimer petition was also signed by U.S. Reps. Jared Moskowitz and Darren Soto, Florida Democrats targeted this cycle by the National Republican Congressional Committee. But those Democrats also joined the Jeffries measure, along with every member of the House Democratic caucus.

“A New Hope for Healthcare!” posted Soto. “Now House Democrats’ bipartisan 3-Year ACA subsidies extension petition forces a vote. Mr. Speaker. It’s time to schedule that vote TODAY! Lower healthcare costs and #SaveObamacare.”

Without a vote, certain credits will expire at the end of the year, leading to increases in premiums paid by those consumers.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Florida has more users than any state in the union, about 4.7 million, benefiting from subsidies.

Soto represents the congressional district with the second-highest number of ACA users in the country, with about 275,000 enrollees and 271,000 benefiting from the extended credits. Salazar represents the district with the fourth-highest number of beneficiaries, about 236,000 total users and 231,000 helped by the additional credits.

Giménez’s district ranks fifth with 244,000 total ACA users, and 241,000 helped by the credits being debated. Moskowitz’s district has 171,000 enrollees, with 164,000 enjoying the subsidies.

But it’s unclear, even if the House passes the three-year extension, if such an effort has any path in the Senate. The upper chamber last week killed a vote pushed by Senator Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for a similar three-year extension. U.S. Sens. Ashley Moody and Rick Scott of Florida, both Republicans, voted against considering the bill.



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Groups call on Ben Albritton to block bill that would lower gun buying age to 18

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March for Our Lives, the Florida League of Women Voters and several pro-gun control groups are urging Senate President Ben Albritton to shut down a push to lower the minimum age to buy guns from 21 to 18.

The legislation (HB 133) has already passed through two House committees and is ready for the House floor. If it becomes law, the measure would repeal portions of protections the Legislature put in place after the Parkland school shooting.

“President Albritton, we urge you to use your authority as Senate President to prevent HB 133 from becoming law. Remember the promises made after our state’s darkest day. Remember those who buried their loved ones because a teenager could access a gun. Honor the bipartisan commitment lawmakers made in 2018: never again. Refuse to file a companion bill to HB 133, as you have done in previous years,” read the letter that was signed by 12 organizations.

The letter argued the evidence against HB 133 is “overwhelming” since individuals between 18 and 20 years old are more likely to commit suicide or shoot others than are older adults. The message also cited the threat that young people face from school shootings.

The Parkland shooter was 19. A 20-year-old suspect is also accused of shooting and killing two people and injuring others in April at Florida State University.

March for Our Lives Executive Director and Parkland survivor Jackie Corin called rolling back the minimum age a betrayal by lawmakers.

“The gun industry wants younger buyers to boost profits, and some lawmakers are willing to help, even if it costs students’ lives,” Corin said in a statement. “Young people in Florida deserve to grow up without wondering if the teenager next to them can legally buy an assault weapon.”

The full list of groups that signed the letter are: Newtown Action Alliance, Ban Assault Weapons NOW, Brady Florida, Brady Sarasota, Team ENOUGH, Community Safety Collective, Let Life Live Inc, Florida National Organization for Women, The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus and STOP Moms for Liberty

The House has pushed for years to lower the minimum age back to 18.

“I wasn’t a member of the Legislature when that (Parkland) tragedy occurred. My view is this is the correct public policy to pursue to restore the rights of law-abiding 18-year-olds,” said Rep. Tyler Sirois, a Merritt Island Republican who sponsored the bill during the committee debate earlier this month.



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NWF Health Network expands Christmas adoptions, bringing the gift of family to 22 Florida kids

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‘We celebrate families who have opened their hearts to give children the permanency and stability every child deserves.’

NWF Health Network, with various community partners, is expanding its Christmas adoption ceremony program to two new counties, and adding family reunification in Leon County.

Five children will be adopted in Okaloosa County by three families in a ceremony Monday in Fort Walton Beach. Two children will also be officially adopted by their forever parents Monday in Santa Rosa County, in Milton. It’s the first time that Christmastime adoptions are being hosted by NWF Health Network in the two counties.

Additionally, Leon County’s ceremonies, held Friday, will include reunifications where children temporarily removed from a parent or guardian’s care are returned. Nine families will be reunited. Another two families will adopt a total of four children in ceremonies in Tallahassee.

Six children will be adopted on Christmas Eve in Pensacola in Escambia County by three families. Another five kids will be adopted by two families in Panama City in Bay County on Christmas Day.

Over the past eight years, more than 40 children have been adopted in Christmas ceremonies facilitated by NWF Health Foundation, with 22 more being added this year.

“Our annual Christmas adoption ceremony is one of the most meaningful days of the year,” NWF Health Network CEO Mike Watkins said. “Today, we celebrate families who have opened their hearts to give children the permanency and stability every child deserves.”

Each county has a local partner for the events, including Camelot Community Care in Escambia, Leon and Santa Rosa counties; Children’s Home Society in Okaloosa County; Safe Families for Children of North Florida, Tallahassee Memorial Hospital and Florida’s Early Childhood Courts in Leon County; and Twin Oaks Juvenile Development in Bay County.

NWF Health Network is the only organization in the nation to conduct annual Christmas adoptions, ensuring families in its care have an even more special holiday each year. This is the ninth year NWF Health has conducted its annual Christmas adoption ceremonies.



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Hurricanes kick off Saturday slate for College Football Playoff

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The College Football Playoff gets underway Friday night with No. 9 Alabama playing at No. 8 Oklahoma. On Saturday, No. 10 Miami travels to No. 7 Texas A&M (noon ET, ESPN/ABC).

Also on Saturday, No. 11 Tulane plays at No. 6 Ole Miss, and No. 12 James Madison visits No. 5 Oregon.

The Hurricanes (10-2) are the lowest-seeded at-large team. They finished the season with four straight wins, including a victory at 22nd-ranked Pitt on Nov. 30.

Miami quarterback Carson Beck, a Georgia transfer, threw for 3,072 yards with 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions this season. When he has been at his best, Miami has looked like a contender. When Beck has been off, the Hurricanes are a different team.

Defensive lineman Rueben Bain has been a standout with 4.5 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble. Like Beck, his play has been inconsistent. But when he is on, Bain can be a game changer. ESPN has him rated as the fourth-best prospect in the NFL Draft.

Texas A&M (11-1) went undefeated until losing at No. 16 Texas in the last game of the regular season. Running back Le’Veon Moss is dealing with an ankle injury but could return to the Aggies lineup. Dual-threat quarterback Marcel Reed threw for 2,932 yards and rushed for 466, second-most on the team. He accounted for 31 touchdowns this season for the Aggies.

First-round games are all played on college campuses, with quarterfinal matchups played at bowl sites. One of Miami’s biggest challenges will be handling the atmosphere of Kyle Field.

“It comes down to your preparation because at the end of the day, this is going to come down to the 22 that are on the field, that are actually executing against each other, and execution is at a premium,” said Miami head coach Mario Cristobal. “And to get to that point where you’re executing to your standard. It’s steps, it’s fundamentals, it’s a combination of things that you just can’t compromise.”

The winner of the first-round game advances to face second-seeded Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31. The top four seeds earned a first-round bye. No. 1 Indiana, No.3 Georgia and No. 4 Texas Tech also await their opponents for the national quarterfinals.



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