Back to school

Half the states in the union are suing President Donald Trump’s administration over a refusal to release federal funds to public schools last week. The threat of forcing the funding freeze before a judge was apparently enough to prompt a change of heart by Education Commissioner Linda McMahon.

But the Cabinet member only released some $6 billion in federal funding to states after members of the Florida congressional delegation demanded a course refresh.

Rep. Lois Frankel, a West Palm Beach Democrat, on Friday led a letter to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General James Uthmeier to join 24 states and the District of Columbia in suing the administration. Every Democrat in the delegation signed on to that message, and while it didn’t prompt fast action by Sunshine State officials, the lawsuit appeared to prompt McMahon to lift the funding freeze.

“I’m relieved that this critical funding is finally being released, but let’s be clear: it never should have been withheld in the first place. The delay forced school boards to scramble just weeks before the start of the school year, throwing into doubt programs for teacher training, professional development and academic support,” Frankel said.

“Whether the holdup was due to White House mismanagement or extreme ideology, it was wrong, and it wasn’t fair to our children. This money wasn’t a gift. It was owed to our schools by law. And yet, students and educators were caught in the middle while the Trump administration played politics with their futures. I’ll keep fighting to make sure our public schools get the resources they need — on time and without interference.”

While the situation didn’t prompt Republicans in the delegation, it did lead some to apply pressure to the administration. Rep. Aaron Bean, a Fernandina Beach Republican who chairs the House Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education Subcommittee, independently sent a letter to McMahon that “respectfully” requested the checks to go out in the mail.

“While I welcome the review of many of these programs, withholding these funds and issuing a review at the last minute rips the rug out from under our schools,” Bean wrote.

His office noted Florida’s largest school districts — Dade, Broward, Hillsborough, Orange, Duval and Lee — were among the list of 20 districts suffering the most significant delays in receiving funding. That meant Florida felt a disproportionate impact from withholding the grants.

Bean’s letter was more polite than Democrats’ admonishment, which asserted the Trump administration violated federal law by withholding funding at all.

“Florida’s children should not pay the price for adult politics,” the Democratic letter read. “The Trump administration’s action is a clear violation of the Impoundment Control Act, which prohibits the executive branch from withholding Congressionally appropriated funds. It also threatens the constitutional balance of powers and undermines public trust.”

Loyal to Machado

Sen. Rick Scott has rallied Senators from both sides of the aisle to apply international pressure on Venezuela’s government.

The Naples Republican and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat, held a virtual meeting with María Corina Machado, an opposition leader in Venezuela. The lawmakers stressed U.S. support for Edmundo González Urrutia, who international election observers say won an election over sitting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro before being forced into exile.

Scott and Shaheen then issued a joint statement with Sens. John Curtin, a Utah Republican, and Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat, ahead of the Monday anniversary of the ignored election.

“In July 2024, millions of Venezuelans turned out and delivered a clear mandate for change, overwhelmingly electing democratic opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia and the movement started by María Corina Machado. Rather than respect the outcome, the Maduro regime doubled down on its tired autocratic playbook and abandoned even the veneer of a democratic outcome — one year later, still refusing to release any of the promised ballots that they argue would have affirmed Maduro’s victory,” the statement reads.

“The truth today is as clear as it was as the returns poured in on July 28, 2024: the Venezuelan people yearn for new leadership and a democratic country that is once again part of the international community. Today, as ever, we recognize the resilience of the Venezuelan democratic opposition, and we stand united with the Venezuelan people and their aspirations for a brighter future.”

Machado, for her part, welcomed the support of American politicians and called out Scott’s resolve specifically in her own social media post.

“On behalf of the Venezuelan people, thank you, Sen. Rick Scott. You stand as an unwavering champion of democracy and freedom across the Americas,” Machado posted.

Your clarity in exposing the criminal nature of the Maduro regime — and your resolve in advancing concrete actions to dismantle its repressive structures — are crucial at this critical moment. Venezuela will be free. And we will transform her from a criminal hub into the Energy Hub of the Americas.”

Intercepting Iranian attacks

First-term Sen. Ashley Moody received a briefing on a military deployment during a stop at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville.

She shared the details about the U.S.S. The Sullivans and U.S.S. Thomas Hudner, which intercepted Iranian missiles during a deployment in the Eastern Mediterranean. Both ships returned home this month.

“I want to thank the brave men and women aboard the U.S.S. The Sullivans and U.S.S. Thomas Hudner, who all recently returned from their historic deployment where they defended our freedoms and ensured the safety of Americans at home and abroad,” Moody said.

“These sailors played a key role in defending Israel and our personnel, all while remaining mission-focused. As your newest U.S. Senator, I want to reiterate my commitment to our military community here in Florida, which is home to 21 installations and three combatant commands.”

Call to action

When Rep. Kat Cammack shared with The Wall Street Journal her personal story of her difficulties in receiving medical treatment for an ectopic pregnancy, it prompted extreme reactions. Now, she hopes to turn the tragedy into congressional action.

The Gainesville Republican introduced the Truth in Women’s Healthcare Act, a resolution affirming the need to educate medical emergency professionals and the public in legal guidance regarding the treatment of miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies.

“No woman facing a medical emergency like a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy should be left in danger because of confusion or misinformation,” Cammack said. “This resolution is about reinforcing the importance of long-established and clear guidance for doctors so that patients receive quality care and that the public is properly informed on what current law does — and does not — allow.”

Cammack said doctors in Florida initially were reluctant to terminate her ectopic pregnancy because of Florida’s heartbeat abortion ban, and had to get Gov. Ron DeSantis, who signed the law, on the phone to verify the law did not apply to Cammack’s non-viable pregnancy.

The Congresswoman blamed abortion advocates’ rhetoric for the confusion — “absolute fearmongering at its worst,” she told the Journal — but that prompted further anger, and her office recorded death threats after the interview publication.

The same day Cammack introduced her legislation, co-chairs of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus issued a statement condemning those calls.

“The death threats directed at Congresswoman Kat Cammack, her unborn child, her family, and her staff are unacceptable,” the statement reads. “These threats followed The Wall Street Journal profile, which detailed her personal experience with a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy — an experience that should spark compassion, not hatred.”

Cammack did become pregnant again and is expecting her first child in August.

Radioactive roads

The concept of safe roads took on new meaning when Florida passed a 2023 law allowing phosphogypsum, a byproduct of phosphate mining, to be used as a material in paving roadways. Now, Democrats in the delegation want to stop the paving of toxic highways.

Reps. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Miramar Democrat, and Maxwell Frost, an Orlando Democrat, last week introduced the No Radioactive Roads Act, which would prohibit the material from being used in road construction.

“As Florida allows for PG to be used in our roads, endangering our workers, drivers, and entire communities, we need immediate federal action that puts public health over corporate profits,” Frost said.

“The science is abundantly clear — PG is a deadly, cancer-causing substance that harms our environment and puts lives at risk, and no administration should be able to permit its use without the highest safety standards. It’s unacceptable that the fertilizer industry is looking to off-load toxic waste into our roads in order to boost their profits while leaders like DeSantis and Donald Trump enable it. The No Radioactive Roads Act puts our people, our planet, and our future over the profits of corporate polluters.”

The League of Conservation Voters, Center for Biological Diversity, Food & Water Watch, Surfrider Foundation and the Save Split Oak Campaign all endorsed the bill. Frost’s office noted that most gypsum stacks in the state are located in Central Florida, making the possibility of local roadways using the chemical high.

But Cherfilus-McCormick said the mining product should provide the foundation for roadways anywhere.

“Protecting the health and safety of our communities must be our top priority. Using radioactive materials like phosphogypsum in road construction endangers our families, harms our environment, and puts our future at risk,” she said. “The No Radioactive Roads Act is a crucial step in preventing communities from facing the long-term dangers of toxic exposure.”

Trump’s administration in his first term authorized the use of the chemical in roadways, though Democratic President Joe Biden repealed that policy in 2021 before Florida authorized the chemical’s use. Now, the law is in state statutes and Trump has returned to power.

“While Rep. Frost shouldn’t have to introduce legislation just to get the EPA to follow its own rules, this bill provides clear direction the agency needs to keep our water, workers and wildlife safe from radiation and other pollutants tied to this toxic waste,” said J.W. Glass, an Environmental Protection Agency policy specialist at the Center for Biological Diversity.

Train gangs

A spike in cargo theft from freight cars across the nation has Rep. Daniel Webster seeking answers from the Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).

The Clermont Republican, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FRA Administrator Drew Feeley requesting a briefing on the rise in crime. He noted there were 65,000 reported freight cargo thefts in 2024 alone, a 40% rise from the prior year, resulting in more than $100 million in losses.

“The growing threat of freight rail theft is concerning,” the letter reads. “Freight rail is a critical component of our National supply chain, and the Committee is alarmed by the rising number of incidents that disrupt commerce, impose significant economic costs, and present serious safety and National security concerns.”

Problems haven’t subsided this year. Webster’s letter notes in January that criminals sabotaged the braking system of a train and stole $440,000 worth of Nike merchandise in a single heist. Other major thefts have been reported throughout the year.

“Criminals now use increasingly sophisticated tactics, including intercepting train manifests via insider leaks, identifying high-value cargo by lock type, and disabling signal systems,” the letter states. “Federal law enforcement has documented use of ‘human conveyor belts’ and severing air hoses to abruptly stop moving trains. These activities not only inflict economic harm but endanger crew and public safety.”

Gas game

The transfer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) has Rep. Laurel Lee’s attention. The Thonotosassa Republican just filed the Cutting LNG Bunkering Red Tape Act with Rep. August Pfluger, a Texas Republican, in hopes of easing bureaucracy around ship-to-ship transfers of the fuel.

Lee said overregulation of the industry stifled the energy industry. Her bill would make clear that ship-to-ship transfers of LNG, also called LNG bunkering, would not be classified as international exports if done in U.S. waters.

“The Biden administration’s harmful energy policies have created unnecessary regulatory burdens that stall innovation and weaken American energy leadership,” said Lee. “Liquefied natural gas is a more efficient, cleaner, and cost-effective energy source,” Lee said. “My bill ensures that LNG bunkering is not hindered by red tape, so that ports in Florida and across the nation can continue to expand, drive job creation, and compete globally.”

The bill has impacts in Florida, where JAX LNG in JaxPort has been an industry leader in the practice of LNG bunkering. Lee said the shifting regulatory environment has detrimentally impacted the logistics.

Screening for cancer

Genetic testing can identify individuals’ cancer risk, presuming those procedures are covered. The leaders of Florida’s congressional delegation want to make sure as many people as possible have access to that care.

Reps. Vern Buchanan and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the Republican and Democratic co-chairs of the delegation, filed the Reducing Hereditary Cancer Act, legislation co-sponsored by Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, of Iowa, and Democratic Rep. Kim Schrier, of Washington.

Wasserman Schultz, who was diagnosed with breast cancer and the BRCA2 gene mutation at age 41, said she would like to have had more information about her health earlier. The bill could help other patients use modern medicine to make informed decisions.

“I discovered I had cancer at a young age, but I didn’t know how heavily genetics impacted my risk,” said Wasserman Schultz, who is now 15 years cancer-free.

“It’s nonsensical, wasteful and shortsighted that Medicare doesn’t allow individuals to access this inexpensive and widely available screening until they have received a potentially terminal cancer diagnosis. By expanding access to genetic testing, we empower an entire generation to learn their risk and take action before it’s too late.”

The legislation would require screening coverage for anyone with a known hereditary cancer mutation in their family, or a family history that makes physicians suspect such a risk exists. It also states that Medicaid beneficiaries with an inherited mutation and increased risk of cancer will have a higher number of breast exams or colonoscopies covered, as well as relevant risk-reducing procedures.

Medical leaders came out in support of the bill quickly.

“Genetic testing for everyone with a known familial risk of cancer — followed by appropriate screening and risk-reducing interventions — saves lives and reduces costly treatments down the road,” said Crystal S. Denlinger, CEO for the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

“We are thankful to the bipartisan sponsors of the ‘Reducing Hereditary Cancer Act’ for taking action to ensure Medicare recipients have access to medically necessary care, as patients with other types of insurance coverage.”

Modern launchpads

Some of the first rocket launches for the Apollo program blasted off from Space Launch Complex 37 (SLC-37) at Kennedy Space Center. But today, the heavy load launchpad there essentially sits idle. Members of Florida’s delegation say it’s time to modernize the infrastructure and ready the site for use by the Space Force.

Moody and Rep. Byron Donalds, a Naples Republican, sent a letter to Air Force Secretary Troy Meink saying the Pentagon needs to accelerate its efforts with demolition and reconstruction. The Defense Department already has approved plans to tear down retired structures under Categorical Exclusion, or CATEX. The Florida Republicans want new construction approved.

“SLC-37 for decades has served as a heavy lift launch site, and the new construction is consistent in type, scale, and environmental impact with prior activities at comparable sites,” the letter reads.

The Air Force and NASA have already said new construction wouldn’t have a significant environmental impact, as the launch pads are already developed. But any delays could allow more procedural barriers to fester, the letter states.

“No future user, government or commercial, can operate from SLC-37 without construction of upgraded facilities,” the lawmakers write, asking for the launchpad to be put to use once again.

Military housing

A coin-laying ceremony took place at U.S. Southern Command (SouthCom) headquarters in Doral, attended by Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, a Hialeah Republican who serves on the House Appropriations Committee.

The ceremonial event saw the placing of currency in the foundation of the housing structure, traditionally symbolizing prosperity and fortune for families living there.

“This is the first military housing of its kind in South Florida since Hurricane Andrew destroyed the military housing at Homestead Air Force Base in 1992,” Díaz-Balart said. “Through crucial cross-agency collaboration with Admiral (Ret.) Craig S. Faller, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Army, I’m proud to have played a significant role in identifying the land to provide quality housing for military families.”

Construction began in June on 139 homes planned for the project. The first phase, which includes 60 two-bedroom casitas for unaccompanied soldiers, will house people starting in January. Another 48 townhomes will come online in February, while 24 duplexes and single-family homes are expected to be ready for occupancy in May.

SouthCom leaders and members of the Army Garrison-Miami also attended the ceremony.

“I remain committed to tirelessly championing our military, and I look forward to continuing this vital work alongside Admiral Alvin Holsey in the completion of this housing complex,” Díaz-Balart said.

Siding with Uribe

The conviction of a former Colombian President has many of South Florida’s Republican lawmakers decrying lawfare in South America.

A Bogotá judge found former President Álvaro Uribe guilty of bribery and fraud, according to The New York Times. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a Miami Republican and previously Florida’s Senator, quickly criticized the decision.

“Former Colombian President Uribe’s only crime has been to tirelessly fight and defend his homeland. The weaponization of Colombia’s judicial branch by radical judges has now set a worrisome precedent,” Rubio posted.

Several lawmakers in the delegation joined in slamming the verdict and blaming the current Colombian President, Gustavo Petro.

“President Álvaro Uribe is a patriot. He’s the Abraham Lincoln of Latin America and has just been sentenced in Petro Gustavo’s kangaroo courts,” posted Rep. Carlos Giménez, a Miami-Dade Republican, who compared the proceedings to those of Cuba and Venezuela. “There was nothing fair about this trial. Petro has pulled a page out of (Fidel) Castro and Maduro’s playbook to Colombia’s detriment.”

Both Moody and Scott also issued statements of condemnation. Republicans representing South Florida’s community uniformly issued support for Uribe.

“Today, justice was not served in Colombia. An infamy was committed against Álvaro Uribe, the man who rescued the country from terrorism and confronted the FARC when no one else dared. They condemn him because he refused to negotiate with criminals, because he is an obstacle to the radical left that wants to seize power and turn Colombia into another Venezuela,” posted Rep. María Elvira Salazar in Spanish.

“It is the same playbook of Castrochavismo: political persecution against anyone who opposes their radical agendas. From the United States, we raise our voice: Uribe is not alone! Decent Colombians and lovers of freedom stand with him.”

On this day

July 29, 1958 — “NASA created” via History.com — Congress passed legislation establishing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, a civilian agency responsible for coordinating America’s activities in space. NASA was created in response to the Soviet Union’s launch of its first satellite, Sputnik I. The 183-pound, basketball-sized satellite orbited the Earth in 98 minutes. The Sputnik launch caught Americans by surprise and sparked fears the Soviets might also be capable of sending missiles with nuclear weapons from Europe to America. The United States prided itself on being at the forefront of technology, and, embarrassed, immediately began developing a response, signaling the start of the U.S.-Soviet space race.

July 29, 1909 — “William Howard Taft negotiates treaty with Japan” via the Council on Foreign Relations — President Theodore Roosevelt dispatched his secretary of war, Taft, to Tokyo with a charge to sound out the Japanese and dissuade them from casting a covetous glance toward the Philippines. Taft met with Japanese Prime Minister Count Taro Katsura and asked for assurance that Japan’s sole interest in the islands would be “to have these islands governed by a strong and friendly nation like the United States.” Katsura “confirmed in the strongest terms” that it was the case. The upshot of the discussion was that Roosevelt signaled he would not oppose Japanese designs on Korea.

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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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