Scott summit

The start of President Donald Trump’s second term marked the first time since Sen. Rick Scott took federal office in 2018 that Republicans controlled the White House and both chambers of Congress.

“Don’t squander it, right?” Scott told Florida Politics at the Rescuing the American Dream summit.

Organizers of the two-day event in Washington hope it will become a regular gathering and announced plans for a second event later this year in Florida. The first summit discussed how conservatives can best implement Trump’s agenda over the next 100 days.

To Scott, the goal is straightforward.

“Get the fiscal house in order,” he said. “It’s the biggest thing. If you look at what I did in Florida, you know, Florida had not lived within its means. We’ve got to get this budget balanced. We’ve got to dramatically, not a little bit, reduce regulation. We’ve got to get it easier to get a permit. To me, that’s the biggest thing we have to do.”

As much as anything, the summit also put Scott at the center of the conversation about the Senate’s direction. He moderated panels on energy with Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Dan Sullivan of Alaska and on budget reconciliation with Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Roger Marshall of Kansas. Scott also split moderating duties with Sen. Bill Hagerty on a panel about digital currency.

Scott held a “fireside chat” with Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary. He also introduced Senate Majority Leader John Thune for a short update to summit attendees on budget talks, an appearance the South Dakota Republican made months after winning a contest against Scott about who should lead the caucus this Congress. At an opening reception for the event, Scott attracted national figures such as Attorney General Pam Bondi and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to give remarks.

Several former Scott staffers organized the summit and many Florida political figures traveled to Washington to participate. For a few days, this showed Florida’s increased influence in the White House, where a Mar-a-Lago resident resides, and in the Senate, where a Naples politician helped guide the conversation on Republican priorities.

Party of women?

Sen. Ashley Moody said a vote on girls’ sports proves Republicans just became “the new party of women.”

The remark came during Wednesday’s opening reception for the Rescuing the American Dream summit. It occurred shortly after Senate Republicans said they did their part to protect female athletes when they tried to pass a ban on transgender participants in women’s sports. The measure failed to reach the 60-vote threshold necessary to break a Senate filibuster, and no Democrat supported advancing it.

Moody also said that Republicans showed they care about law-and-order issues that are important to families in Trump’s address to Congress. She criticized Democrats in Congress for declining to stand and applaud what once would have been seen as successes for the entire country.

“I am the wife of a career DEA agent and now a police officer and administrative attorney. They are celebrating that we have brought to justice (Drug Enforcement Agency agent) Kiki Camarena’s murderer,” Moody said, referencing the recent arraignment of alleged drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero.

“It is something that has hung over America for so long. And Donald J. Trump brought justice and we are celebrating that.”

She said the party should unify around the efforts of Republicans to protect children in the streets and on the sports field.

Modern agriculture

As agriculture relies more on technology, Rep. Kat Cammack says the government needs to streamline the permitting process for using new communication tools.

She just introduced the Deploying Infrastructure with Greater Internet Transactions and Legacy (DIGITAL) Applications Act, which would establish an online portal for accepting, processing, and disposing of Form 299 documents for communications use authorizations at the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture.

“The permitting process has long been challenging across the federal landscape,” the Gainesville Republican said. “Improving online access to the federal permitting process for Interior and Agriculture will help close the digital divide and provide vital broadband resources across the United States. I’m grateful to my colleague, Rep. Matsui, for her leadership on this legislation with me.”

Cammack filed the bill with Rep. Doris Matsui, a California Democrat.

“As we work to close the digital divide, it is imperative that the federal government plays a key role in deploying broadband to communities across the nation,” Matsui said. “This bill will introduce needed transparency and accountability to the federal permitting process. By establishing a one-stop online portal, we’re ensuring companies deploying broadband on federal lands have the information they need to bring connectivity to communities that lack it.”

Stealing Arms

Rep. John Rutherford, a Jacksonville Republican and former sheriff, said it’s time to stiffen the penalties for robbing gun shops. He just filed the bipartisan Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act (HR 1773), which would establish a minimum sentence of three years in prison for burglary and five years in prison for robbery.

Licensed firearms dealers reported more than 361 burglaries and robberies in 2023 alone, accounting for the theft of more than 4,800 firearms. Many of those guns were later used in other crimes.

“As crime rises across the nation, additional steps must be taken to prevent criminals from stealing and trafficking firearms,” Rutherford said. “Criminals burglarize FFL (Federal Firearms License) dealers, then traffic those stolen firearms and use them to commit crimes. As a former sheriff and lifelong member of law enforcement, I know the threat these stolen firearms pose to the safety and security of our communities. That’s why I am proud to reintroduce the Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act to ensure those who rob and burglarize federally licensed gun dealers face harsher penalties for committing these crimes.”

He filed the bill with Rep. Jared Golden, a Maine Democrat. The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) supports the legislation.

“The firearm industry is grateful to Congressmen John Rutherford and Jared Golden for reaching across the aisle to provide those firearm retailers who follow the law the protection they deserve,” said Lawrence Kean, NSSF General Counsel. “This legislation assigns the responsibility for crime where it belongs — with the criminal. These are real solutions that make our communities safer.”

Beating rare cancers

Medical science can detect an increasing number of rare cancers at a molecular level. Rep. Gus Bilirakis introduced the Finn Sawyer Access to Cancer Testing Act to give more Americans access to this technology.

He filed the legislation, which is named for a 3-year-old who died from rhabdomyosarcoma in 2018, with Democratic Reps. Mike Thompson and Matsui, both from California.

“The targeted reforms in our bipartisan, bicameral bill will have a meaningful impact on accelerating the development of treatments for rare cancers and will remove bureaucratic hurdles that currently keep cancer patients from accessing diagnostic screening and effective treatments by qualified specialists,” Bilirakis said. “Every cancer patient deserves the best chance of survival, and we must create a streamlined regulatory system and payment model to realize this important goal. Our bipartisan legislation will provide hope to millions of patients and families battling cancer and will lead to improved patient outcomes.”

The legislation would mandate coverage for molecular diagnostic tests, including microarray analysis, DNA and RNA sequencing, whole-exome sequencing and other next-generation screening methods at the time of initial diagnosis for anyone on federal programs like Medicare.

Additionally, the bill calls for a public education program on the benefits of genetic testing, coordinated by the Health and Human Services Department and the Director of the National Human Genome Research Institute.

Beach Battle

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna is calling on Trump to use executive authority to remove roadblocks that are stopping Pinellas County from moving forward with critical beach nourishment needs.

In a letter to the President, Luna asked him to “direct the United States Army Corps of Engineers to allocate the appropriate amount of Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies funding required to support the immediate construction” of Pinellas County’s Shore Protection Project.

The project would nourish beaches in Sand Key, Treasure Island, Long Key, and other areas along Pinellas County’s Gulf Coast that have suffered erosion from recent storms.

In her letter, Luna notes the $745 million included in the American Relief Act to fund ” necessary expenses to prepare for floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters.”

The nourishment project is more important than ever after Hurricanes Helene and Milton hit Pinellas County and other parts of Florida’s west coast within two weeks of each other this past fall. The storms brought damaging winds and a storm surge to the area, particularly impacting Pinellas beaches, which were left vulnerable after delayed nourishment projects.

At issue is an Army Corps requirement that 100% of beach property owners sign easement documents granting public access to their land. Pinellas County could not secure all of the required signatures for the nourishment projects by the Army Corps deadline, which came and passed last week.

“These back-to-back hurricanes destroyed what was left of the county’s shore protection infrastructure, leaving homeowners and business owners completely exposed to any future severe coastal weather events and to the 2025 hurricane season,” Luna wrote.

Chronic Coverage

The House passed legislation championed by Rep. Vern Buchanan that could expand chronic disease coverage nationwide.

The Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act (HR 919) cleared the House chamber. If it becomes law, employers can offer high-deductible health plan coverage for employees to provide pre-deductible coverage for certain health care services that treat common chronic illnesses.

“With six in 10 Americans living with at least one chronic disease, it is clear that we must expand options for people to manage their chronic health conditions,” said Buchanan, a Longboat Key Republican and Chair of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee.

“The Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act offers employees more flexibility to manage their chronic diseases, improving patient health while reducing high out-of-pocket costs. I’m proud that this legislation passed the House with unanimous bipartisan support, and I look forward to getting this bill signed into law.”

In remarks on the floor, Buchanan said the cost for chronic diseases accounts for $1 trillion in spending in the American economy. It also makes up a high percentage of preventable deaths, he said.

As written, the bill would allow pre-deductible coverage on 14 chronic health care services, including beta-blockers for patients with congestive heart failure, blood pressure monitors for patients with high blood pressure, glucometers for patients with diabetes, inhalers for patients with asthma and cholesterol drugs and testing for patients with heart disease.

Hezbollah Heat

In hopes of stomping out Hezbollah, Rep. Greg Steube reintroduced the Preventing Armed Groups from Engaging in Radicalism (PAGER) Act, which prohibits any aid to Lebanon until the government there rescinds recognition of Hezbollah, along with its political arm, Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc and the affiliated militia group, the Amal Movement.

“While the world celebrates the demise of Hassan Nasrallah, the United States must remain vigilant to the threat of Hezbollah. Until the people of Lebanon can live free of Hezbollah’s terror and persecution, long-term peace and stability in the Middle East will remain out of reach,” the Sarasota Republican said.

“As the Trump administration works to forge closer ties between Israel and the Arab world, Congress must do its part to contain Iran and eliminate its terrorist network. My PAGER Act will ensure U.S. tax dollars never end up in the hands of Hezbollah.”

The American Mideast Coalition for Democracy (AMCD) and The Endowment for Middle East Truth back the bill.

“AMCD believes that by pressuring the Lebanese government and Lebanese Armed Forces with a limited time to disarm Hezbollah and other militias, as has been called for by the United Nations in UNSC Resolution 1559 of 2004, progress can be made toward re-establishing a functioning, pluralistic civil society in Lebanon,” said Tom Harb, co-Chair of the American Mideast Coalition for Democracy.

“AMCD applauds the fact that this bill will condition U.S. funding to the LAF on positive action. The time limit is key to forcing the disarmament of Hezbollah, which has been delayed for years and has allowed the infiltration of the Lebanese government and armed forces by terrorists.”

Art arbiter

Every member of Congress holds art competitions for students to submit work in hopes of being displayed in Washington. Now, Rep. Scott Franklin will be one of the legislative branch’s arbiters of taste.

The Lakeland Republican for 2025 was named co-Chair of the Congressional Art Competition. That means he will decide which works of expression are on display in the Cannon Tunnel, which connects House office buildings to the U.S. Capitol.

“I am honored to serve as co-Chair of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition to help showcase the incredible talent of budding young artists from across the country,” Franklin said. “This competition provides a one-of-a-kind platform to highlight local talent by displaying their work in the U.S. Capitol, forming one of the most visited art exhibits in the nation. I encourage all eligible students to participate, and I look forward to seeing the inspiring artwork that will soon decorate the walls of the People’s House.”

His office also ran its own competition in 2024, of course. This year, the theme for entries from Florida’s 18th Congressional District was “Freedom is Not Free.” Marina Barrientos-Allende, a Harrison School for the Arts junior, won that with her entry “Memory.”

Franklin will handle the national competition duties along with Rep. Chris Deluzio, a Pennsylvania Democrat.

“The Congressional Art Competition is a powerful celebration of the talent and creativity of young artists across the country, and I am grateful to co-Chair this year’s competition alongside Congressman Scott Franklin,” Deluzio said.

Saving TPS?

The only Haitian American member of Congress wants the Trump administration to reconsider a decision to cut short temporary protected status (TPS) for Haitians in the U.S.

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick led a letter to Trump and Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem, arguing in favor of restoring TPS, saying Haitians have contributed significantly to the U.S. economy.

“Across the country, they have strengthened our workforce, supporting our airports, hospitals, small businesses and schools,” the letter reads. “Approximately 130,000 TPS holders work in essential sectors such as health care, construction and food services, making significant contributions to federal, state and local tax revenues. TPS holders and their households collectively contribute $2.3 billion in federal taxes and $1.3 billion in state and local taxes each year.”

The letter also notes that 47.6% of Haiti TPS holders live in Florida. But beyond contributions in the U.S., Cherfilus-McCormick also argued that expecting Haitians to return to Haiti while gang violence continues to disrupt the government would be wrong.

“Haiti is grappling with a series of escalating crises, including political instability, widespread violence, economic collapse and devastating natural disasters. Gang violence has reached unprecedented levels, displacing families, disrupting daily life and fueling a humanitarian emergency,” the letter reads.

The letter has the co-signatures of 37 other Democrats in the House, including Reps. Lois Frankel, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Frederica Wilson, all of whom represent South Florida.

House calls

Rep. Brian Mast hopes to introduce flexibility to where veterans receive health care. The Stuart Republican introduced the Veterans Homecare Choice Act, which would restore the ability for veterans to receive home care through nurse registries and be reimbursed by the Veterans Affairs (VA) Administration.

“Veterans who want to live independently shouldn’t face bureaucratic hurdles to receive home care,” Mast said. “This bill corrects an oversight and ensures they can access the support they need.”

VA patients once had the option of covering any home care, but that ended in 2018 when only W-2 home care agencies were eligible for reimbursements. Mast said his legislation would correct the oversight and consequences of that change.

Conspiracy of silence

Google sparked outrage this week by removing events like International Holocaust Remembrance Day and Jewish American Heritage Month from Google Calendar.

Wasserman Schultz led members of the Congressional Jewish Caucus in demanding that the tech giant restore recognition of those events. The Weston Democrat sent a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai demanding the company to reconsider its move.

“Digital platforms like Google have the ability to shape public awareness and ensuring that key historical commemorations remain visible is an important step in strengthening collective memory and combating hate,” the letter reads.

“We appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to your response. Reversing Google’s decision will not stop hate or antisemitism in its tracks, but it will serve as an effective and necessary tool to combat this most ancient hatred and uplift the Jewish American community. Choosing to remain silent in the face of these ageless animosities, however, is a conscious decision to aid them.”

Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Parkland Democrat, and Frankel were co-signatories on the message.

On this day

March 7, 1965 — “Selma’s ‘Bloody Sunday’ becomes turning point in the Civil Rights movement” via History.com — When then-25-year-old activist John Lewis led over 600 marchers across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, and faced brutal attacks by oncoming state troopers, footage of the violence collectively shocked the nation and galvanized the fight against racial injustice. The passage of the landmark Civil Rights Act months earlier had done little in parts of Alabama to ensure African Americans had the fundamental right to vote. Perhaps no place had Jim Crow’s grip tighter than in Dallas County, where African Americans made up more than half of the population yet accounted for 2% of registered voters.

March 7, 1850 — “Speech costs Senator his seat” via the U.S. Senate — Ask anyone familiar with the Senate’s history to name a famous floor speech commonly identified by the date it was given, and you will receive one answer: “The Seventh of March Speech.” U.S. Sen. Daniel Webster of Massachusetts rose to stake his career, reputation, and perhaps the nation’s future on the success of a speech he hoped would unite moderates of all sections supporting Kentucky U.S. Sen. Henry Clay’s proposed “Compromise of 1850.” Webster contended it was pointless to argue about the continuation of slavery where it already existed or to worry about extending slavery into the arid lands of the Southwest.

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Peter Schorsch publishes Delegation, compiled by Jacob Ogles, edited and assembled by Phil Ammann and Ryan Nicol, with contributions by Janelle Irwin Taylor.

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