Shutdown — FEMA — immigration — IMEC — good eats

Negotiating through a shutdown

As February began, the first partial government shutdown of the year had already started, though it may be short-lived. With the House out of Session all last week, late-breaking changes to a funding package by the Senate meant the deal would have to return to the lower chamber.

The Senate, amid controversy around two shootings of protesters in Minnesota, voted to fund five of six silos in a House-passed budget but carved out Homeland Security. The Senate passed a two-week extension of funding for that agency, which includes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The maneuver initially prompted Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Pinellas Republican, to threaten a shutdown of the House floor until an elections bill was included in any deal. But she relented on Monday based on a promise Senate Majority Leader John Thune would bring a version of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act (HR 22) to the floor.

Luna left the White House on Monday after receiving commitments from Thune through President Donald Trump that the bill would be heard.

“After speaking with many Senators, as well as directly with POTUS, the pathway forward is through the standing filibuster. This would effectively keep the government open while allowing Republican Senators to break through the ‘zombie’ filibuster and put the SAVE America Act up for a vote on the Senate floor,” Luna posted on X.”

But that doesn’t mean everybody in the House remains happy with the final maneuvering.

“The appropriations package will pass the House and will NOT include the SAVE Act. It will, however, include billions in radical earmarks for gender transitions, NGOs (nongovernmental organizations), DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) bs, and programs that DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) recommended cutting,” posted Rep. Kat Cammack, a Gainesville Republican.

“As a final insult, nearly half of the programs receiving money in this package have not ever been authorized by Congress, or their authorizations expired over 10 years ago. The fix? Pass the USA Act. Ban earmarks. Nuke the filibuster. Save America.”

But Democrats have their own frustrations with the bill, and most members of the minority caucus are expected to vote against it. That means little room for dissent among Republicans to pass the bill.

Meanwhile, the prospect of changes to the Homeland Security budget looms. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick on Monday filed a series of amendments aimed at protecting immigrant communities.

She wants money stripped that will be used to deport or detain Haitians who previously enjoyed temporary protected status, and for that status to be restored for workers in essential industries. She also wants funding included to ensure every immigrant in a detention facility, including at the Alligator Alcatraz facility in the Everglades, has a bed. She also wants to lift the pause on adjudication of citizenship, green card, and DACA applications for those migrating from countries with travel bans.

“Tomorrow, 350,000 Haitians and billions of dollars in economic contributions are at risk of deportation,” Cherfilus-McCormick said. “Thousands of essential jobs could be left vacant in our most critical industries, while innocent, hardworking people are forced to return to a nation engulfed in violence. Make no mistake: this is economic self-sabotage. These amendments are about protecting people, protecting our economy, and upholding basic human dignity.”

Finally, FEMA funding

Hundreds of thousands in funding from FEMA is ready for release to Florida, Sen. Ashley Moody announced.

“Following a very productive meeting with the Department of Homeland Security, we’ve secured a commitment for nearly half a billion dollars in FEMA public assistance funding to be released immediately,” the Plant City Republican said.

“This is much needed for Floridians following devastating storms over the past few years. I will never stop working for a stronger, safer Florida.”

The funding will go to state, tribal, territorial, and local governments to pay back costs of natural disasters, including hurricanes. In total, 535 projects with a combined cost of $480,952,894 will be funded, spanning 14 federal disasters declared in the state.

Championing political prisoners

The apprehension of a political prisoner by the Venezuelan government has Sen. Rick Scott demanding further action by the regime still in place there.

The Naples Republican said a justice system still loyal to deposed President Nicolás Maduro has continued to hold Xiomara Ortiz, whose family said was kidnapped from her home.

“Right now, Maduro’s thugs are holding Xiomara Ortiz, who is in dire medical condition and facing cruel treatment, as a political prisoner,” Scott posted.

“Her ‘crime’ was peacefully working with María Corina Machado to promote democracy in Venezuela. She — and every political prisoner held by the regime — must be released immediately. Delcy Rodríguez and Diosdado Cabello: FREE THEM ALL.”

Ortiz’s niece, Caryola Ortiz, in November spoke to Fox News’ Spanish language division and alleged the GOES, controlled by Venezuela Justice Minister Cabello, had apprehended the woman in her home. That was after a woman posing as a florist got Xiomara to open the door on false pretenses.

Immigration arguments

The crackdown on immigration policies has delivered a particular impact in South Florida, where a sizable portion of the population was born outside the U.S. The matter has also now sparked sniping across the aisle between two Cuban Americans in the delegation.

That has Rep. Carlos Giménez in rare public comments criticizing the Trump administration, lamenting that Democrats have significant leverage surrounding the issue.

“We’ve been warning the administration about the enforcement that’s been going on,” the Miami-Dade Republican told Fox News.

“We thought there should’ve been a course correction a long time ago, and now I guess it’s going to be forced on us by the Democrats. We should’ve been focusing on criminals and gang members, not grandmothers. That was a mistake, and it’s coming back to haunt us right now.”

But Rep. Maxwell Frost, an Orlando Democrat, scoffed at the complaint.

“Early last year, I approached Rep Giménez with an offer to work together to protect immigrants in his district and mine,” Frost posted on X. “He rudely told me he had his own strategy and walked off. Apparently, his strategy was to do nothing for over a year to actually stop this. Miami deserves better.”

Bolstering IMEC

While NATO’s future is debated on the international stage, Rep. Gus Bilirakis is seeking ways to bolster new alliances in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Palm Harbor Republican just introduced the bipartisan Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act, which would elevate the Eastern Mediterranean in U.S. foreign policy by driving strategic dialogue between allies in Eastern Europe, India and the Middle East.

“Supporting a U.S.–India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) is vital to enhancing energy security, economic integration, and regional cooperation,” Bilirakis said.

“I am pleased this legislation has passed out of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, advancing a strategic initiative that will diversify energy routes, strengthen global supply chains, and promote efficient trade and investment. IMEC also provides a transparent and sustainable alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, reinforcing U.S. partnerships and regional stability.”

The bill explores supporting cross-border infrastructure projects and energy interconnectors, expanding U.S.–Israel innovation programs to the region, and evaluating multilateral models such as Cyprus’s CYCLOPS center for regional coordination.

Bilirakis filed the legislation with Democratic Reps. Brad Schneider of Illinois, Dina Titus of Nevada and Chris Pappas of New Hampshire and Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of New York.

“This bipartisan bill ensures U.S. diplomacy keeps pace with that transformation, strengthening our partnerships with Greece, Cyprus, Israel, and Egypt and supporting efforts like the U.S.-India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) that deepen regional integration,” Schneider said.

Prescribing better eating

With prescription drug costs on the rise, Rep. Vern Buchanan wants veterans to eat healthy to avoid medical problems in the first place.

The Longboat Key Republican filed the Produce Prescription for Veterans Act (HR 1289), which would authorize the Veterans Affairs Department to provide produce prescriptions to eligible veterans with diet-related chronic conditions. Additionally, veterans would be able to receive vouchers or debit cards to purchase fruits and vegetables at discounted prices or for free.

“I’ve long believed that prevention should be at the heart of our health care system, especially when it comes to those who’ve served our country,” said Buchanan, Vice Chair of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee.

“The Produce Prescription for Veterans Act puts the ‘food is medicine’ approach into action by helping veterans manage diet-related chronic conditions before they worsen. Making sure veterans have access to fresh, nutritious whole fruits and vegetables is a simple way to improve health outcomes and strengthen their quality of life.”

He filed the bipartisan House bill with Rep. Chellie Pingree, a Maine Democrat, while Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, will carry the Senate companion.

“As food costs climb and food deserts make grocery stores inaccessible, Americans — especially our veterans — are struggling to eat enough fruits and vegetables, contributing to high rates of chronic illness in the U.S.,” Durbin said.

Hold fire

Rep. Greg Steube won’t try to expel Cherfilus-McCormick before the House Ethics Committee issues a recommendation.

The Sarasota Republican last year said he wanted to force a vote on the Miramar Democrat’s removal from Congress following an indictment on charges she stole $5 million in COVID funds to finance her 2021 congressional campaign. But Steube said it became clear the supermajority required to expel a member could not be reached.

“I am told that Democrats will not support my motion to expel Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick before the Ethics Committee conducts its trial on March 5, leaving it short of the required two-thirds threshold,” Steube posted on X.

The House Ethics Committee last week issued its own report detailing 27 counts against Cherfilus-McCormick. That report details evidence that Trinity Health Care Services, a public health company founded by Cherfilus-McCormick, collected nearly $5.8 million in overpayments from the state of Florida and funneled millions into her 2022 congressional campaign.

The Committee issued the report more than two years after filing initial complaints and two months after the Justice Department obtained a criminal indictment from a grand jury.

“This process has been needlessly slow, but it will not change the outcome,” Steube posted. “If Democrats want to slow walk this to protect their own, Americans can judge that for themselves. Once the Ethics Committee formally recommends expulsion, we will take up the motion and remove her from Congress once and for all.”

Medal of Sacrifice

The House passed a bill (HR 3497) championed by Rep. Brian Mast that will create a Medal of Sacrifice for fallen first responders.

The Stuart Republican cheered the creation of a permanent honor, one that mirrors an honor Trump gave to three Palm Beach County deputies killed in the line of duty last year.

“This medal was created alongside President Trump as a small way to thank the brave men and women in uniform who ultimately sacrificed their lives to protect our communities,” Mast said. “May we never forget their dedication and use this medal to forever honor their memory. I look forward to it being passed quickly in the Senate and sent to the President so we can ensure that every family knows that their loved one’s sacrifice will never be forgotten.”

The legislation will now create a 12-member Commission, with members appointed by the President, which will bestow the medal on police officers and first responders killed in the line of duty.

Law enforcement groups supported the creation of the medal.

“Police officers knowingly place themselves in harm’s way to keep us safe and protect our sacred rights. Sadly, when one of these heroes is killed, their sacrifice is quickly forgotten, if even acknowledged,” said Paula Fitzsimmons, Legislative Director for the National Police Association.

“The Medal of Sacrifice Act provides a meaningful way to pay tribute to these heroes as well as to honor their families, who have sacrificed everything and continue to experience unimaginable grief. This medal will also serve as a symbol of the public’s profound gratitude for the men and women who stand between us and lawlessness and uphold the U.S. Constitution.”

Global gag rule?

While an expansion of a policy restricting U.S. foreign aid from funding abortions drew praise from Republicans in the delegation, Rep. Lois Frankel slammed the Trump administration action as a “Global Gag Rule.”

Trump, through an executive order, extended restrictions on aid to also bar funding for diversity initiatives. Frankel, the ranking Democrat on the House National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Subcommittee, said that could starve vital international health organizations of funds.

“This reckless expansion turns lifesaving aid into an ideological loyalty test,” the West Palm Beach Democrat said. “It will slow emergency response, undermine trusted partnerships, handicap our ability to prevent instability and respond to humanitarian crises, and make it more likely for disease to reach our shores. It is a shortsighted and cruel mandate for our already weakened foreign assistance tools.”

She said the policy could have unexpected consequences such as disrupting emergency response, weakening health systems, damaging global partnerships and increasing the risk of conflict and disease outbreaks around the globe.

House return

Giménez rehired Rey Anthony as Chief of Staff.

Anthony, a longtime Miami consultant, most recently served as Moody’s senior adviser and, before that, as Public Affairs Director for the Florida Attorney General’s Office while Moody held the Cabinet position. Anthony also worked on the Hill as Rep. María Elvira Salazar’s Communications Director. He also worked on Salazar’s congressional campaign in 2018.

Before his stint on the Senate side, he worked in Giménez’s Office as Deputy Chief of Staff.

“I am thrilled to welcome my former staffer and trusted adviser, Rey Anthony, as my new Chief of Staff on Capitol Hill,” said Giménez, a Miami-Dade Republican.

“Rey is a dedicated, results-oriented professional with sharp strategic insight, unwavering integrity and a genuine commitment to our community. He is incredibly respected by his peers, and I am honored to have him back on my team.”

A third-generation Cuban American, Anthony comes with knowledge of the South Florida community in Florida’s 28th Congressional District, including in national security, foreign policy, economic opportunity and environmental resilience.

Taking flight

Shumaker Advisors Federal added to its team with the hiring of Jodie Moxley-Ramos, a senior political strategist with experience in the aviation and defense fields.

“Jodie’s extensive experience and respected relationships across Capitol Hill significantly strengthen our federal platform,” said Ryan Walker, senior vice president of Federal Affairs at Shumaker Advisors. “Her strategic insight and proven leadership further position the Shumaker Advisors Federal team to deliver impactful advocacy and results for our clients.”

Moxley-Ramos previously worked as a lobbyist for Airbus, working for a decade at the aviation company’s U.S. headquarters. There, she developed Airbus’ national strategy on legislative, regulatory, trade, manufacturing and procurement issues for both commercial and defense aviation.

She more recently worked as vice president of Congressional Affairs at Ligado Networks, advising leadership on legislative and regulatory strategy involving aviation safety, spectrum policy and national security.

In the 1990s, she worked in politics, running scheduling and advance for Second Lady Tipper Gore during the 1996 presidential campaign.

On this day

Feb. 3, 1962 — “John Kennedy places embargo on Communist dictatorship in Cuba” via Center for a Free Cuba — President Kennedy declared in Proclamation 3447 an ‘Embargo on All Trade with Cuba’ in which it was “resolved that the present Government of Cuba is incompatible with the principles and objectives of the Inter-American system; and, in light of the subversive offensive of Sino-Soviet Communism with which the Government of Cuba is publicly aligned, urged the member states to take those steps that they may consider appropriate for their individual and collective self-defense.”

Feb. 3, 1994 — “Bill Clinton ends trade embargo of Vietnam” via History.com — President Clinton lifted a 19-year-old trade embargo in place since 1975, when North Vietnamese forces captured the city of Saigon in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Clinton did so primarily to encourage cooperative efforts between the U.S. and Vietnam to discover the fate of American prisoners of war and missing in action who remained unaccounted for after the war. American businesses interested in expanding in Asian nations like Vietnam applauded his move, while veterans’ organizations and families of service members killed during the Vietnam War erupted in outrage.

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Peter Schorsch publishes Delegation, compiled by Jacob Ogles, edited and assembled by Phil Ammann and Ryan Nicol.