Shutdown? — labels — school choice — ethics — TPS

Deal on the horizon?

Another government shutdown, albeit potentially short, appears on the horizon as the Senate continues to debate Homeland Security funding.

The Senate on Thursday voted 55-45 against taking up a funding bill as passed by the House the prior week. Every Democrat in the chamber voted against the deal, but so did seven Republicans, including Sens. Ashley Moody and Rick Scott.

While Democrats cited the inclusion of funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in a Homeland Security budget, the Florida Republicans focused on election laws. Scott posted a video between floor votes explaining his position.

“I need your help. Let my colleagues know how important this is to you. No. 1, pass the SAVE Act. No illegals vote in our elections,” Florida’s senior Senator said. “No. 2, stop the earmarks. We can’t have all this wasteful spending.”

Scott has long criticized earmarks, local spending provisions secured in the budget by individual lawmakers. But the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act (HR 22), an election bill passed in April by the House, appeared to be the chief driver behind the bloc of conservative Republicans who cast “no” votes against the budget.

The SAVE Act would impose a national requirement for individuals to provide documentation verifying citizenship before voting in federal elections. It was cited by Moody, a Plant City Republican, in several posts after the vote.

“Only American citizens should vote in American elections,” she posted. “When the SAVE Act comes to the floor, it will be a strong yes from me. Protecting the integrity of our elections is common sense.”

Several House Republicans, led by Pinellas County Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, had threatened to shut down all House business until the Senate took up the bill. After the initial vote against the House budget, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he wanted the legislation heard and to include photo ID requirements.

But that’s not the only obstacle. While a deal appeared to be coming together Thursday to pass a budget with Homeland Security separated — an arrangement negotiated by President Donald Trump with Senate Democrats — the bill didn’t reach the floor.

The negotiated plan saw objections from GOP Senators, most notably Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who wants ICE funded and to preserve a controversial payout for Senators whose phone records were obtained by Special Counsel Jack Smith in an investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol.

Congress faces a midnight deadline to pass a budget to avoid a federal shutdown. But in effect, that has passed as any changes require passage in the House, and representatives are not in Washington.

But even if nothing passes today, a shutdown may be short, lasting only until the House takes up a measure Saturday or early next week. That presumes that the Senate and House can reach a deal that will pass in both chambers.

Transparent supply lines

Meanwhile, Scott also proposed labeling requirements this week that would let prescription drug consumers know which country milled the pills.

The Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings (CLEAR LABELS) Act would require that countries of origin be clearly labeled. That includes whether active pharmaceutical ingredients were produced overseas.

“Families want to feel safe; they want to know the drugs they take are safe, and they want to support American companies and American jobs. It is alarming just how many medicines Americans depend on are made overseas, in places like Communist China and India, with limited transparency and oversight, leaving patients blindsided about where their drugs come from and unknowingly putting themselves at increased risk of death,” the Naples Republican said.

“My CLEAR LABELS Act takes a common sense approach to fix that by requiring clear disclosure of the original manufacturers of these drugs and their components, known as APIs. Transparency is critical to protecting patient safety, strengthening oversight and reducing America’s overreliance on foreign drug production. Americans deserve to have confidence that the medicines they take are safe, regulated, and clearly labeled.”

The Senate Special Committee on Aging, which Scott chairs, issued a bipartisan report in October showing that only 37% of pharmaceuticals consumed in 2024 were manufactured in the U.S., down from 83% in 2002.

Scott has specifically pointed to concerns about the quality of generic drugs produced and imported from China and India.

School choice

National School Choice Week offered a platform for several Florida figures to cheer the expansion of school choice in Florida and across the country.

Moody co-chaired National School Choice Week and co-introduced legislation last year recognizing the event. She said the country should follow Florida’s lead in making education scholarships available to all students.

“Students’ needs, not ZIP codes, should drive opportunities for their success. As a proud supporter of The Educational Choice for Children Act, which is now law, we are empowering parents by supporting educational freedom across the country,” she said at a Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee hearing.

She also introduced John Kirtley, Chair of Step Up For Students, to testify on Florida’s programs at the hearing.

In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis this week opted Florida into the Education Freedom Tax Credit included in the Big Beautiful Bill signed by Trump this year. That came shortly before Education Secretary Linda McMahon held a roundtable in Washington celebrating the tax option.

Safe travels?

A crash in Miami involving a Brightline train and an autonomous delivery robot has Rep. Jimmy Patronis concerned about the safety of self-directed vehicles.

The Fort Walton Republican sent a letter to Jennifer Homendy, Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), questioning whether the crash indicates a significant risk of collisions.

“Given the rapid evolution of autonomous technologies, we must ensure that our transportation safety framework evolves as well,” Patronis said. “This incident highlights a gap in our understanding of how autonomous vehicles interact with railroad systems. It is important that we address these risks now before a more serious accident happens.”

In his letter, Patronis calls for information about the Jan. 15 crash and any further study of the use of autonomous vehicles on railroad tracks. He also wants to know whether the NTSB will offer different safety recommendations for vehicles with or without human passengers.

Action by ethics

The House Ethics Committee issued a report detailing 27 counts against Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick.

The report is the result of a two-year investigation, and leaders of the bipartisan Committee will now consider potential consequences for the Miramar Democrat in the House.

A 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.

For her part, Cherfilus-McCormick immediately characterized the House Ethics Committee’s acceleration of the investigation as unfair.

“Today’s action was taken without giving me a fair opportunity to rebut or defend myself due to the constraints of an ongoing legal process,” she said. “I reject these allegations and remain confident the full facts will make clear I did nothing wrong. Until then, my focus remains where it belongs: delivering for my constituents and continuing the work they sent me to Washington to do.”

The counts now go to an adjudicating Committee headed by the House Ethics Committee’s top Republican, Rep. Michael Guest of Mississippi, and Democratic Rep. Mark DeSaulnier of California.

The most serious charges stem from the handling of a payment from Florida’s Department of Emergency Management during the pandemic. Trinity, over the course of 2021, accepted $5,778,316 in overpayments from the state, most of which stemmed from a $5 million overpayment on an invoice for $50,578, according to the report. The state sued Cherfilus-McCormick for overpayment in December 2024.

Navy SEAL history

It’s time to include a Navy SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce in the Navy’s official network, according to Rep. Brian Mast. The Stuart Republican called on Navy Secretary John Phelan, a Palm Beach resident, to include the museum in the military branch’s Navy Museum system.

Mast sent a letter to the Navy leader signed by all 28 members of Florida’s House delegation.

“The National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum tells the story of our most elite warriors on the very ground where that legacy began,” Mast said.

“These are the service members who cleared beaches under fire, carried out harrowing missions, and defended America in dire conditions while facing unimaginable hostility. Officially including this museum within the U.S. Navy Museum System ensures their legacies are preserved, honored, and shared for future generations.”

The creation of a Navy Museum system is part of the National Defense Authorization Act approved in 2025. Museums in the system will have greater access to Navy records and services, allowing them to improve educational outreach.

TPS court victory

A federal appellate court says it was not legal for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to abruptly revoke temporary protected status (TPS) for Venezuelan and Haitian refugees.

While the Supreme Court has let the action stand on appeal, members of Florida’s congressional delegation say the decision, upholding a lower-court ruling, shows the folly of taking away status for those who entered the nation legally.

“Last night’s ruling in favor of TPS is a small measure of hope for my South Florida Venezuelan and Haitian constituents, who have seen more than enough pain and heartbreak,” said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Weston Democrat and co-Chair of Florida’s congressional delegation. “I supported this case from the start, and I’m deeply grateful to all the attorneys and civil rights and labor advocates fighting tooth and nail to keep our communities safe.”

Wasserman Schultz led an amicus brief signed by 120 House Democrats urging the restoration of legal status. About 49% of all Venezuelans living in the U.S. count Florida as their home, as do 49% of Haitians, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

“The Haitian and Venezuelan TPS recipients in my district fled violence, corruption, and brutal repression. Despite passing repeated background checks, earning work permits, and attaining lawful status, the Trump Administration derides them as criminals to be collectively punished for the crimes of a few,” Wasserman Schultz said.

“I’ve always been clear: violent criminals should be held accountable no matter where they’re from or what uniform they wear. Honest, law-abiding people should be free to live their lives without fear of being sent back to the Trump-backed Venezuelan dictatorship or anarchy in Haiti while these countries remain clearly unsafe.”

Everglades restoration

Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, co-Chair of the Congressional Everglades Caucus, cheered the completion of the Picayune Strand Restoration Project.

The Army Corps of Engineers project is part of the larger Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Project, which aims to restore water flows in the river of grass, and has received help from federal funding secured by Florida lawmakers over the years.

“Today’s completion of the Picayune Strand Restoration Project marks a major milestone in my yearslong efforts to restore America’s Everglades, which I’m proud to play a huge part in,” the Hialeah Republican said.

“This project returns more than 55,000 acres of land to its natural splendor and improves over 70,000 acres of uplands and wetlands being improved as habitat for Florida’s native wildlife. It is a powerful example of what consistent federal leadership and collaboration with state and local partners can achieve, demonstrating that large-scale ecosystem restoration is possible.”

He specifically praised partners on the project, including Col. Brandon Bowman, Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District; Adam Telle, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works; Drew Bartlett, Executive Director of the Southwest Florida Water Management District; Rob Moher, Executive Director of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida; and Eric Eikenberg, President and CEO of The Everglades Foundation.

“As founder and co-chair of the Everglades Caucus and Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, I will continue my work in Congress to deliver critical funding and support needed to restore and protect this vital ecosystem,” Díaz-Balart said.

Pressuring Cuba

Trump issued an executive order promising steep tariffs on countries doing business with Cuba. Republicans representing the Cuban diaspora in South Florida cheered the move.

The executive order comes amid questions about whether Mexico would provide oil to Cuba, which had relied heavily on the deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s regime for its energy needs.

South Florida lawmakers welcomed the heavy pressure campaign to isolate Cuba.

“Grateful to President Trump for another crucial step to strengthen national security and help liberate the Western Hemisphere from this terrorist regime,” Díaz-Balart posted in Spanish.

“This is what America First leadership looks like. The ‘Donroe Doctrine.’ Donald Trump will be the liberator of the Western Hemisphere.”

Rep. Carlos Giménez, a Miami-Dade Republican born in Cuba, posted a message of support using #SOSCuba, which became popular following pro-democracy demonstrations in Cuba in 2021.

“President Trump has just issued an executive order imposing tariffs on any country that sends oil to the dictatorship in Cuba,” Giménez posted. “Our Cuban American community is eternally grateful for his decisive action against the regime! The end is near!”

Rep. María Elvira Salazar, a Coral Gables Republican, also praised the order in a post.

“The complicity with the Cuban dictatorship is over. I firmly support this executive order from President Trump because it is not symbolic: it is a concrete action to shut off the money faucet that keeps the regime alive. All pressure is necessary to suffocate a criminal regime that only remains standing thanks to money, oil, and an international network of accomplices that sustains it.”

Overseeing the seas

A Florida woman now heads the Federal Maritime Commission. Trump appointed Laura DiBella of Fort Lauderdale to serve as Chair of the Commission just over a month after the Senate confirmed the Fort Lauderdale woman as a Commissioner.

“It was a true honor to simply be nominated as a Commissioner of the Federal Maritime Commission, and to now be tapped as Chairman is nothing short of a privilege,” DiBella said.

“I am humbled and grateful for the faith that President Trump has demonstrated in me with this designation, and the gravity and responsibility of the role is not lost on me. I look forward to leading the incredible and hardworking FMC team in its integral function in carrying out President Trump’s mandate of ‘Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance.’”

DiBella previously served as FloridaCommerce’s Business Development President and, before that, as President and CEO of Enterprise Florida.

National Prayer Day

Continental Strategy, a lobbying firm headed by former Organization of American States and Miami state lawmaker Carlos Trujillo, organized an international gathering of leaders at the National Prayer Breakfast.

Hosted by El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, the event included 14 members of Congress from both sides of the aisle.

“Continental Strategy’s participation reflected the firm’s ongoing commitment to constructive engagement, dialogue, and relationship-building at the intersection of policy and leadership,” reads a release from the D.C.-based firm.

On this day

Jan. 30, 1815 — “Thomas Jefferson sells collection of books to Library of Congress” via the Thomas Jefferson Foundation — During the War of 1812, British forces entered Washington, D.C., burning the Capitol building and the 3,000-volume library inside it. Writing to Samuel Harrison Smith, Jefferson expressed his distress at this loss: “I learn from the newspapers that the vandalism of our enemy has triumphed at Washington over science as well as the arts, by the destruction of the public library with the noble edifice in which it was deposited.” Recognizing that it would be difficult for Congress to replace the library that had been lost, given the war and the difficulty of procuring items from Europe, Jefferson offered up his extensive personal library to Congress.

Jan. 30, 1835 — “Andrew Jackson narrowly escapes assassination” via History.com — Richard Lawrence, an unemployed house painter, approached Jackson as he left a congressional funeral held in the House chamber and shot at him, but his gun misfired. A furious 67-year-old Jackson confronted his attacker, clubbing Lawrence several times with his walking cane. During the scuffle, Lawrence pulled out a second loaded pistol and pulled the trigger, but it also misfired. Jackson’s aides wrestled Lawrence away from the President, leaving Jackson unharmed but angry and, as it turned out, paranoid. Lawrence was most likely a mentally unstable individual with no connections to Jackson’s political rivals. Still, Jackson was convinced his Whig Party opponents hired Lawrence to assassinate him.

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