Peter Schorsch
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
A bipartisan group of Florida members of Congress has called for funding “to hire an additional 500 Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers next year to help address staffing shortages at many of Florida’s airports and seaports.”
The lawmakers’ request came in a letter – also signed by U.S. Sens. Bill Nelson, a Democrat, and Marco Rubio, a Republican – and sent to the Democratic and Republican members of the House and Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittees.
In addition to Nelson and Rubio, the letter was signed by U.S. Reps. Charlie Crist (D), Carlos Curbelo (R), Val Demings (D), Ted Deutch (D), Lois Frankel (D), Alcee Hastings (D), Al Lawson (D), Stephanie Murphy (D), Tom Rooney (R), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R), Dennis Ross (R), Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D) and Frederica Wilson (D), all of Florida.
“Long wait times and delayed processing of goods discourage travel and create unnecessary barriers to trade, undermining economic activity in the United States,” the letter says. “Estimates show that hiring an additional 500 CBP officers at ports of entry would increase annual economic activity by $1 billion and result in an additional 16,600 jobs per year.”
Officials at many of Florida’s airports and seaports have, for years, raised concerns over the shortage of CBP officers in Florida, which they say often causes frustratingly long wait times for international travelers arriving in the state, discouraging some from ever returning.
The agency says it needs to hire an additional 2,516 officers to operate at full capacity. Congress approved $7.6 million for the agency to hire an additional 328 officers earlier this year. The lawmakers want the agency to hire another 500 next year.
CBP officers are charged with enforcing U.S. customs, immigration and agriculture laws at air, land and seaports across the country. (They are separate from CBP Border Patrol agents who patrol the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders to prevent illegal entry into the country.)
Evening Reads
“Trump-aligned lobbying form drops Assad-linked client” via Betsy Woodruff of The Daily Best
“Business groups back Rick Scott in U.S. Senate run” via Gray Rohrer of the Orlando Sentinel
“Adam Putnam’s grass-roots strategy” via Steve Bousquet of the Tampa Bay Times
“Pro-gun challenger takes on Brian Mast in Republican primary” via Anthony Man of the Sun-Sentinel
“Hundreds march in support of restoring voting rights to Florida felons” via Steve Bousquet of the Tampa Bay Times
“Despite backlog of billions in FEMA dollars, departing state disaster chief says goals achieved” via Arek Sarkissian of POLITICO Florida
“Arrest warrant issued for former Marco Island City Manager” via Devan Patel of the Naples Daily News
“Boca Raton’s mayor, once a rising star, faces corruption charges” via Michael Van Sickler of the Tampa Bay Times
“Miami seeks to retain National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration” via John Robbins of Miami Today
“Statue of Stephen Foster, who wrote Florida’ state song, removed from park” via The Associated Press
Quote of the Day
“Look, we have some absolute warriors … Jim Jordan [of Ohio] and Mark Meadows [of North Carolina] and Matt Gaetz and [Ron] DeSantis and so many … These are all warriors. We have great people in the Republican Party.” — President Donald Trump, via phone on “Fox & Friends.”
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Breakthrough Insights
Wake Up Early?
Candidates in special elections in state House District 39 and House District 114 face a Friday deadline for filing campaign-finance reports. Republican Josie Tomkow and Democrat Ricky Shirah are running in the May 1 election in District 39, which includes parts of Polk and Osceola counties. Democrat Javier Fernandez, Republican Andrew Vargas and unaffiliated candidate Liz de las Cuevas are running in Miami-Dade County’s District 114.
The Florida Board of Podiatric Medicine is scheduled to hold a conference call at 8 a.m. The call-in number is (888) 670-3525 and the code is 5134896685.
The board of Triumph Gulf Coast Inc., which helps oversee money stemming from the Deepwater Horizon disaster, will meet in Northwest Florida. That’s at 10:30 a.m. Central time, Northwest Florida State College, Student Services Center, 100 College Blvd., Niceville.
Staff members for U.S. Sen. Rubio will hold “mobile” office hours in Osceola County. That’s at 1 p.m., Advance Senior Center, 2260 East Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, Kissimmee.
Looking Ahead
Sen. Dorothy Hukill, a Port Orange Republican, will take part in an event to dedicate a veterans’ plaza in Volusia County. That’s Saturday, 3:30 p.m., Whisperwood Community, 3070 Whisper Blvd., DeLand.
