Delegation for 2.25.20: Coronavirus — Venezuela — Bernie panic — thanks Trump — EPA loans

Coronavirus causing jitters

From the time the term “coronavirus” broke into the news, the Western Hemisphere has largely considered it to be a China problem. When a few cases developed in the U.S., a little more attention was drawn to its potential, but it did not yet present a significant problem now.

That appears to have changed with the recent reports of surges in Europe, South Korea and Iran. A third passenger from the quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess has died.

While around 50 cases have been reported in the U.S., the use of the word “pandemic” is growing, heightening concerns. Capitol Hill is taking note, with calls for more action and transparency.

Among the first to seek greater awareness of the disease and its potential was Democratic Rep. Charlie Crist, who urged the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to increase outreach efforts involving the coronavirus.

In early February, Sen. Rick Scott wrote to the World Health Organization urging them to analyze the extent of the virus and sent another letter to the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration asking for assurance pharmaceuticals imported from China are safe.

With the virus emanating in China, one of the regime’s most consistent critics also weighed in. Sen. Marco Rubio’s op-ed for Real Clear Politics said the Chinese leadership’s secrecy in the handling of the crisis clearly shows they are unfit to play a global role.

Last week Senate Democrats advocated for emergency funds to prevent a significant outbreak in the U.S. The Trump administration has previously stated they thought seeking additional dollars was premature, but are now asking Congress for $2.5 billion in supplemental funding.

No confirmed cases have been reported in Florida, but Dr. Scott Rivkees, Florida’s Surgeon General, said Tampa General Hospital is monitoring specific individuals with “flu-like symptoms.” Rivkees said Florida statutes prevent the Department of Health from commenting on potential cases.

That prompted a letter from Crist to Rivkees urging the state to fully inform Floridians by releasing “all information on cases of potential Coronavirus transmission to the public …” Floridians should be better informed and “not left in the dark like what they are seeing out of China.”

“Anything less than full transparency puts all Floridians at risk, especially children, expectant mothers, senior citizens, and those with compromised immune systems,” wrote Crist, the son of a doctor.

Secondary to public health threats were the jitters of the financial world. The week opened with huge losses on Wall Street and increased concern for what reduced commerce with China, the world’s second-largest economy, might mean.

Some bipartisan efforts should break out on Capitol Hill this week on funding efforts to prevent any spread of the disease in the U.S. The only argument likely to come is not on whether to approve funds, but by how much.

Scott blasts Venezuela surrogate

When the regime of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro managed to hire Foley Lardner to help with sanctions relief in Washington, Sen. Scott unloaded pointed criticism at the firm. Not long after the attacks, Foley Lardner backed away from the contract.

Amsterdam & Partners has now stepped in to pick up the contract. Scott responded by making a similar push to the one he made against Foley Lardner that called for blackballing the firm.

“I will not stand for this and will refuse to work with anyone in this firm, or anyone that contracts on this matter with this firm,” Scott said in a news release. “I’m urging every one of my colleagues to stand with me against anyone who willingly represents a dangerous dictator.”

While Foley Lardner quietly walked away from the contract, Amsterdam has chosen to confront Scott. The firm’s head, Robert Amsterdam, said Scott’s “threats have more to do with mob rule than rule of law.”

Scott responded to Amsterdam, saying his firm is representing a “murderous dictator.

“I represent tens of thousands who have fled from Maduro,” he tweeted. “You should try talking to them.”

Rubio, colleagues tour Europe

Sen. Rubio spent part of last week in Europe as part of an oversight trip to several allied nations. Joined by several colleagues, Rubio, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, visited the Czech Republic, Poland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

All are member nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, though tensions with Turkey have risen under the leadership of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In addition to meeting with and being briefed by officials of those nations, visits with U.S. troops was on the agenda.

“During our trip, we also met with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s leadership, and I am thankful for their dedication to advancing the truth and promoting freedom of the press across Europe and Central Asia,” Rubio said in a news release. “I also had a productive meeting with (U.K.) Prime Minister (Boris) Johnson’s Chief of Staff, Eddie Lister, to discuss the importance of our historic bilateral ties.”

After meeting with American businesses at the American Chamber of Commerce in Krakow, Poland, the group’s stop in that country included a moving part of the agenda. They stopped at the Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camp and laid a wreath in honor of the 6 million Jews and millions of others systematically murdered by the Nazis.

“It was a somber experience to visit Auschwitz, the death camp that killed over a million people,” he said. “While we honor the victims and reflect on one of humanity’s darkest hours, we must recommit to fighting anti-Semitism and other forms of hate if ‘Never Again’ is to have real meaning.”

Sanders causing Dem panic

Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders now has the full attention of the political world. According to the Real Clear Politics average of polls, Sanders now has a 12-point lead in the race for the Democratic nomination, which follows a smashing win in the Nevada caucuses. After Sunday night, moderate Democrats officially went into panic mode.

Sanders appeared on the CBS program “60 Minutes,” and among several topics discussed, he praised a Cuban literacy program promoted by Fidel Castro and said it was “unfair to simply say everything was bad” about the Castro regime. That sufficiently freaked out Coral Gables Democrat Donna Shalala, who represents a district densely populated by Cuban American exiles and their descendants, which includes her opponent, Maria Elvira Salazar.

“I’m hoping that in the future, Sen. Sanders will take time to speak to some of my constituents before he decides to sing the praises of a murderous tyrant like Fidel Castro,” Shalala tweeted.

This weekend’s South Carolina primary is the next chance to slow down, even just a little, the Sanders momentum. It may also be the last chance for former Vice President Joe Biden to remain relevant. Anything less than a win would likely end any hope.

At this point, Biden and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg appear to be the only ones currently in the race with any hope of stopping Sanders. Just three days after South Carolina is Super Tuesday with several southern states and delegate-rich states like California and Texas.

Super Tuesday will mark the debut of Bloomberg appearing on the ballots of primary states. With no one expected to have a lock on the nomination after next week, Florida’s March 17 primary could play a key role.

A handful of delegation Democrats hopes to spur primary voters to choose someone other than Sanders. Rep. Stephanie Murphy of Winter Park (see “Murphy leads” below) Rep. Ted Deutch of Boca Raton are backing Bloomberg, while Reps. Al Lawson of Tallahassee, Crist of St. Petersburg, Alcee Hastings of Delray Beach and Frederica Wilson of Miami Gardens are in Biden’s corner.

Under the circumstances, Sanders should expect plenty of incoming from Tuesday’s Democratic presidential debate — as much or more than that launched on President Donald Trump.

Supreme Court divisions emerge

Like Congress, divisions among Justices on the U.S. Supreme Court are spilling into the public domain. A majority of the justices seem to agree with the Department of Justice, which seeks to end the practice of a singular judge having the authority to issue nationwide injunctions.

The Court has issued stays on nationwide injunctions thwarting Trump’s travel ban, new asylum rules, the use of nonmilitary funding for the border wall, and denying visas to those deemed likely to require public assistance, known as “public charge.” The stays typically came on 5-4 votes.

The most recent case, Wolf v. Cook County, Illinois, centered on the issuance of a statewide injunction halting the public charge policy. The Supreme Court stayed that injunction last week pending presentation of the case this week before the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.

In a strong dissent that some described as “blistering” or “scathing,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor to blast the majority for their eagerness to rule on such matters before appeals are heard, always to the benefit of the Trump administration. She said the actions are synonymous with “putting a thumb on the scale in favor of the party that won a stay.”

She was joined in her dissent by the liberal bloc of Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan, who scoffed at the concept of harm and compared the stays to the plight of those on death row.

“Perhaps most troublingly, the Court’s recent behavior on stay applications has benefited one litigant over all others,” Sotomayor continued. “This Court often permits executions — where the risk of irreparable harm is the loss of life — to proceed, justifying many of those decisions on purported failures ‘to raise any potentially meritorious claims in a timely manner.’”

The public charge officially went into effect this week.

House Republicans thank Trump

Polls still show Trump’s job approval rating to be underwater, though it is edging upward. Candidates running for reelection often run away from unpopular figures at the top of the ticket, but that is not the case with most House Republicans.

With the release of a letter led by Georgia Republican Jody Hice that praises Trump, those House Republicans either do not believe Trump is unpopular or they do not care. The letter expresses gratitude for his stance on family values that include the pro-life position and promoting religious liberty.

“Life has immeasurable value, and your administration has made it a sacred duty to protect the right to life at all stages,” the letter reads. It later says, “We also applaud you for keeping your promise to defend our constitutional right to religious liberty, the freedom of conscience and expression.”

The letter goes on to praise his “directive to end human trafficking, the appointment of constitutionalist judges, and your vow to end veteran suicide,” makes him a prominent pro-life president. Specific acts promoting religious freedom were also listed.

A total of 136 of the 197 members of the Republican caucus signed the letter. This includes 11 of the 14 GOP members of the Florida delegation.

Only Reps. Vern Buchanan of Longboat Key, Francis Rooney of Naples and Mario Diaz-Balart of Miami did not join.

Murphy leads Bloomberg rally

After Bloomberg’s widely-panned Democratic debate performance last week, the campaign jumped into damage control before next week’s Super Tuesday primaries and the crucial Florida primary March 17. With much of the post-debate discussion involving Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s attacks on nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) with former female employees, shoring up support among women became a must.

Rep. Murphy launched a “Women for Mike” Florida coalition in Orlando Saturday. The event was designed to talk about issues such as health and child care, pay and leave.

“I have a record of standing for equality and inclusion, and I firmly believe Mike has and will continue to foster an environment where women are on equal footing and can succeed professionally and personally,” said Murphy, a national co-chair of the Bloomberg campaign.

Murphy was joined at the event by Osceola County Commissioner Viviana Janer and Team Bloomberg National Deputy Women’s Outreach Director Amanda Finney.

“Proud to join some of #WomenforMike crew in #Orlando to help kick off a day of action! @MikeBloomberg’s plans for women will strengthen reproductive rights, ensure equal pay & enact paid family leave,” Murphy tweeted following the event. “Proud to support him b/c he will get it done!”

Bloomberg’s plans include ensuring entrepreneurs, minorities, veterans and women receiving fair access to the resources they need to succeed, encouraging the Department of Justice to pursue ways to stop discrimination and seeking legislation to provide employees the power to take legal action for harassment or discrimination of any kind.

Before the debate, a survey from St. Pete Polls showed Bloomberg pulling ahead of the field in Florida.

Soto announces EPA loan

Thanks to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Kissimmee is set to receive a significant loan for water projects. Democratic Rep. Darren Soto from Kissimmee announced the $40 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to the local Toho Water Authority. The investment will help finance projects that will improve the efficiency of the existing sewer and wastewater management systems and support community growth without needing to expand the existing wastewater treatment facility.

“We thank the EPA for approving this major project to improve water quality and supply for Central Florida,” Soto said in a news release. “This will greatly assist our growing region while ensuring our beautiful Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, Kissimmee River and other sensitive water bodies remain protected.”

The Toho Water Authority will repair, rehabilitate and replace sewer mains, sewer lines, and manholes, including 65 wastewater pumping station basins and 900,000 feet of gravity mains. The project will mitigate emergency failures such as overflows that result from problems with the current infrastructure.

The project is known as the Accelerated Gravity Sewer Assessment and Rehabilitation project. It will cost $81.9 million, meaning the EPA’s WIFIA loan will cover the cost of nearly half. Project construction and operation are expected to create 198 jobs.

Rubio, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, weighed in saying, “I am proud that Kissimmee will benefit from this critical federal investment. Toho Water Authority will utilize the $40 million loan to finance projects that will improve water quality and support Kissimmee’s local economy.”

Crist announces NOAA grant

The coral reefs of Florida are home to several threatened species. Rep. Crist recently announced a $263,040 grant to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to help restore seven of those species.

Allocated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), these funds will allow FWC to respond to the severe decline of corals in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The funds will also be used to establish two permanent field-based coral nurseries and four pop-up nurseries, to transplant nursery-reared corals onto degraded reefs, and gene banking of genotypes of these corals.

“As stewards of our waters, Floridians have a special responsibility to protect and safeguard these ecosystems for generations to come,” the St. Petersburg Democrat said. “This grant will fund much-needed restoration efforts that will breathe new life into our reefs and revive coral species that are threatened by extinction.”

Florida is home to the third-largest reef tract in the world and is the only state in the continental U.S. with coral reef formations off its coast.

Castor environmental work lauded

The work of Rep. Kathy Castor both before and after she became chairwoman of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis is now being recognized in a television ad. The League of Conservation Voters and House Majority Forward, a Democratic political action committee, are behind the ad, which praises Castor for her environmental work.

Castor is one of eight Democrats in swing states featured by the $1 million ad buy. The members are singled out for their efforts on climate change, banning offshore drilling or regulating toxic chemicals called PFAS.

To watch the ad, click on the image below:

“Poll after poll shows people are demanding action on climate change, clean water and clean air more than ever before,” said Gene Karpinski, President of the League of Conservation Voters. “Fortunately, environmental champions in Congress like Kathy Castor are responding in big ways by passing legislation and holding polluters accountable.”

Most recently, the House passed the PFAS Action Act to start taking action on dangerous chemicals found in drinking water and passed legislation to protect the Atlantic and Pacific coasts from offshore drilling. Several individual members, including Castor, have been outspoken advocates for extending tax incentives for clean energy.

Castor has been in front led efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change by informing policy recommendations and helping to pass the Climate Action Now Act, which requires the President to develop and update an annual plan on climate action.

The ads are scheduled to run for two weeks.

Buchanan testifies on opioids

Sarasota Republican Vern Buchanan has devoted more time than he’d like to the opioid crisis. On Monday, the Statewide Task Force on Opioid Abuse convened in his home district, where he and Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody discussed the need to prevent more opioid deaths in a state that suffers 15 fatal overdoses a day.

“For too long, Fentanyl and other opioids have wreaked havoc on communities in Florida and across the country. We need to continue our efforts to fight opioids,” Buchanan said. “I thank the Attorney General for leading the state’s efforts on this issue, and I look forward to learning more about what we can do together at the state and federal level to address this issue.”

Likewise, Moody praised work Buchanan has done on the issue in Washington. There, he’s pushed for economic sanctions on Chinese manufacturers knowingly shipping Fentanyl into the U.S. Trump signed those provisions into law with the National Defense Authorization bill in December.

“I want to thank Congressman Buchanan for joining us today, and for his commitment to fighting drug abuse through his work in our nation’s capital,” Moody said. “I look forward to continuing to partner with local, state and federal authorities to advance this important mission and save lives.”

Ahead of the meeting, Buchanan said the issue continues to roil his district.

“For too long, fentanyl and other opioids have wreaked havoc on communities in Florida and across the country,” he said. We need to continue our efforts to fight opioids. I thank the Attorney General for leading the state’s efforts on this issue, and I look forward to learning more about what we can do together at the state and federal level to address this issue.”

Steube: Return the Pueblo

More than 50 years ago, the U.S. spy ship Pueblo was attacked and captured by forces of North Korea. Today it remains the only commissioned Navy ship in captivity, prompting another call from Rep. Greg Steube that it be returned.

“For the guys that served on it, absolutely, that’s their little piece of America that was serving during that time that’s still captured and in a foreign land,” the Sarasota Republican said.

Steube introduced a House resolution in June calling for the return of the Pueblo. The North Koreans have renovated the Pueblo and today, it is moored in Pyongyang and serves as a museum.

A surviving crew member and a constituent of Steube began the effort to have the ship returned. In a recent interview, he shared what peaked his outrage.

“They were making a mockery of it, it’s their prize possession,” said Richard Rogala, a ship’s cook at the time.

Upon learning the story, Steube began his efforts in Congress.

“I didn’t even know this was an issue until he brought it to my attention,” recalled Steube. “Then, I started doing research.”

Steube, an Iraq War veteran, has recently taken the cause to the bipartisan For Country Caucus made up of military veterans. Among his resolution’s co-sponsors is Rep. Michael Waltz of St. Augustine — the caucus co-founder — and Rep. Ross Spano of Dover.

Hastings co-sponsors butterfly bill

The Monarch Butterfly, an iconic symbol of nature and a facilitator of agriculture, is an endangered species. Legislation in the House, co-sponsored by Rep. Alcee Hastings, seeks to protect this species whose population has reportedly dropped by 99% over the last 40 years.

The Monarch Action, Recovery and Conservation of Habitat (MONARCH) Act, sponsored by California Democrat Jimmy Panetta, is designed to help meet the critical need for urgent species recovery efforts by authorizing $62.5 million for projects aimed at conserving the western monarch.

The legislation authorizes an additional $62.5 million to be spent by the National Fish and Wildlife Agencies to implement the Western Monarch Butterfly Conservation Plan, which was prepared by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in January of last year.

“As Co-Chairman of the Congressional Pollinator Caucus, I’m proud to join @RepJimmyPanetta in introducing HR5920, the bipartisan MONARCH Act to protect the western monarch butterfly, a pollinator which is crucial to US agriculture whose population has been decimated since the 80s,” tweeted Hastings.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that approximately 35% of the world’s food crops depend on pollinators for survival. But years of climate chaos, habitat loss, and disease are pushing pollinators like the monarch butterfly to the brink of extinction.

Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon introduced the companion bill in the Senate.

Affordable housing funds released

Despite a thriving economy, access to affordable housing is still a challenge in communities around the nation. Things got a bit better in Congressional District 26 with the release of $500 million for NeighborWorks, a nonprofit that engages in community development around the country.

The funding is part of a $157 million appropriation from Congress to NeighborWorks. CD 26 Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell led a letter signed by 113 bipartisan colleagues seeking $170 million in the budget but was pleased with the overall outcome.

“I’m delighted that the funding that I pushed for is going directly to help with the affordable housing crisis facing South Florida,” Mucarsel-Powell said in a statement. “This funding will create opportunities for working families and help low-income Floridians in our community move up the economic ladder.

“In 2019 alone, in Florida, NeighborWorks helped create 1,079 new homeowners, helped over 4,600 Floridians find rental homes, and created over 1,100 jobs,” she added. “This is one of the most pressing issues facing Miami-Dade and the Florida Keys, and I will make sure it remains a national priority.”

The recently-released Trump administration budget proposal would end funding for NeighborWorks. The budget request contained $27 million for “close the door” purposes.

Members attend Facebook sessions

During February, Facebook has hosted free educational sessions across the state to help local businesses grow in an increasingly digital economy. Among those attending were Reps. Mucarsel-Powell of Miami and Steube.

Sessions were held in Orlando, Homestead and Port Charlotte, with the Representatives attending an event in their district. They joined hundreds of business owners across the state to participate in the sessions known as Boost with Facebook.

“Small businesses and entrepreneurs create over half of the jobs available in our district and keeps our economy healthy,” said Mucarsel-Powell, a Miami Democrat, in a news release. “With new technological advances come new tools that help South Florida businesses grow and connect with their customers.”

Boost with Facebook is free training designed to help small businesses grow and better compete in an increasingly digital economy. Facebook has committed to providing 1 million American individuals and entrepreneurs with the digital skills they need to compete in today’s economy.

“Our community is blessed with many small businesses that are truly the backbone of my district and the state of Florida,” said Steube, a Sarasota Republican. “Supporting these businesses and ensuring they have the tools they need to succeed is one of my top priorities in Congress.”

On this date

Feb. 25, 1987 — In a landmark ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the concept of Affirmative Action. The 5-4 decision on an Alabama case gave the go-ahead for what is described as racial quotas to remedy past discrimination.

Justice William Brennan wrote the majority opinion and was joined by Justices Thurgood Marshall, Harry Blackmun, Lewis Powell and John Paul Stevens in upholding the policy. Justice Sandra Day O’Connor wrote the dissenting opinion and was joined by Chief Justice William Rehnquist, and Justices Antonin Scalia and Byron White.

Feb. 25, 2010 — Revelations that Rubio used a Republican Party credit card for personal expenses set off criticism of Rubio from Gov. Crist, Rubio’s GOP Senate primary opponent, as well as attacks from Democrats on the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF). The information came from internal RPOF documents leaked to the media.

Weston Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz called the use of party cards by Rubio and other Republicans as nothing short of “a personal slush fund.” Crist called Rubio’s credit card use “a pattern of personal financial gain.” Rubio said Crist’s attacks were launched out of desperation and further blamed RPOF Chairman Jim Greer or party staff for the leaks.

NASA legend remembered

A significant contributor to NASA and the space shuttle program has died. Former mathematician Katherine Johnson died at the age of 101.

Johnson was part of the agency’s “computer pool,” comprised largely of black women, who processed data by hand and provided important calculations for the first crewed space flights of Alan Shepard and John Glenn in the early 1960s.

She was portrayed in the 2016 film “Hidden Figures” by actress Taraji P. Henson. Johnson was provided with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2015.

NASA extended their condolences in a tweet highlighting her contributions.

We're saddened by the passing of celebrated #HiddenFigures mathematician Katherine Johnson. Today, we celebrate her 101 years of life and honor her legacy of excellence that broke down racial and social barriers: https://t.co/Tl3tsHAfYB pic.twitter.com/dGiGmEVvAW

— NASA (@NASA) February 24, 2020

We’re saddened by the passing of celebrated #HiddenFigures mathematician Katherine Johnson. Today, we celebrate her 101 years of life and honor her legacy of excellence that broke down racial and social barriers.”

Happy birthday

Greetings to Rep. Soto (Feb. 25)