Delegation for 2.11.22: Big blue — crack pipes — come back — solar — inflation

U.S. Capitol Building from the Fifty Dollar Bill
The U.S. Senate race heats up — and crime is the big issue.

Blue backs

Crime has become a major issue in the U.S. Senate campaign in Florida.

But how will the traditional messaging stick, especially considering the candidates in the race?

Republican incumbent Marco Rubio has quickly lined up law enforcement support with conservative law-and-order rhetoric. He will most likely face Democratic Rep. Val Demings, a veteran officer and the first Black woman to serve as Orlando’s police chief.

Demings’ background in uniform is a prime piece of her biography, and on Wednesday, she joined with law enforcement and other House Democrats who have carried the shield for a news conference spotlighting her understanding of police work. There, speakers made a case for progressive policies to solve the rise in crime.

Criminal: Crime is the keyword in Florida’s U.S. Senate race.

“Our No. 1 priority has to be the reduction of violent crime,” Demings said. “We also have to make sure that we keep guns out of the hands of people who should not have them in the first place. We have to invest in those social ills that cause decay in communities in the first place. It’s about investing in our schools today, so we won’t have to invest in our prisons tomorrow.”

Running against an opponent with an A+ grade from the NRA, one of her central campaign planks is the need to keep guns out of the hands of criminals — making police work safer.

Still, Demings’ credentials haven’t stopped Rubio from painting her early as a soft-on-crime liberal.

“Ever since arriving in Washington, Val Demings has made it harder for police to do their jobs while enabling violent criminals,” he said in response. “Today’s demonstration is solely motivated by her run for Senate, and is too little, too late for the many Americans affected by the uptick in violent crime. This is political opportunism at its worst.”

Early in the campaign, Rubio tallied endorsements from key groups, including the backing of 55 Florida sheriffs at the Florida Sheriffs Conference last month. That’s especially meaningful as just a few years ago, Demings’ husband — Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings — held the office of Sheriff and attended conferences with those uniformed men.

On its own, support from elected law enforcement carries weight in Florida campaigns; in this case, the endorsements severely undercut a crucial piece of Demings’ political resume.

Rubio said that’s because Demings herself failed to condemn looters in riots that erupted during 2020 when violence made news amid nationwide Black Lives Matter rallies. His campaign singled out one particular quote from Demings.

When asked by CBS News at the time about the Defund The Police movement and the dismantling and restructuring of the Minneapolis Police Department after the death of George Floyd, she called the move “very thoughtful in looking at all of the services police provide.”

Demings is pushing back on the accusations, stressing her time in uniform meant she faced danger “while Marco Rubio was home in his bed sleeping.”

The event this week marked a chance to stand alongside other police leaders, like Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison and National Police Foundation President Jim Burch. She also spotlighted New Jersey Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer’s Invest to Protect Act, which she co-sponsored and will give grants to small police departments.

This term, Demings’ also introduced the Law Enforcement Protection Act and the Protecting Our Communities Act, which would regulate the use of armor-piercing bullets and close gun-purchasing loopholes, respectively.

“We must invest in our police departments. When we take the time to talk to communities, particularly those in high crime areas, they say, ‘We want to fund the police,’” she said. “In Congress, we spend a lot of time and energy on issues that simply don’t matter. We should all be able to come together on this issue. Public safety is the foundation on which we build great communities. Is anyone really opposed to getting more murderers off our streets? I thank all of my colleagues and partners in law enforcement for joining us today on this important effort.”

Meanwhile, Rubio continues to seek his own ways to boost tough-on-crime rhetoric.

Just say no

Rubio this week said he doesn’t want taxpayer dollars used by nonprofit agencies to buy crack pipes. While President Joe Biden’s administration said that would never happen, Florida’s senior Senator is filing legislation that would make sure of it.

Rubio on Wednesday posted a video slamming the administration after reports on the Health and Human Services Department plans for its $30-million Harm Reduction Program. Fox News and others said grants would be used to distribute pipes or establish centers where addicts could legally use illegal drugs under the watch of medically trained professionals.

“The Biden administration is going to be sending crack pipes and meth pipes targeting minority communities in this country, underserved communities,” Rubio said. “I know that sounds insane. I know that sounds too crazy to be true. They confirmed it yesterday. They call them smoking kits, and they say it’s about equity.”

Nevertheless, press secretary Jen Psaki said at a White House briefing that was not the case. While “safe smoking kits” are something that can be funded through the program, she said crack pipes “were never a part of the kit.”

“A safe smoking kit may contain alcohol swabs, lip balm, other materials to promote hygiene and reduce the transmission of diseases like HIV and hepatitis,” she said. “I would note that what we’re really talking about here is steps that we’re taking as a federal government to address the opioid epidemic, which is killing tens of thousands — if not more — Americans every single day, week, month of the year.”

Additionally, smoking kits were just one of 20 items on a list of inventories that grants could cover, and the deadline for grant applications already passed on Monday, before initial reports surfaced. Other items covered included condoms for safe sex kits and syringes for needle exchange programs.

Rubio said administration statements effectively confirm smoking kits could include the pipes until outrage pressured a reversal. Now, he said Congress needs to pass laws that prevent HHS from ever funding the pipe distributions.

“I am glad the Biden administration acknowledges sending crack pipes to our nation’s addicts is a bad idea,” Rubio said. “It is pure insanity to think the federal government would fund crack pipe distribution. I will introduce legislation in the coming days to make sure this program can never pay for crack pipes, and given the Biden administration’s position, I look forward to their vigorous support.”

Face-off

Biometric data has become increasingly popular to verify ID; think of a face unlock feature on a phone or a finger measurement to use a Disney pass. But Sen. Rick Scott doesn’t want the federal government to start collecting such data from people paying their taxes, arguing the practice would put it at risk.

He introduced the Ban IRS Biometrics Act this week in hopes of stopping anything like a selfie face scan being tied to accounts.

The IRS previously announced it would require the use of “ID.me” for citizens to access an online account, most notably with face recognition software. But that inspired bipartisan pushback from many lawmakers with privacy concerns. On Monday, the IRS announced it would move away from using any facial recognition software.

Front-facing: Rick Scott is trying to stop the IRS from using facial recognition software.

“The IRS takes taxpayer privacy and security seriously, and we understand the concerns that have been raised,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “Everyone should feel comfortable with how their personal information is secured, and we are quickly pursuing short-term options that do not involve facial recognition.”

But the fact the agency considered the plan gives Scott pause. He said Congress should make sure the idea never comes up again.

“The fact that the Biden administration would even consider requiring Americans to use (a) facial recognition system just to file their taxes is both unsurprising and deeply concerning. I’m glad that Biden’s IRS finally listened to my warnings and reversed its horrible proposal — but we must ensure this disastrous idea is never entertained again,” Scott said.

“The safety of Americans’ personal information must ALWAYS be a priority, which is why I am introducing my Ban IRS Biometrics Act. I thank the co-sponsors for joining me in this fight, and I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.”

Stop police

Reports of Capitol Police investigating House members has Panhandle Republican Matt Gaetz demanding receipts. He led a letter this week to Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger calling to preserve all records taken during investigations of members of Congress.

That comes after Texas Republican Troy Nehls disclosed in a series of Twitter posts that a member of his House staff discovered police taking photographs in the Congressman’s office without permission. “Why is the Capitol Police leadership maliciously investigating me in an attempt to destroy me and my character” Nehls tweeted. He suggested his criticism of the police’s handling of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot was the reason.

Camera shy: Texas Republican Troy Nehls accuses the Capitol Police of harassment.

Gaetz, who has held press conferences questioning the jail conditions of those arrested after the riot, expressed alarm at Nehls’ treatment. “At no time was Congressman Nehls notified of this desire to reenter or interview his staff on Nov. 22, 2021,” Gaetz wrote.

His letter asks for the preservation of photographs, documents, recordings, digital images, transcripts, legislative work products, text messages, phone calls, emails, handwritten communications, electronic notes, work products, briefings, dossiers, hard drives, records, and orders between or belonging to any officer, agent, contractor or persons involved in these investigation activities.

Beyond Gaetz, 26 other House Republicans co-signed the letter, including delegation members Kat Cammack and Bill Posey.

Feed the children

Tallahassee Democrat Al Lawson said Florida has delayed getting money to feed children out to the state’s families in need. He led a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis demanding that he address Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit claims backlog.

“Feeding families in Florida is one of my top priorities,” Lawson said. “There are more than 700,000 children in the state that are facing hunger and rely on this assistance. The inability for the Governor to provide the benefit to single mothers with children, retired veterans and seniors in an efficient manner is concerning. We must rectify the backlog as swiftly as possible.”

Feed me: Al Lawson wants to know what is the holdup in SNAP benefits.

SNAP dollars get administered by the state Department of Children and Families, and recipients must recertify monthly. But the agency has been unable to process those requests in a required 30-day time frame. That’s partly due to a staffing shortage, with one in four DCF posts vacant.

Nine other members of Florida’s delegation, all Democrats, signed onto Lawson’s letter, including Kathy Castor, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Charlie Crist, Lois Frankel, Stephanie Murphy, Darren Soto, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Frederica Wilson.

Scoring inflation impacts

Murphy, a Winter Park Democrat, said she’s working across the aisle to find a solution to inflation. Specifically, she hopes to see some controls on Congress through the just-filed Informed Lawmaking to Combat Inflation Act. The House bill would require lawmakers to consider the impact of any significant legislation on rising prices before taking a vote. The Congressional Budget Office would produce such an analysis on bills before Congress takes a final vote.

Get a grip: Stephanie Murphy is working to help hold down inflation.

“It’s getting harder for families to make ends meet because the prices of goods and services are going up,” Murphy said. “Congress must address inflation more aggressively, but we can at least start by not making the problem worse. Requiring Members of Congress to understand the inflationary impact of their actions will be key to getting inflation under control. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan effort in Congress, and I will keep working around the clock to get our economy back on track.”

She introduced the bill with Iowa Republican Ashley Hinson, Oregon Democrat Kurt Schrader and New York Republican John Katko.

The legislation comes as the annual inflation rate as of February exceeded 7%, a higher rate than any other advanced country in the world experienced in the last year.

Double dip

Clermont Republican Daniel Webster wants to cut seniors a break. He joined with Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie to introduce the Senior Citizens Tax Elimination Act (HR 6590), which could correct a double taxation issue on the books for years.

“For decades, seniors have paid into Social Security with their tax dollars. Now, when many seniors are on a fixed income and struggling financially, they are being double-taxed because of income taxes on their Social Security benefits,” Webster said. “This is wrong, and I’m pleased to once again co-sponsor this legislation to repeal this tax.”

Price point: Daniel Webster floats a tax cut for seniors.

Social Security benefits before 1984 were exempt from federal income taxes. But since then, a portion of benefits can be taxed.

The Association of Mature American Citizens also backed the bill.

“Taxing benefits which were created from already taxed funds is nonsensical and curtails retirement benefits seniors have been promised,” said Bob Carlstrom, the association’s president and founder. “Seniors deserve to reap the full benefits of their hard work from career-long contributions to Social Security and the Railroad Retirement Plan.”

Saving solar

As Florida debates a change to its net metering laws, Castor led a letter pressing state lawmakers to adopt a policy that incentivizes solar energy use instead of discouraging it.

“Solar power is a true cost-saver for Floridians and helps reduce harmful air pollution and increase energy resilience,” the Tampa Democrat wrote.

Sunshine: Kathy Castor is hoping to boost the use of solar.

“During extreme weather events, rooftop solar and energy storage can provide essential backup electricity. Resilient, distributed electricity generation is increasingly critical as Florida experiences more severe extreme weather and threats to the electric grid as a result of climate change. Conventional alternatives like diesel generators only harm public health and exacerbate the climate crisis. Florida’s elected leaders should incentivize rapid deployment of resilient distributed solar energy generation paired with backup energy storage. Congress encouraged states to consider adopting net metering to expand fuel diversity and promote renewable energy.”

She fears a change that adjusts the practice of letting rooftop solar users sell energy back to the power grid will set efforts back. It could also have economic consequences, as rooftop solar created 40,000 Florida jobs, generated $3.2 billion in household income, raised $3.3 billion in tax revenue, and added $10.6 billion to the state’s gross domestic product.

Florida Democrats Crist, Demings, Ted Deutch, Lawson, and Soto co-signed the message.

Reenlistment

The Army could discharge more than 3,300 soldiers for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, and hundreds of Marines have already been discharged. Now, Stuart Republican Brian Mast said Congress should demand the military hire them back.

“Vaccine mandates have been used by the Biden administration to wipe critical thinkers and conservative perspectives out of our military, and America is less safe as a result,” Mast said. “This bill will strengthen military readiness, as well as get these young men and women back doing what they love: serving our nation.”

Re-up: Brian Mast calls for the reenlistment of service members dismissed for refusing vaccinations.

Mast said his bill follows the direction of former President Donald Trump, who in January said Congress should pass a law hiring discharged soldiers if Republicans win a majority in November. The Congressman doesn’t want to wait.

His office said the military received thousands of requests for religious or medical exemptions from a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for service members but granted only two exemptions to date.

While the Supreme Court in January threw out a Biden administration vaccine mandate for private employers, which had no impact on military and civilian employees of the Pentagon.

Florida co-sponsors on the bill include Gus Bilirakis, Gaetz, Posey and Greg Steube.

Committee assignments

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has handed out committee assignments to Cherfilus-McCormick, the newest member of Florida’s delegation. The Miramar Democrat will sit on the House Education & Labor Committee and the Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

“Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick comes to the House as a longtime advocate for quality, affordable health care and economic opportunity for working Floridians,” Speaker Pelosi said.

Get to work: Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick gets her committee assignments.

“As a working mother and the daughter of immigrants, she will bring to the Education & Labor Committee a valued perspective and a passion for building a more just economy that provides a brighter future for our children. On the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, she will elevate the voices of the heroes in Florida and across our nation who have proudly served in uniform. South Florida families will be well-served by Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick’s tireless leadership as she joins House Democrats in our work For the People.”

High court pick

While Biden has yet to announce a pick for the next Supreme Court Justice, Wilson has a choice in mind. The Hollywood Democrat has come out early for Miami-raised Ketanji Brown Jackson, a circuit judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

“America is in dire need of a Black woman Supreme Court Justice who will work tirelessly to support systems of justice and equality for all people, and I believe Ketanji Brown Jackson will do just that,” Wilson said. “Ketanji is a product of the Miami-Dade Public School System, and I am proud to have been a supporter and friend of both she and her family for decades now.”

Leaderboard: Ketanji Brown Jackson is a favored SCOTUS pick, especially by Frederica Wilson.

Biden appointed Jackson to her current spot on the bench, where she has served since last June. Wilson believes she could win over Senators for a place on the highest court in the land, just as she did last year.

“As a child, Ketanji was known as an excellent debater and showed incredible promise during her days at Miami Palmetto Senior High School. Her success thus far is only one example of the excellence produced in the hallways and classrooms of Miami-Dade schools,” Wilson said.

“With bipartisan support, the United States Senate confirmed Ketanji to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 2021 and, over the years, we have learned that bipartisan support is critical in the SCOTUS nomination process. President Biden has the opportunity to make history with his nomination, and I delight in the idea of that nominee being Ketanji Brown Jackson.”

Immigration path

Miami Republican María Elvira Salazar has unveiled immigration legislation that could create a new path to citizenship while strengthening the border. The Miami Republican said she worked for the past year on The Dignity Act, a 532-page comprehensive reform package.

Salazar said the legislation could both “end illegal immigration once and for all” by modernizing the U.S. Border Patrol while also bringing 11 million immigrants living in the U.S. illegally out from the shadows.

“The United States has historically been a beacon of refuge for those fleeing violence and oppression or seeking a new life and opportunities,” Salazar said. “In recent decades, our broken immigration system has been exploited, leading to a situation that is unbecoming of our great nation. While the United States is a nation of laws, we are also a nation of second chances. Through dignity and a chance at redemption, this legacy can continue.”

Pathway: Maria Salazar submits an immigration overhaul that allows a path to citizenship.

In short, the bill would create a program that allows immigrants in the U.S. illegally to stay and work in the U.S. at the cost of $1,000 annually for up to 10 years. That money raised would fund workforce training programs available to U.S. workers now.

Those in the “dignity path” can only opt for the “redemption path” after completing 10 years. Dreamers/TPS recipients can go through a separate, shorter program if they have passed high school and criminal background checks, have registered for the draft if eligible, and either finished college, served in the military three years or worked for four years.

Workers in the dignity path could work legally, with 2% of their income taxed to fund border security directly. Those in the program could then sign up for a five-year redemption program to learn English and U.S. civics and contribute additional funds and community service to obtain permanent legal status.

But what’s the path to passing the bill? Will a Democratic Congress consider it? Would a Republican caucus filled with hard-liners do so even if the GOP takes over the chamber next year? Salazar won’t predict the future. “The only one who knows the answer to that,” she said, “is the Lord Almighty.”

On this day

Feb. 11, 1794 — “Senate holds first public session” via the U.S. Senate — Meeting at Congress Hall in Philadelphia, the Senate temporarily abandoned its practice of conducting business behind closed doors while it considered whether to seat one of Pennsylvania’s Senators. Albert Gallatin had already taken his Senate oath, but Senators questioned whether the Swiss-born Senator had been a U.S. citizen for the constitutionally required nine years. To avoid public criticism, Senators determined the case should be resolved in full public view. On Feb. 28, the Senate denied Gallatin his seat by a two-vote majority. This open-door experiment prompted the Senate to permanently open its proceedings once a public gallery had been built.

Feb. 11, 1945 — “Yalta Conference ends” via History.com — A week of intensive bargaining by the leaders of the three major Allied powers ends in Yalta, a Soviet resort town on the Black Sea. It was the second conference of the “Big Three” Allied leaders — President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet Premier Josef Stalin. With a victory over Germany three months away, Churchill and Stalin were more intent on dividing Europe into zones of political influence. Germany would be divided into four zones of occupation. The Soviets were to administer those European countries they liberated but promised to hold free elections. The British and Americans would oversee the transition to democracy in countries such as Italy, Austria and Greece.

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Delegation is published by Peter Schorsch and compiled by Jacob Ogles.

Staff Reports



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