Delegation for 6.27.23: New Delhi — Project Texas — fentanyl — drowning pool

New Delhi dialogue

While a few significant human rights groups criticized the White House for hosting a state visit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Florida’s congressional delegation members from both sides of the aisle stressed the importance of good U.S.-India relations.

Sen. Marco Rubio, a Miami Republican, released a statement to such effect before a speech by Modi to a joint session of Congress.

“As we extend a warm welcome to Prime Minister Modi, it is crucial that the Biden administration and the U.S. Congress, prioritize this incredibly important relationship,” Rubio said.

“Our nation’s economic and security interests overlap on many of the most pressing issues, especially the growing hostility of the Chinese Communist Party in the Himalayas and the Indian Ocean. We find ourselves at a new juncture in global history in which both India and the United States can further strengthen this vital partnership and build upon the foundation of our shared democratic values and national interests.”

Rep. Kathy Castor, a Tampa Democrat, celebrated the decision by Biden to have a bilateral meeting in Washington with Modi.

She also brought Kamashi Shete, president of the Federation of Indian Association Tampa Bay Chapter, as a special guest to the speech.

“Mrs. Shete is an outstanding member of the Tampa Bay area whose hard work, generosity, and service to our community brings people of all backgrounds together, bridges divides and strengthens relationships,” Castor said. “I was delighted to have Mrs. Shete join me in Washington yesterday as my guest for the Indian Prime Minister’s address to a joint session of Congress, where we agreed that the Tampa Bay community embodies the ideals of hope, inclusivity and unity shared in his message. It was a pleasure to also host Mrs. Shete’s husband and two daughters for a tour of the U.S. Capitol and in my office to watch the address with my team.”

But there were groups unhappy about the talks in Washington. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) described Modi as anti-Muslim and condemned his treatment as a guest of the state. CAIR has criticized Modi for banning women from wearing hijabs at school and arresting opposition leader Manish Sisodia.

“Hosting Narendra Modi for a state dinner at the White House would be an insult to the victims of his fascist movement and their families, including many Indian American Muslims,” said CAIR National Deputy Executive Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell. “President Biden can meet with foreign leaders like Modi without validating, celebrating and honoring them with state dinners.”

Modi, for his part, said he appreciated the chance to speak in Washington. In his remarks, he even mentioned a former member of Florida’s delegation, recalling a 2016 meeting with the late Rep. Alcee Hastings, who died in 2021.

“A lot has changed since I came here seven summers ago,” Modi said. “But a lot has remained the same — like our commitment to deepen the friendship between India and the United States.”

Project Texas

A plan for TikTok to set up a U.S. partnership with Oracle hasn’t warmed Rubio to the platform. The Miami Republican has pushed to restrict communications companies where the Chinese government holds a controlling interest and said TikTok still fits that description.

The Senate Intelligence Committee ranking member and House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Gallagher, a Wisconsin Republican, sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo sounding alarms on the proposal. They write that the administration should not sign off on “Project Texas” as a workaround to collect user data on U.S. consumers.

“TikTok claims that ‘Project Texas’ would allow it to safely operate in the U.S. by working with a trusted third party, Oracle, to secure U.S. user data and monitor TikTok’s algorithm,” the letter reads. “However, dangerous ‘connected software applications’ like TikTok cannot safely operate in the U.S. while controlled by a foreign adversary. This threat cannot be mitigated. We are concerned that the Commerce Department disagrees.”

Rubio said it’s simply too great a security issue to allow China to continue accessing millions of Americans’ economic and real-world activities.

“Authorizing TikTok’s sham mitigation proposal would be devastating to American national security, not only because TikTok is itself a threat, but also because it would set a precedent for other dangerous People’s Republic of China-controlled ‘connected software applications’ to establish themselves in the U.S. under smoke screen safety measures like that of ‘Project Texas,’” he said.

Ending fentanyl

The Senate approved legislation introduced by Sen. Rick Scott to fight the importation of fentanyl.

The Eradicating Narcotic Drugs and Formulating Effective New Tools to Address National Yearly Losses of Life (END FENTANYL) Act would require Customs and Border Patrol to regularly update its field operations policies to stop drug and human traffickers better. It would also require updates to Congress on the results of policy shifts and tracking of drug interceptions coming into the U.S.

“For too long, the fentanyl crisis has plagued our communities and caused crushing heartbreak to those who lose loved ones to these dangerous drugs. As fentanyl continues to flow illegally into the U.S. over the southern border and kill tens of thousands of our citizens, we must do more to support our brave CBP agents and all who are on the front lines of this battle to ensure they have every tool needed to keep these dangerous drugs out of our communities,” Scott said.

“This is a big win in our fight against the lethal opioid epidemic, but it is not the end. I am thankful for my colleagues in the Senate voting for its passage, and I’ll be fighting to get this important bill to the President’s desk and signed into law.”

The bill still needs to be passed in the House, where Reps. Michael Guest, a Mississippi Republican, and David Trone, a Maryland Democrat, are sponsoring.

Firing back

Lawmakers in Congress gathered in Shalimar for a field hearing organized by Rep. Matt Gaetz. The Fort Walton Beach Republican timed the event with a proposal introduced by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, to defund Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Director Steven Dettelbach’s salary.

Gaetz claimed the ATF had been weaponized in his Panhandle district by imposing a zero-tolerance policy, which has pulled licenses from gun dealers.

“The Second Amendment is what stands between Americans and anarcho-tyranny, and many know this,” Gaetz said. “Increasingly across the country, as (George) Soros-backed prosecutors are installed, with orders to stop prosecuting violent crime and criminalize self-defense, so too has the ATF been dispatched to make sure Americans are not in a position to defend themselves.”

He and Greene sent a letter to House Appropriations Chair Kay Granger, a Texas Republican, saying the ATF was threatening the livelihood of businesses.

“The ATF has even made it a matter of official policy to shut down gun stores by making perfection the standard in record keeping — a standard the ATF itself could not meet. Since the Biden administration has announced its new ‘zero tolerance’ policy in 2021, Federal Firearms Licensees have faced the highest revocation rate in 16 years. This policy has effectively become the death penalty for even the most innocent of clerical errors.”

He brought together Florida witnesses, including state Rep. Joel Rudman, Gulf Coast Gun owner Chris Smith, Trade Winds Pawn & Gun owner Miles Schuler, American Firearms Association Executive Vice President Patrick Parsons, and YouTuber Brendan Herrera to discuss how their livelihoods felt threatened.

Local spending

From fire departments to parks, delegation members delivered some sizable checks helping essential parts of local communities this week.

Rep. Kat Cammack, a Gainesville Republican, announced Alachua County Fire Rescue (ACFR) would receive a grant worth almost $571,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“I’m so excited for our brave men and women at ACFR to have the equipment necessary to help them do their jobs more safely and effectively. Our first responders are heroes, and it’s imperative that we ensure they stay safe while serving our communities,” Cammack said.

“I couldn’t be prouder of our firefighters in Alachua County. As the wife of a firefighter and paramedic myself, I know how deserving our departments are of this grant and I know they’ll continue to demonstrate the very best of our first responder community in North Central Florida.”

The Assistance to Firefighters grant will improve safety from fire hazards in the North Florida community. Fire Chief Harold Theus said it would fund efforts to “create safe working environments for our firefighters.

Further south, Rep. Darren Soto, a Kissimmee Democrat, appeared at a ceremony in Orlando to present Mayor Buddy Dyer with $1 million. A prop check to the city listed “For: Poitras Park” in the lower left corner.

Soto said the funding would go for a park in Lake Nona and that his office continues to work on other local projects needing federal funding. “We also discussed securing $200M+ for Orlando International Airport, $50M+ for affordable housing, $6.7M for veterans rehousing, and $16M for Brightline to Tampa to keep Orlando moving forward,” Soto tweeted.

Dyer said he appreciated the continued efforts by Soto and others. “I am thankful that our community’s U.S. Representatives continue to advocate for Orlando up in Washington, D.C.,” Dyer posted.

Speedy passports

A backlog of passport applications has members of the Florida delegation demanding attention from the State Department. Rep. Aaron Bean sent Secretary of State Antony Blinken a letter calling for immediate action.

“The ability for American citizens to obtain a passport in a timely manner should remain one of the Department’s top priorities, and the current policies of the Department do not reflect this priority,” wrote the Fernandina Beach Republican.

“Passports affect the personal and social aspects of millions of American citizens, and their lives should not be affected by the Department’s incompetence.”

The message comes as the State Department reports a backlog of 3 million applications and 12 to 13 weeks wait times.

Last week, Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost, an Orlando Democrat, raised similar concerns and said many Americans have to visit the country’s limited number of passport processing centers. He called for the State Department to extend hours at the Miami office, the only such office in Florida. The agency right is open only on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“I’m concerned about the people who work Monday through Friday, the working-class people who have a hard time taking off to go travel four hours to Miami for their passport applications,” Frost said.

Bean’s letter noted not all the nation’s 26 such offices even allow walk-in service, with many keeping pandemic-era limits in place. He wants answers on why that is still taking place and why with this type of backlog, the State Department is still allowing people to work remotely instead of dealing with individuals in offices.

Closing the sale 

As Congress seeks to modernize overseas military sales, Rep. Michael Waltz will play a key role. The St. Augustine Republican will lead a bipartisan task force, along with Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton, on the process.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, announced the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Technical, Industrial, and Governmental Engagement for Readiness (TIGER) Task Force, which will look at what changes should be made to the process while still prioritizing U.S. national security and the needs of allies around the globe.

“For years, U.S. foreign military sales have been plagued with delays that have put many of our allies and partners across the globe at risk,” Waltz said. “I’m proud to lead this bipartisan TIGER task force to examine why many of these shipments have been delayed or have seen increased costs, putting the security of some of our most critical allies at risk, and implement legislative solutions to streamline these sales.”

Of note, Waltz dating back to before he served in Congress, owned METIS Solutions, a defense contractor. He sold the company in 2021.

The task force will consult with experts with the State and Defense Departments, along with regional experts. The work will also include consultation with leaders on appropriate House subcommittees. Ultimately, legislative recommendations will be kicked back to those committees for consideration.

“Foreign military sales are a crucial tool of American diplomacy and national security. Our partners, like Taiwan, order American military equipment because they need it. They should receive that hardware as quickly as possible,” Moulton said. “It is an honor to co-lead this task force with Mike Waltz. We will examine where Congress needs to cut bureaucratic red tape and where industry needs to invest in addressing bottlenecks. All parties will be held accountable so that equipment gets out the door in time for it to be relevant on the battlefield.”

Maternal mortality

The federal government will provide more information on geographic trends around maternal health problems thanks to a new law introduced by Rep. Gus Bilirakis. The Palm Harbor Republican championed the Data Mapping to Save Moms’ Lives Act.

The Federal Communications Commission this week implemented the law by updating its Mapping Broadband Health in America platform, which will track incidences of maternal mortality at the state and local level and allow health data to be filtered by rurality, race, ethnicity and patient age.

“We need to use every tool at our disposal to improve health outcomes for moms and babies. Including this information into our broadband mapping will help us achieve this goal and is an important step forward in ensuring these moms get the prenatal care they deserve,” Bilirakis said.

“It will allow us to allocate broadband resources in a way that most effectively benefits our nation’s mothers, including improving access to telehealth in the areas with the most urgent need. We can and must do better.”

Bilirakis’ Office noted that the U.S. remains the only developed nation where pregnancy-related deaths and severe maternal morbidity rates have increased. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports as many as three in five such deaths are preventable.

WERP and CERP

If a House budget sticks, the federal government will cover half the costs of a critical Everglades restoration project.

Reps. Scott Franklin, a Lakeland Republican, and Mario Díaz-Balart, a Hialeah Republican, pushed an initiative in the House Appropriations Committee to keep the 50% federal cost share for the Western Everglades Restoration Project (WERP).

The project is part of the larger Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), a key priority for South Florida lawmakers in Congress.

“The Everglades are essential to the health of Florida’s environment, economy and natural beauty,” Franklin said.

“CERP has been successful largely because of our commitment to safeguard the federal and state partnership and cost share established at the start of the program. While there’s plenty of waste to be trimmed from our bloated budget, CERP is a government program that gets real results with our tax dollars. Gov. DeSantis and the Florida Legislature have made historic investments in Everglades restoration.”

He praised committee leadership for keeping that agreement intact. The deal has the Army Corps of Engineers split costs with the state on projects deemed essential to the restoration effort. That includes the L-28/Interceptor Canal Modification component of WERP, which consists of the North Feeder Stormwater Treatment Area.

Dealing with drowning

Florida continues to suffer one of the highest child drowning rates in the country. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Weston Democrat, wants Congress to do something about it.

She re-introduced the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety (VGB) Reauthorization Act. The bill will reauthorize a grant program to fund swimming lessons while increasing staffing and oversight by the Consumer Product Safety Commission on public pools.

The legislation would also fund safe drain covers at public pools to prevent suction entrapment. An education campaign spotlighting pool safety would also be funded.

“No work we do in Congress is more important than keeping our children healthy and safe. And the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act did that by saving countless lives over the years,” Wasserman Schultz said.

“It is critical that we continue this bipartisan, common-sense law, and as we’re doing now with this reauthorization, expand its lifesaving impact. Just this last month, in my home state, there were several drownings and near-drownings — as we stare in horror at these tragedies, adding to the layers of protection that keep innocent children safe is paramount. This law does that by helping decrease drownings in pools and spas, a concern every parent holds close as we enter the summer season when water activity picks up. Let’s keep our kids safe with sensible outreach, education and precautions.”

Prime sponsors on the bill include Texas Reps. John Carter, a Republican, and Colin Allred, a Democrat. Introducing co-sponsors include Castor.

The bill is named for the granddaughter of former Secretary of State James Baker, who drowned in a hot tub suction at age 7.

Need for scrutiny

Americans for Prosperity-Florida is kicking a campaign into gear supporting the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act.

That’s a bill introduced by Cammack and already passed in the GOP-controlled House that would require a congressional sign-off on any new rule from federal agencies that would have an economic impact of $100 million or more, would increase inflation or present other significant harmful effects in the economy.

“The REINS Act will be the largest regulatory reform in United States history, finally holding federal agencies accountable. This would not have been possible without the tireless dedication of Congresswoman Cammack, and we plan to make sure her constituents know how hard she has been working to improve their lives,” said AFP-FL State Director Skylar Zander.

“She deserves a tremendous amount of credit for ensuring that the federal bureaucracy can no longer bypass Congress when making decisions involving huge amounts of taxpayer dollars on projects that too often fail to produce meaningful benefits for all Americans.”

The center-right organization will pump out direct mail pieces through Florida spotlighting and thanking Cammack and the legislation. This comes as the bill faces an uphill fight in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

On this day

June 27, 1950 — “Harry Truman orders air, navy units to fight in aid of Korea” via The New York Times — The President said this country took action, as a member of the United Nations, to enforce the cease-fire order issued by the Security Council. Acting independently of the United Nations to assure this country’s security, the Chief Executive ordered Vice Admiral Arthur D. Struble to form a protective cordon around Formosa (now Taiwan) to prevent its invasion by Communist Chinese forces. Along with these fateful decisions, Truman also ordered more speedy military assistance to the Philippine Republic and the French and Vietnam forces fighting Communist armies in Indochina.

June 27, 1829 — “James Smithson establishes the Smithsonian Institution” via History.com — The English scientist died after a long illness, leaving behind a will with a peculiar footnote. If his only nephew died without any heirs, Smithson decreed the whole of his estate would go to “the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an Establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge.” Smithson’s curious bequest to a country he had never visited aroused significant attention on both sides of the Atlantic. Smithson had been a fellow of the venerable Royal Society of London.

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