Delegation for 9.1.23: Idalia — campaign pause — disaster relief — Ms. Piggy

Idalia aftermath

The landfall of a major hurricane in Florida is once again dominating the attention of Florida’s congressional delegation, especially those representing portions of Florida’s Big Bend.

While a partisan battle may be brewing on long-term disaster relief funding (more below), elected officials ensured unity in directing resources for immediate needs.

Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott sent a request to President Joe Biden ahead of Hurricane Idalia’s Wednesday landfall seeking pre-clearance for disaster relief. A bipartisan set of Representatives from Florida co-signed the letter, including Republican Reps. Gus Bilirakis, Vern Buchanan, Kat Cammack, Neal Dunn, Laurel Lee, Michael Waltz, Daniel Webster and Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor.

“This major hurricane will continue to impact the state for some time, and the full extent of damage will not be known for days. However, approving this declaration request will allow Floridians to be better prepared for the recovery phase,” the letter reads. “As such, we urge you to approve the State of Florida’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration. Floridians are incredibly resilient, and with the cooperation from all levels of government, we will rebuild stronger than ever.”

To date, the Republican Senators leading the letter say they have worked in concert with the Democratic administration and faced no problems putting immediate resources on the ground coordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

“We would hope hurricane recovery and things of this nature continue to be one of the few things that’s left out there that’s nonpartisan and nonpolitical,” Rubio told Fox News. “I’m encouraged that the President has continued that tradition, at least in his response.”

Putting 2024 aside

Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican presidential candidate aiming to unseat Biden next year, has also intentionally removed partisan barbs from his rhetoric as the storm aftermath becomes clear. “When you have situations like this,” DeSantis said, “you’ve got to put the interests of the people first.”

Biden also reports a cordial working relationship with the Governor on the disaster front. “I think he trusts my judgment and my desire to help, and I trust him to be able to suggest that this is not about politics. It’s about taking care of the people of the state,” he said.

The President noted the two executives spent a decent amount of time together last year when Hurricane Ian struck Southwest Florida. That was a highly politicized environment, with the Governor seeking re-election as Biden attended events supporting his political opponent.

Even the DeSantis War Room rapid response X account, usually a cipher for attacks on Biden policies, turned primarily toward highlighting DeSantis’ storm response instead of attacking political opponents. The account took a notable shot at the media, though, for even noting the odd dynamic as the Governor runs to unseat the President.

“People’s lives are at stake, yet corporate media continues to try to create clickbait headlines. Gross,” one post reads.

DeSantis also declined to discuss a Republican Primary opponent, former President Donald Trump, or the failure of the Mar-a-Lago residence to note the storm wreaking havoc in his home state.

Long-term funding

Rubio said he’s confident FEMA will have the resources to deploy to address the storm immediately. But he voiced disappointment that Congress has not replenished the nearly drained Disaster Relief Fund.

“We knew that back in June,” he told Fox News. “Since June, I’ve been trying to get money into it, knowing we were going into hurricane season, not knowing we were going to have fires in Maui and so forth. They don’t have enough money to do any of this.”

Florida’s senior Senator said he’s been told the limited funding left in the account will be used to handle immediate needs from new storms. That’s good news when it comes to the Idalia response.

But the bad news, he said, is that many local governments who covered upfront disaster costs for events years ago still need federal reimbursement. That includes several communities in Florida that suffered through prior hurricanes.

While Biden requested a $12 billion appropriation for the relief fund, it came tied to a supplemental request for other administration priorities, including more than $44 billion for military assets in Ukraine.

“I don’t think the two issues should ever be linked,” Rubio said. “Ukraine is a foreign policy decision.”

Sen. Scott plans next week to immediately bring legislation for unanimous consent that would provide the funding for the Disaster Relief Fund but leave other financing to go through the process independently.

“The moment the Senate reconvenes next week, I will be introducing this bill and demanding an immediate vote,” Scott said in a statement. “Floridians are doing their part and getting ready, and I will not allow Washington to continue playing games with disaster aid and the lives of those needing our help.”

While Scott has long supported Ukraine aid, he said it’s wrong to introduce the politics of the war with Russia into a relief response.

Scott’s legislation initially sought an amount equal to FEMA’s funding request in the supplemental appropriation. On Friday, he announced he would ask for $4 billion more than requested (around $16.5 billion) so FEMA can address concerns around Idalia and other disasters across the country.

Still, Rubio voiced concerns that the partisan nature of the prior budget request would make it difficult to pass the bill unanimously, even if most Democrats support the measure.

“Sen. Scott will try a unanimous consent agreement next week,” Rubio said. “I’ll try to get a vote on the package we’ve all put together. Some Democrat is probably going to stand up and say, I object unless you include Ukraine funding.”

Piggy stayed home?

Federal hurricane trackers were short on planes as two major storms moved through the Atlantic region. A Hurricane Hunter aircraft affectionately nicknamed “Miss Piggy” gathered data on two storms but broke down the day Hurricane Idalia made landfall.

That means the final data published as Big Bend communities braced for impact came from Air Force Reserve aircraft instead.

Officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) confirmed to Florida Politics only one of the Hurricane Hunter aircraft usually deployed for storms was operational as the agency tracked multiple tropical systems.

The Washington Post first reported the equipment shortages and failures.

Jonathan Shannon, a spokesperson for NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, confirmed two of the Hurricane Hunter WP-3D Orion planes were grounded on Aug. 30, Wednesday morning, as Hurricane Idalia intensified.

Scott said that NOAA having no planes flying as the storm bore down on Florida was unacceptable.

“This is UNACCEPTABLE and even more infuriating knowing that Biden’s budget included no funding for these planes,” Sen. Scott posted on X.

“I’ve already spoken to (Air Force Secretary) Frank Kendall to demand answers and will be pushing for immediate action from the Biden administration so this NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.”

One aircraft designated N42RF and nicknamed “Kermit” has been in repairs as mechanics address a fuel leak as Idalia moved through the Gulf of Mexico. The plane will stay out of commission until next week.

Shannon said another aircraft, a Gulfstream IV-SP high-altitude jet nicknamed “Gonzo,” flew in the region until Monday and had to go into maintenance for a flight control issue.

The only other Hurricane Hunter aircraft in NOAA’s fleet pulled significant duties. Miss Piggy, designated as N43RF, flew 11 of the 12 days before Idalia made landfall. During that time, it tracked Idalia and Hurricane Franklin, a major hurricane that impacted Bermuda and remains active in the Atlantic.

Waiting to vacate?

Rep. Matt Gaetz publicly questions whether House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has achieved any results since Republicans recaptured the House.

The Fort Walton Beach Republican posted a litany of complaints on X about McCarthy’s first eight months wielding the gavel. Those included House Republicans’ failure to hold votes on term limits or a balanced-budget amendment, two things agreed to in a deal reached with Freedom Caucus leaders as McCarthy whipped votes for Speaker.

“No vote on Term Limits. No vote on a balanced budget. No plan to have individual appropriations bills considered. No full release of J6 tapes. No spending cut to raise the Debt Limit,” Gaetz posted. “Trump has been charged with 91 counts. We haven’t even subpoenaed Hunter Biden — or any Biden, for that matter.

“I know it is the tendency of political leaders to self-preen, but the truth is that while some GOP House work has made positive reforms — it isn’t good enough. Not even close, actually. We are going to have to seize the initiative and make some changes.”

McCarthy negotiated a deal with most House Freedom Caucus holdouts to whip the votes for House Speaker. A high-priority demand at that time was reinstating a rule that allowed any majority member to motion to vacate the chair, a procedure that would prompt a vote on whether to remove McCarthy as Speaker.

Gaetz told Florida Politics he’s not advocating for such a move — yet.

“Things have to change. I’m not forecasting that precise action right now,” Gaetz said of a motion to vacate. “But the American people see House Republicans as ineffective, and we need to be much stronger to give them hope.”

Accountability

More than two years after a widely criticized withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, Rep. Cory Mills says it’s time for Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to go. The Winter Park Republican filed impeachment papers to remove the Cabinet member, following through on an action he promised in May in a hearing where Austin testified.

He has heavily questioned Austin and called for some accountability for mistakes, especially a failure to act on intelligence about a suicide bomb at the Kabul airport.

“High-level officials in this administration blatantly ignored intel that Americans and our allied partners in Kabul would be left behind in harm’s way unless the U.S. corrected course in our withdrawal,” Mills said. “As a result, nearly 200 people, including 13 American service members, were murdered at Abbey Gate in Kabul, Afghanistan two years ago. Because of this clear dereliction of duty, today I am introducing articles of impeachment for Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.”

Mills and other delegation members leaned in heavily on the exit. Mills, who wasn’t elected until after the withdrawal, personally conducted civilian missions to bring Americans out of Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. But it’s time to push beyond inquiries, Mills said, and to demand accountability at the leadership level at the Department of Defense.

“It’s not enough for Congress to hold committee hearings. We must start taking real action to address the complete failure of this administration,” Mills said.

“The fact that it has been two entire years without any member of this administration being held accountable is unfathomable. That changes today.”

Drawn to serve?

Before serving in Congress, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna spent six years in the Air Force. Now, the first-term Congresswoman wants more young people exploring a future in the Armed Forces. She will hold her first U.S. Service Academy Information Day on Sept. 23, a Saturday.

The St. Petersburg Republican said the event is a high priority for her. Representatives from all military academies will be available at the event from 10 a.m. to noon at Community Bible Baptist Church in Pinellas Park.

“Best wishes to you as you pursue your goal of attending one of the U.S. Service Academies and serving our country,” Luna said.

To be accepted into an academy, prospective students must apply by Oct. 6. Luna and other members of Congress expect to nominate local applicants for acceptance in the academies sometime in December.

Chopper crash

This week, the Federal Aviation Administration launched an investigation into how a Broward County Sheriff’s Office helicopter crashed into an apartment complex. Lawmakers in the region say it’s crucial to prevent loss of life in the future.

“The thoughts of everyone in Florida are with those who lost their lives in this tragedy,” said Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Parkland Democrat. “During this difficult time for Broward County, we must remember the importance of community and come together to provide support for the families and friends who lost their loved ones. In the coming days, Broward County must carry out a full investigation into this tragedy so future lives are not at risk.”

A 1999 Airbus Helicopter EC-135T1 crashed into a Pompano Beach apartment building, resulting in the deaths of pilot Terryson Jackson and apartment resident Lurean Wheaton, WPLG reported.

To watch video taken before the crash, please click on the image below:

 

Immediately, questions arose about why the vehicle remained in the county fleet. According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, an inspection report published in 2011 — more than a decade before the incident said the aircraft needed to be replaced.

“I was horrified to learn of this morning’s helicopter crash in Pompano Beach and am praying for all those who lost their loved ones in the sudden accident. I also am thinking of the Broward Sheriff’s Office and the family of Captain Terryson Jackson, who lost his life bravely serving his community,” said Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Miramar Democrat.

But she stressed the need for federal oversight.

“My team and I have been in close contact with the City of Pompano Beach and the Broward Sheriff’s Office. We are closely monitoring this incident and are committed to providing any and all support in the wake of this crash,” she said. “I also support the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in their investigations to determine the causes of this tragedy and identify what steps need to be taken to prevent crashes in the future.”

Prescient pronouncement

A swastika etched on a weapon used in a killing that left three Black people dead in a Jacksonville Dollar Store had not yet been brandished when Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz took to the lectern Saturday to remind thousands gathered for the March on Washington of the bond that exists between Jewish and Black people.

The Weston Democrat recalled how Jewish scholars fleeing Nazi Europe in the 1930s and ‘40s had a safe harbor at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and how the white civil rights activists who came to help the struggle against Jim Crow laws in the South were primarily Jewish.

“Blacks and Jews share a common heritage as two of the most oppressed minorities in the history of humankind and any viable coalition for social progress in America must include both of these groups if it’s to be successful,” Wasserman Schultz said, recalling the words of Coretta Scott King.

The march on Saturday commemorates when Martin Luther King Jr. gave his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech 60 years ago.

Without knowing what was about to occur in her home state, Wasserman Schultz evoked the hatred both have faced — and her determination to keep fighting.

“Both communities are seeing a surge of hate in recent years,” Wasserman Schultz said, recalling synagogues attacked, people spat on, hateful flyers that have shown up in Jewish enclaves and vandalism in her hometown of Weston.

And then, she evoked the pain of her partners in the struggle.

“Many people in the Black community live in fear of massacres in churches and grocery stores,” she said.

She wrapped up, evoking King’s “dream.”

“We must keep our voices lifted to call out and speak truth to power,” she said. “We are here together to build on the dream and make it a reality.”

The crime scene in Jacksonville’s New Town had not been cleared when a video of her speech was uploaded onto her Facebook page.

Traveling to Taiwan

Rep. Carlos Giménez traveled with a contingent of House Republicans to Taiwan, where the Miami-Dade Republican met with national leaders.

“Thank you, President Tsai Ing-wen of #Taiwan, for your hospitality, bravery and commitment to freedom,” Giménez posted on X. “I’m so proud to work with my fellow Armed Services Committee colleagues to strengthen the Taiwan-U.S. relationship.”

Tsai met with the representatives and thanked the Congressional leaders for including ample foreign aid in its budget proposal.

“A warm welcome to the delegation led by U.S. House Armed Services Committee Vice Chair Rob Wittman,” Tsai posted. “We are grateful to the committee for its yearly efforts to ensure that the NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) continues to help bolster Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities and deepen our security cooperation.”

Giménez used the opportunity to stress a need for military readiness if the island nation sees military conflict with China and made his feelings known if the administration notices the trip.

“The threat of brutal Communist tyranny is on Taiwan’s doorstep and the Biden Administration must hastily deliver the defense systems Taiwan has already purchased,” he posted.

On this day

Sept. 1, 1807 — “Aaron Burr acquitted of treason” via History.com — Former Vice President Burr was acquitted of plotting to annex parts of Louisiana and Spanish territory in Mexico to be used toward the establishment of an independent republic. He was acquitted on the grounds that, though he had conspired against the United States, Burr was not guilty of treason because he had not engaged in an “overt act,” a requirement of the law governing treason. Nevertheless, public opinion condemned him as a traitor, and he fled to Europe. In 1805, Burr concocted a plot with James Wilkinson, commander in chief of the U.S. Army, to seize the Louisiana Territory and establish an independent empire, which Burr, presumably, would lead.

Sept. 1, 2018 — “John McCain’s funeral was a melancholy last hurrah for what’s been lost in Donald Trump era” via The Washington Post — Ringing through Washington National Cathedral on a dreary morning were paeans to bipartisanship, compromise and civility of the sort that seem to be under daily assault from all corners of the country, especially from the White House. The Republican Senator’s mourners, though sometimes angry, were also wistful and worried that what had been bludgeoned by the country’s divisions and the current President might never return. A common decency. A shared identity and values that transcend ideology, class or race. A toughness that shows itself in battle and service to the nation rather than on Twitter.

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Delegation is published by Peter Schorsch, compiled by Jacob Ogles, edited and assembled by Phil Ammann and Ryan Nicol, with contributions by A.G. Gancarski and Anne Geggis.