Delegation for 7.12.24: Libertad — minerals — THUD — science!

Long road to Libertad

Three years ago, the communist government in Cuba appeared to be in trouble as protests broke out in cities across the island.

On the anniversary of the Patria y Vida demonstrations, members of Florida’s congressional delegation — on both sides of the aisle — offered support to the Cuban people and called for action in various forms.

Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, both Republicans, introduced a resolution condemning the Cuban regime, led now by President Miguel Díaz-Canel but long thought to remain under the influence of Raul Castro. The Senators introduced the measure with Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who, like Rubio, is the son of a Cuban immigrant.

“The July 11, 2021, protests are a testament to the Cuban people’s tenacity and their unwavering desire for freedom from tyranny,” Rubio said. “Today and every day, we pay tribute to the courageous individuals who fight for a Cuba where democracy and justice reign.”

Scott, up for re-election this year, also criticized President Joe Biden for not leveraging the protests to achieve change.

“Unfortunately, the Biden administration continues to fail the Cuban people and put the security of the United States at risk with weak appeasement of the regime,” he said. “Just this year, we have seen Russian warships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, dock in Cuba while a Chinese spy base continues to grow on the island just 90 miles from Florida’s shores and threaten the security of Americans. All while President Biden wants to remove Cuba from the state sponsor of terrorism list.”

A companion resolution was introduced in the House by Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, a Hialeah Republican and dean of the delegation. The Cuban American’s bill was co-sponsored by Florida colleagues Reps. Kat Cammack, Carlos Giménez, María Elvira Salazar and Michael Waltz, along with other Republicans.

Díaz-Balart also tossed barbs at Biden.

“Shamefully, the Biden administration has chosen to toss a lifeline to the repressive, anti-American Cuban dictatorship by unilaterally relaxing sanctions and allowing new access to U.S. financial markets, putting our national security interests at risk,” he said. “Meanwhile, the regime continues its malign activities with egregious human rights abuses, interfering in our democracy, and allowing adversaries like Communist China to establish a spy base on the island, and inviting Russia to perform naval exercises just 90 miles from our shores.”

Meanwhile, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Democratic Co-Chair of the delegation, gave remarks at a news conference outside the Capitol honoring protesters and seeking justice for political prisoners. The Co-Chair of the Cuba Democracy Caucus and Victims of Communism Caucus stressed the need for leaders across the political spectrum to support oppressed Cuban citizens. She shared a podium with Salazar and Giménez and activist and Cuban exile Carolina Barrero.

“The mission to assist Cuba’s pro-democracy movement has certainly taken on a new level of urgency since July 11, 2021, when the world watched as tens of thousands of Cubans took to the streets to demand freedom,” the Weston Democrat said. “We must all stand together, in a bipartisan manner, to arm the American people with the truth about Cuba’s cruel dictatorship and take action to uplift the Cuban people’s democratic aspirations.”

At that event, Giménez, the only Cuban-born lawmaker serving in Congress, called on the release of more than 1,000 political prisoners in Cuba, many of whom were arrested during the protests three years ago and remain in custody.

“On the anniversary of the July 11 Movement, the people of Cuba rose up spontaneously, throughout the island, to demand one thing — Libertad. Freedom,” Giménez said. “The United States must be the champion of freedom in our hemisphere. We cannot tolerate communism or any type of dictatorship in our hemisphere. The United States has the moral responsibility to call out the continued human rights violations and demand the liberation of all political prisoners.”

Mineral mechanisms

Digital technology has placed a premium on many of the rare minerals in abundance in China. Rubio and Sen. Mark Warner, the top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, respectively, introduced legislation to combat the communist power’s dominance.

The Global Strategy for Securing Critical Minerals Act implements several measures to facilitate the import of minerals from global partners instead of international rivals.

“Our national security interests are heavily dependent on critical minerals, which are vital for modern technology and national defense,” Rubio said. “The U.S. must have a comprehensive response to China’s dominion over the global critical mineral industry. With our consensus package, Sen. Warner and I hope to free our nation’s supply chains from China’s industrial monopoly.”

The bill, as written, would streamline diplomatic efforts to procure minerals and spur private-sector investment abroad. Economically, the legislation introduces financial tools of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) and creates a fund to assist investments in critical minerals metallurgical facilities.

It would also enhance information sharing for private-public partnerships and establish a website with information to help companies navigate available resources and government assistance.

“Currently, China dominates the critical mineral industry and is actively working to ensure that the U.S. does not catch up,” said Warner, a Virginia Democrat. “The U.S. must, alongside allies, take meaningful steps to protect and expand our production and procurement of these critical minerals. This legislation will serve as a roadmap for the U.S. to counter China’s dominance in this sector.”

With a THUD

The House Appropriations Committee approved its version of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies (THUD), and Rep. John Rutherford said it holds several wins for Northeast Florida.

That includes investment in safer streets and economic development in the region.

“This year’s THUD Appropriations bill makes important investments in our transportation infrastructure and responsible housing assistance for our nation’s most vulnerable, including the elderly, disabled and veterans,” the Jacksonville Republican said.

Díaz-Balart also noted the budget benefits for every Florida community by allowing the Federal Aviation Authority to hire another 2,000 air traffic controllers to replace retiring workers. It also authorizes a National Strategic Sealift Operations, which includes doubling the number of tanker ships.

“Additionally, I am proud that the FY25 THUD funding bill includes my prohibition language to block state sponsors of terrorism, such as Cuba, Iran, Syria and North Korea, from accessing any U.S. security facilities,” the Hialeah Republican said. “Following media reports of Cuban regime operatives being invited by the Federal Aviation Association to visit sensitive U.S. governmental facilities, like the Air Traffic Control Towers, I am grateful to (Chair) Steve Womack for including this strong prohibition.”

Both lawmakers also stressed policy stances adopted by the Republican majority.

“The bill eliminates over $430 million in unauthorized Biden administration initiatives, including Green New Deal programs,” he said. “It also prohibits the Biden administration’s final greenhouse gas emissions rule and blocks the administration’s push to fund wasteful climate and equity initiatives.”

Another issue of importance to Florida is that the bill bans any new commercial flights to Cuba.

“These are huge wins for our infrastructure, our country and Northeast Florida,” Rutherford said. “That is why I am proud to report this year’s Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill out of Committee and hope to see strong support for this legislation on the House floor.”

Blinded me with science

America has held the edge in the space race for decades. Rep. Maxwell Frost said it’s essential to guard against rival nations trying to hack away at that advantage.

The Orlando Democrat filed legislation requiring NASA to secure cybersecurity plans from all manufacturers contracting to build spacecraft for the agency. He filed the Spacecraft Cybersecurity Act following a Government Accountability Office audit that showed the need for better firewalling of the process from the outset. The government has traced thousands of cyberattacks on sensitive information, finding they originated in Russia and China.

“Cybersecurity threats by organized crime leaders and foreign adversaries are increasing and evolving rapidly, putting at risk our reliance on space for communications, intelligence and business,” Frost said.

“As we enter a new era of cyber threats, establishing a reasonable timeline for NASA to incorporate cybersecurity measures into their acquisition process is more important than ever. The Spacecraft Cybersecurity Act would safeguard NASA’s space missions and continue to advance our country’s leadership in space exploration that contributes to our economy, security and understanding of space.”

Currently, NASA lacks assurances from contractors that spacecraft are protected from attacks. This could have devastating results, from the theft of national security data to mission failure or potentially losing spacecraft control.

Frost introduced the bill with Rep. Don Beyer, a Virginia Democrat. As written, the bill would require NASA to update its standards with modern cybersecurity requirements within 270 days of implementation.

Order of the Phoenix

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis bestowed a high national honor on Rep. Gus Bilirakis.

The Palm Harbor Republican holds the title of Grand Commander of the Order of the Phoenix Award. Established in 1927, the order honors Greeks in the nation and abroad for exemplary work in a handful of fields, including public administration.

“As the grandson of Greek immigrants, I am proud to be one of nearly 2 million Americans who are fortunate enough to be able to claim Greek ancestry,” Bilirakis said.

“As the birthplace of democracy, Greece’s long and rich heritage has greatly influenced Western philosophy and democratic political systems around the globe. For more than two centuries, the modern Greek state has promoted liberty, peace, and human rights and has played a critical role as an ally of the United States and a steadfast NATO partner in the Eastern Mediterranean.”

Bilirakis co-founded the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Affairs and the Congressional Hellenic Israel Alliance and has successfully passed laws strengthening U.S. relations with Greece. Laws written by Bilirakis during his tenure in Congress include the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act and the U.S.-Greece Defense and Interparliamentary Partnership Act.

“As a proud Greek American, inspired by my heritage, I am honored to receive this award and will continue my work to ensure mutual peace and prosperity for both our nations,” Bilirakis said.

No contempt

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s attempt to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt failed on the House floor.

A resolution (HR 1344) failed in a 210-204 vote. No Democrats supported using an “inherent contempt” power that Congress hasn’t deployed since 1935. Four Republicans also voted with Democrats, but Luna blamed the resolution’s failure on members who didn’t attend.

“Today’s vote on my inherent contempt resolution and the legislative appropriations did not pass due to Republican absences. (Reps. Brian) Mast and (Thomas) Massie had deaths in their family. Another member went to hospital. An overwhelming majority of the party supports this resolution, and it already survived multiple kill-shot attempts by Democrats,” Luna posted on X.

Mast, a Stuart Republican, was one of three Florida Representatives who did not vote. Reps Laurel Lee, a Thonotosassa Republican, and Jared Moskowitz, a Parkland Democrat, also did not cast votes. A representative for Lee said she missed the entire day of voting for a medical reason but supported the resolution to hold Garland in contempt.

Every other Florida lawmaker held to party lines, with Republicans supporting the measure and Democrats opposing it.

Despite the absences, Luna forced the House to vote on the measure this week by filing the legislation as a privileged resolution. That required the leadership to put the measure on the floor within 48 hours of her bringing the matter up Wednesday afternoon.

Electrifying the fleet

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) just received $27.8 million from a U.S. Department of Transportation grant. The funding will be used to purchase electric and hybrid vehicles, install charging stations, and provide workforce training.

“This incredible investment will cut pollution, reduce congestion and save taxpayers money — and help train neighbors for good-paying jobs,” said Rep. Kathy Castor, a Tampa Democrat. “Expanding clean public transit and options for commuters is an effective solution to reducing pollution and lowering the growing costs of climate change.”

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced grants in 117 communities receiving grants to modernize fleets as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by Biden.

“The Biden-(Kamala) Harris administration is helping agencies across 47 states replace old buses running on dirty, expensive fuels by delivering modern and zero-emission buses, manufactured by American workers, that will connect more people to where they need to go,” Buttigieg said.

St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch welcomed the financial support.

“I’m grateful for this investment in our community and for the strong partnership the City of St. Petersburg has built with Congresswoman Castor and President Biden’s administration,” Welch said. “This $27 million federal grant will help PSTA continue to be the best-run bus service in the nation while also improving our air quality and enabling our residents to move about our county in a safe, reliable, and cost-effective manner.”

Notably, the Transit Authority’s CEO Brad Miller credited Castor with securing the Pinellas County grant. “We couldn’t be more thankful for Congresswoman Castor and her support for public transportation and commitment to a sustainable future,” he said.

Sightseeing or spying

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials told House members this week that the uproar in May over a Cuban officials’ tour of Miami International Airport security areas was overblown.

TSA Executive Assistant Administrator Melanie Harvey said the visit “was nothing out of the norm” and far smaller than a tour Cuban delegates took during ex-President Donald Trump’s administration.

Several Republican members of the House Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security disagreed.

Lee, a Thonotosassa Republican, cited two troubling reports, one by the Federal Communications Commission in 2022 and another by the Center for Strategic and International Studies published this July, detailing the suspected development of a Chinese spy base near Cuba’s second-largest city.

Harvey said she did not know of either report.

She stressed that the TSA gives foreign officials, including those from Cuba, tours with a “very narrow focus” to share vital security and safety protocols for passengers. Some 2 million people, most of them Americans, fly to and from Cuba yearly.

In 2018, Cuban officials took a “much more extensive” visit, she said. It included tours of a TSA equipment-testing facility in Washington, D.C., a Federal Air Marshal Training Center in New Jersey and a briefing of “covert tests” the agency uses to shore up screening deficiencies.

She acknowledged that the TSA “could have done a better job” coordinating with local officials about the May visit. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s office said it received no advance notice.

But that’s not the problem, said Giménez, Miami-Dade’s immediate past Mayor and the panel’s Chair.

Instead, he said, it’s that officials from Cuba — one of four countries on the State Department’s list of terrorism sponsors — are allowed anywhere near secure airport areas.

“That’s insane,” he said, adding that he plans to sponsor legislation with Rubio to address the issue.

SAVE Act divide

A federal elections law cracking down on voting by undocumented immigrants passed the House this week on a party-line vote.

The House passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act (HR 8281) on a 221-198 vote.

“American elections are for American citizens only,” said Lee, a Thonotosassa Republican.

“We all know that President Biden’s Border Crisis poses a clear threat to our elections system, as millions of illegal aliens have poured into our country at record levels. This bill advances much-needed reforms to current voting registration requirements that will allow each state to ensure only American citizens are casting ballots.”

Lee served as Secretary of State under Gov. Ron DeSantis, overseeing the state’s election system through the 2020 Presidential Election. She said the legislation was an important step toward lifting trust in U.S. elections.

“This is a huge step to ensuring U.S. elections are safe, secure, and fair — and I am committed to continuing the fight towards establishing elections all Americans can have confidence in,” she said.

Democrats criticized the bill as a partisan action, saying it’s already against the law for noncitizens to vote in federal elections. No Florida Democrats supported the bill. Most voted against it, with Moskowitz, a Parkland Democrat, absent for the vote.

Protecting kids from AI

Advances in artificial intelligence could streamline data analysis and revolutionize various industries. It can be used for ill, doing things like creating fake revenge porn or finding new ways to exploit children.

Those concerns have several delegation members seeking a policy answer before the problem grows. Reps. Vern Buchanan and Salazar, both Republicans, filed the Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Network (TAKE IT DOWN) Act along with Rep. Madeleine Dean, a Pennsylvania Democrat.

The legislation criticizes the production of nonconsensual intimate imagery and allows the government to order websites to take such images down immediately. Buchanan’s Office cast the bill as a natural extension of the CREEPER Act 2.0, legislation he previously filed outlawing the creation of sex dolls based on children.

“If there’s one thing everyone can agree on, it’s the need to protect our vulnerable children and grandchildren,” Buchanan said. “While the rise in artificial intelligence (AI) brings countless potential benefits, I am deeply disturbed by the drastic increase in threats against children, such as the rise of so-called ‘revenge porn’ and skyrocketing instances of sexual abuse and exploitation. I am pleased to help introduce these common-sense solutions to help protect our children and am hopeful Congress will pass both with broad bipartisan support.”

Buchanan this week also filed the Stop Crimes Against Children Act, which would require higher education institutions to work with the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction and leverage resources to prevent exploitation of children.

Local control

Two measures from Rep. Scott Franklin could retain control of some of Florida’s environmental resources within the Sunshine State.

The Interior, Environment and Related Agencies budget approved by the House Appropriations Committee would preserve Florida’s 404 Program, which courts recently struck down. The Trump-era program gives substantial environmental permitting power to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection instead of the federal government.

The Committee also includes prohibiting the National Park Service from redesignating or managing the Big Cypress National Preserve as wilderness. The Miccosukee Tribe has pushed back on efforts by the administration to impose restrictions on activity in the nation’s first natural preserve.

Franklin, a Lakeland Republican, said both measures will keep Florida resources in the hands of those closest to the habitats.

“D.C. bureaucrats believe they are best positioned to manage a state’s unique environmental needs,” Franklin said. “Instead of pursuing one-size-fits-all, big government ‘solutions,’ the federal government should allow states to retain their own autonomy. This is critical in states like Florida, where the resilience and health of the economy and environment are so closely linked. These initiatives put Florida back in the driver’s seat.”

On this day

July 12, 1804 — “Death of Alexander Hamilton” via the New York Evening Post — With emotions that we have not a hand to inscribe, have we to announce the death of Hamilton. He was ruthlessly cut off in the 48th year of his age in the full vigor of his faculties and amid all his usefulness. I give a narrative of some facts between the fatal duel and his departure. I remained with him until 2 o’clock this afternoon when death closed the awful scene — he expired without a struggle and almost without a groan.

July 12, 1972 — “Democrats nominate George McGovern in Miami” via Flashback Miami — The Democrats brought a lot of celebrity firepower to Florida, with Gloria Steinem, Shirley MacLaine and Henry Fonda making appearances. Although the mood outside the convention center remained relatively peaceful, the party suffered from internal turmoil, leading to Sen. McGovern’s acceptance speech being delayed until almost 3 a.m. McGovern, a preacher’s son who promised to end the war, arrived in Miami Beach just short of the delegate vote count needed to win the nomination. Sen. Hubert Humphrey, Gov. George Wallace, and Sen. Edmund Muskie each held out hope that he could deny McGovern a first-ballot victory and win the nomination.

Happy birthday

Best wishes to Rep. Cory Mills, who turns 44 on Saturday, July 13.

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Peter Schorsch publishes Delegation, compiled by Jacob Ogles, edited and assembled by Phil Ammann and Ryan Nicol, with contributions by Jesse Scheckner.