Delegation for 7.30.24: SCOTUS — Venezuela — assassination tango — Niger — rare care

Supreme Court limits?

Before President Joe Biden leaves his first term without seeking re-election, he wants major reforms to the U.S. Supreme Court. And he is endorsing a plan spearheaded by some Florida Democratic leaders.

The Democratic President unveiled a plan to impose 18-year term limits on Supreme Court Justices. It’s a familiar concept to those aware of the activist group Term Limit The Court. The organization last year launched with former Florida congressional candidate Alan Cohn as CEO. Suspended Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren served with the group in an advisory capacity.

That’s no surprise, according to Warren. “We were embracing recommendations made by Pres. Biden’s bipartisan commission: common-sense reforms supported by 2/3 of Americans,” he said on X. “Our democracy thrives when the people have faith in our institutions and elected leaders don’t abuse their power to weaken them.”

Cohn said the group has effectively rallied around legislation already filed by Rep. Hank Johnson, a Georgia Democrat. The bill would impose 18-year term limits and ultimately stagger the terms of the nine sitting Justices, so a new appointment happens every two years. The idea would be that every President nominates two Justices per term, no matter what.

“When we launched last September the House bill debuted with eight co-sponsors,” Cohn said. “Today there are 37 in the House. Eight in the Senate, the President and Vice President. This is how movements are born.”

But the fact that a pair of Florida Democrats advocated for the concept hasn’t exactly rallied the state’s Republican-heavy congressional delegation around the idea. Rep. Brian Mast, a Stuart Republican, noted the proposal comes at a time when the most senior members of the Supreme Court were all appointed by Republicans.

“Joe Biden and Kamala Harris just announced a radical scheme to pack the Supreme Court by forcing Justice Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and John Roberts to retire next year,” he posted on social media. “We won’t let them implement this power grab!”

Sen. Marco Rubio, a Miami Republican, had an op-ed published with Newsweek urging Biden to forsake the concept with his legacy in mind.

“This isn’t the first time high-ranking Democrats have proposed reshaping the Court because they didn’t like the composition of the Justices,” Rubio said, tossing a jab at Biden’s endorsed successor as Democratic presidential nominee. “In early 2019, then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris expressed what Politico described as ‘surprising openness’ to the body’s expansion.”

Rubio has pushed a constitutional amendment locking the court’s size at nine Justices, but that notably jives with the 18-year limits. But he said Biden would do better by protecting the existing structure of the court, “one of our most vital institutions.”

Eye of Venezuela

Florida leaders from across the political spectrum are voicing outrage as Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro controversially says he won re-election.

“Today is a dark day for democracy in Latin America,” Sen. Rick Scott, a Naples Republican, posted on social media.

On that, there was bipartisan agreement. Biden’s Democratic administration has refused to recognize Maduro’s election claim, which appears contrary to what poll watchers found in some 40% of precincts where opposition candidate Edmundo González led.

However, lawmakers from opposite sides of the aisle did have differing opinions on the U.S. role in the Venezuelan contest. Scott attributed Maduro’s defiance to the administration’s decision to ease oil sanctions last year.

“Maduro has stolen another election from the Venezuelan people and the Biden-Harris admin helped him do it by fueling his power with sanctions relief and appeasement. Scott Edmundo González won, and he must be recognized as President-elect,” he said.

Rubio signaled similar sentiments.

“Biden and Harris broadly eased (Donald) Trump sanctions on Maduro regime as part of a ‘deal’ for elections in Venezuela,” Rubio posted. “Today was that election and it was a complete fraud. The latest example of how our enemies have suckered Biden and Harris repeatedly over the last four years.”

Former Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Scott’s top rival in his own re-election effort, slammed Rubio for the assertion.

“The elections happened because the opposition worked to get there under this administration and you are insulting the incredible courage of the people of Venezuela,” the Miami Democrat posted. “Don’t use this very fragile and dangerous moment for your cheap politics. The United States must stand firm and united in a bipartisan way to support the people at this time. Your tweet does nothing except help Maduro — STOP.”

Harris, the likely Democratic presidential nominee, has said she wants the true will of the Venezuelan people to determine the nation’s leadership. U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, an Orlando Democrat, echoed these thoughts. “Venezuela, my heart is with you today as you hit the polls. Democracy and freedom are on the line,” he posted. The true will of the people must be heard and enacted. We are with you and will keep a close eye as the polls close.”

Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Fort Walton Beach Republican, slammed Maduro’s victory claim, but also said the administration’s weakness led to this outcome, allegedly because Biden wanted to import oil rather than allow more U.S. drilling.

“Maduro lost the election in Venezuela badly, then simply declared victory anyway. He is an illegitimate dictator,” he posted.

Refuse to recognize

Still, Venezuela’s electoral body on Monday declared Maduro as the winner. That virtually assures he will serve another six-year term.

But Scott urged the Biden administration to condemn that and recognize González as President-elect, regardless of the outcome.

“For too long, Nicolás Maduro and his thugs have deprived the Venezuelan people of the choice for new leadership by attacking his political opponents, using violence and threats in a desperate attempt to hold on to power over a people that hate him,” he said.

“I believe your administration helped strengthen his power when you foolishly provided him the exact thing he needed, sanctions relief in exchange for a promise of a fair election — something we all knew he would never deliver. It is time to acknowledge that your deal with a dictator was a disaster and immediately reimpose sanctions on Maduro and his thugs. The United States must show strength and unquestionable resolve for democracy in Venezuela in the face of yet another assault on its people’s freedom. I urge you to take action today to demonstrate that and set an example for the freedom-loving nations of the world.”

Refusing to recognize Maduro would be similar to a 2019 decision by Trump not to recognize Maduro. That said, Trump backed off that approach about 15 months later.

Rep. Carlos Giménez notably urged even stricter actions.

“Dictator Nicolás Maduro has decided to make a total mockery of the Venezuelan presidential elections,” the Miami-Dade Republican said.

“I am calling on President Biden to suspend all diplomatic relations with Venezuela, reimpose the strictest oil sanctions, raise Maduro’s bounty from $15 million to $50 million, and safeguard the Venezuelan people’s access to the internet. The Maduro regime is a puppet state of Communist Cuba and has taken a page out of the (Fidel) Castro dictatorship’s playbook to destroy the last vestiges of democracy in Venezuela. The United States must recognize the rightful winner of the national elections, Edmundo González.”

Investigating an assassination

A congressional committee investigating the assassination attempt on Trump will include three Florida Representatives.

House Speaker Mike Johnson named seven Republicans to serve on the committee, including Reps. Laurel Lee of Thonotosassa and Michael Waltz of St. Augustine Beach. The same day, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries picked six Democratic members, including Rep. Jared Moskowitz of Parkland.

Florida’s lawmakers promised to address the duty solemnly.

Lee, a former Florida Secretary of State and circuit judge, won election to Congress in 2022. She now serves in the House Homeland Security and Judiciary committees. Homeland Security Committee members recently visited the site where the 20-year-old shooter fired shots into the rally. Trump suffered a minor injury, but rally attendee Corey Comperatore was killed, and two others were hospitalized with injuries.

“On July 13, 2024, the American people witnessed a catastrophic security failure that nearly resulted in the loss of President Trump’s life,” Lee said. “The United States Secret Service has a no-fail mission to protect America’s leaders and unfortunately, they failed at their core mission that day.”

“One of Congress’s constitutional responsibilities is to conduct oversight to provide accountability and transparency, and that is exactly what this task force will do. I would like to thank Speaker Johnson for entrusting me to be a member of this task force and I look forward to working with my colleagues to investigate these inexcusable security failures to ensure this never happens again.”

Moskowitz, who played a key role in the Florida Legislature’s legislative response to the Parkland shooting in 2018, serves on the House Oversight Committee.

“I am grateful to have the confidence of Speaker Johnson and Leader Jeffries to serve on this bipartisan task force,” Moskowitz said.

“As the former Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, I have been involved in after-action reviews to learn from the failures and successes of both natural and man-made disasters, and as a State Representative from Parkland, Florida, where 17 people died in a mass shooting at my alma mater, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, I helped to create the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Commission that investigated the failures of that day. I look forward to working, in a bipartisan fashion, with my colleagues to provide the American people with the answers they seek from this dark moment in our nation’s history and to work on solutions to make sure nothing like this happens again.”

Waltz, meanwhile, is a former Green Beret and rumored to be under consideration for Secretary of State if Trump wins. He serves on the House Intelligence, Armed Services and Oversight committees.

Left out

One member of the delegation voiced frustration when he was left off the Special Committee. Rep. Cory Mills, who raised eyebrows when he alleged Secret Serve lapses may have been “intentional,” has financed an independent investigation by conservative journalist Benny Johnson.

After Johnson complained that neither Mills nor Rep. Eli Crane, an Arizona Republican positing similar theories, were appointed, Mills responded.

“It’s very unfortunate but not surprising for anyone familiar with how D.C. works,” Mills posted after the appointments were announced.

“I’m not a politician, leadership or a ‘yes man.’ I wish the members of Speaker Johnson’s Task Force well and think it’s time for a parallel independent investigation with subject matter experts (SME) and the whistleblowers who’ve already come forward that myself and Eli Crane and Benny Johnson have spoken with. I will be speaking with other members, and although I won’t have subpoena powers, I will personally fund whatever is required for additional staff to further investigation and expose the truth.”

Needing Niger information

The withdrawal of troops from Niger attracted less media attention than conflicts in Israel or Ukraine, but Gaetz says he wants Americans to know more about what took place.

He and Rep. Jimmy Panetta, a California Democrat, sent a letter last week to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin asserting that the administration has provided inaccurate information to date on the announcement that more than 1,000 U.S. troops will depart the African nation.

“On March 21, 2024, during a House Armed Services Committee (HASC) hearing, Dr. Celeste Wallander, Assistant Secretary for Defense for International Security Affairs, provided inaccurate testimony in response to questioning from Congressman Panetta. Dr. Wallander stated: ‘Congressman … I would like to clarify that, at this point, the CNSP, the self-identified government of Niger, has not asked or demanded that the United States military depart,’” the letter reads.

“However, her statement appears to contradict information received from DOS. On April 17, 2024, Congressman Gaetz sent a letter to DOS asking for a timeline of communication with the CNSP to understand when DOS began negotiations on troop withdrawals. In a letter dated July 9, 2024, in response to this inquiry, DOS stated it received “a diplomatic note (from the CNSP) on March 19, purporting to terminate, effective immediately, the SOFA and agreements concerning access and use of facilities in Niger.”

If the latter account is true, the representatives said Congress must be told when Niger’s government terminated U.S. access to its facilities and what security challenges prompted the withdrawal decision.

“DOS works in conjunction with DOD for all security cooperative efforts and foreign military policies,” the letter reads. “Due to the unique security dynamics in the Sahel, this communication must be strong and timely to address local grievances and political sensitivities that could exasperate security concerns.”

Bringing the receipts

Frost expressed satisfaction that all 15 project requests he made this year in Congress were included in budgets passed by the House.

The Orlando Democrat said the projects collectively could bring $15.3 million in funding to Central Florida. That includes $5.5 million for Eatonville economic revitalization projects, $2.2 million for the Orlando Housing Authority to improve public housing and $1.3 million for the Orange County Government to improve water and acquire environmentally sensitive lands.

“No matter the gridlock in Washington, I made a promise to the people of Central Florida that I would do everything in my power to unlock federal dollars and help change our community for the better,” Frost said. “This $15.3 million is a commitment to that promise. Whether it’s fighting for more housing dollars, fixing our roads and public transportation, or taking care of our parks — I won’t stop fighting to bring home every dollar possible.”

The money comes on top of $12 million in project funding during his first year in Congress. Local leaders praised the work as well.

“Before finishing even his first term in Washington, Congressman Frost has already shown that he can effectively return taxpayer dollars to work for us here in Central Florida,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “The City of Orlando is thankful for the Congressman’s support and hard work, and we really appreciate that he shares our commitment to preserving and enhancing the parks and greenspace that make The City Beautiful.”

Rare care

Scientists in America have developed advanced treatments for diseases plaguing millions. But what of those conditions impacting much smaller groups?

Rep. Gus Bilirakis, a Palm Harbor Republican and Co-Chair of the Rare Disease Congressional Caucus, called last year for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish a Rare Disease Innovation Hub, and the FDA acted on that call this month.

“The Rare Disease Innovation Hub is an important step forward in providing hope to the millions of Americans suffering with a rare disease,” Bilirakis said.

“As Co-Chairs of the Rare Disease Caucus, we have long called on the FDA to improve its policies, streamline processes and strengthen inter-center collaboration efforts to accelerate the development of treatments and cures for rare diseases. I am glad to see the agency do the right thing for the rare disease community by recognizing the unique challenges of rare development and the need for a new innovative approach to review of therapies. I look forward to working closely with my colleagues in the Caucus and with the FDA as it implements this new Hub to ensure its success for patients.”

Bilirakis has worked on the bipartisan issue with Rep. Doris Matsui, a California Democrat, in the House. The caucus is also co-chaired by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, and Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican.

“Rare diseases are not a rare problem. Over 30 million Americans live with a rare disease, but most have no FDA-approved treatment available,” Klobuchar said. “Too often, applications for new and innovative products for ultra-rare diseases get bogged down or lost due to misunderstanding or needless red tape. The new Rare Disease Innovation Hub is a welcome step forward.”

Boosting the blue

Rep. Vern Buchanan celebrated dozens of local law enforcement officers at an annual event this weekend at the Manatee Performing Arts Center. The Longboat Key Republican handed out his annual Congressional District Law Enforcement Awards.

“Every day, these brave men and women put themselves in harm’s way to enforce our laws and protect the public,” Buchanan said. “Now, more than ever, they need and deserve our gratitude and respect. I believe these awards are a fitting tribute to our officers and their four-legged partners and serve as an important reminder of the vital role they play in our communities.”

Buchanan gave six Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Awards to Manatee County Sheriff’s Lt. Nicholas Pruitt, deputies Michael Ates, Althavia Brown, James Forkin, and Christopher Houghton, and Detective Dwight Roberts.

Dedication and Professionalism Awards went to Holmes Beach police officer Andrew Adkins, Bradenton police officer Kevin Williams, Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Taylor Ledford, Palmetto Police Corp. Benjamin Schlabach, and Manatee County Sheriff’s Detectives Matthew Hostetler, Steven Luke and Carmine Luper.

The Gary Tibbetts Career Service Award, named for a Buchanan staffer who died in the pandemic, went to Manatee Sheriff’s Major Todd Shear, retired Bradenton Police Capt. William Knight, Detective Jeff Beckley, and retired Florida Department of Law Enforcement Special Agent Stephen Lieberman.

He also honored 22 officers with Preservation of Life awards and issued 21 Unit Citation awards to law enforcement teams in a number of agencies.

Next steps

Retired veterans may be more likely to see danger on steep staircases than deep foxholes. But a pair of Florida lawmakers is working across the aisle to ensure the nation still provides for heroes whatever risks they face.

Rep. Lois Frankel, a West Palm Beach Democrat, introduced the bipartisan SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act, with Bilirakis among the introducing co-sponsors. The legislation was filed with Reps. Niki Budzinski, an Illinois Democrat, Jack Bergman, a Michigan Republican, and Jen Kiggans, a Virginia Republican.

The bill would establish a Falls Prevention Office within the Veterans Affairs Administration and require coordination with the National Institutes of Health to develop an injury prevention program tailored to veterans’ needs. It would also screen patients at high risk and require a fall assessment and prevention service.

“Falls are the leading cause of injury among people over age 65,” Frankel said.

“A new VA effort to keep our Veterans on their feet is important for the thousands of senior Veterans who live in South Florida and across the country. We owe the men and women who served in our military full support in maintaining their health and well-being. I am proud to co-lead this bill.”

On this day

July 30, 1965 — “Lyndon Johnson signs Medicare” via History.com — President Johnson approved the health insurance program for elderly Americans. At the bill-signing ceremony, which took place at the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri, former President Harry Truman was enrolled as Medicare’s first beneficiary and received the first Medicare card. Johnson wanted to recognize Truman, who, in 1945, had become the first President to propose national health insurance, an initiative that was opposed at the time by Congress. The Medicare program, providing hospital and medical insurance for Americans aged 65 or older, was signed as an amendment to the Social Security Act. Some 19 million people enrolled in Medicare when it went into effect.

July 30, 1863 — “Abraham Lincoln issues ‘eye-for-eye’ order” via the African American Registry — President Lincoln issued the order, warning the Confederacy that Union soldiers would shoot a rebel prisoner for every Black prisoner shot. It also would condemn a rebel prisoner to a life of hard labor for every Black prisoner sold into slavery. The order had a slight “restraining” influence on the Confederate government’s voiced policy, but individual commanders and soldiers continued to murder captured Black soldiers. Although this act appeared to be motivated by compassion toward the slaves, it was intended primarily as another way to intimidate the Confederacy.

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