Delegation for 10.15.24: Milton aftermath — FEMA fight — back to D.C. — gouging — air recon

FILE - The U.S. Capitol is seen at sunset on Capitol Hill in Washington, Sept. 8, 2022. Democrats have held both chambers of Congress and the presidency for two years. But they may not have such consolidated power for much longer. Republicans could make big gains in the Nov. 8 midterm elections, bolstered by frustration over the economy, advantages in the redistricting process that takes place every 10 years and the traditional losses in a new president’s first midterm election. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

Ridin’ with Biden?

The impact of Hurricane Milton continued to be visible over the weekend, with President Joe Biden in town to witness it.

Sen. Rick Scott and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, both Republicans in high-profile re-election contests, escorted the Democratic commander in chief to St. Pete Beach to see the storm’s devastation. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell and other state and federal officials were also in tow.

“Like I said following Hurricane Helene, while I appreciate the President and FEMA Administrator coming to Florida to see the devastation firsthand, Floridians are still hurting from storms years ago, and the federal government needs to show up not just today but every day,” Scott said. “Not only did storm surge cause significant issues on the coast, but first responders are still conducting nonstop rescue missions as rising rivers cause inland flooding and tornadoes ripped apart entire communities. This storm, along with Hurricane Helene, (has) knocked so many communities down, but Floridians are resilient.”

Milton landed as a Category 3 hurricane late Oct. 9 near Siesta Key. Rain from the storm focused primarily on areas north of the eye, meaning Pinellas County to the north experienced substantial rainfall, all the more consequential just weeks after Hurricane Helene.

Biden from Pinellas County announced a substantial relief package, including $612 million for new grid projects to support communities impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

“This funding will make the impacted region’s power system stronger and more resilient — by putting lines underground and introducing cutting-edge technologies to reduce the frequency and duration of power outages while extreme weather events become more frequent,” Biden said.

While Scott and Luna have often been sharp critics of Biden — and Democrats have similarly hurled criticism at the Florida incumbents — the officials signaled a sense of cooperation with the administration after the storm.

“I spoke to President Biden about increasing the NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program) coverage limits as well as thanked him for his immediate assistance in FEMA debris removal,” Luna posted on X. “He assured me that all federal resources are at our disposal.”

FEMA fight

Luna also suggested Congress must reconvene to authorize more funding for FEMA.

“I agree with Sen. Scott and have been calling for Congress to convene a special session even before Milton hit,” Luna posted. “I will continue to work with anyone willing to assist in recovery efforts not just for Pinellas and Florida but also the rest of the country.”

That signals a change in political dialogue in parts of Florida after the state saw three storms make landfall in as many months (Hurricane Debby landed in August). Whitney Fox, the Democrat challenging Luna in the November election, also publicly said Congress should return to Washington to consider more funding. “Congress must act swiftly to provide resources for victims, cut through red tape and jump-start recovery efforts,” Fox said. “This isn’t about politics — it’s about American lives.”

The timing of the storms also drew particular attention to a budget deal. The measure kept the government open through the General Election but was opposed by 82 House Republicans. Dissenting votes included 11 Republicans from Florida, more than any other state.

Luna voted against funding the government a day before Hurricane Helene landed in Florida, as did Reps. Aaron Bean, Gus Bilirakis, Kat Cammack, Byron Donalds, Matt Gaetz, Laurel Lee, Cory Mills, Bill Posey, Mike Waltz and Daniel Webster.

Several of those lawmakers have since been criticized by opponents for voting to shut the government down or vote against FEMA dollars immediately before two storms hit Florida. Notably, the vote was against a complete omnibus, and several told Florida Politics they support more FEMA funding.

Return to Washington?

Several Democrats and Republicans in the Florida delegation say they want to leave the campaign trail and approve a supplemental funding package right now. However, House Speaker Mike Johnson noted recently on Sunday’s CBS’ Face the Nation that a vote can wait until after the November election. He said the budget deal in September provided an extra $20 billion in FEMA funding.

“As of this morning, less than 2% of that funding has actually been distributed, right around 2% of it,” the Louisiana Republican said, “so we need FEMA to do its job.”

Scott has pushed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, to reconvene the upper chamber. Biden has asked Congress to come back as well. For his part, Schumer has avoided making any public statements on the subject either way.

Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Parkland Democrat and former Florida Director of Emergency Management, co-led a letter to Johnson urging him to change his mind and bring back lawmakers to further fund FEMA.

“As representatives of the American people, it is our duty to ensure that every community has the resources to recover and rebuild in the wake of devastation,” the letter reads. This is not merely a matter of policy but a profound obligation to the citizens we serve, who depend on their government for support in their most critical times of need.”

Sixty-two Democratic Representatives, including Reps. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Maxwell Frost, Darren Soto, and Frederica Wilson signed the letter.

But Moskowitz told Florida Politics he remains skeptical that Johnson will call lawmakers back.

“If you had that caucus, would you?” he said.

Price gouging

The letter from Democratic lawmakers also pushed Congress to pass federal legislation restricting price gouging. Ahead of Milton striking Florida, the Congressional Progressive Caucus also released a statement focused on fighting the practice in Florida.

Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, a Washington Democrat, joined in a statement from Cherfilus-McCormick, Frost, Soto and Wilson.

“Authorities are telling families in the Tampa area that they will die if they don’t leave their homes,” the pre-Milton statement read.

“But instead of making it easier for people to evacuate, airlines and hotels are exploiting a horrific situation to charge astronomical fares only the rich can afford — from over $600 for a single night in a Hampton Inn to over $1,000 for flights that usually cost around $100. Exploiting vulnerable people fleeing a deadly storm for higher profits is a new low.”

From the air

Meanwhile, Sen. Marco Rubio and Rep. Carlos Giménez, both Miami-Dade Republicans, took to the air to check out the damage in South Florida. While far from Milton’s path through Central Florida, the hurricane system spawned a historic 126 tornado warnings issued the day Milton made landfall. Dozens touched down and delivered significant physical damage far from landfall.

Giménez, following a Coast Guard-led tour, said officials needed to provide oversight on the federal response to the storm.

“As a career first responder, emergency manager and Mayor of Miami-Dade County, I understand firsthand how important it is to deliver assistance to those affected in the aftermath of a major natural disaster,” Giménez said.

“There is no better partner than our U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio to work with and deliver much-needed federal assistance to those impacted by Hurricane Milton. I look forward to holding the Biden-Harris Administration and FEMA accountable to get the help they need.”

Florida in play?

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) made its first highly visible play in Florida, partnering with Sen. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell for a broadcast TV spot. That signals a greater earnestness behind the idea that Scott could be at risk despite leading every publicly available poll.

Mucarsel-Powell issued a memo Tuesday calling Florida the best pickup opportunity for Senate Democrats. That’s an interesting flex, given the trouble Republican Sen. Ted Cruz faces in Texas, where some polls show Democrat Colin Allred ahead of the incumbent.

“In the face of Scott’s vast personal wealth, the Debbie for Florida campaign has been able to spend nearly at parity with the Scott campaign on TV in September,” the memo states. “The DSCC has also announced a multimillion-dollar investment in Florida.”

It also acknowledges fundraising hurdles, along with a plan to overcome them.

“What once may have been a $200 million investment for the Democratic Party earlier in the cycle has shrunk potentially tenfold,” it reads. “By running an aggressive three-week campaign across four core media markets — Miami, Orlando, Tampa and West Palm — Democrats would reach 76% of the Florida electorate efficiently.”

To watch the ad, please click the image below:

Semiconductor relief

The Economic Development Administration approved a $6.2 million grant to the Kissimmee Utility Authority to support the region’s growing semiconductor manufacturing industry.

Soto, a Kissimmee Democrat, cheered the award, which is being matched by $7.5 million in local funds.

“This investment is a game-changer for our community, as it supports the expansion of the semiconductor manufacturing industry,” Soto said. “It not only strengthens our infrastructure but also positions Kissimmee as a hub for innovation, job creation, and economic growth in the region.”

The funding comes through the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act passed last year. That included $483 million nationally for Economic Adjustment Assistance Program funds. Kissimmee was partly eligible because Hurricanes Ian and Fiona impacted it.

The funding will allow rebuilding with an eye to future manufacturing needs, leaders said.

“Maintaining a reliable power grid is essential to creating opportunities for economic development in Osceola County for generations to come,” said KUA President and General Manager Brian Horton. “We look forward to utilizing this significant investment to further enhance our power capabilities to support the innovation that’s positioned our region as a growing tech hub.”

Ride the lightning

Hurricane Hunter planes sent into Milton by the Air Force Reserve had one prominent civilian on board: Frost.

The Orlando Democrat rode on an airplane surveying the storm’s strength in the Gulf. At one point, sustained winds measured 175 miles per hour, making it one of the strongest hurricanes on record.

“As my team and I do everything we can to prepare for Hurricane Milton, last night, I was invited by NOAA to fly into the storm with the agency’s specialized group of Hurricane Hunters,” Frost said.

“The scientists on board analyze storm information and subsequently send it to the National Hurricane Center, aiding in the creation of predictions and storm tracks that play a vital role in saving lives. During our flight, we penetrated Hurricane Milton’s eye three times as it reached Category 5 strength. The turbulence during our flight was extremely intense, and at one point, we free-fell several thousand feet, which underscored the storm’s ferocity.”

While much of the data on storms collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) comes through satellite imagery and land-based meteorology technology, much of the critical information on major storms still gets collected from pilots taking aircraft into the storm.

Tax relief

The number of hurricanes hitting Florida this year prompted a fresh push by Steube for his Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act, which already passed in the House but has yet to be taken up by the Senate.

On Oct. 10, he wrote to Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, pressing them to take up the bill.

“Congress must take action so that American families are able to rebuild after Hurricane Helene. We recognize the urgency to aid immediate ground operations for lifesaving efforts and to restore power, transportation, sanitation and other important means. As individuals and families recover from this disaster, it is important that we provide them with tax relief. In addition to victims of Helene, this bill would provide relief to millions of others affected by more than 300 other major disasters declared by President Biden,” the letter reads.

“Through no fault of their own, many of our constituents have incurred thousands of dollars in disaster-related expenses. Many others are also facing unfair tax burdens as a result of being taxed on rightful compensation from being the victim of a wildfire disaster. Victims of the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment on Feb. 3, 2023, also need relief.”

Several members of the delegation signed onto the message, including Republican Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart, Donalds, Gaetz, Posey, John Rutherford and Waltz, and Democratic Reps. Lois Frankel and Soto.

The legislation passed with a 382-7 vote in the House.

Argentina reboot

Rep. María Elvira Salazar wants the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to re-evaluate its relationship with Argentina as a fiscally conservative government takes over.

Salazar, a Coral Gables Republican and House Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Chair, led a letter to IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva encouraging the renegotiation of a financial package supporting Argentina’s economic growth. In it, she praised the policies of new Argentine President Javier Milei.

“The United States is the largest shareholder of the International Monetary Fund and therefore takes a keen interest in its activities,” the letter reads.

“In Argentina, President Milei has vowed to restore his country’s reputation as a country that pays its debts and belongs in the club of countries that are reliable borrowers. According to reports, the economic adjustment plans he has implemented through the executive branch and the legislature are already curtailing inflation, hopefully setting Argentina on a path that ensures it will not miss any international financial obligations. As such, we ask that you consider these positive measures as you assist Argentina in charting the course ahead.”

The lawmakers noted that the IMF, under socialist President Néstor Kirchner, provided generous support to help with shortfalls despite irresponsible public spending. The letter asserts that Argentina’s infrequent payments to the IMF often result in painful inflation.

“We appreciate President Milei’s efforts to pay down Argentina’s debt and bring prosperity to his country,” the letter reads. “We think that these efforts could be bolstered by time and help from multilateral financial institutions such as the IMF.”

About 23% of Argentines in the U.S. live in Florida, according to the Pew Research Center, the highest concentration of any state.

On this day

Oct. 15, 1991 — “Senate confirms Clarence Thomas, ending week of bitter battle” via The New York Times — Thomas, who was born to unlettered parents living in abject poverty in rural Georgia, won confirmation as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court tonight by one of the narrowest margins in history, barely surviving an accusation by one of his former assistants that he had sexually harassed her. After an all-day debate, during which President George H.W. Bush pressured wavering Senators and the public flooded Capitol Hill with telephone calls and telegrams, the Senate voted 52 to 48 in favor of the 43-year-old Judge. Eleven Democrats joined 41 of the 43 Republicans in supporting him.

Oct. 15, 1965 — “David Miller burns his draft card” via People’s World — The first public burning of a draft card in direct violation of the law took place in New York City when Miller, 24, a Catholic pacifist affiliated with the Catholic Worker movement, attended a rally held near the Armed Forces Induction Center on Whitehall Street in Manhattan. He spoke briefly to the crowd from atop a sound truck and then tried but failed to burn his card with matches — the wind kept blowing them out. The crowd offered a lighter, and it worked. FBI agents later arrested him; he was tried, found guilty, and sentenced to two years imprisonment.

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