Delegation 10.25.24: Surrogates — leaky — shocking — F-word — SBA loans

Florida’s political exports

Florida’s electoral votes haven’t attracted the same attention as past Presidential Elections.

However, this week, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris turned to delegation members as prominent surrogates.

Sen. Marco Rubio appeared alongside Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, at the Havana Express Kitchen & Bakery in Las Vegas as Trump seeks Nevada’s six electoral votes. The Miami Republican could be seen there with Vivek Ramaswamy, another former rival for the Republican nomination, who is now stumping for Trump. Rubio ran in 2016, and Ramaswamy ran in this year. At the event, both led cheers of “We love Trump” this week.

To watch a video of the visit, please click the image below:

Rep. Byron Donalds has also traveled the country. The Naples Republican was in Central Pennsylvania, where Keystone State voters will decide who gets 19 electoral votes. He voiced confidence that those votes will go to Trump.

“The energy on the ground in Central Pennsylvania is contagious,” Donalds posted on X. “Together, we will VOTE EARLY. Together, we will FLIP PENNSYLVANIA. Together, we will SAVE AMERICA.”

The same day, in Pennsylvania, Rep. Maxwell Frost rallied a College Democrats chapter at the University of Pittsburgh. The Orlando Democrat and first Generation Z member of Congress touted Harris as a voice of young people.

“People who go to work for a living, which are the majority of people in this country, oftentimes they don’t have their voices heard in Washington,” Frost said in an interview with Pitt News. “So having somebody like Kamala Harris come here, Tim Walz — surrogates, like myself — in this campaign, I think is really important.”

Treasonous leak?

Israel announced it will delay a retaliatory military action against Iran following the leak of U.S. intelligence about a potential attack. Rubio, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, wants answers on who released the information to Iran.

“It’s a federal crime to leak that information. It’s also an act of treason,” Rubio told Fox News. “It’s aiding an enemy of the United States, a government in Iran that basically says, ‘Death to America, death to Israel’ every week. It’s their slogan.”

The FBI said it is investigating the internal leak. According to The Hill, information about Israel’s tactics first appeared on Telegram Friday. The military response followed a ballistic missile attack by Iran Oct. 1, a strike that Iran called a response to the killing of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders.

Rubio said it’s important to find any leakers and hold them accountable.

“Strategic leaks that have been designed to undermine American foreign policy and, in many cases, to help avowed enemies of the United States, that needs to stop, that needs to end,” he said. “We need to know who did this, and they need to be punished.”

Shock victim

Sen. Rick Scott said he was shocked that outgoing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell would accuse the Florida Republican of playing “victim.” In an upcoming biography, McConnell did not hold back with criticisms of Scott, as revealed by a juicy excerpt spotlighted by CNN.

“I don’t think Rick makes a very good victim,” McConnell said.

“I think he did a poor job of running the (Senate campaign) committee. … His plan was used by the Democrats against our candidates as late as the last weekend (before the election). He promoted the fiction that we were in the middle of a big sweep when there was no tangible evidence of it. And I think his campaign against me was some kind of ill-fated effort to turn the attention away from him and onto somebody else.”

Scott chaired the National Republican Senatorial Committee in 2022 when Republicans suffered a net loss in seats.

Scott responded Thursday (in comments first reported by Florida Politics), which roped in his Kentucky colleague’s qualms about the “damage” Trump and his MAGA movement inflicted on the GOP as well.

“I am shocked that he would attack a fellow Republican Senator and the Republican nominee for President just two weeks out from an election,” Scott said.

“I believe we should be talking about solutions; he doesn’t. I support Donald Trump and his work to fundamentally change the way Washington operates; he doesn’t. I believe we should support the candidates Republican voters choose; he doesn’t. With almost $36 trillion in debt, an open southern border, historic inflation and a world on fire, I know we need dramatic change and he doesn’t.”

Starts with F-

After six years of the F-35 stealth fighter failing to meet readiness standards, Rep. Matt Gaetz said it’s time for Congress to admit Lockheed Martin breached its contract. The Fort Walton Beach Republican, who represents Eglin Air Force Base, filed a resolution with Rep. Seth Moulton, a Massachusetts Democrat, expressing that sentiment.

Gaetz said the fighter jet project has wrongly sapped Defense Department resources that could support the needs of troops.

“The federal government should not give ‘full-system performance’ contracts to companies responsible for their own failures,” Gaetz said.

“Today, I introduced a resolution to hold contractors accountable for breaching their F-35 obligations, while the Department of Defense has failed to enforce accountability. It’s unacceptable to leave the American taxpayer on the hook for a broken system and allow appropriators in Congress to divest funds from service members’ child care to invest in broken F-35s. We must stop rewarding failure and prioritize our military families.”

Moulton said the failures of Lockheed Martin have existed for years.

“For two decades, across multiple administrations and Congresses, Lockheed Martin has failed to deliver on the F-35,” he said. “Every step in the program’s journey has been late, wildly over budget, and has produced a plane that does not perform as required. It’s time to hold Lockheed Martin publicly accountable for failing the American taxpayer.”

Earlier this month, Lockheed Martin announced a new project leader for the F-35. This week, in its quarterly update, Lockheed Martin President and CEO Jim Taiclet claimed progress on the effort. “In the third quarter, we advanced our strategic, operational and financial priorities, as demonstrated by our record backlog of more than $165 billion, 48 F-35 deliveries, increased production on missile programs and $2.1 billion of free cash flow generation,” he said.

Helping homebuyers

Rep. Kat Cammack wants to offer a tax break for first-time homebuyers. The Gainesville Republican announced this week that she was drafting a bill to create tax-free savings accounts for individuals and families.

According to Cammack’s Office, the Next-Generation Equity Savings Tool (NEST) Act should help individuals with the challenges of closing costs and down payments.

“High home prices in many markets have created barriers for first-time buyers, which is why dedicated savings vehicles for home purchases can assist and encourage those seeking to enter the market and stimulate the economy,” her office said.

Store security

On Thursday, the National Retail Federation honored a bipartisan group of lawmakers as Retail Crime Fighters. The distinction went to all members of the House and Senate who backed the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (S 140, HR 895), which expands federal enforcement and coordination with state and local authorities to tackle theft trends.

Rep. Aaron Bean, a Fernandina Beach Republican, embraced the honor.

“Northeast Floridians are fed up with organized retail crime and the threat it poses to our communities, and that’s why I’m taking action in Washington,” Bean said. “I stand with our law enforcement and businesses as we work to end smash-and-grab robberies and theft crime rings. I’ll continue to advocate for common-sense legislation that holds these perpetrators accountable and restores law and order.”

Other Florida lawmakers sharing the honor include Rubio in the Senate, as well as Republican Reps. Laurel Lee, María Elvira Salazar and Greg Steube and Democratic Reps. Lois Frankel, Jared Moskowitz, Darren Soto and Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

SBA in the USA

As Small Business Administration (SBA) loans help Florida companies recover from hurricanes, Rep. Cory Mills wants to ensure that no money goes to China.

The New Smyrna Beach Republican introduced the Preventing SBA Assistance from Going to China Act (HR 9904) this month, saying the disaster relief shows precisely why it’s important to watch where SBA loans go.

“After Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton, small businesses need immediate relief to recover and rebuild. These businesses are the backbone of our economy, creating jobs, serving communities and driving growth,” Mills said.

“We must take action and prioritize America and its people by supporting our small businesses, ensuring they remain the driving force behind our prosperity. No relief should go to companies with financial or political ties to China or its communist regime. The Small Business Administration must prioritize true American-owned businesses. We will protect and support Florida’s small business community and make sure they emerge stronger and more resilient than ever.”

Reps. Steube, a Sarasota Republican, and Daniel Webster, a Clermont Republican, were both introducing co-sponsors on the bill.

“SBA disaster assistance is intended for American businesses impacted by natural disasters. Many businesses in Florida are hurting following Debby, Helene and Milton,” Steube said.

“They rely on this assistance to rebuild their businesses and help get their employees back on their feet. Not a dime of that assistance should be awarded to companies with financial and political ties to China. The Preventing SBA Assistance from Going to China Act strengthens SBA disaster assistance requirements so we prioritize the needs of taxpaying American citizens and stop China from taking advantage of resources intended for America’s business owners.”

Midnight forever

While hurricanes damaged Florida’s coastline, they also opened a waterway Sarasota residents had fought over for decades. Helene reopened Midnight Pass, connecting the Gulf of Mexico and Little Sarasota Bay, and Milton further helped the water flow.

After seeing the waters roll in for the most prolonged period since the pass closed in 1983, Steube wants the Army Corps of Engineers to reconsider its past positions on the waterway. The federal agency closed the pass to protect two barrier island homes and has long hindered state and local efforts to reconnect the water bodies.

“Although Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused tremendous damage in my district and across the state of Florida, the storms naturally reopened Midnight Pass between Little Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, which provided an opportunity for my constituents to experience some of the benefits of a reopened pass,” Steube wrote in a letter to Army Corps Lieutenant General William Graham Jr. “I am hopeful that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will complete a permanent restoration of Midnight Pass.”

Steube’s Office said the closing wiped out 70% of seagrass beds and negatively impacted the area’s fishing economy. The Sarasota Republican believes the extended opening of the pass will improve water circulation, reduce pollution, and restore oyster and shrimp populations.

Notably, local environmental groups have fought previous efforts to reopen the pass, noting that a different estuary environment has long set in within the bay that should not be disrupted. But longtime critics also said that if the pass naturally stays open, that’s the environment running its course.

I am Me

A check for $500,000 enjoyed the spotlight at the Adrienne Arsht Center last weekend. Rep. Frederica Wilson delivered a federal grant to support “I am Me,” an arts-based youth initiative in Miami-Dade County.

That initiative will bring up to 25,000 Miami-Dade students to participate in a theater workshop to address mental health challenges.

“Initiatives like ‘I Am Me’ are impactful resources that leverage the arts to foster mental health and resilience, and we need to see more of this,” said Wilson, a Miami-Dade Democrat.

“It’s a strength to seek help, not a weakness, and supporting these programs provides our children with the necessary resources to thrive. I would like to express my gratitude to the Adrienne Arsht Center for leading this initiative and striving to build a healthier, more hopeful future for all young people.”

Following the check ceremony, “The Busy Bees’ Great Adventure,” a family show about environmental citizenship, was presented. Arts leaders thanked Wilson for helping deliver the federal funding.

“The Arsht is grateful that Congresswoman Wilson shares our belief that the arts can be a powerful tool for understanding ourselves and each other,” said Johann Zietsman, President and CEO of the Adrienne Arsht Center. “I am Me is an important mental wellness initiative that can help spark important conversations among teens about mental health, and we are grateful to have the financial support to allow the Arsht to offer this experience to every Miami-Dade high school each season.”

Honoring heroes

Rep. Marío Díaz-Balart held a ceremony honoring first responders in Ave Maria who helped save the life of Cuban American leader and anti-communist activist Manuel Milanés Pizonero.

The event at the Immokalee Fire Control District included remarks by Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk, Immokalee Fire Control District Chief Michael Choate and Collier County Emergency Medical Services Division Chief Tony Camps.

Díaz-Balart specifically recognized those who saved Pizonero after he confronted a shooter outside his home. The shooter was initially threatening a mother with four children in a vehicle.

It’s a harrowing tale Díaz-Balart recently put in the Congressional Record. The shooter shot Pizonero in the shoulder.

“Manuel narrowly escaped the ordeal with his life, with his heart-stopping a total of three times mid-emergency surgery and requiring over 30 liters of transfusions,” Díaz-Balart said. “Though he faces a long road to recovery and subsequent surgeries, Manuel maintains that he would do it all over again if necessary. Since his successful discharge from the hospital, the community of Ave Maria has coalesced in a show of solidarity and pride around him, offering their prayers and support.”

The Congressman honored the paramedics who saved the activist’s life and members of law enforcement who arrested the suspected assailant, Hilberto Callejas.

Senior housing

In the 305, Salazar presented a $3.5 million check to the City of Miami for affordable housing needs.

“Today, I want to present this check for $3.5 million for our seniors in Miami,” the Coral Gables Republican said. “This funding will go toward the Flagler Affordable Senior Housing Project — giving safe, beautiful, and affordable living to seniors in our community. That is the way we treat those who paid and gave our community years of labor and contributions to the Social Security system.”

Funding was approved as part of the Fiscal Year 2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act and will specifically be used for units reserved for seniors.

On this day

Oct. 25, 1929 — “Cabinet member found guilty in Teapot Dome scandal” via History.com — Albert Fall, who served as Secretary of the Interior in President Warren Harding’s Cabinet, was found guilty of accepting a bribe while in office. Fall was the first individual to be convicted of a crime committed while a presidential Cabinet member. As a member of Harding’s corruption-ridden Cabinet in the early 1920s, Fall accepted a $100,000 interest-free “loan” from Edward Doheny of the Pan-American Petroleum and Transport Company, who wanted Fall to grant his firm a valuable oil lease in the Elk Hills naval oil reserve in California.

Oct. 25, 2004 — “Fidel Castro ends use of dollar in Cuba” via Yale Daily News — Cuban dictator Castro announced that U.S. currency would no longer be accepted in stores in Cuba. Cubans were given until Nov. 15 to exchange all their dollars for convertible pesos. After the Nov. 15 deadline, Cubans could still exchange their dollars for convertible pesos, but they had to pay a 10% surcharge. This regulation provided Cubans with the incentive to change their currency immediately and gave the government a much-needed windfall of foreign exchange. The Miami Herald cited analysts who estimated that Cuban citizens would change several hundred million dollars for convertible pesos.

Happy birthday

Best wishes to Rep. Donalds, who turns 46 on Monday, Oct. 28.

___

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