Delegation for 6.6.25: No entry — stormy — school choice — clawbacks — healthy habits

Entry denied

A travel ban on majority-Muslim countries marked an early policy controversy in President Donald Trump’s first term. Now, he has turned a similar strategy toward other immigrants, including those from Cuba, Haiti and Venezuela.

On Wednesday, the President announced a new ban on visitors from 12 nations: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. He also announced travel restrictions on those from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

He spotlighted Haiti, one of the nations facing the most onerous restrictions, in a video message. “Haiti lacks a central authority with sufficient availability and dissemination of law enforcement information necessary to ensure its nationals do not undermine the national security of the United States,” Trump said.

The move came shortly after courts affirmed the administration’s right to revoke temporary protected status for many migrants in the nation legally and 49% of Haitian immigrants in the U.S. live in Florida. That angered members of the Florida congressional delegation who represent immigrant communities.

“This renewed travel ban is baseless and harmful. There is no data or evidence to justify that Haitians are a threat to national security. It does not make us safer — it only spreads fear, isolates communities, and contradicts the principles our nation was built on,” said Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Miramar Democrat and the only Haitian American in Congress.

“They are hardworking, resilient, and deeply committed to the American dream. Like so many immigrant communities, they contribute to the strength, economy, and vibrancy of South Florida and this country. This ban will hurt everyone. Families will be torn apart. American businesses will suffer. Our economy in South Florida will feel the impact.”

Similarly, Rep. Maxwell Frost, an Orlando Democrat whose mother immigrated to the U.S. from Cuba, slammed the policy.

“Trump’s travel ban is cruel, inhumane and rooted in bigotry. It does nothing to make our communities safer, but it does vilify immigrants. It will devastate our immigrant families across this country — especially the thousands of Cuban, Venezuelan, and Haitian families who call Florida home,” he said.

“Trump and MAGA Republicans have no actual plan for immigration; they simply want to use cruelty as a political weapon to instill fear and distract the American people from their reckless agenda to hand over tax cuts to billionaires and rip away health care and food assistance from working families.”

For South Florida Republicans, the issue poses a challenge. They represent some of the most significant concentrations of immigrants in the nation. As recently as January 2017, when Democratic President Barack Obama ended the “wet foot, dry foot” policy, Cubans who touched land in Florida enjoyed instant protections, but now face greater travel restrictions for even legal visitation. Rep. Carlos Giménez, a Miami-Dade Republican, said the blame for the latest change lies not with Trump but with the communist government in Cuba.

“These regimes not only despise the United States, but they have actively worked to undermine our national security through espionage, cyberattacks and other threats,” he told POLITICO. He is among the South Florida Republicans who have lobbied the administration about providing a different level of case-by-case protection to refugees fleeing Cuba.

Other delegation members supported the new travel ban. Rep. Greg Steube, a Sarasota Republican, praised the policy in national security terms.

“As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, I can tell you this: President Trump’s travel ban is a smart, targeted step to keep America safe,” he posted on social media. “Too many people overstay their visas, and our enemies have learned how to exploit the system. This is about national security, not politics.”

Storm prep

Sen. Rick Scott wants to better incentivize preparing for hurricanes.

The Naples Republican introduced the Residential Emergency Asset Accumulation Deferred Taxation Yield (READY) Account Act, which would allow individuals to establish tax-free savings accounts dedicated to home mitigation and disaster recovery expenses.

“In Florida, we understand that being ready and prepared for hurricane season is critical, not just to protect lives, but also to minimize damage to homes. The READY Act will take an important step to equip families with all the tools they need to prepare and safeguard their homes in advance, so they can focus on themselves and their families when weather approaches,” he said.

“This bill would provide homeowners with a triple tax benefit when saving for disaster preparedness and recovery, which is a huge help to families in the face of natural disasters and gives families an incentive to invest in proactive measures that can lower insurance costs and protect their property.”

The bill would allow accounts to function similarly to the Health Savings Act, but with the hardening of roofs, windows and doors in mind.

Rep. Laurel Lee, a Thonotosassa Republican, will introduce the companion measure in the House.

“In the midst of devastating California wildfires and after catastrophic hurricanes in Florida, the American people have seen the terrible destruction caused by severe weather events and how critical it is to prepare before disaster strikes. I am proud to introduce the READY Account Act to help American families invest in resilience and to mitigate the costs of disaster recovery projects,” Lee said.

“I always encourage my constituents to prepare before a disaster strikes, and a READY account will make it easier for families to strengthen their homes against damage from a storm or natural disaster.”

School choice

A century after the Supreme Court affirmed the right of parents to send kids to private schools, Sen. Ashley Moody and Rep. Kat Cammack participated in a demonstration on the courthouse’s storied steps to call for further expansion of school choice.

“100 years ago, the Supreme Court made an important ruling in affirming parental rights in their children’s education,” said Moody, a Plant City Republican.

“As a mother, I know just how important it is for parents to decide how their children are educated. Parents must be able to decide the education that meets the needs and moral standards of their families, and that is why I am pushing to pass our Educational Choice for Children Act.”

That legislation (S 292) was introduced in January by Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican. Moody signed on as a co-sponsor in April. It would allow the establishment of up to $2 million worth of privately funded scholarships tax-free, with vouchers available to students for tuition, tutoring to address learning loss, special needs services or education technology.

The event at the Supreme Court included Education Commissioner Linda McMahon. It also featured Moms for Liberty leaders, including co-founder Tina Descovich, a former Brevard County School Board member.

“Today, I stood alongside some incredible mothers in defense of a parent’s fundamental right to love, protect, and lead their child through life,” Cammack posted on Facebook. “That right is sacred, and I applaud the members of Moms for Liberty for their unwavering commitment to safeguarding the God-given right of being a parent.”

Killing clawbacks

Local governments sometimes wait years for federal reimbursements after hurricanes. Rep. Neal Dunn doesn’t want the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to try to get dollars back.

The Panama City Republican filed the Streamlined FEMA Cost Exemption Act, which would prohibit FEMA from attempting to claw back funding for disaster recovery projects.

“Communities impacted by natural disasters like tropical storms and hurricanes should not be concerned that government bureaucrats will attempt to recoup federal aid for recovery efforts years after the money has been spent rebuilding the community,” Dunn said.

“Florida cities and counties are responsible stewards of federal funding when disaster strikes, and we cannot allow bureaucratic uncertainty to impact the recovery process. I’m proud to introduce legislation that will relieve this financial burden on our communities to allow them to focus on rebuilding.”

The legislation follows attempts by FEMA to bring back $100 million in funding sent to communities impacted by Hurricane Michael in 2018. Dunn said the projects that received funding were all vetted by FEMA before receiving dollars.

His bill would stop recoupment of public assistance more than two years after the award; the statute of limitations currently runs three years. As written, the legislation would still allow FEMA to pursue overruns exceeding 5% of the total project cost but would also require the agency to define an acceptable error ratio for allocations during eligibility negotiations.

Why pick sides?

An online feud between Trump and once-close adviser Elon Musk provided liberals with entertainment when it erupted Thursday. But Rep. Anna Paulina Luna took to X to lament the argument as a threat to world peace.

Days after the end of Musk’s contract as a special government employee, the SpaceX CEO started by attacking spending levels in the Trump-backed “Big Beautiful Bill” package and suggesting Trump and House Republicans would not have won in 2024 without his help. Trump responded by saying Musk was “wearing thin” and then threatening government contracts and subsidies that benefit the billionaire.

Luna, meanwhile, posted on X five times the same evening about her hopes that Trump and Musk would make up, and reposted four other posts expressing similar sentiments.

“I will continue to pray for both men, hoping cooler heads prevail. The real battle is not among ourselves but against those who seek to undermine the West, our way of life, and push us toward another war,” she said in the lengthiest post, where she called both men “exceptionally intelligent leaders.”

The feud appeared to reach a climax when Musk alleged that Trump is “in the Epstein files.”

“That is the real reason they have not been made public,” Musk wrote.

That references investigation documents related to the late billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who died from suicide in federal custody in 2019 while facing child sex trafficking charges. He faced allegations for years of flying influential executives and politicians to a private island for sexual favors.

Luna, in her capacity as Chair of the Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets, has criticized Attorney General Pam Bondi for the slowness in releasing all records related to that investigation. But Musk’s allegation prompted no fresh calls for information.

Jobs Corps cuts

A decision by the Department of Labor to close Job Corps centers nationwide has members of the delegation worried about the impact on local offices. Rep. Kathy Castor called on the agency to reverse the decision to shutter the Pinellas County Job Corps Center, which provides job training, education and housing for at-risk youth from across the state.

“This harsh and arbitrary decision casts students into an uncertain future, disrupts job training, and creates housing insecurity for hundreds of young people across Florida,” the Tampa Democrat said.

“This move will upend more than 60 years of progress and take away a vital resource that helps young people succeed. I urge the Department to reverse this order and work with our community to ensure these students are not left behind.”

Castor’s Office said the decision by the Labor Department appears to be based on a report that relied on “narrow and incomplete” data about Job Corps effectiveness, including ignoring impacts of pandemic-related challenges in recent years. She wants a review and update of data, and for centers to remain open in the meantime.

Staying in shape

From his seat as Chair of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, Rep. Vern Buchanan has lamented the health habits of all Americans. But he said weight issues among America’s enlisted military go further and pose a security risk.

The Longboat Key Republican just introduced the Fostering Operational Readiness through Continuous Evaluation of Fitness with Integrated Technology (FORCE-FIT) Act. The bill would launch a Defense Department pilot program aimed at reducing diabetes and obesity among deployable service members. As written, the legislation would provide access to Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems to track metabolic health data of those at risk of the condition.

“Our military is facing a national security challenge from within: too many young Americans are medically unfit to serve due to obesity and chronic disease,” Buchanan said.

“My FORCE-FIT Act invests in cutting-edge preventive tools to help improve health, increase deployability and support our nation’s service members. By addressing metabolic health early, we can reduce long-term health care costs, strengthen our forces and ensure military readiness for the future.”

Buchanan’s bill wants the program to run for five years and be available to anyone already diagnosed as prediabetic or overweight, or those already diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes or gestational diabetes. He wants the program to be mandatory for those classified as Partially Medically Ready by the Defense Department’s tracking.

The bill has the support of the American Diabetes Association.

“Technological advances, such as continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), enable people with diabetes to manage their condition more safely and effectively, to maintain their health. It also holds potential benefits for those at risk of developing diabetes,” said Dr. Nuha Ali ElSayed, senior vice president of the American Diabetes Association.

“Being in good health is particularly critical for people in the U.S. military, who work tirelessly to be fit to serve our nation. We applaud this measure, which will make CGM technology available to the military and support the national security and health access objectives of our country.”

Terrorist debt

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program can forgive student loans for many who end up working in the government or nonprofit sector. But Steube doesn’t want that available to anyone working for a group providing material support to terrorism around the world.

The Sarasota Republican just filed the No Loan Forgiveness for Terrorists Act, which would disqualify anyone who spends time working with a nonprofit determined to have engaged in illegal activities. The FBI in the past has flagged nonprofits promising to deliver humanitarian aid but then supporting Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood or even organizers of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

“If someone accepts a job with an organization that is actively undermining U.S. national security and federal law, they shouldn’t expect a thank-you note and taxpayer-funded prize for their work,” Steube said.

“President Trump’s executive order to protect the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is the right policy to prevent the subsidization of illegal activity. That is why Sen. (Jim) Banks and I have set forward this bill to codify President Trump’s order and ensure nefarious nonprofits and their employees are not rewarded with student loan forgiveness that should be reserved for law enforcement and deserving public servants.”

Tariff protections

While the courts debate Trump’s ability to impose tariffs, Rep. Jared Moskowitz wants Congress to identify specifically some allies as off-limits for the trade disincentives.

The Parkland Democrat introduced the Supporting American Allies Act this week, which would prohibit tariffs on goods from Israel or Ukraine. The legislation explicitly restricts the impact of a Trump-issued executive order imposing “reciprocal tariffs” on allied countries. Those include a 17% tariff on imports from Israel and a 10% tariff on Ukrainian goods. By comparison, the U.S. imposes a 10% tariff on shipments from Iran, while no tariff exists on Russia, the country invading Ukraine.

“At a time when American families are rightfully demanding action to lower costs, the Trump Administration instituted the largest tax increase since 1968. That’s what their tariffs are — a tax on American families that makes goods inaccessible, threatens retirement accounts, and takes a sledgehammer to U.S. economic growth,” Moskowitz said.

“In the process, they’re alienating some of our closest allies around the world, including those that are currently facing aggression from hostile nations. I support efforts to increase domestic manufacturing, but those efforts shouldn’t come at the expense of our global standing, our national security, and the strength of our economy. Congress has to stand up to the destruction these tariffs are threatening against American families and our allies, Israel and Ukraine, and I’m leading the charge to do it.”

Cherfilus-McCormick is one of the co-sponsors.

Moskowitz said he will support other bills curbing Trump’s power to impose tariffs, including a repeal of the 1930 law giving the executive branch authority to set levies as high as 50%.

13 folds

On Memorial Day, Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart relaunched an effort to honor those killed in the Abbey Gate airport attack in Afghanistan in 2021.

The 13 Folds of Honor Act would provide a script to be read at the burials of service members.

“The traditional 13 folds symbolize our nation’s unity and deep respect for those who served. This legislation enhances the ceremonial flag-folding presentation that honors the service and sacrifice of veterans and deceased service members. The new script acknowledges not only the significance of the ceremony but also pays tribute to the 13 service members who gave their lives during the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan,” the Hialeah Republican said.

“While no words can ease the pain of the families who lost their loved ones, the 13 Folds of Honor script symbolizes our profound gratitude and unwavering respect for their service.

He filed the bipartisan bill with Rep. Jimmy Panetta, a California Democrat. Introducing co-sponsors from the delegation include Republican Reps. Giménez, John Rutherford and Steube.

Díaz-Balart said a constituent in Collier County suggested the way to memorialize those who died during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan when the attack in Kabul occurred.

“My deepest appreciation goes to Former Commander Dr. J.B. Holmes of the Golden Gate VFW Post 7721 for his tireless commitment to our veterans and for championing this meaningful tribute, as well as to the Korean War Veterans Association and the Del Webb Veterans Club of Naples for their endorsements,” Díaz-Balart said.

Stopping the hate

Members of Florida’s congressional delegation will work across the aisle to fight a scourge on both parties: antisemitism.

Reps. María Elvira Salazar, a Coral Gables Republican, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Weston Democrat, this week introduced the Commission to Study Acts of Antisemitism in the United States Act, which would create a national commission to investigate the rise in anti-Jewish hate.

The legislation was filed following a shooting at the Capital Jewish Museum that left two Israeli Embassy employees dead and a firebombing in Colorado targeting a demonstration calling for the release of Hamas hostages. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, an Iowa Republican, was also an introducing sponsor.

“Since the brutal Hamas terrorist attack on innocent Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, 2023, antisemitic incidents have skyrocketed, resulting in an overall increase of 900% over the past 10 years, including recent violent, hate-fueled attacks that have shocked communities across the country,” Salazar said. “The U.S. must identify and report these acts of hate against the Jewish community to put an end to them immediately.”

Wasserman Schultz, who is Jewish, suggested that social media empowered the spread of hate.

“Antisemitism was already surging before Oct. 7, but since then, it has exploded — especially in the digital realm,” she said. “As we’ve unfortunately witnessed, hatred that starts online does not stay online. This bipartisan, bicameral commission, backed by leading voices in the Jewish community, will help shape smart, actionable policies to confront this alarming trend head-on.”

On this day

June 6, 1932 — “First U.S. gas tax signed” via The Economic and Business History Society — The Revenue Act of 1932, the largest peacetime tax increase to that date, was signed by President Herbert Hoover. Most economists have been critical of the act: Keynesian theory, after all, focuses on the contractionary effects of tax increases. Gary Walton and Hugh Rockoff likened the act to “taking a steam bath to reduce a fever,” and J. Bradford DeLong characterized Hoover’s obsession with a balanced budget as “wrongheaded.” But the legislation generated a positive reaction that offset the effects described. The tax increase temporarily allayed investors’ uncertainty that the country could remain on the gold exchange standard if federal deficits continued.

June 6, 1968 — “Robert F. Kennedy dies in Los Angeles” via United Press International — Sen. Kennedy died of an assassin’s bullet in a tragedy reminiscent of the murder of his brother. The boyish-faced Senator died at 1:44 a.m. Kennedy, who was 42, will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, probably beside the late President John F. Kennedy, who was shot by a sniper in 1963. The grassy hillside Kennedy plot overlooks the nation’s capital, including the marble memorial to Abraham Lincoln, also an assassin’s victim a century ago. Following a five-hour postmortem, the body was taken by hearse to the airport.

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