Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersDecember 28, 2017

Housing continues to be the toughest challenge and most likely the biggest long-term challenge as Central Florida absorbs tens of thousands of people displaced from Puerto Rico because of Hurricane Maria, surmised a new task force formed by U.S. Rep. Darren Soto. There still is no clear idea how many of the more than 260,000 […]

Scott PowersDecember 26, 2017

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and U.S. Rep. Darren Soto are planning to head to Puerto Rico Wednesday to check on recovery efforts and reports that up to 1,000 deaths might now be related to Hurricane Maria. Nelson and Soto, both Democrats from Orlando, plan to meet with Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló and other leaders […]

Jim RosicaDecember 26, 2017

Spoiler alert: If you’re a regular of this site, and reading this story, you can guess what the #1 pick is. Otherwise, 2017 still offered a bounty of material to Tallahassee’s reporting ranks. We still chuckle at the uninitiated who ask, “What do you write about when the Legislature isn’t in session?” Without further ado, […]

Scott PowersDecember 18, 2017

A bill shepherded through the House of Representatives last week by U.S. Rep. Darren Soto to rename a Kissimmee post office for the Puerto Rican “Borinqueneers” U.S. Army regiment now is getting pushed in the U.S. Senate by Florida’s U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson. The bill, House Resolution 4042, intends to rename the […]

Scott PowersDecember 7, 2017

Three South Florida congressional districts represented by Republicans would be among the hardest-hit in the country according to a new report assessing how many people would lose or drop health care coverage if the final tax reform bill in Congress includes the U.S. Senate’s provision to repeal the individual coverage mandate in Obamacare. A report […]

Scott PowersDecember 6, 2017

With the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program and other health programs expiring, U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy has introduced a reauthorization bill that is becoming the Democrats’ favored vehicle facing Republican alternative measures. On Tuesday Murphy introduced House Resolution 4541, which would reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) community health centers funding, and other critical public health […]

Scott PowersNovember 29, 2017

U.S. Rep. Darren Soto plans to help introduce a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would seek to provide comprehensive rebuilding money and resources for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands beyond what is needed to address just the devastation from Hurricanes Maria and Irma. Soto, an Orlando Democrat, announced he would be […]

Danny McAuliffeNovember 22, 2017

One of the state’s messages on the impact of Hurricane Irma was that its path could not have been “more lethal” for Florida agriculture — especially citrus. The damage is still unfolding, as shown by changing USDA citrus forecasts. It’s hard to grasp the full extent of what’s happened to Florida oranges. Ahead of Thanksgiving, […]

Scott PowersNovember 20, 2017

A national coalition of Puerto Rican groups with heavy representation in Central Florida urged in Orlando Monday for Congress to offer full relief funding for the hurricane-ravaged island and for Florida and federal relief for evacuee housing in the Sunshine State. Joined at Acacia’s El Centro Borinqueño by U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, and Orlando Democrat, […]

Scott PowersNovember 17, 2017

School districts and colleges in Florida and other states may be in line for some of $1.24 billion in federal support for taking in Puerto Rican children displaced by Hurricane Maria, U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy announced Friday. Murphy, a Democrat from Winter Park, has been leading the charge, which has included several other Florida Congress […]

Tag: Darren Soto
Family members appear behind a pile of debris outside their home in Steinhatchee, Fla., Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, after Hurricane Helene slammed Florida's Big Bend as a Category 4 storm Thursday night. (Ashleigh Lucas/WUFT News)

Puerto Rico evacuees to Florida need immediate, long-term housing, task force concludes

Bill Nelson, Darren Soto heading for Puerto Rico, Kissimmee

Jim Rosica’s review of top state government stories of 2017

Bill to rename Kissimmee post office for Borinqueneers gets Marco Rubio, Bill Nelson push

Report says loss of health care mandate would hit South, Central Florida hard

Stephanie Murphy CHIP reauthorization bill lining up as Democrats’ offering

Darren Soto, Bernie Sanders pushing Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands rebuild bill

Bouncing back from Irma: Florida citrus

Puerto Rican coalition calls for full recovery funding and debt relief

Stephanie Murphy leads effort to get $1.2B to help schools accept Puerto Rican migrants