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Dear Neighbor,
As your representative in Congress, one of my most important responsibilities is staying connected with the people I serve. I returned to Washington last week armed with the input of thousands of constituents I had the chance to hear from during the August District Work Period. Whether it’s improving healthcare, fighting for our Veterans, or advocating for children battling cancer, I remain committed to delivering real results for Florida’s 12th Congressional District. Continue reading to learn more about my efforts on your behalf last week.
Learning from You: Over the past month, it’s been a true privilege to connect with so many residents across Florida’s 12th Congressional District. I’ve had the opportunity to highlight how the One Big Beautiful Bill is delivering meaningful results for Florida families. These conversations also gave me the chance to address your questions and correct misleading claims being spread by those pushing a harmful agenda. Click here to learn more about my efforts. In addition to the public forums I hosted, I had the chance to sit down with Bay News 9 to talk about my priorities and the work I am doing on your behalf. Click here to listen to the interview.
Strengthening Our National Security and Protecting Americans' Privacy: Last month, my colleague and I urged the Department of Commerce to investigate Spain’s troubling decision to partner with Huawei—a company with deep ties to the Chinese Communist Party—to store sensitive judicial wiretap data. This posed serious national security risks not just for Spain, but for the U.S. and our allies, with the potential for American data to be indirectly compromised. I’m relieved to see Spain has now made the right call by canceling this contract. Protecting our communications infrastructure and sensitive information must remain a top priority.
Passing Fiscally Responsible Measures: Last week, I voted in favor of the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026, which passed the House. It maintains America’s leadership in energy and innovation, supports domestic energy production, improves our energy security, cuts wasteful spending, and counters threats to our national security. Hopefully, the Senate will take action on this important measure.
Demanding Transparency: Last week, I voted to support the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Unlike other proposed measures, this ongoing investigation is already producing results. It does not require Senate approval, protects victims, and maintains transparency without compromising the integrity of the process. This is a serious, legal and methodical effort to uncover the full truth in a way that respects both the rule of law and the alternative approaches risk the reckless release of sensitive material—including child sexual abuse content, the names of victims who have explicitly requested privacy, as well as the identities of whistleblowers and undercover law enforcement personnel.
So far, the Oversight Committee has:
- Subpoenaed 10 key figures, including Bill and Hillary Clinton, James Comey, and former Attorneys General
- Secured sworn statements from Gonzales, Holder, and Sessions.
Interviewed Bill Barr
- Received 34,000+ pages of documents from the DOJ, with more on the way.
- Subpoenaed the Epstein estate and Ghislaine Maxwell.
- Scheduled Alexander Acosta for a transcribed interview on September 19.
- Engaged directly with Epstein survivors.
Turning Awareness Into Action: September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month — a time to honor the brave children fighting cancer, remember those we’ve lost, and stand with the families and medical professionals who support them. But awareness alone isn’t enough. Shockingly, only 4% of federal cancer research funding goes toward childhood cancers. That must change. As Co-Chair of the Congressional Rare Disease Caucus, I’m advocating for the reauthorization of the Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher — a proven program that has helped accelerate the development of treatments for pediatric cancers. I urge my colleagues to join me in this fight. Together, let’s turn awareness into action.
Fighting for our Heroes: Our Veterans have sacrificed so much for our nation — and we must ensure they receive the care and benefits they’ve earned. The Major Richard Star Act will correct a longstanding injustice by ensuring more than 50,000 combat-injured veterans receive concurrent receipt of VA and DoD benefits. Hear how this bill would help one local veteran’s family. I intend to offer the bill as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act next week, and I hope my colleagues will join me in rectifying this injustice.
Additionally, we must do more to protect our service members from the long-term health impacts of toxic exposure. Exposure to toxic emissions from burn pits has had tragic consequences for too many members of our military community. That’s why I recently introduced the WIPE Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at phasing out the use of dangerous burn pits and transitioning to safer, more sustainable waste management practices. We owe it to our heroes — and to future generations — to act with urgency and compassion.
Improving Healthcare Outcomes for Patients: At last week’s Health Subcommittee hearing, we explored how Artificial Intelligence is transforming healthcare — from early disease detection to personalized treatment plans. The potential is truly inspiring, and I remain committed to advancing innovative solutions that improve patient outcomes. Click here to listen to my exchange with the panelists.
I also had the pleasure of meeting with BayCare CEO Stephanie Conners to discuss the incredible work her team is doing to expand access to high-quality healthcare across our region. Their dedication to improving community health makes a meaningful difference in the lives of countless families.
Leveling the Playing Field: My SCORE Act represents a major step forward in ensuring student-athletes are treated fairly, protected, and fully supported—both on and off the field. By establishing clear rights related to Name, Image, and Likeness(NIL), health benefits, and academic support, this legislation brings long-overdue structure, accountability, and transparency to college athletics. It strikes a smart, balanced approach—protecting non-revenue, Olympic, and women’s sports; preserving educational priorities; and reinforcing accountability/transparency —all while creating a consistent national standard that eliminates the patchwork of conflicting state laws. To learn more about this issue, watch me discussing the legislation during this brief interview.
Investing in Our Future: The One Big Beautiful Bill makes generational investments in America! It will result in nearly $10,000 more in take home pay for the average American families and enacts policies expected to raise real GDP by 4.9% over four years leading to 1.2% annual growth projections. We are getting our country back on track and restoring fiscal sanity.
Community Connection
I am fortunate to have a team of dedicated staff who regularly attend events throughout our community, especially when I am required to be in Washington, DC. Through their collective efforts, I am better able to stay connected to the issues that matter most to my constituents. As part of my commitment to developing a better understanding of the issues facing constituents in Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties, members of my team attended several events last week. Here are a few highlights.
My team had the privilege of joining Premier Health for their annual breakfast, celebrating the power of community engagement. As a federally qualified community health center, Premier plays a vital role in providing accessible primary care, mental health, and dental services to those who need it most in Pasco and Hernando counties. We're proud to support and stand alongside an organization that continues to make such a meaningful impact in our community.
My team also attended the ribbon cutting for Citrus County’s new Catholic Charities Community Service Center. This incredible non-profit has a longstanding track record of providing vital care and support to communities throughout Florida. It’s heartening to see their presence grow in our area, and I’m grateful for the expanded impact they’ll bring.
Additionally, my team was honored to be present for the unveiling of an exciting partnership between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Bay Area Legal Services. This initiative is focused on helping Veterans navigate the legal aspects of benefit claims and other civil matters—an important step toward ensuring they receive the support they’ve earned.
Veterans seeking legal assistance through this program can contact Bay Area Legal Services at (866) 486-6161.
Constituent Corner
My team recently received this message from a constituent after providing a tour of the U.S. Capitol.
This is just one example of the work we do each day. Constituent services are a critical element of our congressional office. The federal government is a massive operation, and my office is available if you ever need assistance in navigating the bureaucracy or cutting through red tape. Also, if you are planning a trip to Washington, DC please let us know 90 days in advance so we can help make the most of your visit. We are here to serve you! |
