Raising Concerns on Drilling the 

Gulf of America

On Thursday, Congressman Jimmy Patronis led an effort with members of Florida's Congressional Delegation to send a letter to President Trump regarding a proposed drilling plan in the Eastern Gulf of America that risks U.S. national security. The proposed Big Beautiful Gulf Lease Sale (BBGLS) would open the region near the Eastern Gulf Test and Training Range (EGTTR) to oil exploration activities, which would hinder EGTTR operations and military's ability to test new munitions and advanced weapons technology, key capabilities for maintaining American's military dominance in a rapidly changing battlefield. Moreover, this proposal would harm the economic impact of the military community in Northwest Florida, which contributes over $21.8 billion to gross domestic product and nearly 200,000 jobs in the region, and would also hurt tourism along the Gulf Coast. Click HERE to read the letter.

Protecting Hurlburt Field 492 Special Operations Wing from Relocation

On Wednesday, Congressman Patronis sent a joint letter alongside Florida Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody to Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of the Air Force Trey Meink, requesting clarity on the Air Force’s basing action to move active-duty servicemembers and equipment from Hurlburt Field to Davis Monthan AFB in Arizona. The letter questions the Biden-era decision and how it would serve the military's mission. Given the Trump Administration's increasing focus on Venezuela, relocating Special Operations Forces (SOF) assets farther from the region threatens U.S. national security. The letter also raises concerns about fiscal responsibility, and how the Air Force can justice this action without providing the total cost of relocating assets and constructing new infrastructure. Click HERE to read the letter.

I also talked to WEAR. Click HERE to see my interview.