Dear Neighbor, 

Last week, I joined Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Mike Rogers and a bipartisan group of my colleagues on a Congressional Delegation (CODEL) to Romania, Greece and Poland to conduct oversight of the U.S. aid that has been sent to Ukraine.   American taxpayers deserve to know how their hard earned money is being spent overseas.

During the visit, we learned about various safeguards the U.S. government, in partnership with the Ukrainians and other nations, have put in place to ensure each article is accounted for and tracked to the frontline of the war.   We traveled to the International Donation Collection Center in Poland to get a firsthand look at the accounting and tracking practices which provide counts of shipments into Ukraine. While there, we also met with General Agudo and the Department of Defense’s Security Assistance Group Ukraine, who provided us with a comprehensive briefing which detailed how the U.S. tracks our donations directly to the frontline.  I have vociferously objected to, and voted against, continued funding for Ukraine.  I absolutely believe that American taxpayers deserve transparency and accountability. Our group relayed the concerns of our constituents to leaders on the ground and demanded to know if any defense articles have been siphoned off, diverted, or gone missing.  Congress’s job of oversight requires my colleagues and I to continue to monitor the chain of custody of any U.S. equipment flowing into Ukraine.

When I returned from the CODEL, I participated in an Energy & Commerce Field Hearing at the border in Texas.  Continue reading to learn more about this hearing and other efforts on your behalf last week!

Learning from You

This week I will be holding a tele-townhall to speak directly to my constituents about the work I’m doing in Washington and to hear input about the issues that matter most to their families.  If you would like to participate, please call 1-833-946-1563 at noon on Wednesday, February 22, 2023.

Fighting for Veterans

I recently cosponsored HR 705, the Veterans’ 2nd Amendment Protection Act which would prohibit the VA from sending information to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) on Veterans who are assisted by a fiduciary without a judicial ruling that they are a danger to themselves or others.  This bill would ensure that Veterans are afforded the same due process that every other American receives before any action is taken that would deprive them of one of their Constitutional rights.

Additionally, I’m hosting a Veterans Town Hall this Thursday, February 23, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. with the Director of James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, David Dunning.  Local Veterans and their families are invited to attend.  I look forward to learning from you about unmet needs within the community. 

Addressing Local Needs

This article outlines the rising costs of planned septic to sewer projects in Inverness.  As I have met with local leaders and constituents throughout Hernando and Citrus counties, the issue of septic to sewer conversion keeps emerging as a desperate need.  My team is working to identify resources that will help defray these costly yet vital transitions. 

Protecting Your Privacy

As Chairman of the Subcommittee tasked with leading the charge to protect American consumers, my colleagues and I are taking steps to increase transparency and protect your privacy.  Americans deserve to know what is happening to their sensitive data when it is being accessed by third parties, especially the Chinese government!  Click here to learn more about our efforts.   Our subcommittee also has jurisdiction over the steps that need to be taken to regain America’s competitive edge to beat an increasingly antagonistic China.  Click here to read about our most recent action.  Through our investigation into the practices of the Big Tech industry, it is quite apparent that Communist China is using TikTok as one more tool to spy on Americans.  While the Biden Administration is busy inviting TikTok influencers to the White House to promote a liberal agenda, I’m focused on putting safeguards in place to protect Americans’ privacy and our children.  

Raising Awareness

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody recently cracked down on a scam that has defrauded many Floridians.  The organization claimed to be raising money for homeless Veterans, cancer patients, victims of house fires and other charitable causes; however, it was actually keeping 90 cents of every dollar for profit. It is despicable that bad actors would exploit unsuspecting Floridians.  We must continue to actively target these scammers and ensure they are punished to fullest extent of the law. 

Feeling the Pain of Poor Economic Decisions

The Consumer Price Index (CPI), a key inflation index, came in “hotter” than economists had projected, increasing at a rate of 0.5 percent over last January and a year-over-year inflation rate of 6.4% before seasonal adjustment, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported last week. This report shows that inflation is not cooling like the Biden Administration would like Americans to believe.  When Joe Biden took office, inflation was just 1.4%.  Inflation is a tax on all Americans and makes everything cost more. 

According to information reported last week, the U.S. is on track to add $19 trillion in new debt over 10 years.  We can't continue to kick the can down the road and worsen our debt crisis. We must enact spending reforms that are desperately needed to restore the fiscal credibility of the United States at home and in the global market. 

Also, according to the new labor statistics, the labor force participation rate is 62.3 percent.  This is the lowest rate since Jimmy Carter’s presidency.  The workforce shortage caused by this low participation rate is making it very challenging for small businesses to stay afloat.  Given that small businesses employ approximately half of all Americans, this is a growing concern.  

Combatting Addiction

During last week’s Energy and Commerce Field hearing, we visited the border in Texas to highlight how the Biden Administration’s weak border policies are exacerbating our national fentanyl crisis.   I’ve spoken to our local law enforcement leaders and they all tell me that the problems we are seeing at home are made worse by the situation at the border.  This is a matter of national security and must be addressed!

Reminding You to Check Your Passport

This is a gentle reminder to check your passport and to be sure you leave yourself enough time for renewal before anticipated travel out of the country.   My office has just been advised that Passport Services’ processing times are rising due to increased demand. Beginning February 6, constituents can expect 8-11 weeks for routine processing and 5-7 weeks for expedited processing. These processing times do not include mail delivery service estimates.   As always, if you  run into an emergency situation in renewing your passport, please contact my office.

Supporting Small Business

Small Business is the backbone of our economy. Each Saturday, I highlight newly opened or expanded businesses in our community that my team or I have visited. Congratulations to these hard-working entrepreneurs and best wishes for their continued success as they realize their American Dream! 

Congratulations to Billy and Stacey Owen, the owners of BDC, a make-your-own soy, scented candle shop located in Land O’Lakes. 

 

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 was honored to attend the Military Order of the Purple Heart - Aaron A. Weaver Chapter 776’s 17th annual Purple Heart Ceremony last weekend. It is important to recognize the contributions of our nation’s heroes. We all owe them a debt of gratitude that can never fully be repaid!

My team was also proud to participate in the 4 Chaplains Interfaith Memorial Service at Harvester Community Church in Land O’ Lakes.  This special event commemorated the 80th anniversary of the Supreme Sacrifice made by four, heroic chaplains serving on the Dorchester.  According to survivors, these four chaplains who were from different faiths, brought hope to the hopeless and comfort to those were suffering as they assisted sailors seeking refuge as the ship sank. In 1944, the Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart were awarded posthumously to the Chaplains and in 1961, President Eisenhower awarded them with a special Medal for Heroism.

Additionally, my team enjoyed visiting Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River last week for the release of five manatees back into the wild.  Two of these manatees were rescued and rehabilitated by Sea World, two by Disney World, and one by Tampa Zoo.  Many from the community came out to wish the manatees well as they venture out into the Bay!

Constituent Corner

My office recently received this email from a constituent.

My wife and I want to thank you and your staff for helping us through the red tape with Social Security. The issue has been resolved and we are now getting the proper deductions and disbursements from Social Security.  Please pass on to Gus how refreshing it is to have a person in government who put together a staff responsive to the needs of the constituents. You were and are a significant part of that.

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. We are here to serve you!  

Sincerely,

Gus Bilirakis
Member of Congress