The Florida Gators and coach Jim McElwain gave Gator Nation a lot to be proud of this season, including an SEC East title, 10 regular season wins and an appearance in the SEC Championship Game! I'm confident the Gators will send the Wolverines home from Florida with their tails between their legs and I look forward to enjoying some delicious, if not necessarily clean cooked, Zingerman's Deli food, courtesy of Congresswoman Dingel. Read more »
In 23 years as a legislator I've never seen a perfect bill, but progress sometimes requires compromise. In an era of divided government, we cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Despite deep reservations about certain provisions of the Omnibus bill, I ultimately voted to support it because of funding for key Democratic priorities such as permanent health care treatment for 9/11 first responders and survivors and clean energy investments, while preserving the Affordable Care Act and maintaining support for Planned Parenthood. Read more »
Yesterday, I joined my Democratic and Republican colleagues in overwhelmingly supporting a bill that will further curtail financing channels for the terrorist organization Hezbollah. These murderous actors are responsible for killing Americans, our allies and innocent civilians. They continue to play a destabilizing role throughout the region, including ongoing rocket attacks against our most important ally in the region, Israel. As we well know, Hezbollah's main backers are the leaders of Iran, one of the worst state sponsors of terror in the world. We must continue to actively combat Iranian-backed terrorism, and I was proud to vote for this bill. Read more »
The arc of his life – from serving our nation in uniform, to taking the Florida Bar Exam in a then-segregated Miami hotel and eventually becoming Florida's first black Chief Justice – mirrored our nation's ongoing march for equality. He was also the chief author of a 1989 ruling that protected the privacy of minors when seeking an abortion. Justice Shaw was a pioneer in every sense of the word, and it is fitting he will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery with so many of our nation's heroes. Read more »
Going forward, both the opposition parties and the Maduro government must work together to fully implement the rule of law, enforce democratic principles and respect democratic institutions. A strong first step would be releasing political prisoners including Leopoldo Lopez and Daniel Ceballos. All Venezuelans deserve to live in a free and just society. Read more »
En el futuro, tanto los partidos de oposiciÑn como el gobierno de Maduro deberán trabajar juntos para verdaderamente implementar el estado de derecho, hacer cumplir los principios democráticos y respetar las instituciones democráticas. El primer paso deberÕa de ser la liberaciÑn de los presos polÕticos, entre ellos Leopoldo LÑpez y Daniel Ceballos. Todo venezolano merece vivir en una sociedad libre y justa. Read more »
I extend my congratulations to Ed Cassidy and his family on his well-deserved retirement from service to the House of Representatives. Ed has served this institution with integrity for several decades, and he has played an important role in working with Members on both sides of the aisle. Read more »
Around the world, families and friends will come together tonight to light the first candle of Chanukah. We will retell the story of the struggle of a small band of committed Jews fighting to keep their own faith and tradition in the face of a repressive army. We celebrate the miracle that happened in Israel more than 2,000 years ago as we light more candles each night. We reflect on those who are still not free to express their beliefs around the world, while also celebrating the miracles all around us. However you are celebrating, my family and I wish you a holiday filled with joy and meaning! Read more »
Around the world, families and friends will come together tonight to light the first candle of Chanukah. We will retell the story of the struggle of a small band of committed Jews fighting to keep their own faith and tradition in the face of a repressive army. We celebrate the miracle that happened in Israel more than 2,000 years ago as we light more candles each night. We reflect on those who are still not free to express their beliefs around the world, while also celebrating the miracles all around us. However you are celebrating, my family and I wish you a holiday filled with joy and meaning! Read more »
In voting to support the Iran nuclear deal, we viewed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as our best option for stopping Iran from developing a nuclear bomb because it offers the best guarantee for intrusive oversight and access into Iran's nuclear program. Iran must fully comply with all the terms set out in the JCPOA and with the IAEA in its ongoing monitoring. Along with our colleagues, we will remain vigilant to make sure that we are taking all steps to ensure that Iran is not able to pursue nuclear weapons' capabilities,as well as supporting the snapback of sanctions if Iran is caught cheating. Read more »
