Press Releases

President Obama's executive actions are a critical step to reducing this national epidemic. They are well within his legal authority and will help keep guns out of dangerous hands. They are so critical because of Republican in-action on closing loopholes and their failure to rise above the NRA's fearmongering. Read more »

We condemn Iran's blatant violation of international law, and urge the Administration to act immediately with punitive measures. Iran's destabilizing behavior in the region and continued support for terrorism represent an unacceptable threat to our closest allies as well as our own national security. As the international community prepares for implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran must understand that violating international laws, treaties, and agreements will have serious consequences. We call on the Administration to immediately announce new, U.S. sanctions against individuals and entities involved in Iran's ballistic missile program to ensure Iran is held accountable for its actions Read more »

I was saddened to learn of the passing of Chairman Mike Oxley, who I had the honor and privilege of working with when he served as Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. Read more »

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 »