Press Releases

I'm proud to be a partner for South Florida's small businesses, their owners and employees in Congress. From my support of President Obama's economic agenda including tax credits to help small businesses hire new employees; calling on Congressional Republicans to pass comprehensive immigration reform which would greatly benefit both our nation's families and economy; to increasing small businesses' access to the resources they need; I have been a proud vote and voice for our small businesses. Read more »

This May, our nation marks the tenth anniversary of Jewish American Heritage Month. JAHM is an opportunity for all Americans to promote awareness of the contributions American Jews have made, and continue to make, to our nation. In 2005, I proudly cosponsored the original resolution, together with 250 cosponsors, that created JAHM, and I was even prouder when it passed both Houses of Congress. In 2006, President Bush signed the first presidential proclamation declaring the first annual Jewish American Heritage Month. Read more »

I am deeply grateful that the FBI arrested this individual before he was allegedly able to do harm to the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center and its congregants, so many of whom are my constituents, who were observing the end of Passover. I will be in contact with federal and local authorities immediately and working with them to ensure our community's places of worship – no matter what faith – are safe for all those who worship in them. As the month of May begins and we recognize Jewish American Heritage Month, this attempted attack is a harsh reminder that there are many in our community who are motivated by bigotry and violence. As a community and a nation we must work together to confront this kind of hatred. Read more »

I'm saddened to learn that we have already suffered our first death from the Zika virus and my thoughts are with the victim's family. As I've said for months, this is an unfolding public health crisis in Florida and Puerto Rico and soon, other parts of the nation. We need House Republicans to stop dragging their feet on emergency supplemental funding for Zika and join President Obama and Congressional Democrats by taking immediate action to arrest this burgeoning health crisis. Read more »

As a Floridian, it is unconscionable to me that House Republicans have failed to act on the Zika virus. Florida has the most confirmed cases of Zika virus in the continental United States, and further south, Puerto Rico has more than 500 confirmed cases of Zika. This bill helps protect pregnant women, travelers and the general public as we get into mosquito and travel season, and it's time for House Republicans to stop making excuses and work with Democrats to short circuit this rapidly evolving crisis immediately. Read more »

People have the right to make their own health care decisions. The Florida's Supreme Court's decision to halt the demeaning state law to force women in our state to wait 24 hours before getting an abortion restores the rights of women to make important health care decisions and is an important step towards women's health care equality. The injunction puts a hold on Governor Rick Scott and Republican lawmakers' insulting presumption that women don't think long and hard before making a decision to terminate a pregnancy. Florida's women should not have to rely on the legal system to ensure their right to have access to a safe and legal medical procedure. Governor Rick Scott and Florida lawmakers supporting this intrusive law should get the message: these so-called "women's health care" laws are unnecessary, intrusive, and unconstitutional. Read more »

I am glad to be spending this Earth Day in the Everglades with U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and a group of dedicated public officials who are actively working together to restore our Everglades for every Floridian and their children. I have worked since my earliest days in the Florida Legislature to restore and support our "River of Grass" and I have been honored to be a congressional partner of President Obama's bold environmental and climate agenda. We must use this important day to rededicate ourselves to the most urgent of causes – the call to save our planet for all those yet to come. Read more »

Sundown marks the beginning of Passover, a holiday of reflection, storytelling, and a recommitment to the values of freedom and liberty. We retell the story of Jews who were held as slaves in Egypt and the miraculous story that led to our redemption. As we go through the traditional Seder, each food we eat and word we say holding significant meaning, we also look to the future. We remind ourselves that many among us in our own communities and throughout the world still yearn for redemption and freedom. There are those among us who are still not free from the shackles of human slavery, nor from the realities of hunger. Read more »

Every child deserves to grow up safe from exploitation and I will continue to be a voice and a vote for our nation's children. Read more »

While the people of Puerto Rico face both a financial and public health crisis, House Republicans have decided the best course of action is to sit on their hands. Let me be very clear – doing nothing to help Puerto Rico is not an option. Read more »