Wasserman Schultz, Debbie RSS Articles

Wasserman Schultz Joins Constituent Released from ICE Facility

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Sunrise, FL – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) joined her constituent Claudia Carolina Rodriguez Caglianone after she was released from the ICE Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach last night.

Click here to watch the full press conference.

Click here for video of Claudia and Wasserman Schultz meeting.

“I’m so grateful and relieved that Claudia is with her family again. I was proud to help put a spotlight on her case, but there are 300,000 Florida families who had TPS ripped away just like Claudia, and they are just as vulnerable to the kind of cruel arrest and detention that she and her family just went through,” said Wasserman Schultz. “She’s clearly no threat to our community. And the atrocious pain and uncertainty that she and her family were put through, and all the immense, wasteful expense it costs taxpayers, are just appalling. The end of TPS means more and more of our neighbors will be targeted by ICE. I’ll keep fighting to keep families like Claudia’s together, and to put an end to Trump’s racist cruelty. There are still too many Claudias going through this same horror.”

“Today, my heart is also with the many people in detention without the same support and visibility, and also the opportunity to have shared their stories and also be heard,” said Claudia. “I hope this moment also shines a light on them, because this journey is just the beginning.”

Claudia Carolina Rodriguez Caglianone was held at the Pompano Beach facility after being detained for eight days at the ICE Field Office in Miramar, where Wasserman Schultz recently conducted oversight and put a spotlight on inhumane conditions. Claudia lawfully moved from Venezuela to the United States in 2017 on a tourist visa, and within six months applied for asylum. She received Temporary Protected Status in 2023, and her asylum case is pending. Earlier in July, she was arrested by ICE agents at Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Last year, she earned her master’s degree from St. Thomas University.

When she spoke to Claudia last week, Wasserman Schultz says she described being held for eight days in the Miramar ICE facility, significantly longer than the 72 hours allowed by law. Claudia had no access to a shower or change of clothes for the entirety of her time in Miramar. She also described women sleeping on the floor and limited light.

Watch Wasserman Schultz’s press conference after her unannounced visit to the ICE Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach here.

Wasserman Schultz Makes Unannounced Pompano Beach ICE Facility Oversight Visit, Announces New ICE Reform Legislation

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Pompano Beach, FL – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) made an unannounced oversight inspection of the ICE Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach. Wasserman Schultz also announced two new bills, the No PREJUDICE Act to prohibit ICE from racial profiling, and the Build Homes, Not Hate Act to redirect ICE funds to instead build housing.

Click here to watch the full press conference.

A Wasserman Schultz constituent, Claudia Carolina Rodriguez Caglianone, is being held at the facility after being detained for eight days at the ICE Field Office in Miramar, where Rep. Wasserman Schultz recently conducted oversight and put a spotlight on inhumane conditions. Claudia lawfully moved from Venezuela to the United States in 2017 on a tourist visa, and within six months applied for asylum. She received Temporary Protected Status in 2023 and her asylum case is pending. Earlier in July, she was arrested by ICE agents at Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Last year, she earned her master’s degree from St. Thomas University. Wasserman Schultz spoke with Claudia via phone to learn about her treatment at the ICE facilities in Pompano Beach and Miramar.

When she spoke to Claudia, Wasserman Schultz says she described being held for eight days in the Miramar ICE facility, significantly longer than the 72 hours allowed by law. Claudia had no access to a shower or change of clothes for the entirety of her time in Miramar. She also described women sleeping on the floor and limited light. Wasserman Schultz was joined by Claudia’s friends and family for the press conference.

“Stories like Claudia’s and so many others must lead to action. Because the end of TPS means more and more of our neighbors will be targeted by ICE,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Right now, ICE agents are overrunning airports to catch law-abiding residents like Claudia, upending lives, wasting taxpayer dollars, and betraying America’s values. Every dollar we spend to build mass detention centers is a dollar not spent on making life more affordable for working families.”

“[Claudia] is living proof that the reality is much more complicated than any narrative that can be painted,” said Gabriel Dominguez, Claudia’s cousin. “We can’t allow labels to replace humanity.”

The No PREJUDICE (No Person’s Race, Ethnicity, Job, or Use of Dialect or Inflection is Cause for Enforcement) Act would ensure that that no DHS funds may be used to target people based on perceived race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. It would bar DHS from targeting people just because they are at a bus stop, car wash, a Home Depot, or any other place associated with temporary work. It would also ensure that speaking Spanish, Haitian Creole, or even English with an accent, is not a legal cause for immigration enforcement. Read the full No PREJUDICE Act here.

The Build Homes, Not Hate Act would claw back $70 billion of ICE funds from the Republican Big Ugly Law, and to use that money to solve America’s housing cost crisis and end homelessness, once and for all. By redirecting this money from incarceration to investment in home construction, conversion, and preservation, 200,000 new affordable and market-rate housing units can be generated in the most expensive regions, like South Florida. There would remain enough money left over to provide supportive housing and transitional services to every single homeless person in America. Read the full Build Homes, Not Hate Act here.

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Wasserman Schultz, Florida House Democrats Oppose Endangered Species Act Rollbacks, Demand Rule Withdrawal

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Darren Soto (FL-09), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), and Kathy Castor (FL-14) called on Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to immediately withdraw their agencies’ final rule redefining “harm” under the Endangered Species Act.

This change makes it easier for the oil, gas, and mining industries and development interests to encroach on wildlife habitat, so long as it does not directly harm threatened or endangered plants and animals themselves.

“In yet another handout to polluters, Trump is making it easier for his corporate friends to cash in on our natural resources and simply ignore protections for rare plants and animals,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Anyone who cares about Florida’s treasured Everglades, coral reefs, and the amazing wildlife that call our state home should be angry as hell about this.”

Over 100 species found in Florida are listed under the Endangered Species Act, including iconic animals like the manatee, the Florida panther, the American crocodile, and the hawksbill sea turtle. Many of these species are found nowhere else on earth.

“The rule change directly threatens the unique habitats that support the plants and animals for which our state is renowned,” wrote the Members. “Climate change coupled with unprecedented urban growth in Florida and around the nation has pushed our wildlife to the brink. This rule will significantly weaken the ESA and usher in the often-irreversible loss of habitat, hastening the extinction of plants and animals that are a vital part of our state’s culture and tourism economy.”

The rule change was followed by two other Endangered Species Act rollbacks, one which ends automatic protections for newly listed threatened species – those on the brink of endangered status – and one which gives more weight to economic factors when considering critical habitat designation.

Read the full letter here.

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Wasserman Schultz Joins Mourning, Overtown Youth Center to Announce Broward Expansion

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Hollywood, FL – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz joined Overtown Youth Centers (OYC) Co-Founder Alonzo Mourning, Broward School District representatives, and local elected officials to announce OYC’s expansion into Broward County.

Click here to watch the full press conference.

In partnership with Broward County Public Schools (BCPS), OYC is further expanding its proven youth development model to communities in South Broward County. Through an official agreement with Broward County Public Schools, OYC expanded its programming to McNicol Middle School in Summer 2026 and will continue through the new school year.

The expansion will also offer OYC services at McNicol Middle School to students from four nearby elementary schools. This represents a strategic investment in increasing access to high-quality, outcome-driven programming for more students and families.

“I'm ecstatic that the Overtown Youth Center will bring its proven, holistic model for family and child success to Broward County,” said Wasserman Schultz. “If we truly want all our children to travel on a path of success, they must have access to sound nutrition and tutoring, STEM and arts education, and the family support systems that make it all possible. This proven enrichment blueprint is just the type of empowering infrastructure that our Broward communities deserve, and I'll support these efforts any way that I can. I'm also very proud that our Broward County School District leaders and Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy are teaming with community leader and OYC architect Alonzo Mourning, to embrace this amazing expansion opportunity to support our children and families.”

“For 25 years, I have been committed to ensuring that children and families have access to the high-quality programs they need to thrive. I know firsthand that there are a lot of champions in our communities; and my goal is to galvanize resources for our families and to nurture the gifts and talents of our young people. Through OYC and Honey Shine, our goal is to provide empowering, enriching and exposure opportunities that positions all those we serve to compete and win in this world, and I am proud to strengthen that mission through our partnership with Broward County Public Schools,” said Mourning.

“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to ensuring every child has access to meaningful opportunities that support academic growth, personal development, and long-term success. We are proud to welcome OYC’s proven programming into our schools and to expand the resources available to students and families in South Broward,” said Broward School Board Member Maura McCarthy Bulman.

OYC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire, empower, and enrich the lives of youth, adults, and families by providing a comprehensive and long-term approach to strengthening communities.

Wasserman Schultz and Mourning were also joined by Broward School Board Member Maura McCarthy Bulman, Broward Schools Deputy Superintendent Dr. Angela Fulton, McNicol Middle School Principal Deirdre Benka-Coker, Overtown Youth Center Director Tina Brown, and other local elected officials and education leaders.

Wasserman Schultz Leads 50+ Democrats in Bill to Protect TPS Holders, Restore Checks and Balances

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) introduced the TPS Review Act, which would reassert judicial and Congressional review of the executive branch’s decisions about TPS. She was joined by 58 original cosponsors, including Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Rep. Yvette Clarke, (NY-09), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), and Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06). A federal appeals court gave Haitians a temporary reprieve Wednesday from losing their deportation protections from deportation, which had been set to end Friday. That reprieve could end anytime after Monday, July 27.

The crux of the Supreme Court’s Trump v. Miot ruling that allows this threat to proceed, is that, regardless of whether the Administration’s TPS termination for Haiti and Syria was lawful, courts have no authority to assess if a decision to revoke TPS is legal. This legislation explicitly allows court reviews of TPS determination reasoning, which in the case of Haiti was clearly fueled by Trump Administration racism.

“Hundreds of thousands of families who followed the law, passed multiple criminal background checks, earned work permits, and paid taxes are at risk of being torn apart, thrown in ICE jails, or sent back to a nation overrun by criminal gangs who murder and kidnap at will because of the horrible decisions made by the Trump Administration and a MAGA Supreme Court,” said Wasserman Schultz. “This fight is not over. My TPS Review Act will restore checks and balances on the President’s handling of TPS, because nobody is above the law.”

The TPS Review Act would amend the Temporary Protected Status statute to institute judicial review, establish a cause of action for TPS recipients and their representatives to sue for relief in court, and allow Congress to reverse a TPS termination by simple majority vote under the Congressional Review Act.

This legislation will also require a standardized, documented process for the Executive Branch to review country conditions before TPS can be revoked, creating a paper trail for litigation. It places the burden of evidence on the Government to prove that a challenged TPS decision complies with these requirements.

Under this bill, TPS recipients would maintain their status and work permits automatically and indefinitely while a termination is litigated in court, eliminating the uncertainty that has harmed Florida businesses and consumers over the last year.

Original co-sponsors include: U.S. Representatives Gabe Amo, Wesley Bell, Donald Beyer, Shontel Brown, André Carson, Kathy Castor, Joaquin Castro, Judy Chu, Yvette Clarke, Angie Craig, Danny Davis, Suzan DelBene, Maxine Dexter, Adriano Espaillat, Lois Frankel, Maxwell Frost, Jesús García, Jimmy Gomez, Al Green, Adelita Grijalva, Steven Horsford, Jonathan Jackson, Henry Johnson, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Rick Larsen, John Larson, George Latimer, Zoe Lofgren, Stephen Lynch, John Mannion, Doris Matsui, Jennifer McClellan, Morgan McGarvey, James McGovern, Gregory Meeks, Jared Moskowitz, Seth Moulton, Eleanor Norton, Nancy Pelosi, Scott Peters, Brittany Pettersen, Stacey Plaskett, Mark Pocan, Ayanna Pressley, Mike Quigley, Deborah Ross, Andrea Salinas, Lateefah Simon, Adam Smith, Darren Soto, Melanie Stansbury, Rashida Tlaib, Paul Tonko, Marc Veasey, Nydia Velázquez, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Frederica Wilson.

Read the full bill here.

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Wasserman Schultz Calls on FIU to Rescind Punishment of Student ICE Protest

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) called on Florida International University (FIU) to rescind its disciplinary actions against students who engaged in silent protest against the university’s voluntary collaboration with ICE enforcement on campus.

In March, seven students engaged in a silent protest at a school event. Recently, the students were told they had to record videos about FIU policies that they allegedly violated or have a hold placed on their accounts, preventing them from signing up for classes or receiving a diploma.

“This push to muzzle silent protest is a gross violation of our Constitution, FIU's own rules and sets a dangerous precedent,” said Wasserman Schultz. “I'm hopeful that by rescinding these forced-confession punishments FIU can restore its reputation for rigorous speech and debate.”

Read the full letter here or below:

Dear President Nuñez,

The recent penalization imposed by Florida International University’s (FIU) administration upon seven of its students for their silent protest staged at a campus event in March of this year is a grave violation of First Amendment free-speech protections. FIU’s actions set up a dangerous precedent and will have a chilling effect on students’ ability to freely express themselves and their ideas—a bedrock tenet of our free and democratic society, as enshrined in our Constitution, particularly in a university environment.

FIU’s own regulations, as defined in FIU-110 Expressive Activities in Outdoor Areas on Campus, protect students’ First Amendment activities, including “assemblies, demonstrations, exercises of free speech, protests, parades, marches, and picketing protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article 1 of the Florida Constitution.” FIU regulations permit such activities so long as they are lawful and do not “[…] materially and substantially disrupt the normal operations of the University or materially and substantially infringe upon the rights of others.”

FIU has maintained that the seven students violated a university ban on expressive activities indoors. However, students’ First Amendment rights on campus have been upheld at the federal level at least since the Supreme Court precedent set in 1969 by the Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District decision. The majority ruled in Tinker that neither students nor teachers “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.”

University regulations plainly serve to prevent disruption of the learning environment. It is disingenuous to suggest that the seven students standing up to display the message on their shirts is “materially and substantially” disruptive to normal university operations.

Per public reporting, the punishment levied against students includes forcing them to record a two-minute video explaining university expectations around indoor and outdoor areas, which they could be compelled to re-record if it does not meet FIU Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity standards. This punishment itself violates students’ First Amendment rights, given that no governing body can force individuals to support certain expressions— often referred to as the compelled speech doctrine— as upheld by West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette.

FIU’s violation of constitutionally guaranteed free-speech rights for students is thus twofold. Responding to the violation of a protected First Amendment expression with a further violation is an unacceptable form of disciplinary action. The university’s actions send a clear message to students that free expression will be silenced if it is convenient for the university, and that they must fall in line or suffer the consequences.

This presents a clear disincentive for students to voice controversial, unpopular or divisive opinions, which is both a right and an important part of the education process. As part of the State University System of Florida, FIU adopted its Statement of Free Expression “to support and encourage full and open discourse and the robust exchange of ideas and perspectives on our respective campuses.” Punishing students in the aforementioned manner for silent protest is in direct violation of this statement, as well as FIU’s publicly stated values of “freedom of thought and expression.”

As a public university supported by federal funding and entrusted with advancing the education of our students, FIU has a responsibility to uphold students’ First Amendment rights. I strongly urge FIU to rescind its disciplinary actions against these students and fully restore First Amendment speech protections for its student body.

Sincerely,

Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Member of Congress

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Wasserman Schultz Leads Latino-Jewish Caucus, Argentina Caucus in Marking Anniversary of AMIA Jewish Center Bombing, Demanding Accountability

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), co-chair of the Congressional Latino-Jewish Caucus, was joined by fellow co-chairs, Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), and Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere Rep. Maria Salazar (FL-27), and co-chairs of the Argentina Caucus, Reps. Darren Soto (FL-09) and Michael Rulli (OH-06) in sponsoring a resolution to commemorate the 32^nd anniversary of the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires and demanding justice and accountability for those responsible for the attack.

“More than three decades after the tragic AMIA Jewish Center bombing, and there’s still no justice for the 85 victims, the hundreds of injured, and countless people who were traumatized by this Iran-backed Hezbollah attack,” said Wasserman Schultz. “With antisemitism skyrocketing around the world, this gruesome attack on Argentina’s thriving Jewish community cannot go unanswered. I’m proud to honor the victims of this attack and keep up the vital pursuit of justice for their loved ones.”

“With this resolution, we honor the 85 innocent people who lost their lives and the more than 300 who were injured in the bombing of the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA). This heinous act of terror, carried out by Iran and its proxy Hezbollah, remains the deadliest antisemitic terrorist attack in Argentina’s history and serves as a painful reminder of the consequences of extremism,” said Diaz-Balart. “This past May, I visited the AMIA memorial in Buenos Aires, where I paid my respects to the victims and reflected on the enduring impact of this tragedy. We must never forget the victims, and we must continue to condemn the alarming rise of antisemitism and hold accountable those who commit terrorism.”

“The AMIA attack is a painful reminder of the dangers of antisemitism,” said Soto. “Today and every day, we keep the memories of those we lost alive by continuing to reject the extremism that leads to these violent acts of terror.”

“As Co-Chair of the Congressional Argentina Caucus, I strongly support this resolution condemning the 1994 AMIA bombing and demanding full accountability from Iran and Hezbollah,” said Rulli. “After 32 years, the victims’ families deserve justice. The United States stands with Argentina and the Jewish community in their fight against terror and impunity.”

"The AMIA bombing was the deadliest terror attack in Argentina's history and the deadliest antisemitic attack outside Israel since the Holocaust,” said Espaillat. “As leaders of the Congressional Latino-Jewish Caucus, we are proud to have reintroduce a resolution expressing the United States' solidarity with Argentina's Jewish community and underscoring our commitment to honor the AMIA victims and pursue justice on their behalf."

"The AMIA bombing was not only an attack on Argentina's Jewish community. It was an attack on a democratic nation by the Iranian regime and its terrorist proxy, Hezbollah. Thirty-two years later, one lesson remains as urgent as ever: when the world fails to hold state sponsors of terrorism accountable, they become emboldened to strike again," said Salazar. "Through this resolution, we reaffirm that the United States stands with Argentina and the Jewish people worldwide in demanding justice for the victims and in making clear that Iran and Hezbollah will never escape accountability.”

“As we mark the 32nd anniversary of the AMIA bombing, we stand in solidarity with Argentina's Jewish community as we remember the 85 people who were killed and the many others who were injured,” said Dina Siegel Vann, Director, The Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs, AJC. “Thank you to Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Maria Salazar (R-FL), Darren Soto (D-FL), and Michael Rulli (R-OH) for championing this resolution, honoring the victims, and demanding accountability for the Iranian regime and Hezbollah terrorists responsible for this vicious attack.”

First established in 2011 with support from the American Jewish Committee, the bipartisan Congressional Latino-Jewish Caucus has cemented stronger bonds based on Latino and Jewish communities’ shared histories as immigrants and minorities. It has also been vocal in responding to the growing wave of antisemitism across the globe in the U.S. The 25-member Caucus is now led by Reps. Wasserman Schultz, Díaz-Balart, and Espaillat. In 2024, Rep. Wasserman Schultz joined a Congressional delegation to Buenos Aires to participate in the formal 30^th anniversary commemoration of the AMIA attack.

The text of the resolution can be found here.

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Neguse, Wasserman Schultz Lead Entire Democratic Caucus in Demanding CMS Reverse Course on Rule Threatening Medicaid Access for Cancer Patients

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. — Today, Representatives Joe Neguse and Debbie Wasserman-Schultz led the entire House Democratic Caucus in a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), urging the agency reverse course on a new rule requiring certain Medicaid applicants and enrollees to meet conditions of eligibility in order to access critical healthcare services. The framework implements work requirements mandated by the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), and has the potential to lock American families facing some of the most dire health conditions out of lifesaving care.

Neguse and Wasserman-Schultz, who have each been impacted by cancer as a caregiver and patient, respectively, also called on CMS to establish, at a minimum, automatic exemptions for patients with cancer and other aggressive illnesses.

“We write to express our profound concern regarding the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) interim final rule titled ‘Medicaid Community Engagement Requirement for Certain Individuals.’ This interim rule will create an undue burden for beneficiaries with serious health care needs and put people at risk of losing coverage, while also creating significant implementation challenges for states. Therefore, we urge CMS to revise this rule, and until such changes are made, call on CMS to authorize states to delay implementation,” wrote the lawmakers.

More specifically, CMS’s new rule makes it harder for cancer patients and survivors to qualify for Medicaid’s “medical frailty” exemption—stating that a medical condition must significantly impair a person’s ability to comply with the 80-hour per month work requirement. In their letter, the lawmakers argue this framework does not adequately consider the complex nature of illnesses like cancer, which can exhibit periodic or intermittent symptoms often relating to side effects of treatment or the disease itself.

The requirement also forces individuals to prove they can’t work, in an exhaustive process that increases barriers between struggling Americans and access to basic healthcare.

“Forcing vulnerable patients to exhaustively document their symptoms simply to maintain access to basic healthcare is both imprudent and inconsistent with Federal law. Diagnoses such as an aggressive cancer require patients to receive care as soon as possible, and as you know, any delays to treatment put patients at heightened risk. These and other rapidly progressing conditions become significantly less amenable to treatment in their later stages, meaning a patient's current capacity to work does not reflect the urgency of their medical needs.”

The House Democratic Caucus, led by Neguse and Wasserman-Schultz, also called attention to the fact that this rule will create significant administrative and financial burdens for states. It departs from a previous definition and requires a rushed change in implementation plans.

They closed by stating that the rule goes even further than Congressional Republicans intended in their disastrous One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which already strips health care coverage from at least 17 million Americans while driving up health care costs for millions more.

The letter concluded: “While there is no way to prevent some eligible people from losing coverage due to the flawed nature of the underlying policy, which in and of itself exacts draconian cuts to healthcare programs and strips access to affordable care for millions of Americans, CMS has an obligation to implement the law in question as written. And, as noted, the new rule appears to be inconsistent with the plain language of H.R. 1, adding a new, restrictive standard that will add to the number of people losing coverage. Indeed, the evidence clearly demonstrates that creating more documentation requirements and adding complexity to the enrollment process will have a devastating effect. Therefore, in sum, we urge CMS to reconsider its interim rule to protect people with serious medical needs. CMS should also delay implementation of the new work requirements pending these changes.”

Read the full letter HERE.

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Wasserman Schultz’s EARLY Act Passed by House

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. – Today, legislation led by U.S. Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) Debbie Dingell (MI-06), and Diana Harshbarger (TN-01) to reauthorize and continue funding for the Breast Cancer Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act (EARLY) Act and the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program passed the House of Representatives in a 394 to 6 vote.

In the United States, the most common cancer diagnosed among women is breast cancer, where the average risk for developing it sometime in her life is about 1 in 8. More than 316,000 new diagnoses and over 42,000 deaths are expected from breast cancer in 2026. And with cases rising in younger women each year, the earlier it’s caught, the better the chance to survive and overcome this devastating health challenge.

Key to early detection and treatment starts with education and awareness. This especially is true for younger women, and those at higher risk of death, like ethnic and racial populations who too often face an aggressive form of breast or cervical cancer and are not able to catch it until later.

“I know firsthand that early detection is our most powerful tool to beat cancer. It can be the difference between life and death, especially in combatting breast cancer, especially for those with inherited mutations,” said Wasserman Schultz, who was diagnosed with breast cancer and the BRCA2 gene mutation at age 41 and after 15 months of surgery, has been cancer free for 18 years. “Reauthorizing the EARLY Act saves women’s lives, and I’m proud to team up with Representatives Miller-Meeks, Castor, Fitzpatrick, Dingell, and Harshbarger, and Senators Klobuchar and Crapo to make sure those resources are out there.”

The EARLY Act became law in 2010. Its success centers around authorizing three programs administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), designed to empower young and high-risk women to better focus their attention on this deadly disease.

This includes the Bring Your Brave effort, which amplifies stories of real women to raise awareness of breast cancer in young women between the ages 18-44, and encourages them to understand their risk and the signs and symptoms. It also funds the Young Breast Cancer Survivors Program, which provides grants to several non-profit organizations aimed at delivering supportive services and resources to increase patients' survival and improve their quality of life. And it offers continuing medical education (CME) courses for health care providers about breast cancer.

The bill also reauthorizes funding for the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP), which provides free or low-cost breast and cervical cancer screenings to uninsured and underinsured women. Since its inception, NBCCEDP has served over 6.6 million women, provided more than 17 million breast and cervical cancer screenings, and caught over 88,000 cases of invasive breast and cervical cancer.

Click here to read the full bill.

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Wasserman Schultz, Swim Safety Advocates Highlight Drowning Prevention Efforts

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

North Lauderdale, FL – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) convened pool safety advocates from Boys & Girls Club of Broward County, Broward Swim Central, Safe Kids Broward, Diversified Swimming Inc., and Every Child A Swimmer to spotlight recent drownings in South Florida and offer solutions to prevent these tragedies. Participants included Cassie McGovern, whose 19-month-old daughter, Edna Mae, drowned in the family’s backyard pool in 2009.

Click here for video of the press conference.

Last year, Florida recorded 119 child drowning deaths, the most in state history. Tragically, 120 children died over a 12-month period. In 2026, Florida is already on pace to break last year’s tragic record with 62 drownings, including 13 in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties combined.

“Drowning is a public health crisis – and it needs to be treated like one. With 119 tragically losing their lives in 2025, we just had the deadliest year on record for child drownings here in Florida. Sadly, we’re on pace to surpass it,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Since I came to Congress, I secured over $30 million for drowning prevention using my position on the House Appropriations Committee and will continue to fight for swim safety measures to save more children’s lives.”

In 2007, Congress passed Wasserman Schultz’s bill, the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act, to implement layers of protection to prevent childhood drownings. Wasserman Schultz will discuss her bill to reauthorize funding for this program, which has delivered $22.8 million to states and municipalities for drowning prevention programs since it was put in place.

Wasserman Schultz was joined by Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County Director of Aquatics George Coneo, Broward County Parks and Recreation Operations Manager Katherine Fermenich, Let Us Swim CEO & Diversified Swimming President Shana Lorde, Every Child A Swimmer Executive Director Cassie McGovern, and Safe Kids Broward Injury Prevention Coordinator Rachele Solomon.

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