Thomas B. Waters has been appointed as the new Director of Neighborhoods for the City of Jacksonville. Waters, who has an extensive background in community development and government administration, will be responsible for neighborhood and housing services, as well as regulatory compliance for the city.Waters' impressive resume includes serving as the Founder/Principal of SUMMIT-Center for Resources and Organizational Development, LLC. He has also consulted for various organizations, including the Jacksonville Coronavirus Vaccination Community Education and Engagement...
Washington, D.C. - Senator Rick Scott and Senator Marco Rubio have joined forces with their colleagues to address the issue of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination at military bases in Florida. They have written a letter to U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Lloyd Austin, seeking clarification on the extent of the health impacts of PFAS exposure on service members and their families, as well as information on PFAS remediation efforts at Florida's military installations.The letter, signed by Senators Scott and Rubio, as well as several...
Washington, D.C. - Senator Rick Scott has called for the termination of the Bank Term Funding Program (BTFP) due to concerns that it is being exploited by financial institutions, allowing them to profit at the expense of American businesses and families. In a letter addressed to Jay Powell, the Chair of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, Senator Scott demanded answers regarding the program's mismanagement and its impact on the economy.The BTFP was created in March 2023 as an emergency lending program to provide additional funding to eligible depository institutions....
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio from Florida has outlined three steps that he believes are crucial for developing a winning pro-life strategy. In an opinion piece for Fox News, Rubio addresses the current state of abortion in the United States and highlights the need for a new approach.Rubio first acknowledges the progress that has been made in recent years. He states, "Two years ago, abortion was legal in every state, but a majority of Americans identified as pro-life. Today, the Roe regime has been overturned, and 21 states have passed protections for the unborn." However, he...
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) recently appeared on Good Morning Orlando on News Radio Orlando WFLA to share his insights on several pressing issues. During the interview, Rubio discussed the government spending deadline, USA Boxing's decision to allow men to compete in women's boxing, and the presence of harmful chemicals at Florida military bases.Rubio expressed his concern about the government spending deadline, highlighting the importance of passing appropriations bills in a timely manner. He emphasized the need for diligence in the legislative process and criticized...
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman John Rutherford (FL-05) has partnered with Congressman Jim McGovern (MA-02) to introduce H.R. 6892, the Medical Nutrition Equity Act. This bill aims to ensure that medically necessary food, vitamins, and individual amino acids are covered for Americans with digestive and inherited metabolic disorders. Without access to this vital nutrition, patients face severe health risks, including unnecessary surgery, hospitalization, intellectual disability, or even death.Congressman Rutherford, who serves as the co-chair of the Crohn's and Colitis...
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved the Pregnant Students Rights Act, a bill aimed at safeguarding the rights of pregnant students and providing them with the necessary resources and support to continue their education while carrying their babies to term. The bill, spearheaded by U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Representative Ashley Hinson (R-IA), seeks to strengthen the existing requirements for higher education institutions to disclose publicly the rights and assistance available to pregnant students. With this significant step, the legislation now moves on...
Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, along with their colleagues, have written a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, calling for an investigation into the pro-Hamas activists responsible for vandalizing the Los Angeles National Cemetery. The senators are urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to prosecute these criminals for their disgraceful and illegal actions.The senators express their outrage at the vandalism, which involved spray-painting the word "INTIFADA" and the phrase "FREE GAZA" on the cemetery grounds, as well as an upside-down red triangle, a...
In a united effort, U.S. Senators Marco Rubio, Tim Kaine, Jeff Merkley, and Marsha Blackburn have sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging him to highlight China's multiple human rights violations during the United Nations Human Rights Council's "universal periodic review" (UPR) process. The letter emphasizes the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) unjust treatment of American citizens and the horrific abuses against the Uyghurs, Tibetans, Hong Kongers, and Chinese human rights defenders.The senators express their concern over the CCP's continued...
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Rick Scott has introduced the Scheduling for Community Health and Easy Data to Understand for Legislators to Evaluate Services (SCHEDULES) Act, a bipartisan and bicameral bill aimed at increasing transparency and improving access to care for veterans. The SCHEDULES Act would require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a comprehensive standard for timing between referrals and appointments for care at VA facilities and to submit a report with respect to that standard. This legislation is based on reports from the Government...
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senators Rick Scott, Tommy Tuberville, and Mike Rounds have introduced the Preserving Safe Communities by Ending Swatting Act, a bill aimed at combating the rising number of "swatting" hoaxes across the country. Swatting is a dangerous act where false information about a crime is reported to law enforcement, leading to an emergency response at an innocent target's address. The bill expands the federal criminal hoax statute to specifically prohibit swatting hoaxes and imposes strict penalties, including up to 20 years in prison if someone is seriously...
Two recent rulings by federal judges have raised concerns about the potential for government overreach on private institutions with tax-exempt status. These rulings suggest that private schools, churches, and non-profit charities could face punitive measures if they do not comply with burdensome and politically biased regulations. In response, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and his colleagues have introduced the Safeguarding Charity Act, aiming to protect the independence of tax-exempt organizations.Senator Rubio expressed his concerns about recent court decisions that...
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and a group of colleagues have raised concerns about the presence of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at military bases in Florida. PFAS exposure has been linked to cancer and other diseases, posing a potential risk to service members and their families.Rubio and his colleagues have sent a letter to U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Lloyd Austin, seeking information about PFAS remediation efforts at Florida's military installations and requesting clarity on the health impacts of PFAS exposure. The letter highlights the...
U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and J.D. Vance (R-OH) have reintroduced the Teamwork for Employees and Managers Act of 2024, a bill aimed at empowering workers and giving them a stronger voice in negotiating with their employers. The legislation seeks to address the concerns of employees who are often dissuaded from considering unionization due to the failures of Big Labor.The current regulatory regime, which has remained largely unchanged since the Great Depression, hampers workers' ability to effectively negotiate with their employers. Senator Rubio acknowledges this...
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and a group of his colleagues have called for an investigation into the pro-Hamas activists who recently vandalized the Los Angeles National Cemetery. The act of vandalism, which involved spray-painting pro-Hamas slogans and symbols on the grounds of the cemetery, has been condemned as both disgraceful and illegal.In a letter addressed to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Rubio and his fellow senators expressed their concern over the actions of the pro-Hamas extremists. They urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to prosecute those...
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Rick Scott has proposed a bill to ban the import of garlic from Communist China due to concerns over its safety and the conditions in which it is grown. Reports have indicated that Chinese garlic is grown in raw human sewage and harvested with the use of slave labor. In response to these alarming findings, Senator Scott has introduced the Stopping Eating Waste And Guarantee Excellence for Garlic Assurance and Regulatory Legislation to Inhibit Chinese (SEWAGE GARLIC) Imports Act.In a public service announcement, Senator Scott urged families to be...
The City of Jacksonville is preparing for the incoming cold weather by activating its Phase 3 Cold Weather Emergency Plan. When temperatures reach 28 degrees or colder, the City opens its Warming Center to provide overnight shelter to residents who do not have access to adequate heat.According to the Emergency Preparedness Division, the Warming Center will be open from 7 P.M. to 9 A.M. tonight at the Legends Center, located at 5130 Soutel Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32208. To ensure transportation for vulnerable individuals, JTA buses will be available to transport them to...
The office of US Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) has released a memorandum outlining a pro-life strategy to protect the right to life, support mothers, and strengthen American families.The memorandum, which comes just days before the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, highlights three fundamental principles that pro-life Americans should support: compassionately supporting mothers and their babies, advocating for pro-family policies, exposing the abortion extremism of Democrats, and defending the just limits of abortion to protect the unborn."The landscape has changed, but what...
In recent years, the pro-life movement has experienced both significant victories and devastating defeats. While the pro-abortion regime has been overthrown and 21 states have enacted protections for the unborn, support for abortion has reached record levels. Meanwhile, the pro-life side has faced a perfect record of failure in state-level electoral initiatives.Some have even suggested that being truly pro-life is a losing position and have urged Republicans to embrace a pro-abortion stance. Others argue that the fight should be left to the states, with the U.S. Congress...
The Office of U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) has released a memo detailing a winning pro-life strategy that aims to protect life, support mothers, and strengthen families. The memo, released just days before the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, highlights three fundamental principles that pro-life Americans should unite behind.According to Senator Rubio, the first principle is to support mothers and their babies through compassionate, pro-family policies. He emphasizes the need to offer support rather than judgment to families in crisis and to dismantle the false choice...