From Congressman Neal Dunn, Florida’s Second Congressional District
Congress returned from August recess to a flurry of activity in September. Although this time of year is full of legislative activity, my colleagues and I in Congress also took time to acknowledge the sacrifice of America’s fallen servicemembers.
On September 10, I joined a bipartisan group of legislators in the Capitol Rotunda in awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the thirteen service members who lost their lives at Abbey Gate during America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. It was an honor to be in attendance as Congress posthumously recognized the sacrifice of these young men and women while honoring their surviving family members. These medals represent our nation’s endless gratitude for the courage of these servicemembers.
September has also been filled with a whirlwind of legislative activity. On our first day back in Washington, House Republicans passed the BIOSECURE Act. I am proud to be a cosponsor of the BIOSECURE Act, which ensures that biotechnology companies linked to foreign adversaries like Communist China do not gain access to U.S. taxpayer dollars through biotech contracts.
As a member of the Select Committee on Communist China, I am deeply concerned about China gaining access to American taxpayer money and our precious genetic data. That’s why I spoke on the House Floor on the importance of passing the BIOSECURE Act and providing much-needed protection to the American people.
Fighting for the people of North Florida and supporting our communities are two of my biggest responsibilities in Washington. As we all know, one of the biggest challenges facing Florida communities is natural disasters. When disaster strikes, I want communities to focus on the recovery effort, not financial concerns. However, too often, local leaders find themselves caught between the need for quick disaster recovery funding from FEMA and the significant interest costs that come with those loans.
Earlier this Congress, I introduced the FEMA Loan Interest Payment Relief Act to provide communities with the peace of mind they need. This legislation would require the Federal government to reimburse local governments and electric cooperatives for the interest on loans used for disaster recovery efforts. I’m pleased to report that this bill recently passed the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and is now one step closer to becoming law. Our communities always come together when disaster strikes. This legislation will ensure that Floridians can focus on the recovery effort without worrying about mounting interest costs.
Before I close out, I want to remind everyone that we are still within the peak of Hurricane Season. Please take the time to thoroughly review your disaster plans and supplies—being prepared makes us all safer. As we know all too well, disasters can strike at any moment. But as we’ve seen from all those who have assisted with the recovery effort, Floridians will always be stronger than the challenges they face.
For regular updates about what I’m doing in Congress, please follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @DrNealDunnFL2.
