When President Trump took office, Republicans made a commitment to end business as usual in Washington by ending D.C.’s spending addiction and putting our country back on the path to financial sanity. By passing the One Big Beautiful Bill, my colleagues and I have kept our promise to the American people to reduce the wasteful spending and bureaucratic bloat that is weighing down our country.
However, ending wasteful spending does not mean that Republicans are cutting vital programs. Instead, I am working with my colleagues to ensure that federal dollars are still funding important initiatives in Northwest Florida and across the country.
Earlier this year, the National Science Foundation announced it is awarding FAMU a $7,500,000 grant to develop new technologies and materials as part of its Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology program. This exciting new initiative will allow FAMU students and researchers to create exciting new products, including plastic made from plants! In partnership with FSU, FAMU is ready to tackle this challenge, and I’m honored that the Administration is looking to Northwest Florida to lead on these groundbreaking scientific advancements.
Earlier this year, I submitted a Community Project Funding request for FSU to develop a hypersonic test facility. I’m proud to announce that I have secured $4.2 million in the Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations bill for Florida State to develop this cutting-edge facility! A hypersonic test facility will serve as a crucial space to test new technology, strengthening our commercial and national security interests. I’m proud to get this funding into the appropriations bill. The next step is to pass the legislation and help Florida State create countless good-paying jobs in the region while supporting the university’s vital work.
This isn’t the only area where my colleagues and I are planning to invest in Northwest Florida. In addition to these federal dollars for our universities, I’m also pursuing $2 million for Panama City Beach’s potable water redundancy improvement project, $375,000 to upgrade the Washington County Sheriff’s Office public safety communications tower, and $2 million for infrastructure improvements at Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport in Bay County.
I also want to highlight one additional development that is improving life for veterans nationwide.
One of the most important functions of the federal government is caring for our veterans. On Wednesday, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins announced that his agency had set a record for claims processed in a single year. In addition to this success, the VA has also reduced the backlog of claims by 37%. It is safe to say that Republicans are delivering on our promise to provide better federal programs without wasting taxpayer money.
It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your voice in Washington. Congress still has a lot of work to do, and I hope you will add your voice to the conversation as we continue the policymaking process. If you have a comment about upcoming legislation or need assistance with a federal agency, please contact my office in Panama City at (850) 785-0812.
RSS
