FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL MOODY’S OFFICE:

We officially launched the 2023 Human Trafficking Summit. Our summit brings together survivors, law enforcement, prosecutors, victim advocates, community leaders and concerned citizens who are committed to working together to stop this crime.

John Walsh, television host and co-founder of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, is our keynote speaker for this year’s summit. As a nationally renowned crime fighter, victim advocate and host of the former hit television show America’s Most Wanted, Walsh has spent decades helping law enforcement locate missing children and solve crimes, including the recovery of more than 400,000 children. I am excited for our attendees to hear Walsh’s inspirational message about what we can do to fight back against criminals preying on vulnerable populations.

The summit has nine sessions covering subjects like how the opioid crisis is fueling human trafficking to supporting trafficking survivors in the workplace. Attendees will have access to 11 hours of educational content from leaders in the fight to end human trafficking. There is expert training available for law enforcement about proper ways to document and gather evidence and we also cover important information on how to work with victims so they can recover and heal as survivors.  Continue reading →

After multiple rounds of voting, the House of Representative elected a new Speaker of the House on Wednesday. Congratulations to my colleague, Representative Mike Johnson of Louisiana, as he embarks on his Speakership. I’ve had the privilege to work alongside him on the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government and know that he will lead the House with principle.

This week in Washington, I held a press conference with over a dozen of my colleagues for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is critical that women do routine checks and self-examinations, and schedule their mammograms! Early detection is critical to preventing and treating breast cancer. Continue reading →

This week, we officially launched the 2023 Human Trafficking Summit. Our summit brings together survivors, law enforcement, prosecutors, victim advocates, community leaders and concerned citizens who are committed to working together to stop this crime.

John Walsh, television host and co-founder of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, is our keynote speaker for this year’s summit. As a nationally renowned crime fighter, victim advocate and host of the former hit television show America’s Most Wanted, Walsh has spent decades helping law enforcement locate missing children and solve crimes, including the recovery of more than 400,000 children. I am excited for our attendees to hear Walsh’s inspirational message about what we can do to fight back against criminals preying on vulnerable populations. Continue reading →

Dear Neighbor,
It has been a historic week in Washington, D.C. Earlier this week, the House voted to remove Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House in an unprecedented move. The shake-up threw Washington for a loop and the work continues next week to elect a new Speaker so Congress can get back to work on the important business of the American people, including cutting federal spending and securing the border. You can read more about what happened this week below, and we’ll have more to share in next week’s newsletter as the events unfold.
October marks National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer accounts for 1 in 3 new cancer diagnoses for women each year, so it’s important to get screened, especially if you’re at risk due to family history or other health factors. To our survivors and their families, we stand with you and fight beside you. Continue reading →

During a government shutdown, many federal services will be affected by a lapse in appropriations. Important services through the Social Security Administration, Medicare, VA, and more, however, will not be impacted. The helpful graphic above provides more information about services and operations.

For more information, view the Congressional Research Service’s handy guide here.

Dear Neighbor,
Negotiations to keep the federal government running are ongoing this week. We spent many late nights on the House Floor to pass the necessary appropriations bills, and while we’re not done yet, we’re staying in D.C. as long as it takes to get the job done.
I’m working tirelessly to cut government spending, fund our military and national defense, and support our veterans. We’re making progress and will continue to provide updates. To see updates from this week after late-night votes on Wednesday and Thursday, read below. Continue reading →

I’ve often heard people say that the FAIRtax is unfair to the poor and the wealthy won’t pay their fair share. That is NOT true. I’ve also heard that it is unfair that the wealthy get the same prebate as everyone else. Again, NOT true. Let’s also remember that the “net” tax rate differs greatly from your “effective” tax rate (the rate you actually pay).

Let’s look at a billionaire under the FAIRtax and assume he is married with no children. If he spends $10,000,000 he is paying $2,300,000 in taxes and gets a prebate of $4,697 then his effective tax rate as a percentage of spending is 22.95 percent.

Now let’s look at a middle-income married couple with no children under the FAIRtax. If they spend $50,000 they pay $6,803 net of their prebate for an effective rate of 13.6 percent. The effective rate increases as spending increases, but never exceeds 23 percent. Continue reading →

Dear Friends,

We sincerely hope that all of you made it safely through Hurricane Idalia. As we near the end of hurricane season, we have officially made it to the beginning of committee meetings, which started on October 9^th. As a reminder, The committees that I have been assigned to are Agriculture, Appropriations, Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice, Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services, Children, Families, and Elder Affairs, Community Affairs, Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security, and Rules.

To better prepare for the upcoming legislative session, the Lake County Legislative Delegation held their annual legislative delegation meeting on August 22^nd. This annual public meeting is an opportunity for citizens, elected officials, cities and local governments, and other civic organizations to address the delegation before the start of the next legislative session. This meeting was inspiring and fruitful. It is always encouraging to see the community come together to express their ideas and to take an active part in their government. Since Senate District 13 covers all of Lake County and West Orange County, we will also be attending the Orange County Legislative Delegation meeting on November 29^th for further insight into the concerns and needs of our constituents. Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Space Florida, announced the selection of Colonel Robert Long, United States Space Force, Ret. as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. With an extensive background in the military and space industry, Colonel Long will further drive Space Florida’s mission to advance the aerospace industry and solidify Florida as the global hub for aerospace. The vote to select Colonel Long took place during a Space Florida Board of Directors meeting on September 19, 2023.

“I am honored to welcome Colonel Long as the new President and Chief Executive Officer of Space Florida,” said Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez, Chair of the Space Florida Board of Directors. “Throughout the selection process, Colonel Long laid out a compelling long-term vision that will ensure Florida’s dominance in the space industry. Together with the Board of Directors, Space Florida will continue to expand Florida’s footprint and focus on business investment, research and development, national defense, manufacturing, workforce, and more. As Florida’s aerospace ecosystem continues to rapidly grow, I am confident that Colonel Long will serve the state with great distinction and use his proven track record and visionary leadership to propel Space Florida into a new era.” Continue reading →