by Harry Markham -May 9, 2023

On April 25th, Washington State took decisive action in reducing the risk of gun violence and particularly mass shootings within their borders with the introduction of three new gun control bills. The bills bring into law a ban on some styles of semi-automatic rifles, introduce a ten-day waiting period between the purchase of a firearm and its reception by the buyer, and make lawsuits against gun makers or sellers possible in certain cases. While the signing Governor recognizes that the bills “don’t solve all the problems”, the state has taken an important step in reducing the risk of mass gun violence.

Between 2015 and 2021, Washington state suffered 31 mass shootings. While mass shootings are not the most common form of gun violence – greatly outnumbered by single victim homicides – they often act as a catalyst for gun reform due to the attention and shock they garner both locally and across the world. This is the case in Washington, where three new bills have been introduced in an attempt to ensure that the residents of the “Evergreen State” never have to suffer such a tragedy again. Continue reading →

by Kontrast.at /Marco Pühringer

For years, the Amazon rainforest was cut down. The concern: the unique ecosystem could collapse. The deforestation in Brazil is a huge environmental problem. But the election of Lula da Silva as president gave hope. He announced that he would end the deforestation of the Amazon. In fact, the first steps followed a few days after taking office. The encouraging result: in comparison to the previous year, deforestation was reduced by more than a third.

“BRAZIL IS READY TO RESUME ITS ROLE I THE FIGHT AGAINST THE CLIMATE CRISIS AND PROTECT ALL ECOSYSTEMS, ESPECIALLY THE AMAZON. OUR GOVERNMENT ONCE MANAGED TO REDUCE FOREST DESTRUCTION BY 80%. NOW LETS ALL FIGHT TOGETHER FOR ZERO DEFORESTATION!” SAYS LULA DA SILVA, PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL.

The BBC reports first successes in the fight against rainforest deforestation. Compared to the first half of the previous year, deforestation was reduced by 33.6%. In June 2023, as much as 41% less forest was destroyed than the previous year. Brazilian Environment Minister Marina Silva attributes this to Lula’s successful environmental policy. Continue reading →

CHIEFLAND, Fla. – Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis announced more than $1.6 million in awards through the Florida Disaster Fund to support Florida families recovering from Hurricane Idalia. The Florida Disaster Fund has raised over $3.7 million to date, for Hurricane Idalia relief. To donate, click here. Today’s awards will support teachers in Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Suwannee, and Taylor counties; volunteer organizations that are actively participating in response efforts and local community churches. The Governor made the announcement while attending one of the first Friday night football games in the area following Hurricane Idalia, between Chiefland Middle-High School and Suwannee High School.

“The Florida Disaster Fund allows us to cut through red-tape and get funds into the hands of these organizations quickly,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Our teachers, volunteer organizations, and churches have done a great job helping the community recover, and I am glad we can support them with these awards.” Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis held a discussion with State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo and public health experts about the recently federally approved COVID-19 mRNA boosters. While there, the Surgeon General announced new COVID-19 booster guidance advising against the use of COVID boosters for individuals under the age of 65. This recommendation was based on the fact that the newly FDA approved COVID boosters lack a human clinical trial and evidence of benefit or efficacy. The federal government has spent more than $30 billion on COVID-19 vaccines, including boosters, which have shown little to no benefit to prevent COVID-19 infection.

“I will not stand by and let the FDA and CDC use healthy Floridians as guinea pigs for new booster shots that have not been proven to be safe or effective,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Once again, Florida is the first state in the nation to stand up and provide guidance based on truth, not Washington edicts.” Continue reading →

Through the Hope Florida program, Hope Navigators use the CarePortal to help Floridians access services available within their own communities

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — First Lady Casey DeSantis highlighted the expansion of Florida’s CarePortal platform to meet immediate needs of vulnerable adults including persons with disabilities, veterans, the elderly, and any other individual in Florida needing assistance. CarePortal was initially created to support children and their families in need and is a platform that connects individuals and families in need with faith institutions and local businesses willing to help. This expansion builds on the success of the portal to date, which has led to nearly 500 churches and over 5,000 community members helping nearly 13,400 children and their families since 2020.

“One of the best ways to uplift our community is to ensure that our vulnerable populations have access to the resources they need to live successful lives. Whether that is children, adults, or families, we must make sure that we have the correct tools in place to put our drive to serve into action,” said First Lady Casey DeSantis. “We have worked alongside the CarePortal team to expand quickly in Florida and connect people with available resources beyond government available in their own communities. I am thankful to those who have answered our call to action and made their services available on CarePortal so that together, we can build a stronger community.”  Continue reading →

President Joe Biden‘s regulatory assault on American families is easily the worst in American history.

It’s driving up grocery prices, utility bills, and the cost of everyday life, leaving people paying a lot more while getting a lot less. If Republicans truly want to fight back, they should look to the states for inspiration—especially our home state of Florida. The Sunshine State is rolling back red tape at a record pace, thanks in large part to a unique policy that empowers lawmakers to block new mandates. Republicans in Congress should rally around a similar law to stop President Biden’s rule by administrative fiat.

Compare what’s happening in D.C. to what’s happening in Florida.

At the federal level, President Biden proposed and enacted new regulations costing a staggering $201 billion in his first year alone. That’s more than three times the burden imposed by President Barack Obama over the same timespan, and 40 times that of President Donald Trump. Continue reading →

Dear Neighbor,

The House returned from August recess this week.

On Tuesday, Speaker McCarthy announced an official impeachment inquiry into President Biden. After the Oversight & Investigations, Judiciary, and Ways & Means Committees’ investigations revealed significant ties between the president and his son Hunter’s shady business dealings, it is now the House of Representatives’ responsibility to pursue the truth. Stay tuned for more information on this front in the coming weeks.

We also hosted our September telephone town hall and heard from constituents about hurricane recovery, the aforementioned impeachment inquiry, and government funding later this month. If you missed it, make sure to sign up for our next town hall by clicking the button below.  Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is calling on the U.S. Congress to study artificial intelligence and the technology’s potential harmful effects on children. Attorney General Moody, along with 53 other attorneys general, is urging congressional leaders to establish a commission to examine AI more fully and how it is being used to exploit children through child sexual abuse material and to propose legislation to protect children from those abuses.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “The rapid onset of artificial intelligence is raising concerns about how child predators may use the high-tech tool to prey on minors. We need a full congressional investigation into the capabilities of AI and what we can do to reduce the ability of predators to exploit this tool to harm children.”

Attorney General Moody and the coalition are concerned with the dangers of AI as it relates to CSAM in three main categories: a real child’s likeness who has not been physically abused being digitally altered in a depiction of abuse, a real child who has been physically abused being digitally recreated in other depictions of abuse, and a child who does not even exist being digitally created in a depiction of abuse that feeds the market for CSAM. Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody and the Florida Association of Crime Stoppers are teaming up with John Walsh from “America’s Most Wanted” and “In Pursuit with John Walsh” to fight crime. At the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office today, Attorney General Moody, Walsh and Crime Stoppers announced a new partnership to encourage Floridians to use **TIPS, the state’s anonymous crime tip reporting line. The crime-fighting trio are encouraging Floridians to be proactive in helping law enforcement solve cases by reporting information related to crimes. Over the past three years, PBCS received more than 2,000 tips from Crime Stoppers, with more than 400 tips leading to an arrest.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “John Walsh has been the relentless force behind America’s Most Wanted and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children—I am excited that he is helping us recruit Floridians to join our fight against crime. Through this new partnership with Florida Crime Stoppers, we will be spreading the word about **TIPS and encouraging Floridians to anonymously report information to help law enforcement solve crimes.” Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody continues to uncover evidence of the Biden administration’s intentional destruction of the nation’s border with Mexico. Recently-obtained U.S. Border Patrol emails outline new proposed “bookout targets” for field chiefs and deputies to “bring in-custody numbers to manageable levels.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Acting Deputy Chief emailed the new targets on Aug. 8, following a field leadership call to discuss “in-custody numbers.” During the call, CBP leaders revealed that “the rate of daily encounters continues to surpass the daily permanent bookouts and the in-custody numbers continue to rise.” Continue reading →