The current federal income tax system is clearly broken – unfair, overly complex and almost impossible to completely understand. There is however a reasonable and nonpartisan alternative that is both fair, efficient and easy to understand and that is the FAIRtax (HR 25).

The FAIRtax is a national sales tax that treats every person equally and allows American businesses to thrive while generating the same tax revenue as the four-million-word-plus tax code we now live under. The FAIRtax is NOT an add-on but a REPLACEMENT of the current income tax.

Under the FAIRtax, for the first time in recent history, American workers will bring home what they earn with the elimination of federal withholding from their paychecks giving them an instant raise in take-home. Social Security and Medicare benefits will not change. In fact, the FAIRtax actually puts these programs on a more solid foundation. Instead of being funded by worker’s wages, which is a relatively small pool, they will be funded by taxes on overall consumption by all residents. Continue reading →

Good morning friends-With the elections just around the corner, I wanted to share some more information with you.

In Lake County, Vote-By-Mail Ballot mailouts begin on July 12^th.  Sample Ballots are available on July 29^th.

Early Voting dates and times for the 2024 Primary Election are August 8^th-17^th, from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.  The Primary is on August 20^th.

Early Voting dates and times for the General Election are October 21^st – November 2^nd, from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.  The General Election is on November 5^th.

It’s not too early to make sure your voting registration is in order, and you know where your voting precinct is located.  For more information, contact your Supervisor of Elections office.

Onward & Upward

Nearly 130,000 printed resources have been distributed to law enforcement across the state as a way to help Floridians find help.

ORLANDO, Fla.—Today, First Lady Casey DeSantis spoke at the Florida Sheriffs Association (FSA) Summer Conference to highlight Hope Florida as a referral resource for Florida Sheriffs and law enforcement.

“Often, law enforcement personnel encounter individuals who need help outside of the criminal justice system,” said First Lady Casey DeSantis. “They just need help and aren’t sure where to start. Now they can call one number to rally a community to help meet their needs, address their challenges, and ultimately provide a plan and a path to prosperity. We are proud to offer Hope Florida as a simple way for law enforcement to ensure those who need help can be connected quickly to Hope Navigators who are ready to provide assistance.”

“Florida Highway Patrol is proud to be directly involved in distributing information and supporting Hope Florida’s mission to the many Sheriff’s Offices and Police Departments throughout the state,” said Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) Executive Director Dave Kerner. “Hope Florida is an incredible asset that allows the men and women who protect and serve Floridians to direct them to available resources that cater to each individual’s specific needs, making a significant impact on their lives.” Continue reading →

ORLANDO, Fla.—Today, First Lady Casey DeSantis, joined by Department of Children and Families Secretary Shevaun Harris and Guardian ad Litem Executive Director Dennis Moore, hosted a hands-on, healthy cooking class for Hope Florida mentors and mentees. The event showcased the partnership between Hope Florida and the Guardian ad Litem program, which has produced hundreds of mentorship pairings since it was launched in September 2023. More mentors are needed across the state of Florida for those youth aging out of the foster care system.

“As a mom to three young children, I know how important strong role models are to the success of our youth,” said First Lady Casey DeSantis. “It was heartwarming to spend time cooking with these amazing boys and girls in Florida’s foster program. There is a need for mentors across Florida—with over 100 in the Orlando area. I encourage those with a call to mentorship to apply through Hope Florida.”

The First Lady’s Hope Florida – A Pathway to Promise initiative encourages foster families and youth aging out of foster care to connect with Hope Navigators who can pair them with volunteer mentors who assist with the transition to independent living by offering guidance, motivation, and emotional support. Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Paul “P.J.” Marinelli, Karl Rasmussen, and Morgan Wilbanks and the reappointment of Michael Stephens, Scott Stryker, and Stephanie Wardein to the Florida Greenways and Trails Council.

Paul “P.J.” Marinelli

Marinelli, of Naples, is the President of RiverGlades Family Offices, LLC. Active in his community, he serves as Chairman of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation Board of Directors. Marinelli earned his bachelor’s degree from Duke University.

Karl Rasmussen

Rasmussen, of Tallahassee, is a Senior Policy Advisor at Metz, Husband, & Daughton, P.A. Previously, he served as a Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Cabinet Affairs for Governor Rick Scott. Rasmussen also served as the Assistant Director of State Lands and as the Cabinet Affairs Director for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Continue reading →

PENSACOLA, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis awarded funds for workforce development and infrastructure improvements through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund (JGGF) and the Defense Infrastructure Grant (DIG). Awards were made to Pensacola State College, the city of DeFuniak Springs, Santa Rosa County, and Jackson County for projects that will support the aviation and aerospace industry, the military and defense industry, and increase access to workforce housing.

“Today’s awards will help bring high demand, high wage jobs and businesses to Northwest Florida,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “These strategic investments will benefit Escambia, Walton, Santa Rosa and Jackson counties and provide new opportunities for families from across the Panhandle.”

“Governor DeSantis’ focus on catalytic infrastructure and workforce investments, especially in sectors such as manufacturing, aerospace and aviation, and military and defense, will continue to bring job creators and job seekers to Northwest Florida,” said Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly. “I’m especially grateful for the Governor’s support of the community-driven visions in each of these projects.” Continue reading →

I was glad to join my colleagues in signing onto H.R. 7014, the Protect Medicaid Act. The bill prohibits federal payment under Medicaid for the administrative costs of providing health benefits to noncitizens who are ineligible for Medicaid based on their immigration status. American taxpayers shouldn’t be on the hook for the health care of those in the country illegally.

Congresswoman Kat Cammack

I am proud to co-sponsor H.R. 1015, the Dustoff Crews of the Vietnam War Congressional Gold Medal Act. Dustoff crews performed aeromedical evacuations from May 1962 to March 1973, proving to be the difference between life and death for wounded personnel.

Being a Dustoff Crewmember in Vietnam meant a 1 in 3 chance of being wounded or killed. They constantly operated in complete darkness, in bad weather, over mountainous terrain, and braved intense enemy fire.

I’m pleased to join Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Rep. Derek Kilmer in this important bill to award these heroes their due.

Dear Neighbor,

Only two legislative weeks remain in July until the House is out for August recess. During those busy weeks in August, we’ll be all over the district, visiting businesses, manufacturing facilities, health care practices, and more. We look forward to seeing you and your families as we relish the time back in the best congressional district in the country.

This week, we wanted to share a few important bills we’ve co-sponsored over the last several weeks that affect our veterans, farmers, and all American taxpayers. You can take a look at each of those bills below to learn more about them.

We hope you have a great weekend and look forward to sharing more from Washington, D.C. next week as July comes to a close.

With all that’s happening this Congress, it is my greatest honor to represent you and hear from you about the issues that matter most. You can read below about what we’ve been up to this week, and as always, you can stay up to date with us here, on our website, and on X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

WASHINGTON, D.C. —Congresswoman Kat Cammack and Senator Rick Scott introduced the Increasing Value for Families (IVF) with HSAs Act to help individuals and families better plan and pay for medical expenses, like in vitro fertilization (IVF), by decoupling Health Savings Accounts (HSA) from high-deductible health plans, and doubling the current contribution limits on HSAs from $4,300 to $8,600 for individuals and $8,550 to $17,100 for families.

Senator Scott and Rep. Cammack are also leading a bicameral resolution expressing their full support of IVF.

“I’m pleased to join Senator Scott on this effort to support American families and look forward to growing the legislation’s support in the House,” said Rep. Kat Cammack.  “Building and growing a family is part of the American dream for millions in our country, but for too many parents and parents-to-be, IVF’s high costs put the option out of reach. By expanding HSA eligibility and increasing contribution limits for those HSAs, we’re pursuing solutions that will help make dreams reality. I’m proud of Florida legislators’ leadership on this issue and encourage my colleagues to join me in standing by our young families.” Continue reading →