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 →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody today announced the 2024 Florida School Resource Officer of the Year, Columbia County Sheriff Deputy Scott Ceckanowicz. Dep. Ceckanowicz has served as an SRO for six years, is described by peers as being exceptionally attentive and demonstrates a keen awareness of the needs and concerns of both students and staff alike—volunteering after hours to help with school projects.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “School resource officers have a very important role in the safety and wellbeing of our students. The 2024 Florida School Resource Officer of the Year, Deputy Ceckanowicz, goes above and beyond to protect the children where he serves and ensures they have the tools they need to succeed in and out of the classroom. His dedication to the school he serves is unmatched and I am grateful for his service and the example he sets for our students.”

Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter said, “Deputy Ceckanowicz’s dedication to our School Resource Unit and his passion for students is beyond measure. Everything he does for these kids, he does from the heart, not from obligation, and in doing so, strengthens the trust between the students and law enforcement.” Continue reading →

Attorney General Ashley Moody and a coalition of state attorneys general today called on the United States Senate to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or the SAVE Act, to ensure election integrity by protecting United States elections from illegal voters. The attorneys general call the bill a “common-sense reform” that has broad support among American voters.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “The SAVE Act is important legislation that ensures only Americans vote in American elections, and I along with my colleagues strongly urge the United States Senate to pass this bill.”

In a letter sent to congressional leaders, the attorneys general note, “President Biden’s immigration disaster now threatens the security of America’s elections. During this surge in illegal immigration, cities and States across the country have started allowing noncitizens to vote in their elections. But allowing illegal voters in State and local elections, while bad enough, does not remain confined to just those elections. Indeed, some States have taken an even odder approach. Arizona’s Secretary of State explains that voters who register to vote without proof of citizenship will be designated ‘federal-only’ voters, meaning they are allowed to vote in federal, but not state or local, elections.”

The attorneys general go on to say, “The SAVE Act protects our elections from illegal immigrants and upholds the rule of law. Under the SAVE Act, individuals must provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote. The SAVE Act also will help States identify and remove illegal immigrants from their voter registration rolls by providing States with access to federal databases. Those simple, common-sense reforms will protect our elections.” Continue reading →

Ashley Moody urges Senate to pass SAVE Act for election security

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and a coalition of 22 state attorneys general are urging the U.S. Senate to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act), which aims to prevent illegal voting by ensuring only American citizens can vote in elections.

“The SAVE Act is crucial legislation that ensures only Americans vote in American elections, and I strongly urge the United States Senate to pass this bill,” Moody said on Tuesday.

The attorneys general sent a letter to congressional leaders expressing concerns that President Joe Biden’s immigration policies have led to a rise in illegal immigration, which they argue could undermine election security.

The consortium pointed to instances where it was alleged that noncitizens are allowed to vote in local elections and noted that some states, like Arizona, permit noncitizens to vote in federal elections if they register without proof of citizenship. Continue reading →