Dear Friend,

The MAGA wing of the Republican-controlled House of Representatives is calling the shots on most legislation these days. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that passed 219-210 on Friday was no exception. Republicans added a radical abortion ban and climate change denial policies, and ended important diversity initiatives that help build a strong military. Such extremism will harm America’s national security, military recruitment and the health of servicemembers.

The NDAA was originally reported by the House Armed Services Committee as a bipartisan bill that invested in our nation’s men and women in uniform and their families, promoted innovation and technology, supported strategic alliances and strengthened our military readiness.  I championed important provisions that would have directly helped MacDill Air Force Base service members and families, including pay raises and improvements in on-base housing, health care and child care access.

MAGA Republicans transformed the NDAA to attack women and minority servicemembers, leave our military installations vulnerable to higher costs and impacts of climate change and weaken our national security. Republicans chose to abandon our heroic men and women in uniform and pollute the bill with culture war extremism. This will hurt military recruitment at a time when the services are struggling to attract talent like other employers and industries.

House Democrats are committed to putting people over politics to support our troops, strengthen our military and protect American families. The Senate will adopt a more bipartisan NDAA and we’ll see if we can jettison the extreme policy riders.

I am committed to boosting cancer treatment and research in Congress and through the annual bipartisan Congressional Women’s Softball Game (CWSG). Since 2009, the CWSG has supported the Young Survival Coalition by raising awareness of breast cancer in young women and honoring current fighters and survivors of cancer.

This year, I was honored to play for Tampa native, health care hero and current breast cancer fighter Dr. Vondalyn Wright, whose inspiring work to educate, empower and engage Black women on their breast cancer risks through her Fight Wright Foundation is saving lives.

In Congress, I’ve been working hard to advance legislation that would support President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot Initiative to end cancer as we know it through increased preventative vaccinations, expanded access to cancer screenings and investments in cancer research. Together, we can beat cancer!

President Biden answered the call to crack down on the sale of Short-Term, Limited Duration Health Insurance (STLDI) plans, known by most as “junk plans.” Originally intended to serve as short-term gap coverage, junk plans don’t provide the same protections for consumers and individuals with preexisting conditions.

For years, I fought the Trump administration’s aggressive efforts to expand junk plans through deceptive and discriminatory practices that left unsuspecting American families with insufficient coverage and costly surprise medical bills. Junk plans are no substitute for the meaningful health care coverage and consumer protections provided under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

I’m grateful to President Biden for taking strong action to end junk plans, protect our neighbors and ensure they can receive the comprehensive health care coverage they need and deserve.

It was great to see the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approve the first-ever over-the-counter daily contraceptive so that Americans can purchase oral contraceptives without a prescription.

This is a historic step to improve access to essential reproductive health care. Democrats are doing all we can to lower costs for working families and address abortion bans and limits on birth control. We took on Big Pharma to reduce prescription drug costs and cap the price of insulin in Medicare. I will continue to stand up to the special interests to lower everyday costs and ensure big corporations and billionaires are paying their fair share.

Attention FL-14 middle and high school students!

Applications for the 2023 Congressional App Challenge are open! Apply now for a chance to showcase your app to lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

Applications are due November 01, 2023. Register here to enter the challenge.