Dear Friend,

Open Enrollment for HealthCare.gov starts on Friday, November 1 - Over 1.8 million Florida families rely on the HealthCare.gov marketplace to shop for affordable health insurance and most families qualify for tax credits to make premiums more affordable. If you or a family member need free, independent assistance sorting through coverage options, call Covering Florida associated with the University of South Florida at (877) 813-9115 or visit http://www.coveringflorida.org/contact.html.

Impeachment Inquiry Vote - America’s national security is paramount and I strongly support proceeding with the impeachment inquiry of President Trump to determine the extent of his wrongdoing. The president appears to have abused the power of his office to extort the newly-elected president of Ukraine to manufacture smears against an American political opponent. Trump put his personal political interests above America’s national security interests. The American people deserve to know the full story.

The Constitution provides that the House of Representatives “shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.” The resolution the House will consider on Thursday reaffirms the ongoing investigation, establishes the procedure for hearings that are open to the American people, authorizes the disclosure of deposition transcripts, outlines procedures to transfer evidence to the Judiciary Committee as it considers potential articles of impeachment, and sets forth due process rights for the President and his Counsel. The resolution will eliminate any doubt as to whether the Trump Administration may withhold documents, prevent witness testimony, disregard duly authorized subpoenas, or continue obstructing the House of Representatives. 

House vote alert! Two bills that I helped lead passed the House yesterday. First, the Dignity in Aging Act HR 4334 will boost support for the 40 million family caregivers nationwide through an extension of the Family Caregivers Advisory Council and my RAISE Family Caregivers Act signed into law last year. Importantly, it also reauthorizes the Older Americans Act, which supports so many vital home and community-based services for seniors, meals-on-wheels, elder abuse prevention and caregivers support. This bill is an important step in allowing our parents and grandparents to age with dignity and independence in the comfort of their own homes.

Also, Florida needs more nurses and that’s why I championed the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act HR 959-  to support nursing education like the USF College of Nursing! Florida is projected to need over 50,000 nurses by 2025, so it is vital that we train the nurses of tomorrow – a well-paying career as well!

My Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing entitled “Reauthorizing Brand USA and the U.S. SAFE WEB Act.” Brand USA is a public-private partnership that helps market the United States, including Florida, to international travelers at no cost to taxpayers. From 2016-2017, 14.4 million individuals visited Florida and injected $108.8 billion into our state’s economy. As a Floridian, I understand the value of visitors to our local small businesses and tourism-related jobs. 

Climate update: On Wednesday, my Select Committee on the Climate Crisis will hold a hearing entitled “Solving the Climate Crisis: Opportunities in Agriculture.” Renewable energy, carbon capture and water conservation are some of the critical ways that agriculture can help tackle the climate crisis, and I look forward to hearing more from our expert witnesses.

Democrats also have scheduled votes on the following bills this week:

• H.R. 4695- Protect Against Conflict by Turkey Act: This bipartisan bill imposes tough, but targeted sanctions against Turkey, and highlights the negative consequences of Turkey’s invasion and President Trump’s abandonment of our Kurdish allies.
• H.R.1373 - Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act: This bill protects over 1 million acres of federal lands in Arizona for mining, geothermal leasing and mineral excavation, making the Obama-era mining moratorium permanent on land surrounding the Grand Canyon National Park.
• H.R.823 - Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act: This bill will preserve approximately 400,000 acres of public land in Colorado, protecting beloved national landmarks for future generations to enjoy.
• H.R.2181 - Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act of 2019: This bill would provide protections for the Chaco Culture National Historical Park from future mineral development.
• H.Res.296 - Affirming the United States record on the Armenian Genocide: This resolution affirms the United States’ record on the Armenian Genocide, recognizing the slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians and displacement of millions more from 1915 to 1923.