Dear
Neighbor,
After
the Speaker rescheduled votes in Washington, D.C. last week, I
remained here in the district working on your behalf. I was also
able to conduct a few site visits and meet with several
constituents, which was time well spent. I always get the best
ideas for how to help our community by hearing directly from you.
We
did have our first virtual meeting of the Energy and Commerce
Committee last week. I am excited by the work we will be doing
this term in the areas of healthcare, consumer protection, and
technology. I hope we will be able to find bipartisan, common
ground on these important issues.
Unfortunately,
President Biden's actions over the past two weeks through Executive
Order have not reflected a willingness to seek common ground. His
repeal of previous restrictions which kept our tax dollars from
being spent on abortions performed around the globe is highly
partisan. Additionally, his ban on new oil and gas
exploration on federal lands and waters will hurt domestic energy
production, cost American jobs and cause energy prices to soar. These measures continue to divide
us rather than helping us to unite around common goals.
I
am committed to finding shared, bipartisan goals that will help
all Americans. I would like to thank everyone who participated in
my survey last week to let me know which issues you would like to
see prioritized this Congress. The top results included:
· Preserving
Constitutionally-Protected Rights,
· Seeking
Bipartisan Solutions to Challenges,
· Protecting
Veterans,
· Fixing
the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Process, and
· Modernizing
the Supply Chain
You
can be assured that your feedback will help guide my efforts this
term. Please continue reading for some important
information.
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Protecting Seniors
Update
on Vaccinations
Many
of you have shared the frustrating experiences you encountered as
you tried to register for a vaccine over the past few weeks. I've
provided that feedback to those in charge of the state process.
In response, I was really excited to see the state roll out a new
system on Friday. While there are still implementation issues to
work through, I am optimistic that this will eventually alleviate
much of the frustration that seniors have encountered.
The
state launched a new pre-registration system to schedule COVID-19
vaccine appointments for individuals 65 and older and frontline
health care workers. Individuals throughout the state can
pre-register for vaccine appointments by visiting this website. Each county
also has a designated phone number that individuals can use to
pre-register if they do not have internet access. You can find
the complete list of numbers here. When you
pre-register through the new statewide system, your place in line
will be reliably reserved, and you will be contacted when it is
time for you to receive your vaccine. This is a dramatic
improvement.
This
new statewide system is different from the individual
registration systems used by various county health departments.
Residents can still use each county's health department
registration process to try to secure appointment slots as they
are released. Pasco County
is releasing more appointment slots at 2:00 p.m. today. In order
to try to get an appointment through Pasco County, you have to
use the county's registration system (not the new statewide
system).
There
has also been a lot of conversation recently about the rate at
which Florida has vaccinated seniors. I was glad to read the Governor’s
response to recent insinuation that our state wasn’t vaccinating
seniors as quickly as possible. I have been clear that I do
believe there are improvements the state can make. However, when
reviewing all of the pertinent data, including reporting
differences between the state and federal government tracking
systems, it is quite obvious that Florida needs more doses of
vaccine in order to improve the speed at which seniors are able
to get vaccinated. I will continue to work in a bipartisan manner
with other Members of the Congressional Delegation to ensure
Florida has the support it needs as production of the vaccine
continues to ramp up. Please
know, I will continue to do everything within my power to
advocate for you.
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We’ve
also seen throughout the pandemic that telehealth services have
provided a critical lifeline for millions of Americans,
especially seniors, allowing them to receive quality medical and
behavioral healthcare from the comfort and safety of their
homes. Last week, my colleague and I refiled the ACCESS Act,
critical legislation which builds upon those lessons learned by
ensuring that seniors in long-term care facilities have access to
and are able to enjoy the benefits of telemedicine.
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Additionally,
studies have shown the negative effect that isolation has had on
many seniors throughout the pandemic. I am glad to see the Hudson
CARES Senior Center is offering safe opportunities
for local seniors to re-engage in activities that promote
socialization.
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Expanding Access to
Quality Healthcare
Last
week, I had the pleasure of touring the Community Health Center
of Pinellas’s expanded new facility. It is simply
magnificent. Federally-Qualified Community Health Centers
(FQHCs) provide high quality primary care, dental and behavioral
health services on a sliding fee scale basis. They treat the
insured, uninsured and underinsured, and by law- patients
comprise at least half of the membership for each FQHC’s Boards
of Directors. This is part of what is working in our healthcare
system and I want to expand this invaluable resource in our
community. Click here to learn more about my
visit.
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Facilitating Economic
Recovery
The
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is once again open to help
provide relief to small businesses. The program is accepting
applications for first time borrowers and 2nd draws for small
businesses with less than 300 employees that have experienced
significant revenue loss during the pandemic. We've clarified the
steps which must be taken for these loans to be forgiven.
Additionally, the loans are now tax deductible. So far in this
newest round of funding, 19,425 loans have been approved for
small businesses in Florida, totaling just over $1.5 billion in
program assistance. Small business owners may apply through their
local lenders.
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Also,
while we must continue working to rebuild our economy, it is
great to see the Tampa Bay housing market booming.
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Investing in Education
Last
week we recognized National School Choice Week. It is great
for parents and students to have the option to choose which
educational environment is the right fit for their
family. Whether they choose a traditional public, magnet,
charter, private, online or brick and mortar school, I want all
children to have access to a high quality, safe learning
environment that meets their needs. I am grateful to all the
wonderful educators who make that happen. An investment in
education is a sound investment in the future of our
society.
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Fighting Addiction
I
have just received the 2020 Overdose Report for Pasco County, the
results of which are very troubling. The pandemic has only
exacerbated what was already a very significant problem in our
community, with overdoses and deaths spiking during
2020. This problem impacts people of all ages, genders,
ethnicity and socio-economic background. We must continue to
provide access to treatment so that those who are willing can get
the help they need.
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Advocating for our
Heroes
I’ve
re-introduced the Retired Pay Restoration Act (H.R. 303),
legislation allowing Veterans to receive both military retired
pay and VA disability compensation. The men and women who
dedicated their lives to serving our nation should be compensated
fairly for their sacrifices. My legislation would ensure Veterans
who receive retirement payments following their military service
can also receive disability payments from the VA. Under current
law, many Veterans with service-connected injuries have their
disability pay deducted from their retirement pay—even though
they are completely different benefits. The Retired Pay
Restoration Act would make sure these two benefits do not count
against each other. Our Veterans deserve all of the benefits they
were promised, and I will not stop fighting to rectify this
injustice.
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Also,
congratulations to my constituent who lives in Pasco County,
Kimberly Demers, on receiving the Department of Defense’s Patriot
Award. It is great to see employers supporting
our reservists when they are called to duty and helping to ensure
a smooth transition upon their return to work. Also a
special thank you to Major Kathy Lowe, an Army Reservist and
local E.R. nurse, for her front line efforts throughout the
pandemic.
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Consumer Protection
Connection
ICYMI-
As noted in this article, I was excited
to recently be named the Lead Republican on the Consumer
Protection and Commerce (CPC) Subcommittee of the House Energy
and Commerce Committee. I look forward to working in this new
role to help protect all Americans from predatory scams,
investigate potential social media monopolies, encourage and spur
innovation of emerging technologies, and defend against security
breaches involving sensitive consumer data. This position also
provides a unique opportunity to help the travel and tourism
industry - which is vital to Florida’s economy and job market -
as it seeks to fully rebound from the global pandemic. As always,
my constituents can be assured that I will remain focused on
ensuring quality and affordable healthcare options for all
Americans and that I will never stop advocating for our nation’s
heroes, as well as seniors and the disabled.
Pro-Tip
Employers
sending out W-2 Forms this month marks the start of tax season. It
is important to remember that identity theft is a real concern,
especially this time of year. If thieves have the right
information, they can file a fraudulent tax return as early as
January 20th
and beat the legitimate taxpayer to his/her refund. Here are
some important tips to help protect your identify.
· Safeguard
sensitive, personally-identifiable information throughout the
year.
· Taxpayers
who file their returns online using shared wireless networks are
at greater risk. If possible, use a private network when
filing online.
· File
your tax return as early as possible to help prevent tax-related
identity theft.
· Shred
copies of your tax return, drafts, or calculation sheets you no
longer need.
· Respond
to all mail from the IRS as soon as possible.
· Verify
any emails or texts claiming to be from the IRS before responding
to them by calling the local IRS office directly.
· Research
a tax preparer thoroughly before you hand over personal
information.
· Check
your credit report at least once a year for free to make sure no
other accounts have been opened in your name.
If
you do find yourself a victim of this crime, please reach out to
my office so my team can connect you with a Taxpayer Advocate who
can help.
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Community Concentration
My
team enjoyed attending the recent Grand Opening of Flawless by
Inathe, Skin Firming and Lipo Laser at its new location in Palm
Harbor. Congratulations to Inathe and her team. It is always
great to see small businesses growing.
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Congratulations
to the Rivera Family of New Port Richey who recently received the
keys to their new home through their participation in the Habitat
for Humanity program. My team was proud to participate in the
dedication and enjoyed celebrating this major milestone with the
community!
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My
Aide, Bob Hatfield, recently had the privilege of speaking to the
East Pasco Networking Group about the constituent services
available to the community through my office. I have a team of
talented caseworkers who work tirelessly to advocate for
constituents when they encounter a problem with a federal
government agency or program. We are here to help cut through the
red tape. Mr. Hatfield also discussed the work we are doing
in D.C. to restore our way of life, rebuild our economy, and
renew the American Dream.
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Additionally,
my team was honored to participate in the POW/MIA Flag Dedication
Ceremony recently held at the Elfers Senior Center. We will
never forget our heroes! During the same ceremony, a
new United States Flag was also dedicated.
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It’s
also wonderful to see this partnership,
which will benefit youth in West Pasco while fostering a love of
hockey. It’s truly a win/win for kids in the area. Tampa Bay is
lucky to have a community partner like the Lightning!
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I
recently received this message from a senior in my district.
I
want to thank you for sharing information on your Facebook site
about when I could log on and select an appointment to get my
vaccine. I did exactly as instructed- with the help of my
daughter who is better at the internet than me. I was able to
sign up for a vaccine last week and now I am scheduled for my
second shot. I kept hearing confusing things on tv about when and
where to go but your information was straightforward. I'm excited
to be able to see my grandchildren again soon.
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This
is just one example of the work we do each day. Constituent
services are a critical element of our congressional office. The
federal government is a massive operation, and my office is
available if you ever need assistance in navigating the
bureaucracy or cutting through red tape. We are here to serve
you!
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Gus
Bilirakis
Member
of Congress
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