NEWS FROM THE SECOND DISTRICTDear Friend, I’m not going to sugarcoat it; this has been a very difficult week. On Wednesday, violent protestors breached Capitol Hill security and forced their way into the building. Their behavior was not only dangerous, but unacceptable. Our Constitution protects the right to peacefully assemble; however, it does not excuse breaking into the Capitol or assaulting law enforcement officers. Sadly, one Capitol Police officer tragically died protecting me, my colleagues, and the Hill staffers. Lives were lost and pieces of history were destroyed. Our nation is so much better than this, and I’m heartbroken that this day will forever be a scar in American history.
After law enforcement regained control of the Capitol, my colleagues and I returned to the House floor to vote on the acceptance of the Electoral College results. I contested the results, not in an attempt to overturn the election, but to ensure that every legal vote was counted properly. The Democrats did this after both George W. & George H.W. Bush were elected. The Congress handled this peacefully and without controversy on all 3 occasions. I did this in a lawful and civil manner; the way that it should be done. The results were ultimately accepted, and from this point forward, we welcome a peaceful transition of power.
From here on out, this nation must unite and move forward. The events that occurred on January 6th should never be repeated. I’m grateful for the Capitol Police and other law enforcement who worked to protect me, my colleagues, and the Hill staff. Their courage is invaluable. Please join me in praying for the lives we lost and for their families. But also, lets pray that we never see behavior like this ever again in America.
Please read about my week below:
This Week in the District
Legislative Updates
Coronavirus Updates
This Week in the District
The 2nd Round of Economic Impact Payments
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Treasury Department began issuing a second round of Economic Impact Payments last week.
The direct deposit payments may take several days to post to individual accounts. Paper checks also began going out and will continue to be sent through January. Some people will be mailed debit cards in January, and the IRS urges people to carefully check their mail. Mailed payments will require more processing and mailing time. Those who reside abroad will have longer wait times for checks as disruptions to air travel and mail delivery in some countries will slow delivery.
The IRS urged people to visit IRS.gov for the most current information on the second round of Economic Impact Payments rather than calling the agency or their financial institutions or tax software providers. IRS phone assistors do not have additional information beyond what’s available on IRS.gov.
If you need assistance with your economic impact payment, please feel free to contact my office. We are here for you. Congratulations, Sandhya & Surabhi Kumar!
Congratulations to the winner of Florida’s Second Congressional District’s 2020 App Challenge, Lawton Chiles High School’s Sandhya and Surabhi Kumar. The name of their winning app is titled “Phénotype”.
Phénotype was created as a fun and educational tool that can be used for determining the probability of offspring having certain traits. By providing physical characteristics present in family members, the app would then calculate the likelihood of said trait or characteristic in future offspring.
Sandhya and Surabhi stated that they were inspired to create this app because they share a strong passion for understanding the role that genetics play in everyday life.
Hats off to Sandhya and Surabhi for creating a great educational tool. Phénotype is the perfect example of STEM education being put to the test.
To learn more about the Congressional App Challenge: https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us Legislative Updates
Letter of Concern Sent to the Attending Physician
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On the first day of the 117th Congress, the Democrats showed a blatant disregard for public health guidelines by allowing a Representative who tested positive for COVID-19 to vote on the House floor.
Representative Gwen Moore (WI-04) was present in the House Chamber to vote for the Speaker of the House just six days after announcing that she had tested positive. This was irresponsible and in direct contradiction to the rules of the House established by the Speaker and Attending Physician. This highlights the highly subjective enforcement of the rules.
The Doctors Caucus and I sent a letter to the Congressional Attending Physician voicing our concerns. COVID-19 must be taken seriously, and no Member of Congress should compromise the health and safety of their peers. Coronavirus Updates
Recent Updates
- This past week, Governor Ron DeSantis announced four new actions the state is taking to continue its proactive approach to increase vaccinations and reaffirmed his commitment to putting Florida’s Seniors first.
1) Expanding access to vaccine with additional state-supported sites.
2) Deploying the vaccine into underserved communities.
3) Reinforcing vaccination efforts with additional staff.
4) Continuing to prioritize long-term care facility residents.
Read more here.
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a new webpage: Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions. Questions cover what data the FDA used to authorize the vaccine for emergency use and how a vaccine goes from emergency use authorization to licensure.
Thank you for your continued energy and enthusiasm, as reflected in your letters and Facebook posts. If you haven’t already, LIKE my Facebook page. You can also follow me on Twitter @DrNealDunnFL2. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you in Congress!
Sincerely,
Dr. Neal Dunn
Member of Congress
| Constituent Casework Corner
An elderly widow contacted my office after receiving an Economic Impact Payment (EIP) check that included their deceased spouse. The widow tried for several months to contact the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) without success. We were able to work with the IRS to have the incorrect check voided and a corrected EIP check issued.
Do you need help with a federal agency? Contact my office at 850-785-0812 or at www.dunn.house.gov
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