NEWS FROM THE SECOND DISTRICTDear Friend, This past week, Congresswoman Rashida Talib (MI-13) tweeted: “No more policing, incarceration, and militarization. It can’t be reformed.” This kind of rhetoric from a Member of Congress is dangerous and unacceptable.
We have some of the finest law enforcement officers in Florida’s Second Congressional District. These brave men and women put their lives in danger every day to protect our communities. They have also been instrumental in supporting families in need during the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of Hurricane Michael.
On Wednesday, the House Energy & Commerce Committee spoke about the rise in Fentanyl. I had the honor of highlighting the great work our local law enforcement has done in seizing dangerous amounts of Fentanyl thus saving thousands of lives and entire populations.
I’m done with Democrats calling for the removal of law enforcement. Yes, we have officers who have done wrong and they should be punished for their actions. That said, it’s important to remember that the few do not represent the many and that there are far more positive things local law enforcement officers do for our communities than negative.
Thank you to all of our law enforcement officers who serve throughout this district! Please read about my week below: What’s Happening on Capitol Hill
This Week in the District
Coronavirus Updates
What’s Happening on Capitol Hill
Energy & Commerce Address Fentanyl Epidemic
The rise in Fentanyl throughout the United States, especially in Florida, is deeply troubling. On Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health met to discuss this growing issue.
During the hearing, I highlighted two major seizures that occurred in our district. Just last month, the Panama City Police Department arrested a 32-year-old man for trafficking 90 grams of Fentanyl. That is more than 43,000 lethal doses of Fentanyl. For perspective, this could wipe out the entire population of Panama City AND Panama City Beach combined.
On the other side of the district, the Ocala Police Department seized 177 grams of Fentanyl in a bust last Fall. When I spoke to the Police Chief, he said that the amount could have killed the entire population of Ocala.
Florida law enforcement has done a wonderful job getting Fentanyl off the streets & putting traffickers behind bars. However, they need help. This must be a team effort amongst the trade and shipping industries, law enforcement, healthcare professionals, community leaders, and lawmakers. I stand ready to support law enforcement in combatting this deadly epidemic.
The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act
This past week, I signed a discharge petition that would force Speaker Nancy Pelosi to bring the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act to the House floor for a vote.
Here’s what the bill would do:
- Requires that health care practitioners who are present at the live birth exercise skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life and health of the child—the same degree of care that would be offered to any other child born prematurely the same gestational age. After those efforts, the health care workers must transport and admit the child to a hospital.
- Requires health care practitioners and hospital employees to report violations to law enforcement authorities, reducing the number of born-alive abortions that go unreported.
- Penalizes the intentional killing of a born-alive child through fines or up to 5 years imprisonment.
- Gives the mother of the abortion survivor a civil cause of action and protection from prosecution, recognizing that women are the second victims of abortion and promoting the dignity of motherhood.
Deciding whether to give medical care to a baby who survives an attempted abortion should not be up for debate. Every life is precious, and the lives of the most vulnerable must be protected. To deny life-saving care to a child is murder and I will not stand by and let innocent lives be stolen. As a father, grandfather, and doctor, I am proud to support and cosponsor the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.
This Week in the District
Talking to AG Moody About Keystone XL
Earlier this year, Berg Pipe in Panama City, Florida announced that it will be forced to lay off, furlough, or reduce the hours of over 100 employees by mid-April. Berg Pipe spoke with me and Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody this week about how President Joe Biden’s short-sighted decision to revoke the permit for construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline has contributed to this difficult decision.
This is not the only company in the state of Florida to be impacted by the Keystone XL cancelation. It could also lead to reverberations in the oil markets, as shale oil produced in Canada will not have the benefit of quick and clean transit to efficient refineries along the Gulf. With gas prices already projected to rise in the coming months, I am concerned about potential effects on the state’s tourism industry.
Due to Governor DeSantis’ pragmatic approach to keeping the state open for business, and as more individuals receive the COVID-19 vaccine, we know that interest in traveling to Florida will be high. High gas prices will drastically increase the cost of travel and could, unfortunately, influence some individuals to stay home.
I’m grateful to AG Moody for taking the time to speak with me and representatives from Berg Pipe. I know that she shares my concern for the wellbeing of the state and how the Keystone XL cancelation will impact our economy. I’m ready to work with her to protect these jobs in Panama City and possibly prevent the loss of more jobs across Florida in the future.
Economic Impact Payment Update
The Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service announced that they processed another batch of Economic Impact Payments on April 9th and began sending the payments on April 14th.
The total disbursed so far is approximately 159 million payments, with a total value of more than $376 billion, since these payments began rolling out to Americans in batches as announced on March 12.
Here’s who was included in this batch –
- More than 320,000 payments, with a total value of $450 million, went to Veterans Affairs (VA) beneficiaries who receive Compensation and Pension (C&P) benefit payments but who don’t normally file a tax return and didn’t use the Non-Filers tool last year.
- Nearly 850,000 payments, with a total value of nearly $1.6 billion, went to eligible individuals for whom the IRS previously did not have information to issue an Economic Impact Payment but who recently filed a tax return.
- This batch also includes additional ongoing supplemental payments for people who earlier this year received payments based on their 2019 tax returns but are eligible for a new or larger payment based on their recently processed 2020 tax returns. This batch included more than 700,000 million of these “plus-up” payments, with a total value of more than $1.2 billion.
- Another 72,000 payments went to Social Security beneficiaries who didn’t file a 2020 or 2019 tax return and didn’t use the Non-Filers tool last year.
Coronavirus Updates
Get Vaccinated
Floridians 16 and up are now eligible to receive any COVID-19 vaccine as prescribed by the Food and Drug Administration. The Pfizer vaccine is authorized for persons age 16 and up. The Moderna vaccine is authorized for persons age 18 and up.
I encourage you to pre-register for the COVID-19 vaccine. The State of Florida has partnered with Sharecare to provide an easy-to-use platform that will save your spot for your shot. Pre-register here. Florida has many sites providing the COVID-19 vaccine. Use the vaccine finder to find a site near you. Supplies are limited and appointments may be required.
Recent Updates
- This past week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention (CDC) recommended pausing the use of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine due to an extremely rare occurrence of blood clots found in six individuals. Following an issued statement from the CDC and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Governor Ron DeSantis halted the distribution of the vaccine in Florida. As of right now, there is no cause for alarm. That said, vaccine safety is a high priority, so the CDC is reviewing these cases. People who have received the J&J vaccine who develop a severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider. You can read more about this here.
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
A veteran contacted the Department of Veterans Affairs to check on the status of their application to surrender their life insurance policy for a cash payout and received no response. After my office contacted the VA, they acknowledged and apologized for the delay in processing the application, finalized the adjudication, and released the veteran’s policy payout.
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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