Congressional budget committees have begun developing their proposals for the 2018 Fiscal Year. Last week, President Trump released his proposed budget. While it is customary for every president to submit a proposed budget, the U.S. Constitution makes the House of Representatives the chief appropriating authority for the nation. There will be much discussion, debate and hearings before a final budget proposal is considered by the full House, and then the Senate.
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Early last week, I met with the Florida Trucking Association where we discussed a wide range of issues. They presented concerns over trucking regulation, state preemption language and its impact on interstate commerce. We also discussed robust infrastructure spending, tax reform, and safety technologies for our truckers and our infrastructure systems in general.
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On Wednesday, I met with the Florida Farm Bureau Federation. We discussed the proper implementation of E-Verify and guest worker programs that are crucial to agriculture. We also talked about the concerns with the current status of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the burdens that the Estate Tax places on the farming communities in our district and state. Farmers and ranchers all over Florida grow and raise food that ends up on kitchen tables around the world. This vital work supports jobs, provides families with financial security, and fosters resilient communities.
Constituent Corner
Earlier this month, the family of a deceased veteran had contacted our office as they had requested the required DD 214 to allow for his burial at Bushnell National Cemetery scheduled for Monday morning. A request was put in from my district office through emergency channels and within three hours the funeral director had the faxed DD 214 in his hand allowing the funeral to go forward.
Constituent services is 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.
Legislative Update
This week in the House, my colleagues and I focused on legislation that would protect children from abuse and exploitation, as well as passed reforms to ensure our veterans are receiving the care they earned with the respect they deserve. Included in bills I supported this week is H.R. 1329, the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2017. This bill increases the amounts paid to veterans for disability compensation and to their survivors for dependency and indemnity compensation by the same cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) that recipients of Social Security receive in 2018.
Congressman Daniel Webster represents The Villages in the U.S. House of Representatives.
