As he returns to Washington D.C. for a high-profile session, a Florida Republican outlined what he thinks Congress should focus on.
Even as November’s elections loom on the horizon, Congress reconvened on Tuesday for a four week session. Florida Republican Congressman Vern Buchanan called for Congress to focus on a number of issues ranging from security to battling the Zika virus.
Buchanan pushed a “short but important list of priorities that needs to be accomplished” in the weeks ahead.
“First and most important for Florida is emergency funding to confront the deadly Zika virus,” Buchanan said. “The nation’s top disease fighters have warned they are about to run out of money. It’s imperative that Congress approve sufficient funding to protect the public. National security, helping our veterans and reforming mental health laws are other priorities that Congress needs to address in this month.”
Buchanan called for Congress to move quickly on allocating more federal funds to battle Zika.
“Since February, when Zika first surfaced in Florida, I supported efforts to control this deadly disease,” Buchanan said. “Hundreds of people in Florida are infected. It is a national disgrace that federal help has not yet arrived. I have asked congressional leaders to hold an immediate vote on a funding package to control the spread of the virus and develop a vaccine.”
The Bradenton Republican also urged Congress to focus on battling terrorism.
“There’s too much risk associated with allowing refugees from ISIS hotspots like Iraq and Syria into the United States, particularly given FBI director James Comey’s warning of ‘a terrorist diaspora out of Syria like we’ve never seen before,’” Buchanan noted. “Less than a month ago, German intelligence officials warned that ISIS fighters have slipped into their country disguised as refugees, making a Paris-style attack ‘likely.’ In light of an inadequate screening process, we need to close the door to Syrian refugees. And we need further action to defeat ISIS on the digital battlefield, where they recruit and raise money. I will continue to push for my legislation requiring the government to screen the social media accounts of foreigners seeking entry into the United States. ISIS is inspiring and radicalizing new terrorists over the Internet every day.”
Buchanan also called on Congress to do more to reform the VA, bolster Social Security and tackle mental health care. The Florida Republican also urged Congress to do more to battle citrus greening which has ravaged the Sunshine State’s citrus industry.
“The citrus greening threat is so serious that every member of Florida’s congressional delegation has signed on to my bill, the Emergency Citrus Disease Response Act, which will lower costs for growers that need to replant trees affected by citrus greening,” Buchanan said. “The disease is worsening, so this bill needs to be approved.
“All of these issues deserve bipartisan support,” Buchanan concluded. “The stakes are too high to continue business as usual in Washington.”
Buchanan faces Democrat Jan Schneider, an attorney and former congressional aide, in November. The district is considered safe for the GOP.
