With the U.S. Senate voting this week to impose sanctions and freezing the assets of key leaders of the Maduro regime, Gov. Rick Scott applauded the move.

Democrats in the Florida congressional delegation weighed in on Tuesday after the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee, still controlled by Democrats until the GOP takes over in January, released extended details on how the CIA obtained intelligence on terrorism, including using torture techniques. U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee and used to sit on the Senate Intelligence Committee, backed the decision to release this information.

Most Americans are strongly convinced that their local police protect and serve and give them high marks for their jobs, according to a new Rasmussen Reports poll released Tuesday. The poll found 67 percent of American adults see the average police officer as a protector, while only 11 percent view the average police officer as a threat.

Gov. Rick Scott announced on Tuesday that he was keeping Barbara Palmer as director of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD). Palmer took over the post in August 2012 after serving as chief of staff for the agency for a year and, before that, working as an assistant secretary for administration at the Department of Children and Families.

Former first lady Barbara Bush made a splash when she said she hopes former Gov. Jeb Bush, R-Fla., does not follow in his fathers and brothers footsteps and runs for president. But the former first lady now wants her son to run for president in 2016. Neil Bush talked to Bloomberg and said his mother was now ready for the former Florida governor to run for president.

After his big win in the U.S. House last week, U.S. Rep Ander Crenshaw, R-Fla., urged the U.S. Senate to quickly pass his Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act." Crenshaws bill would create tax-free savings accounts for disabled Americans for qualified expenses and passed on a 404-17 vote on Wednesday. Now it heads to the Senate where it has more than 70 co-sponsors being led by U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa.

Gov. Rick Scott announced on Tuesday that Elizabeth Dudek will stay on as the secretary of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA).

Gov. Rick Scott named Mike Carroll as secretary of the Department of Children and Families (DCF) on Monday. Carroll had been serving as interim secretary since April after working in the department for 24 years.

As he finishes his first term in the U.S. House, U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., is quickly moving up the congressional ladder. At the end of last week, U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., named DeSantis the vice chairman of the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice. DeSantis will serve under U.S. Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., who will chair the committee.

Along with U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, and U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., U.S. Rep. Ander Crensahw, R-Fla., offered the Republican response to President Barack Obama over the past weekend. Crenshaw and his colleagues talked about his Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act which passed the U.S. House Wednesday on an overwhelming vote.

Gov. Rick Scott honored two Floridians in the Army -- Private First Class Justin Johnson from Punta Gorda and Staff Sergeant Patrick Zeigler from Orange County -- who were wounded in the Fort Hood shooting in 2009. President Barack Obama is expected to sign a bill which passed both chambers of Congress awarding the Purple Heart to soldiers wounded in that attack.

With the U.S. House overwhelmingly passing his Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act" this week, U.S. Rep. Ander Crensahw, R-Fla., the chairman of the House Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, will present the Republican Weekly Address on Saturday.

On Friday, two Tampa Bay Republicans in the Florida Legislature -- Sen. John Legg of Lutz and Rep. Chris Sprowls of Clearwater -- introduced a bill to reform the state Public Service Commission (PSC).

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., Floridas only member of the Ways and Means Committee, was named to the Social Security Subcommittee. Buchanan already serves on the Trade and Health subcommittees. I am honored to be named to such an important subcommittee, Buchanan said after being named to the post by U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. Protecting Social Security has always been one of my highest priorities. Seniors have worked their entire lives with the promise of a safe retirement. Thats a promise we must always keep.

The team behind U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is offering a final push for U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-La., who is a heavy favorite to defeat U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., in Saturdays runoff election. Rubios Reclaim America PAC sent out an email on Friday urging conservatives to back Cassidy and not be complacent even as polls show him headed to victory.