Newly inaugurated Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Adam Putnam offered his thoughts on Martin Luther King Day.

Rep. Janet Cruz of Tampa is a rising star in the Florida Democratic Party. While she was elected to the House in early 2010, Cruz has already moved up to being one of the deputy minority whips. Cruz will be on center stage in Tampa on Monday during the MLK Day parade. I am proud of Tampas unique diversity and its ability to respect and enjoy the cultures of so many, said Cruz, who added that America could heed Kings lessons today.

In an announcement Friday, President Barack Obama said he will loosen travel policies for students and religious groups that want to go to Cuba. Students seeking academic credit and churches traveling for religious reasons would be allowed to go to the communist country. Additionally, any American will be allowed to send up to $500 every three months to Cubans who are not part of the Castro administration and are not members of the Communist Party.

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) named its leadership team on Friday -- and brought in Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan as one of its vice chairs. NRCC Chairman U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas announced eight vice chairs -- and tapped Buchanan to head up finance efforts.

Its a busy weekend for Republicans at both the state and national level. While the RNC meets to elect a chair and the RPOF convenes to select its leader, newly inaugurated U.S. Rep. David Rivera joins fellow congressional Republicans in a retreat in Baltimore. Rivera said on Friday that he was looking forward to the opportunity. "This weekend we are getting to work for the American people," Rivera said. "I look forward to meeting with our House Republican leaders, and with my other colleagues, as we discuss the ways that we will put our plans into action.

Florida Democrat U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor announced on Friday that she is going to serve on the Armed Services and the Budget committees in Congress. Returning to the Armed Services Committee is a natural fit for me, said Castor. I will be able to continue working to create jobs and on behalf of the mission of MacDill Air Force Base, our troops and our veterans. I will fight to make sure our active-duty personnel and their families have the resources and tools they need to fully protect our country and provide for their families.

What would a big party election be without a credentials fight? One may be brewing at the GOP meeting in Orlando. On the eve of Saturday's vote for state chairman, the political website Shark Tank reported "rumors" of a potential credentials challenge related to protocol at the Sarasota County Republican Executive Committee meeting last month. RPOF chairman candidate Joe Gruters heads the Sarasota party, and could find himself in the thick of a hyper-legalistic tussle over the eligibility of a county state committeewoman to vote on Saturday.

Former Florida Gov. Bob Graham, who co-chaired the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling, will testify before Congress in two weeks about the Commission's findings and recommendations.

While Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., and NASA spar over the status of the new heavy-lift rocket, Space Coast Congressman Bill Posey has some additional thoughts. Posey, who clairvoyantly declared on the floor of the House of Representative on Sept. 29, 2010,that Congress' authorization bill "asks NASA to do too much with too little," said:

A Quinnipiac Poll released Friday confirmed that Americans are concerned about the tone of political rhetoric in this country. And guess what? They're most concerned about angry speech from liberals. Asked "Who do you think is more responsible for using heated political rhetoric, liberals or conservatives?" respondents' answers broke this way: Conservatives: 32 percent. Don't Know/No Answer: 32 percent. Liberals: 36 percent.

Gov. Rick Scott appointed more members to his staff Friday, adding second-in-commands for his chief of staff, director of communications, general counsels, and naming Melinda Miguel as chief inspector general. Here is the release from his office:

The campaign to promote high-speed rail has rolled out a website, with a goal of recruiting "100,000 pro-transit Floridians." The Florida Public Transportation Association's "IM4Transit" project is seeking "partners" to advance its efforts, and is offering $25 Publix gift cards to the first 100 people who recruit 50 friends to join up. Check out the site here.

Senate Majority Leader Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, released a video on Thursday afternoon offering his thoughts on the Senates activities this week. In the video, which clocks under two minutes, Gardiner focused on committee work on immigration reform, fiscal issues and efforts to help the state recover from the oil spill. Gardiner promised there will be more video updates in the future.

Ken Connor, best known to Floridians for heading up the states Christian Coalition and running for the Republican gubernatorial nomination back in 1994, weighed in on the tragedy that occurred in Arizona last week. Connor, formerly head of the Family Research Council and now with the Center for a Just Society, released an essay on the incident on Friday morning.

No surprise on this one as Politico ran a story late on Thursday that Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, confirmed that he was planning to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012.