U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., one of the leading Republican voices on international affairs, issued a warning on Saturday after the Venezuelan National Assembly granted more power to Nicolas Maduro.

Fox Business Network (FBN) is bringing on Blake Burman from WSVN, the Fox affiliate in Miami, as Washington correspondent. Burman replaces Rich Edson who is moving over to Fox News Channel. Burman is a veteran of Florida journalism. Before his time at WSVN, Burman was in WBBH in Fort Myers. He starts his new assignment on April 6.

Eliana Johnson over at National Review has an article on Thursday noting how U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is starting to turn some heads as he gears up for a 2016 presidential campaign. Johnson writes: Jeb Bushs announcement in December launched both a fundraising juggernaut and an aggressive hiring spree, and Scott Walkers speech in Iowa the following month lifted Walker to the top of national polls. But a little more than a month later, says the operative, The Jeb boom is over and people are having second thoughts about Walker.

Florida CFO Jeff Atwater showcased recent efforts to improve the state governments financial software on Wednesday. Atwater praised the Planning, Accounting, and Ledger Management (PALM) efforts and noted how long the state had been using the FLAIR program.

Florida TaxWatch released a report on Thursday looking at the state government's mental health efforts.

U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla., offered his take on Tuesday over President Barack Obamas sanctions on leaders of the Maduro regime earlier in the week. While Curbelo applauded the sanctions, he joined other Republicans from South Florida in calling for harsher penalties.

The committee responsible for reviewing the top issues in Florida's education system will be meeting via a conference call March 27, sources tell Sunshine State News. According to the department's website, the committee is charged with "instructional material review processes used by school boards, identifying strategies to increase parental involvement in education, and reviewing the implementation of the Florida Standards and the Florida Standards Assessment." The committee will meet from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Additional details are forthcoming.

Gov. Rick Scott, R-Fla., selected three nominees to the Florida Civil Rights Hall of Fame including former Gov. Reubin Askew, D-Fla. Scotts office released the following to the media late on Tuesday:

Cracking down on gun control? Not so fast, say American voters. A new Rasmussen Reports poll released Tuesday found more than half (51 percent) of likely U.S. voters don't believe the country needs tighter gun control laws. A smaller amount (42 percent) say the U.S. needs stricter gun control laws. A higher percentage of survey respondents -- 61 percent -- say the government needs a stricter enforcement of existing gun control laws while 28 percent disagree.

U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, D-Fla., showcased the Congressional Travel Perks Elimination Act which would ensure members of Congress wont use public funds to pay for first-class rides on airplanes and on long-term car leases. U.S. Rep. Rod Blum, R-Iowa, is co-sponsoring the bill which was sent to the House Committee on House Administration on Friday. "Nine months ago, I pledged if elected I would work to end wasteful congressional perks, Graham said on Tuesday as she trumpeted the bill. Today, I'm following through on that promise.

U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Fla., part of the House leadership as senior deputy majority whip, introduced a bill this month to waive the time limitations so Air Force veteran Edward Halcomb can receive the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions in the Korean War

The leadership of the business community stepped up on Monday to go to bat for the Seminole Gaming Compact while urging Florida to limit expanded casino operations in the Sunshine State. The Seminole Tribe of Florida released a new TV ad on Monday featuring Mark Wilson, the president and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, and Carol Dover, the president and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, calling to support extending the compact which is up in July.

Gov. Rick Scott announced job opportunities are growing in Florida with the Conference Boards Help Wanted Online report showing 292,249 openings in February, up 4.7 percent from January and 8.4 percent higher than last year.

The Libertarian Party went after the tax plan offered by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah. The Libertarians insisted most Americans would be hurt, especially those making less than $406,750, This is what leaders within the GOP which now holds majorities in both the U.S. House and Senate have to offer? asked Nicholas Sarwark, chairman of the Libertarian National Committee, on Friday. Pathetic.

Florida TaxWatch released a report on Friday finding lionfish are a threat to fishing in the Sunshine State which employs almost 65,000 Floridians in commercial activities and more than 109,000 through tourism. "Florida fishing provides jobs, local food and unique tourism experiences, which must be preserved as they are critical pieces of Florida's diversified economy," said Dominic Calabro, the president and CEO of Florida TaxWatch. "By taking steps to control Florida's lionfish population, the state is protecting valuable Florida resources and needed jobs."