Two thirds of the Senate broke with Gov. Rick Scott and sent a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood on Thursday asking for more time before re-allocating federal funds targeted for high-speed rail projects to other states.

Please give us the time necessary to work with the enterprise prior to re-allocating Floridas funds to another state, wrote the senators.

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland weighed in on Thursday, marking the second anniversary of President Barack Obama signing the federal stimulus into law.

As Republicans in Congress look to cut $100 billion from the federal budget, Florida Republican U.S. Rep. David Rivera attacked President Barack Obama for standing in the way of a trimmer federal government.

Nestled in Hamilton County, right off of where I-10 and I-75 meet, is White Springs, a town of 800 which is probably best known for hosting the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park. While Floridians will head over to White Springs during May when the annual folk festival is held there, the town has seen better days. A century ago, the town was home to 14 luxury homes, and more than a few prominent Americans -- including Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft -- vacationed in White Springs, enjoying the warm weather and lovely views of the Suwannee River.

Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, cheered the new Medicaid reform bill released Thursday by his fellow Republican senators -- Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, who chairs the Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee, and Sens. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, and Rene Garcia, R-Miami, who both serve on the committee.

Speaking to more than 250 attendees at the Florida Rural Economic Development Summit in St. Augustine, Patrick Lien, director of broadband services for the North Florida Broadband Authority (NFBA), took aim at the states continuing unemployment problem, pushing increased high-speed Internet in rural areas to lure companies to the states 32 rural counties. Lien offered the keynote address to the summit on Thursday morning, focusing on the need for increased communication technologies in rural Florida -- and reminding listeners about global competition.

Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, released details of his Medicaid reform bill Thursday, which is expected to save more than $1 billion in a program that takes up nearly 30 percent of the state budget.

The Florida Rural Economic Development Summit began in St. Augustine on Thursday morning with leaders grappling with how to prepare the Sunshine States 32 rural counties for the new economy.

The Susan B. Anthony List, a national pro-life organization, honored Rep. Rachel Burgin, R-Brandon, on Wednesday by presenting her with the 2011 Susan B. Anthony Young Leader Award.

I am honored and humbled to receive this award, said Burgin. It is my responsibility to defend the rights of the unborn and help strengthen Floridas families. I am thankful to have a platform and vehicle as a member of the Florida Legislature to help create a culture and state that values life.

The legislator also won the praise of a key member of the House leadership.

Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio released a video marking the two-year anniversary of President Barack Obama signing the federal stimulus into law. Calling the stimulus a mistake, Rubio hoped the nation would never enact similar legislation again.