Two Florida Republicans were selected to lead committees in the U.S. House Wednesday, as U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen was chosen to chair the House Foreign Affairs Committee and U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller was named to lead the House Veterans Affairs Committee.
The most senior woman in the Republican congressional ranks and the first Hispanic woman ever elected to Congress, Ros-Lehtinen was born in Cuba and earned her doctorate in education at the University of Miami. First elected to Congress in 1988, she represents parts of Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, including most of Miami and all of the Keys.
It has been a remarkable honor and privilege to serve the American people throughout my time in Congress, and I am truly humbled by the trust bestowed upon me to defend and advance our nations interest as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Ros-Lehtinen. In November, the voters made it clear that if we dont take the correct approach to policy by keeping our economy foremost in our decisions, theyre going to ship us all out. Republicans got the message and are committed to making the peoples House work for the people again. As chairman of this committee, I will work to restore fiscal discipline to foreign affairs, reform troubled programs and organizations, exercise vigorous oversight to identify waste, fraud and abuse, and counter the threats posed to our nation by rogue states and violent extremists.
A staunch conservative on international issues, Ros-Lehtinen took aim at two favorite targets on Wednesday -- the U.S. State Department and the United Nations.
I have identified and will propose a number of cuts to the State Department and foreign-aid budgets, said Ros-Lehtinen. There is much fat in these budgets, which makes some cuts obvious. Others will be more difficult but necessary to improve the efficiency of U.S. efforts and accomplish more with less. We must shift our foreign-aid focus from failed strategies rooted in an archaic post-WWII approach that, in some instances, perpetuates corrupt governments, to one that reflects current realities and challenges and empowers grass-roots and civil society.
I plan on using U.S. contributions to international organizations as leverage to press for real reform of those organizations, such as the United Nations, and will not hesitate to call for withdrawal of U.S. funds to failed entities like the discredited Human Rights Council if improvements are not made. she added. Finally, my worldview is clear: isolate and hold our enemies accountable, while supporting and strengthening our allies. I support strong sanctions and other penalties against those who aid violent extremists, brutalize their own people, and have time and time again rejected calls to behave as responsible nations. Rogue regimes never respond to anything less than hardball.
One of her incoming colleagues from South Florida praised the new chairwomans qualifications on Wednesday.
I congratulate Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen on being elected as the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said incoming fellow South Florida Republican U.S. Rep. David Rivera. She has always been a strong and steadfast voice in the arena of foreign affairs; whether it be holding the line on not making unilateral concessions to the Cuban dictatorship, standing up for the rights of Israel, or encouraging imposing sanctions and penalties on Americas enemies to hold them accountable for their actions.
First elected to Congress in 2001, Miller represents the Panhandle -- Escambia, Holmes, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Washington counties. He was chosen to chair the Veterans Affairs Committee.
It is certainly a great honor to have the opportunity to serve as chairman of an important committee that is so critical to our country, said Miller. Im eager to work hard in this new capacity for our veterans and retirees.
I cant think of anyone in the House more capable to serve as the chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs than Jeff Miller, said incoming U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. Jeffs efforts for veterans are well-documented and his credentials as a conservative leader are without question.Jeff will continue to work to ensure that all of our nations heroes receive the proper respect and care that they earned.
I am humbled by the opportunity to serve the more than 22 million veterans who have so proudly served this great nation, added Miller. I will work to ensure that we meet our veterans needs.
But while Miller and Ros-Lehtinen were elected to lead congressional committees, not every Florida Republican had the same success. U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns looked tolead the House Energy and Commerce Committee but lost out to U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich. U.S. Rep. Connie Mack looked to move up to head up the Republican Policy Committee, the fifth ranking position in the GOP House leadership, but was defeated by U.S. Rep. Tim Price, R-Ga.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
