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Widow of Tuskegee Airman to be Honored Saturday |
Friday, 24 July 2009 | |
PALM HARBOR, Fla. (24 July) – On Saturday July 25 U.S. Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-Fla.), member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, will salute the courage of the Tuskegee Airmen by presenting Mildred Wilson, widow of Staff Sergeant Elmer Wilson, with a bronze Tuskegee Airmen Congressional Gold Medal for her husband's valiant service during World War II. The presentation will take place at 1:00 p.m. at the Church on the Bayou Presbyterian Church, 409 Whitcomb Blvd., Tarpon Springs, Fla. | |
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House Health Care Bill Will Increase Florida’s Soaring Unemployment |
Friday, 17 July 2009 | |
WASHINGTON (17 July) – U.S. Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-Fla.), representing Florida’s 9th Congressional District, today issued the following statement regarding Florida’s unemployment rate as it continued its upward trend, with the seasonally adjusted rate for June hitting 10.6 percent: | |
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Bilirakis: Don’t Raise Taxes & Cut Medicare to Pay for Government Run Health Care |
Tuesday, 14 July 2009 | |
WASHINGTON (14 July) – U.S. Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-Fla.), representing Florida’s 9th Congressional District, today issued the following statement after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and other Democratic leaders held a news conference to discuss the introduction of their health care legislation, which raises taxes on small businesses and cuts Medicare to pay for government run health care: | |
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Rep. Bilirakis Questions FEMA’s Fugate on Tampa Bay’s Hurricane Preparedness |
Wednesday, 08 July 2009 | |
WASHINGTON (8 July) – During a House Homeland Security Committee hearing Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) questioned FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate on how prepared Florida, and specifically, the Tampa Bay area is for a major hurricane. | |
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Rep. Bilirakis Opposes National Energy Tax |
Friday, 26 June 2009 | |
WASHINGTON (26 June) – U.S. Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-Fla.), representing Florida’s 9th Congressional District, today issued the following statement after opposing the House "Cap & Trade" plan - H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009: | |
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Defense Bill Passed by House Contains Free Postage for Troops |
Thursday, 25 June 2009 | |
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House Approves Bilirakis Measure to Expand Overseas Terrorist Detection Program |
Thursday, 25 June 2009 | |
WASHINGTON (25 June) – Late Wednesday evening the U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 2892, the Fiscal Year 2010 Department of Homeland Security Act, which included an amendment sponsored by U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) to enhance our nation’s visa screening capabilities overseas to keep terrorists out of the United States. | |
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Department of Homeland Security Awards Over $70 Million to Florida |
Thursday, 18 June 2009 | |
WASHINGTON (18 June) – U.S. Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-Fla.), the only Florida member on the House Homeland Security Committee, today announced the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has awarded more than $73 million in federal security grants to the state of Florida to bolster emergency preparedness and protect critical infrastructure. The funding includes nearly $8 million to the Tampa Bay area through the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) to aid local law enforcement in keeping our neighborhoods secure. | |
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Rep. Bilirakis to Host Home Foreclosure Assistance Workshop - June 20 |
Friday, 12 June 2009 | |
PALM HARBOR, Fla. (12 June) - U.S. Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-Fla.), representing Florida’s 9th Congressional District including portions of Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, will be hosting a home foreclosure assistance workshop on Saturday, June 20, 2009. | |
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House Approves Bilirakis Security Initiatives as Part of TSA Authorization |
Thursday, 04 June 2009 | |
Over the past six years, there have been multiple instances of individuals rupturing pipelines in the Tampa Bay area. Most recently, in November 2007, a 30-mile-long anhydrous ammonia pipeline in Riverview, Florida, was vandalized which led to the release of a poisonous chemical cloud and the evacuation of 300 local residents. The authorization included a provision Bilirakis authored to clarify federal pipeline safety and security procedures and determine whether additional measures are necessary to protect our nation’s critical pipelines. “The rupturing of pipelines in the Tampa Bay area in recent years should serve as a reminder that federal agencies must remain vigilant to ensure residents are not at risk,” Bilirakis said. “We must do all we can to make certain our nation's pipeline infrastructure is protected from possible terrorist attacks as well as acts of vandalism.” In addition, the bill included a Bilirakis authored provision that will ensure that airports that took early action to protect travelers by purchasing explosive detection equipment after the September 11th terrorist attacks will receive the reimbursement they were promised by TSA and Congress. "Tampa International Airport has spent more than $100 million for equipment and deserves to be reimbursed in as timely a manner as possible for its willingness to spend scarce resources to protect the flying public," Bilirakis added. “I expect that this provision will result in Tampa and other airports around the country finally receiving the funds they were promised years ago, which will ultimately allow for further security enhancements." | |
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Rep. Bilirakis Calls for Clean Troop Supplemental Bill |
Thursday, 04 June 2009 | |
WASHINGTON (4 June) – U.S. Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-Fla.), representing Florida’s 9th Congressional District, today issued the following statement amid reports that House and Senate Democrats have reached a tentative deal to include billions in aid for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank in a troop funding bill intended for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan: | |
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Rep. Bilirakis Supports Expanded Veterans Small Business Programs |
Wednesday, 20 May 2009 | |
WASHINGTON (20 May) – On Wednesday U.S. Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-Fla.), a member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and Chair of the Veterans’ Affairs Task Force for the Republican Policy Committee, supported the passage of the Job Creation through Entrepreneurship Act, which would expand entrepreneurial opportunities for veteran-owned small businesses. “This legislation will improve the educational opportunities, grants and resources available to small business owners who have served in our nation’s armed forces," said Bilirakis. “We have over 35,000 wounded warriors that have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan and we must do all we can to ensure they have every opportunity to succeed. Creating incentives for transitioning service members to start their own business is a perfect way to assist with that process." H.R. 2352 reauthorizes the Small Business Administration's (SBA) entrepreneurial development programs, creates a new small business assistance program for veterans, and authorizes the SBA to establish a distance learning program and online networking forum for existing and potential entrepreneurs. Additionally this bill includes funding for capital grants, procurement assessment grants, and grants tailored to service-disabled veterans. For more information on SBA initiatives for veterans click here.
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Bilirakis Joins Bi-Partisan Demand for Answers on Extremism Report |
Tuesday, 19 May 2009 | |
WASHINGTON (19 May) – U.S. Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Management, Investigations, and Oversight, today joined the entire Homeland Security Committee in supporting a resolution that would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detail the process by which an intelligence assessment about "right-wing" extremism was created. | |
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Bilirakis Calls on Vitter to Release Hold on FEMA Nominee |
Friday, 08 May 2009 | |
WASHINGTON (8 May) – U.S. Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-Fla.), the only Florida member on the House Homeland Security Committee, today released the following statement in support of the confirmation of former Florida emergency management director Craig Fugate as administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): | |
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Bilirakis Announces USDA Disaster Assistance for Farmers |
Wednesday, 29 April 2009 | |
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Rep. Bilirakis Denounces Homeland Security Assessment |
Wednesday, 15 April 2009 | |
WASHINGTON (15 April) – U.S. Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Management, Investigations, and Oversight, today released the following statement regarding a Department of Homeland Security intelligence assessment that singles out our nation’s veterans and gun owners: | |
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House Passes Bilirakis Initiatives for Greater Transparency of Executive Pay |
Wednesday, 01 April 2009 | |
WASHINGTON (1 April) – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 1664, the Pay for Performance Act, which included two measures sponsored by U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) to provide greater accountability of taxpayer funds and protect private enterprise. | |
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Bilirakis Named 'Community Health Center Superhero' |
Thursday, 26 March 2009 | |
WASHINGTON (26 March) – The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), one of the nation’s leading healthcare advocacy organizations, today named U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) a '2009 Distinguished Community Health Center Superhero' for his efforts to improve access to quality and affordable health services for uninsured and medically underserved people. | |
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