In the News
Kevan Chapman (NFIB)
WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 14, 2012 – The National Federation of Independent Business, the nation’s leading small business association, today named U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland (FL-2) a Guardian of Small Business for his outstanding voting record on behalf of America’s small-business owners in the 112th Congress.
NFIB President and CEO Dan Danner praised Rep. Southerland for “standing for small business.” In presenting the group’s coveted Guardian of Small Business Award, Danner said, “Small-business owners pay close attention to how their lawmakers vote on the issues affecting their businesses and employees and stand by those who stand for them.”
“In the 112th Congress, Rep. Southerland proved that he is willing to stand up and do big things for small business,” said Danner. “Guardian-award winners are genuine small-business champions, consistently voting to promote and protect the right of small-business owners to own, operate and grow their businesses."
In all, NFIB will present Guardian awards to 245 Representatives who voted favorably on key small business issues at least 70 percent of the time during the 112th Congress.
EDITOR'S NOTE: To view “How Congress Voted,” which has the key small business votes and voting percentages for each lawmaker, go to http://www.NFIB.com/hcv
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Caroline May (The Daily Caller)
The week the Census Bureau reported that the number of people in the United States living in poverty is at its highest level since 1993, the Republican Study Committee and Washington-based Center for Neighborhood Enterprise wrapped up their two-day Anti-Poverty Summit on Capitol Hill.Launching an initiative focused on listening to real-world, community-based solutions to poverty, a coalition of Republican lawmakers headed by Florida Republican Rep. Steve Southerland heard from grassroots leaders who have successfully confronted the challenges of poverty in their own communities — with a message focused on the establishment of long-term relationships with those in need and a rejection of easy “handouts” without expectations.
Sep 09 2012
Southerland Stands Up for Local Fishing Industry
Capt. Tom Adams Letter to the Editor (Panama City News Herald)
On Aug. 25 our district was fortunate to have a congressional field hearing on fishing jobs. Our Rep. Steve Southerland worked tirelessly to get the full congressional hearing brought to our area so the entire House of Representatives in Washington, D.C., could hear testimony from locals about how the extremely short fishing seasons, catch shares, sector separation and the National Oceans policy are affecting jobs in our area, thus hurting our coastal economies everywhere in Florida.I proudly accepted the invitation from Congress to testify on behalf of the Recreational Fishing Alliance and fishermen in general from our area. Of course, as with any hearing there are differing opinions as to how to help our fisheries and fishermen. I was not surprised to see a group there promoting catch shares and sector separation, as that is a big issue here on the Gulf.
Sep 03 2012
Southerland Honored by 2 Seniors Groups
News Herald Staff Report (Panama City News Herald)
PANAMA CITY — U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Panama City, has been honored by two organizations representing seniors.They are RetireSafe and The 60 Plus Association.
Southerland received the “Guardian of Seniors Rights Award” last month by the 60 Plus Association for his record in Congress of fighting for America’s seniors and protecting Medicare. Jim Martin, chairman of 60 Plus, was on hand at St. Andrews Towers in Panama City to present the award to Southerland.
Aug 27 2012
Emergency Response to Isaac
While it appears that Isaac will spare Flordia's Second District a direct hit, please know that we stand ready to assist our coastal communities with any concerns they may have.
We have compiled a list of important emergency contact information for the counties in Florida’s Second District that could be most adversely impacted. Please do not hesitate to visit us in our Panama City or Tallahassee offices, or to call us in Washington. We’re here to serve you.
Representative Steve Southerland, II Contact Information
Washington, DC Office: 202-225-5235
Panama City, FL Office: 850-785-0812
840 W 11th Street, Suite 2250
Panama City, FL 32401
Tallahassee, FL Office: 850-561-3979
3116 Capital Circle NE, Suite 9
Tallahassee, FL 32308
http://www.floridadisaster.org/index.asp
http://blog.fema.gov/search/label/Severe%20Tropical%20Weather
Bay County Emergency Management
700 Highway 2300
Southport, FL 32409
Phone: (850) 248-6040
Fax: (850) 248-6059
Website: http://www.co.bay.fl.us/emergency/management.php
Franklin County Emergency Management
28 Airport Road
Apalachicola, FL 32320
Phone: (850) 653-8977
Fax: (850) 653-3643
Website: http://www.franklinemergencymanagement.com/
Gulf County Emergency Management
1000 Cecil G. Costin, Sr. Blvd
Building 500
Port St. Joe, FL 32456
Phone: (850) 229-9110
Fax: (850) 229-9115
Website: http://www.gulfcounty-fl.gov/EmergencyManagement.cfm
Okaloosa County Emergency Management
90 College Boulevard East
Niceville, FL 32578
Phone: (850) 651-7150
Fax: (850) 651-7170
Website: http://www.co.okaloosa.fl.us/dept_ps_em_mgmt.html
Wakulla County Emergency Management
15 Oak Street
Crawfordville, FL 32327
Phone: 850-926-0861
Fax: 850-926-8027
Website: http://www.wcso.org/
Walton County Emergency Management
752 Triple G Road
DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433
Phone: (850) 892-8065
Website: http://www.waltonso.org/divisions/emergency_management_and_public_safety_communications_division.htm
Rep. Jim Jordan and Rep. Steve Southerland II
President Johnson declared a War on Poverty in 1964. Over the subsequent three decades, the federal government created a maze of welfare programs to distribute a growing mountain of taxpayer money. But year after year, poverty seemed to win the war.
In 1996, conservatives forced President Clinton to try a new approach. Our welfare reforms replaced a failed New Deal program with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Conservatives built TANF around two simple ideas: States would get a level, predictable amount of funding with the flexibility to use it as they thought best. In return, able-bodied adults getting TANF checks would have to work, look for work, take classes or otherwise prepare themselves to regain their independence.
On one hand, we gave states the freedom to experiment and innovate. On the other, we expressed tough love that encourages people to take responsibility for their lives. The formula succeeded even beyond expectations.
Unfortunately, we never used the TANF model to reform the rest of welfare. Down 10-0, conservatives scored one goal and high-fived all the way to the locker room. Meanwhile, liberals spent the next 16 years trying to undo the accomplishments of 1996. The latest attack came just recently, when the Obama administration conjured an illegitimate legal excuse for rolling back TANF’s work requirements.
It’s time for conservatives to get back in the game.
The American welfare state has failed the poor. It has squandered decades, dollars and good intentions, while families and communities have suffered the consequences. Liberals only offer more of the same. We can do better.
Because the best help comes as people help themselves, we should expand the TANF work requirements to other areas of welfare. There’s a reason Habitat for Humanity requires families to put in hundreds of hours of sweat equity before getting a new home. The things we earn are the things we value most.
Right now, federal welfare includes at least 10 programs for housing, seven for medical assistance and 17 for food and nutrition. We also have multiple programs for job training, cash assistance and education. Altogether, at least 70 programs cost state and federal taxpayers around $1 trillion per year.
This bloated maze is good for bureaucrats but not for the families stuck in the system. So let’s simplify it. Instead of 70 efforts with poor results, let’s just have a few that actually work. We’d save money and even help grow our economy as more families move from welfare to financial independence. As in 1996, Congress should block-grant the funds to states and let them innovate. Grass-roots organizations and state and local leaders know better than Congress what works in their communities.
The Republican Study Committee, the home for conservatives in the House, already has begun advancing legislation along these lines. But fighting poverty does not just mean designing more effective welfare. We need to fight the causes of welfare dependence, and many times the answer lies outside of Washington.
Private organizations across the country do amazing work without the federal government running the show. We recently visited George Wythe High School in Richmond, where the Center for Neighborhood Enterprise (CNE) runs a mentoring program for at-risk youngsters. Youth advisers, most from troubled backgrounds themselves, are available 24/7 to help students stay on the right track. George Wythe used to be the most violence- and crime-ridden school in the city. After just two years, the school reported a 26 percent drop in fighting, a 68 percent decline in truancy and 63 percent fewer dropouts.
Children who spend years in bad schools or lost in the foster care system have higher odds of criminal convictions and relying on welfare. Those problems won’t be solved by throwing more money into failing programs. We need to get government out of the way and empower people. Every family should enjoy the opportunity for school choice. Private organizations that can help more children find caring homes should get the chance.
Conservative reformers have natural allies in groups like CNE and the families they help. Their hopes, dreams and frustrations with today’s ineffective liberal welfare state are no different from our own. They understand that no government check can replace earned success and supportive relationships. So let’s reach out, hear their solutions and work together to fight poverty.
Rep. Jim Jordan is an Ohio Republican and chairman of the Republican Study Committee. Rep. Steve Southerland II is a Florida Republican.
Jul 06 2012
Extra Fishing Days Help Make Up Lost Time
Valerie Garman (Panama City News Herald)
MEXICO BEACH — For area fishermen, Tropical Storm Debby was just the icing on the cake for an already botched snapper season.The National Marine Fisheries Service announced a six-day extension to snapper season last week, but for those who make a living on the water, those six days won't make up for time lost to their already-short 40-day window for snapper, local captains said.
Mexico Beach Charter Captain Chip Blackburn has lost 274 hours of work since June 1 due to inclement weather, in what should be his busiest time of year.
Rep. Steve Southerland, II
It’s been nearly 50 years since Lyndon B. Johnson launched his War on Poverty, and much has been debated about the appropriate role of government in poverty and social welfare. However well-intentioned these federal fix-alls might have been, recent statistics prove that the liberal model of Big Government handouts and nanny-state dependency simply isn’t working. In fact, poverty in America is on the rise. For example, Leon County, Florida – the largest county in my congressional district – has seen its poverty rate increase from 17% in 2007, to over 26% just three years later.For far too long, the federal government has incentivized the very behaviors that it is attempting to discourage, contributing to increased poverty in the process. The dissolution of the family and a lack of emphasis on work and personal accountability are key causes of poverty.
Jul 02 2012
Southerland Celebrates RESTORE Act's Passage
Andrew Ruiz (WMBB)
Bay County, Fla. -Lawmakers across the Gulf are celebrating a huge win tonight as they look forward to receiving much needed relief from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The U.S. House recently approved the transportation bill, which the RESTORE Act was part of and now it's up to the President to look it over and give his approval.
Representative Steve Southerland addressed lawmakers and community leaders Monday afternoon to celebrate the passage of the bill that addresses the impacts of economic and environmental damage. It allocates assessed BP fines to the Gulf Coast states.
"The language that was settled upon is language that gave the flexibility to the counties as well as to the states to address the type of devastation and harm that was caused." Southerland says.
Click play to view the video or follow this link
http://www.wmbb.com/story/18938055/southerland-celebrates-restore-acts-passage?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=7462004
Jul 02 2012
Southerland Offers Insight Into RESTORE Act
Zack McDonald (Panama City News Herald)
PANAMA CITY — With a victory for the Gulf Coast on the horizon, Rep. Steve Southerland celebrated Congressional approval of the RESTORE Act on Monday afternoon.Southerland, R-Panama City, was joined at the gazebo in St. Andrews Marina by representatives of local government and industry from Bay County and the surrounding region.
“No one person, no one office, was responsible for the success of getting the RESTORE Act across the goal line,” Southerland said. “This was a team effort, so today we celebrate with you the successes.”