Heading Back to the Moon and Beyond

Dear friends and neighbors,

This week, we had the opportunity to watch NASA's Artemis I launch from Cape Canaveral. I'm proud to support deep space exploration in Congress as we continue our journey “Back to the Moon."

In Washington, D.C., we witnessed history as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced her decision to not run for leadership in the 118th Congress. I am incredibly grateful to have served under her leadership and look forward to working with my colleagues to advance President Biden's agenda next Congress. We also celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Infrastructure Law and passed the Speak Out Act to make non-disclosure agreements (NDA) for sexual harassment cases unenforceable.

As this session comes to a close, I'm incredibly proud of what we have accomplished. It has been an honor to serve Florida's Ninth Congressional District during this term.

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Great News from This Week

Artemis I Has Launched from Cape Canaveral

I had the honor of witnessing NASA's launch of Artemis I from Cape Canaveral. I'm proud to support deep space exploration in Congress as we continue our journey back to the Moon.

11.17.2022 - Soto Speaks About Artemis I Launch

I also spoke on the House floor about this great accomplishment.

The Infrastructure Law was Passed One Year Ago

One year ago, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law, kicking off an Infrastructure Decade. This historic funding will upgrade America’s infrastructure, create good-paying jobs, and create new opportunities to make sure our best days are ahead of us. This new law has allowed us to deliver millions already to Central Florida to expand Terminal C at Orlando International Airport, SunRail + Brightline, clean water infrastructure, and eventually the Beyond I-4 Ultimate project.

The Manatee Feeding Program was Approved Again

We are grateful the Department of the Interior approved the manatee feeding program once again. In the long term, we must continue to aggressively restore seagrass in local habitats.

Florida Received $2.2B in FEMA Federal Support

Florida is extremely thankful for the FEMA assistance we have received in the wake of Hurricane Ian. With over $2.2 billion in federal support, we are rebuilding the parts of our state that were hardest hit by the storm.

In Washington, D.C.

Celebrating Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced that she does not plan to run for a leadership position in the 118th Congress. Under her fearless leadership, we've had the opportunity to do great things for America including passing the American Rescue Plan, Infrastructure Law, gun safety legislation, the CHIPS and Science Act, the PACT Act for veterans, and the Inflation Reduction Act to lower prescription drug prices for seniors and combat climate change. I look forward to working with her and our colleagues to advance President Biden's agenda next Congress.

Passing the Speak Out Act

NDAs should not prevent survivors of sexual assault and harassment from coming forward and seeking justice. The House and Senate have now stood up to pass the Speak Out Act to make pre-dispute NDAs for sexual harassment unenforceable.

Meeting with Florida Citrus Mutual

It was great to meet with Florida Citrus Mutual in our Washington, D.C., office to discuss Hurricane Ian recovery efforts, combating citrus greening, and the 2023 crop. We are committed to helping our citrus growers return to prosperity.

Spring 2023 Internship Applications

Federal Resources for Affected Individuals

President Joe Biden approved Individual Assistance for all counties in Florida's Ninth Congressional District: Orange, Osceola, and Polk. As a result, affected families can file claims if they need home repairs or have other damaged property. Disaster Recovery Centers have also been opened to help individuals apply for federal assistance and disaster loans, update applications, and learn about other resources available.

We are thrilled to announce that all three counties have been approved for the Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program to provide short-term lodging assistance for victims of the storm. For long-term solutions, we have asked FEMA and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to consider activating Direct Temporary Housing Assistance (DTHA).

Visit DisasterAssistance.gov for more information or call 1-800-621-3362

If you receive a rejection from FEMA, it may not be the end of the road. You have up to 60 days to submit an appeal if you disagree with FEMA’s decision and there are often simple steps you can take to remedy the situation.

Assistance for Small Businesses

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has established facilities to provide business owners, nonprofit organizations, homeowners, and renters with answers to their questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process, and help each person complete their electronic loan application. These facilities can be either virtual or brick-and-mortar, depending on the circumstances surrounding the disaster and other factors. Individuals should apply under SBA declaration # 17644.

Apply through your DisasterAssistance.gov account

Additionally, Florida has made $50 million available through the Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program. The loans will be administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and provide short-term, zero-interest loans to small businesses that experienced economic injury or physical damage due to Hurricane Ian.

Visit www.FloridaJobs.org/EBL to learn more about the program, as well as to view the lending guidelines and required documentation, and complete an application.
Business owners who need further program information may call 833-832-4494 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time.
Applications are due on December 2, 2022.

Resources for Constituents Without Power

If constituents are experiencing long-term power outages, they should look into the Low-Income Home Energy Assistant Program (LIHEAP) in addition to applying for Individual Assistance. The state of Florida released $1.4 million in LIHEAP set-aside emergency funding for use by LIHEAP providers across the state.

Food and Nutrition Assistance

HOT FOOD UPDATE: Residents of Osceola, Orange, and Polk Counties can now use SNAP to purchase hot foods until the end of the month. SNAP-authorized retailers may accept SNAP benefits in exchange for hot foods and foods intended to be consumed on retailer premises.

D-SNAP UPDATE: USDA has approved Disaster-SNAP benefits for Hurricane Ian survivors in Orange, Osceola, and Polk Counties. Individuals can pre-register at https://www.myflfamilies.com/hurricaneian/.

Beware of Fraud

I am proud to be your representative and look forward to our continued efforts to improve our district! Please do not hesitate to call my office with any questions or concerns.

In Community,