Investing in Central Florida

Dear friends and neighbors,

This week, we spent time in Washington, D.C., and the district working hard for Central Floridians.

Our team was proud to announce the 15 Community Projects we are proposing to the House Appropriations Committee for funding in FY2024, totaling nearly $31 million. These projects address the needs of Osceola, Orange, and Polk County residents and will have a lasting impact on our Central Florida community.

We also reintroduced the Puerto Rico Status Act to ensure Puerto Ricans on the Island can finally achieve equality by having a binding vote for statehood or other non-colonial options.

In the district, we visited Lake Nona High School with White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics Executive Director Melody Gonzales. We talked to students, encouraged them to apply for internships, and learned about the great work teachers are doing to provide high-quality bilingual, civic, and STEM education.

In honor of Earth Day today, we planted a tree in beautiful Osceola County to commemorate this special day and renewed our commitment to work together for the future of our planet.

I'm proud of our accomplishments this week and look forward to the informative events and meetings we will participate in next week.

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In Washington, D.C.

Announcing Community Project Funding Requests for FY24

I am proud to announce the 15 Community Projects we are proposing to the House Appropriations Committee for funding in FY2024, totaling nearly $31 million. These projects address the needs of Osceola, Orange, and Polk County residents and will have a lasting impact on our Central Florida community.

Click here for more information

Supporting the Puerto Rico Status Act

Last Congress, the U.S. House came together to pass the Puerto Rico Status Act. This Congress, we'll continue this historic progress to ensure Puerto Ricans on the Island can finally achieve equality by having a binding vote for statehood or other non-colonial options.

Advocating for Small Business Owners in Central Florida

In the Energy and Commerce on the Innovation, Data, and Commerce subcommittee hearing, we discussed the Federal Trade Commission's 2024 budget. We will continue to support and advocate for small business owners and protect consumers in Central Florida and across the nation.

Click here to watch the full hearing

Addressing the Importance of High Speed Internet in Rural Communities

In Central Florida, the need to access high speed internet to download information keeps growing, and I am pleased to see that the American Rescue Plan is still helping deliver internet to our rural communities. The Infrastructure Law also invested $65 billion to ensure all Americans can access affordable, reliable, and high-speed internet. We will continue to work to bring internet access to our rural businesses and communities in America.

Click here to watch the full hearing

Focusing on our Nation's Agriculture Industry

Climate change is a threat to America’s agriculture. In Central Florida, we have strong cattle, citrus, blueberry, and strawberry production — which is our second largest industry. In the Agriculture Committee, we are continuously working to ensure our nation's agriculture industries are successful.

Click here to watch the full hearing

Testifying Before the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

I was proud to testify before the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee about the district's priorities, such as improving our roads, commuter rail, airports, water, and other projects. We celebrated America Under Construction in Central Florida thanks to the Infrastructure Law.

Discussing Gun Violence with Future Forum and Advocates

Gun violence is a continuous threat to our nation. We met with leaders from Everytown and Brady to discuss how Congress can continue to build on efforts to save lives.

Meeting with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection

We met with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in Washington, D.C. to discuss implementing our bipartisan Restoring Resilient Reefs Act to protect the Great Florida Reef. We have been working with them since FY21 to invest over $3.7 million in our district to mitigate flooding and improve water infrastructure.

Hosting Members of the Osceola and Polk County Farm Bureau

We met with members of the Osceola and Polk County Farm Bureau as we work on the upcoming Farm Bill. As a member of the Agriculture Committee, I'll work to combat citrus greening, improve farm income and SNAP, support disaster relief, increase research, and more to help our farmers, growers, and ranchers.

Meeting Orange County Public Schools Students

It was great to welcome Orange County Public Schools students to the Capitol. We are proud of our youth and support efforts to create opportunities for accessible learning.

Meeting with Sea World and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums

We had a productive meeting with SeaWorld and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to discuss the programs at their facilities to save species and conserve wildlife. We also talked about federal funding opportunities for zoos and aquariums and legislation to support their efforts.

Welcoming Spotify and CEO Daniel Eck to D.C.

We were excited to welcome CEO Daniel Eck and Spotify to Washington, D.C. We will continue to foster creativity and help artists promote their music and seek fair pay. As a musician, I have seen firsthand with our band Orange Creek Riders the importance of innovation.

In the District

Visiting Lake Nona High School with Executive Director Melody Gonzales

We visited Lake Nona High School with White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics Executive Director Melody Gonzales. We talked to students, encouraged them to apply for internships, and learned about the great work teachers are doing to provide high-quality bilingual, civic, and STEM education.

Celebrating the Unveiling of Brightline Station at Orlando International Airport

We're thrilled about the new Brightline Station at Orlando International Airport. This is just the beginning of a plan that connects workers and tourists to SunRail and Brightline's network thanks to the Infrastructure Law. Tickets for the Miami-Orlando route go on sale in May.

Meeting with our Hispanic Advisory Committee

We had a great meeting with our Hispanic Advisory Committee. We discussed President Biden's plan to expand health care for DACA recipients, our opposition to Florida Republicans’ anti-immigrant agenda, and the positive impact our Great Eight bills will have on our Hispanic community.

Planting a Tree for Earth Day

In honor of Earth Day, we planted a tree in beautiful Osceola County to commemorate this special day and renewed our commitment to work together for the future of our planet.

Visiting the VA Medical Center

We visited the VA Medical Center to speak to their therapy team and view their state-of-the-art technology for helping veterans experiencing mental health issues. We're proud to support their work to provide quality health care to Central Florida veterans.

Speaking to Pediatric Residents at Nemours

It was great to speak to pediatric residents from all four hospital systems in Central Florida — Nemours, Advent Health, Orlando Health, and All Children’s — to help teach them how better to advocate on issues dealing with child health.

Participating in East Lake Elementary's STEM Night

Team Soto joined the East Lake Elementary Eagles and local partners like NASA, Toho Water, SeaWorld, and NeoCity for their STEM night. It is always great to see our local Osceola County students enjoying STEM education.

Team Soto in the Community

Team Soto is hard at work in our district connecting with the community. We are here to serve FL-09 and are grateful for the opportunity to do so.

Important Updates for Central Floridians

Special ACA Enrollment Period

We secured an extension of the special health care enrollment period from March 31, 2023, through July 31, 2024 for those affected by the end of pandemic-related Medicaid continuous coverage.

Click here for more information

PACT Act Resources for Veterans

Toxic-exposed veterans in Central Florida deserve to access all their rightfully earned benefits without issue.

Veterans and their loved ones can stay updated on the effects of the Honoring our PACT Act by visiting VA.gov/PACT.

There has been an increase in PACT Act-related email, phone, and social media scams targeting veterans by offering to submit claims on their behalf. Click here to learn more.

Emergency Mental Health Care for Veterans

Veterans can now receive no-cost emergency mental health care at VA or non-VA healthcare facilities. Veterans can use this benefit whether or not they are enrolled in the VA system. This new policy will save lives.

Insulin is Now No More Than $35/Month for Seniors

Last year, House Democrats passed the Inflation Reduction Act. This year, millions of seniors will no longer have to ration their insulin because they can’t afford it. Just this week, insulin producer Eli Lilly said they are reducing their price by 70% with a $35 cap.

117th Congress End-of-Session Report

Click here for the full report

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,