The Webster Wire

Listening to Floridians

Dear Friends:

Last week, the House passed several bills aimed at cutting red tape and improving government efficiency. By modernizing processes in the federal government, the following bills will help ensure taxpayer dollars and government resources are being used in a responsible and effective manner.

• H.R. 5301, the Eliminate Useless Reports Act – Requires federal agencies to list in their annual budget justification for reports identified as outdated or duplicative, and to recommend whether to end or modify these reports.
• H.R. 9592, the Federal Register Modernization Act – Replaces the outdated practice of printing thousands of copies of the Federal Register, a publication that includes presidential documents, rules, and notices, with an electronic publication. Eliminating the requirement to print thousands of copies cuts down on waste and use of taxpayer money and government resources.
• H.R. 9596, the Value Over Cost Act – Increases government efficiency by including “best value” as a means for choosing contracts. This change maximizes the federal government’s ability to utilize modern technology and help reduce regulatory burdens on small businesses.

Simplifying Student Aid

Students and families should have timely access to the resources they need for higher education. That’s why last week, I voted to require the Department of Education to make the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available to students by October 1 of the year prior to the student’s expected year of enrollment. H.R. 8932, the FAFSA Deadline Act , simplifies and streamlines the financial aid process, moving the FAFSA deadline to October 1, well in advance of the school year, allowing families to make better-informed financial decisions.

In December 2020, Congress directed the U.S. Department of Education to implement a new, more streamlined FASFA application to make things easier for American students. Under the Biden-Harris Administration the implementation has consistently failed to meet deadlines, and the new process has been riddled with errors prohibiting students from submitting information. A Government Accountability Office study found that 430,000 fewer students submitted an application for the 2024-2025 school year.

Demanding Answers from FEMA

As a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I along with several colleagues demanded answers from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell regarding concerning reports that some FEMA employees in Florida were instructed to avoid impacted homes that displayed campaign signs for President-elect Trump. The blatant disregard of President-elect Trump supporters directly contradicts FEMA’s core mission and values. It is clear that, under the Biden-Harris Administration, FEMA has been ill-prepared to provide assistance and relief to many Americans in need.

Ensuring Government Keeps its Promise

For nearly 30 years, Florida and the U.S. Government have made restoring Florida’s “River of Grass” a high priority. During my time in both the Florida Legislature and U.S. Congress, support for the Everglades has received broad and consistent support, with public and private stakeholders stepping up to ensure the projects designed to fix the Everglades continue to move forward. Unfortunately, the federal government has largely ignored a critical component of ensuring that those who depend on water — farmers, municipalities, businesses, and residents — can continue to get the water they were promised.

This week, a panel of three federal judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit will hear oral argument in Atlanta in a water-rights case that will decide whether the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers needs uphold water supply commitments made to agricultural and residential water-users over 20 years ago. It is time for the Corps to honor the promises made to stakeholders in 2000, return their water, and undertake Everglades restoration in accordance with the law and the CERP agreement.

Click here to continue reading my column on this issue which impacts water access and quality across central and south Florida. 

Seeing and Serving You

Earlier this month, I was pleased to visit many of my constituents at the Villages 27th Government Day at the Eisenhower Recreation Center, and provide information about how my federal office serves constituents with federal and government agencies. I can often intervene on a constituent’s behalf to answer questions, find solutions, or simply attempt to cut through the red tape. If you are a constituent in Congressional District 11 in need of assistance with a federal agency, call 352-241-9220 or visit my website.

Cindy Brown, my Community Relations Representative for Sumter County, visited with students on my behalf at Webster Elementary and Bushnell Elementary Schools. She shared how my office serves constituents in Florida’s 11th Congressional District, and provided brief civic lessons about how our federal government works for them in South Sumter County. Thank you, teachers and staff, for inviting my office to participate in this opportunity to encourage and educate our future generations about the meaning of serving others through the federal government.

Pam Jones, Community Relations Representative for Orange County, recently attended the council meetings held at the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Building in Lake Buena Vista. Pam attended the City of Bay Lake council meeting with Mayor Todd Watzel along with the Bay Lake Council, then, following, the City of Lake Buena Vista council meeting with Mayor Renee Raper along with the Lake Buena Vista Council. City Manager Randy Singh serves both cities.

City of Bay Lake Council

City of Lake Buena Vista

Your servant,

Daniel Webster
Member of Congress