Demings weighs in on health care, housing, and the Mueller Report

Focus on Congress

From the Office of Rep. Val Demings

"Central Florida's progress has been inspiring, with record-breaking growth and exciting new opportunities for good jobs, safe neighborhoods, a thriving cultural scene, and a bright future for our children and grandchildren. As your representative in Congress, I believe it is my responsibility to ensure that each member of our community has a fair chance to live their best life, and that no one is being left behind as Central Florida continues to move forward. Our incredible region has a lot to offer and every resident and visitor should be able to enjoy the Central Florida experience.

Rep. Demings discusses leadership and the future of the community with Women in Business and Leadership at the Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce.

With that goal in mind, I was recently proud to announce two major victories for Central Florida. First, we will be the recipient of nearly $25 million in new federal grants to expand affordable housing and ease the housing crunch that is driving up rents and making it hard for some families to stay in their homes. Every Central Floridian should be able to live in a safe, healthy, affordable neighborhood.

Keeping the residents of Congressional District 10 safe continues to be a top priority. I am so proud to announce that Orlando is once again back on the list for millions of dollars in terrorism-prevention funding—with more than twice the money we received last year. This crucial funding will help first responders prevent and respond to potential disasters or attacks on our community. I’m glad we were able to expand this program and ensure that our neighbors, friends, families and visitors can safely and freely experience the best of Orlando, from schools to restaurants, business parks to amusement parks.

Rep. Demings meets with representatives from Central Florida's firefighters regarding job safety and public-safety resources.

For more updates on our work in Washington and here in Central Florida, keep reading below.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller and his team of federal investigators have completed their investigation into Russia's attack on our 2016 election, and into whether President Trump and his advisers conspired to assist that attack or tried to obstruct the investigation into it.

The nearly 400-page report confirms a sophisticated Russian effort to undermine our democracy, and warns that we remain vulnerable to future attacks. It also carefully documents evidence related to President Trump. It says that he did not oppose this foreign attack on our 2016 election. The report also lays out ten instances of actions that could be called obstruction of justice as the President and his staff tried to shut down the investigation.

Special Counsel Mueller found staggering evidence of corruption, abuse of power, and obstruction of justice. Six of the president’s closest advisers were indicted on federal charges. It is clear to me that the President would have also been charged with felony obstruction of justice if not for a preexisting Department of Justice rule that a sitting president cannot be indicted. Please see excerpts from the report below.

The Special Counsel explained this limit to his investigation, and it made clear that he expects Congress to continue and expand on his work.

As a member of the House Judiciary Committee and the House Intelligence Committee, I am currently working to acquire the full, unredacted Mueller Report and all of the evidence collected by Mr. Mueller. We are also planning in-person interviews with Special Counsel Mueller and former White House Counsel Don McGahn.

As an equal branch of government, Congress has an unquestionable responsibility to provide necessary oversight to the executive branch of government, and no matter how unpleasant, Congress must live up to its responsibility.

Now that Democrats have a majority in the House of Representatives, we have an opportunity to pass meaningful legislation on health care, job growth, civil liberties, and other efforts to expand every American's freedom to live their Dream.

You should be free from worry about preexisting conditions and healthcare-related debt. We will continue to fight to protect you and work to improve the Affordable Care Act—including protections for people with preexisting conditions. This would be a disaster for working Americans, and would take us back to the dark days when just one illness or accident meant a lifetime without adequate health insurance. In addition, I will continue to work with my colleagues to introduce new legislation to lower health insurance premiums and protect Americans with preexisting conditions.

Each of us also deserves a justice system that is fair and equitable. Our system is not perfect, and I joined Senator Kamala Harris, Senator Cory Booker, and Congresswoman Karen Bass for an important conversation about criminal justice reform and the economic and racial disparities that still affect too many Americans. The First Step Act, which I cosponsored, sets us on the path towards building a more equitable justice system.

Rep. Demings joins Senator Kamala Harris, Senator Cory Booker, and Congresswoman Karen Bass for a discussion of criminal justice reform, including the First Step Act, which recently became law.

You should be free to be who you are, and love who you love. I recently cosponsored the Equality Act to protect LGBTQ Americans from discrimination in housing, employment, education, and elsewhere.

You should be safe from violence and fear of violence. I recently voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act—comprehensive legislation which will empower first responders, disarm abusers and protect all Americans. One in five homicides in Florida is a result of domestic violence, and these calls are some of the hardest calls law enforcement officers have to take. The NRA wants domestic abusers and stalkers to have guns. I don’t.

You should be free from the threat of white nationalist domestic terrorism, which the Director of the FBI called significant and a persistent, pervasive threat. I questioned an expert panel on the best way to break up these networks of domestic terrorists and limit their ability to recruit more members.

Back home, I recently had the honor of participating in a ceremony to honor former Orlando City Council Member Napoleon "Nap" Ford. Commissioner Ford was a civil rights leader, trailblazer, and a community figurehead for decades. Last year, I introduced legislation to rename an Orlando post office after Commissioner Ford. I had the pleasure of meeting the great staff at the Commissioner Ford Post Office as part of our ceremony. Thank you for working to make Orlando a better place to live for all citizens.

Orlando City Commissioner Napoleon "Nap" Ford, whom Rep. Demings recognized with federal post office legislation last year.

In addition, I took to the House Floor last month to speak in honor of Raymond Bagshaw, who passed away last month. Mr. Bagshaw, the former mayor of Edgewood, was a true public servant. Bagshaw Park today bears his name, and during natural disasters, it was natural for him to pitch in and help. I celebrate his life and legacy, and congratulate him for a job well done.

If my office can be of any assistance, please let us know. In particular, if you cannot get an answer from a federal agency in a timely fashion, or if you feel you have been treated unfairly, our office may be able to help resolve a problem or get you the information you need. If this is the case, you can contact us here."