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(FORT LAUDERDALE) – Citing a responsibility to increase accountability in Congress, U.S. Rep. Ron Klein (FL-22) presented his first annual State of the District address today, providing his constituents with a review of how the federal government is working for residents of the 22nd District.
During the address, Klein highlighted the accomplishments of 2007 and focused on a number of challenges that lie ahead in the coming months as Congress moves to address the issues of vital importance to South Florida.
“Whether it is passing landmark catastrophe fund legislation, increasing security at Port Everglades, or obtaining federal funding for our communities’ priorities, the bipartisan South Florida congressional delegation is working hard to improve the lives of our constituents.”
In his address, Klein also cited the close working relationship of South Florida’s local and congressional representatives and stressed the need for Congress to work nationally on a bipartisan basis as well.
“I truly believe that there are solutions to every problem that faces us today. Often times, it is simply a matter of getting well-intentioned people to back out of the corners of partisanship and move toward common ground. Our constituents are relying on us for answers and we cannot afford to let them down.”
2008 State of the District Address
U.S. Representative Ron Klein
Twenty-Second District of Florida
January 8, 2008
I would like to discuss today how the actions of Congress have affected the lives of the residents of Palm Beach and Broward County over the past year, and to highlight some of the issues that are on the table for the next 12 months.
One of the most important responsibilities of any public official is to be accountable to the people that he or she represents. It is in that spirit that I am proud to discuss some of the initiatives that Congress, and the South Florida delegation in particular, have been working on over the past year, as well as a number of challenges we will face as we move forward.
I arrived in Washington last January with the goal of working with others to steer Congress and the nation in a new direction. I was joined by a class of 54 new Members, Democrats and Republicans, from all over the United States, who were also looking to stimulate change as well.
In years past, a system of seniority ruled the House and newer Members would often have to wait a great deal of time before they could participate in a meaningful way on any given issue. Not this past year however. House Leadership did an outstanding job of assigning new Members, Democrats and Republicans alike, to key committees that give us the opportunity to weigh in on issues that are important to our respective communities.
One of my assignments is to serve on the Financial Services Committee, which focuses on banking, insurance, securities, and housing. With insurance reform and the mortgage crisis among the top issues for residents of South Florida, this committee provides me with the opportunity to address problems of key concern to our local community.
I was also assigned a seat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, where I was granted a position as the Vice Chairman of the Middle East Subcommittee and a seat on the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee. The positions allow me to participate in the rethinking of our foreign policy in Iraq, Iran, and in our own hemisphere, Venezuela. It also provides me with an opportunity to work on the committee with my close friend, Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a fellow member of the South Florida delegation.
On a national level, Congress has taken some great steps in the right direction. One of the first votes that we took this past year was to restore the rule from the 1990s of pay-as-you-go budgeting. This ensures that Congress is paying for our priorities with a balanced budget, rather than continuing to run record deficits.
We also voted to restore trust in government by passing the most sweeping lobbying and ethics reform package since the Watergate scandal. We are now requiring an unprecedented amount of public disclosure from both lawmakers and lobbyists.
National security was made a top priority with the passage of legislation to implement the recommendations of the 9-11 Commission. The comprehensive bill dramatically strengthens our nation’s defenses and includes key priorities such as increasing port security through the screening of maritime cargo and other measures.
In an effort to focus on the men and women who help to keep America safe, we passed the largest single increase for veterans’ health care in the history of the Veterans’ Administration. This includes making sure that every returning serviceman and women is provided with individualized care and transitional planning.
Energy security cannot be overlooked as part of our national security plan. We as a nation are finally recognizing the importance of achieving energy independence and I am pleased to say that we recently passed a historic energy bill that raises the fuel economy standard for the first time in 32 years. It would further encourage the production of biofuels as a means of reducing our dependence on foreign oil.
Domestically, Congress took several steps this past year to improve the well-being of our nation’s families. This includes passing the first minimum wage increase in a decade, which will directly benefit over 5 million American workers.
We also recognized that more and more families are having difficulty paying for college. To combat the increasing debt load, we passed the largest expansion of college aid since the 1944 GI Bill, which is expected to save college students an average of almost $4,500 each.
On a local level, the Florida Congressional delegation, and South Florida members in particular, worked very closely with one another to advance the interests of our constituents. Specifically, we broke down partisan barriers and got results on important issues such as Everglades restoration -- something that is finally back on track after 6 years of delay. Our delegation is also currently engaged in an effort to amend the outdated “Longshoreman Act,” which is constricting the growth of the marine industry, which plays a vital role in our local economy.
We also worked very hard to make sure that Florida’s priorities were well-represented in Washington. This year, members from South Florida successfully delivered over $238 million in federal funding for Palm Beach County and $144 million for Broward County in the recently-passed Congressional appropriations bill. This funding will focus on our local concerns, such as those dealing with shore protection, beach renourishment, traffic congestion, gang prevention, Port Everglades security, and natural disaster mitigation.
Florida homeowners also scored a key victory this year when the House of Representatives passed the Homeowners’ Defense Act, a bill that I authored along with Congressman Tim Mahoney. The bill, which we crafted with input from our local officials and homeowners, passed the House in November by an overwhelming bipartisan vote. This marked the first time that national catastrophe legislation has ever been passed, and is truly a win for our local communities that have been struggling with this issue for way too long.
Although we have made some progress in the past year, we have much to do in the next 12 months. Even though we took a good first step in 2007 by passing a national energy bill, we need to go much farther. We must expand our efforts to make our country self sufficient with renewable energy sources.
Congress also must continue to address our national security concerns. This extends beyond the war in Iraq, and includes a strategic approach in dealing with Afghanistan, Iran, and other hot spots that may threaten the security of the United States.
We must also find a way to expand children’s health care and fund stem cell research. This means building consensus to overcome the President’s objections and passing this legislation as soon as possible.
Locally, we will continue to come together to address the issues of importance to South Florida. This means fighting to ensure that the Homeowners’ Defense Act is signed into law so that our local families will receive much-needed protection from rapidly-increasing insurance premiums. It also means creating a sustained focus on shore protection, Everglades restoration, transportation resources, and health care. These are the issues that we in South Florida deal with on a daily basis, and they are the issues that I will continue to press in Congress.
As you do, I truly believe that there are solutions to every problem that faces us today. Often times, it is simply a matter of getting well-intentioned people to back out of the corners of partisanship and move toward common ground. Whether it is on energy independence or health care, our constituents are relying on us for answers and we cannot afford to let them down.
I would like to thank the people of Palm Beach and Broward County for allowing me the opportunity to fight for them in Congress. I would further like to thank our local elected officials for all of the work that you do for our community. It is important for us to realize that we are all in this together, and the insight provided to me by our local representatives and residents of our community is vital in helping to identify solutions that will allow us to make sustained progress.
I look forward to continuing to serve you in Congress and I wish you all a happy and healthy new year.
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