In the News


Congressman Steve Southerland launched a series of conversations with medical providers Tuesday by hosting a roundtable discussion at the Bay County Government Building.

“We had a cross-section of people, including those from hospitals, doctors, pharmacists and members of the AARP,” Southerland said. “The whole purpose was to hear their challenges on their day-to-day operation. This was more informational for me.”

House Republican freshmen are caught between rock-solid fiscal conservatism and a political hard place.

The class of 2010 that lifted the GOP to its comfortable House majority pushed the leadership to a vote Tuesday on legislation — dubbed the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act of 2011 — that would slash spending by trillions of dollars and require a balanced budget constitutional amendment in exchange for an increase in the nation’s borrowing limit.

U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland introduced legislation Friday that would ensure that America’s seniors, veterans and active duty military will continue to get their government checks even if an agreement to raise the nation’s debt limit is not reached by the Aug. 2 deadline.

H.R. 2534, the Ensuring America’s Promises Act of 2011, would require the federal government to pay Social Security, Medicare and veterans benefits, active duty military salary, and interest on the federal debt before meeting other spending obligations.

The double hit of high fuel prices and high unemployment should be addressed through expanded offshore oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, Rep. Steve Southerland said Wednesday.

During a press conference at an Exxon gas station near Panama City Beach, Southerland said it’s a “critically important issue facing not just Florida’s 2nd Congressional District … but also the nation at large.”

The last speaker was Representative Steve Southerland, freshman lawmaker from Florida, and so he dug deep.

Drawing on the two things that propel him through each day — his experience as funeral home operator and his general loathing of all things Washington — Mr. Southerland politely lit into Republican House leaders one day last week, explaining that he had not come to Washington to whack the federal budget this year by one dollar less than the $100 billion he had pledged to cut in his campaign.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland took the oath of office Wednesday, saying the ceremony "represents the turning of the page to a new era."

Southerland, R-Panama City, was joined by his family, staff members and local supporters.

"It is a great honor to serve the citizens of the 2nd Congressional District, and I take my responsibility seriously," he said in a news release.
The One Hundred Twelfth United States Congress is the next meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It is scheduled to meet in Washington, D.C. from January 3, 2011 to January 3, 2013.