Homeland Security
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture funding bill signed into law by President Trump last week includes a project sponsored by Congressman Gus Bilirakis that provides $715,000 to the City of Inverness for a critically needed ladder truck. Currently, the Inverness Fire Department does not have an aerial fire apparatus. According to the Insurance Services Office (ISO), a ladder truck is required when a response area has five or more buildings that are three stories or taller or five buildings requiring a fire flow of 3,500 GPM.
Washington, DC: U.S. Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) proudly joined Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (AZ-08) and other colleagues in introducing legislation to declare the crisis at the southern border an invasion. This legislation is designed to help bolster the legal arguments of states in federal court who are seeking recourse against the federal government for the Biden Administration’s utter failure to protect Americans by enforcing the rule of law.
“The awful $118 billion Senate Bill would actually worsen the invasion at our border by incentivizing illegal entry of 5,000 per day and giving away U.S. work permits to those claiming asylum. The President already has the authority to close the border today by enforcing existing laws and reversing the 64 actions he has taken since coming to office that have exacerbated the problem.
Washington, DC: Earlier this week, U.S. Congressman Gus Bilirakis spoke on the House Floor about the crisis that is raging along the southern border. Bilirakis outlined the steps he has taken to compel the Biden Administration to secure the border – including enforcement of existing statutes and reverse 64 policy decisions that have served to exacerbate the situation. An excerpt of Bilirakis’s remarks are included below:
Washington, DC: The United States Department of Justice has just awarded Citrus County $5,375,000 through the COPS Hiring Program (CHP). These funds will be used to hire 43 new deputies. Nationwide, nearly $217 million in federal funds were distributed to 394 agencies as part of the
Earlier this week, President Biden submitted a request to Congress for emergency funding which includes an additional $24 billion in funding for Ukraine. In the same request, Biden is seeking another $4 billion to address the crisis at the border that has resulted from his Administration’s irresponsible immigration policies. The President is seeking to use a portion of that $4 billion to combat fentanyl flowing into the United States.
Washington, DC: Earlier today, Congressman Gus Bilirakis released the following statement after voting in favor of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Washington, DC: Today, Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) will file the Eliminate Non-approved Devices and Contraband Electronics Limiting Links to Society in Confined Environments for Longer Lasting Safety (END CELLS in CELLS) Act.
Washington, DC: Congress is set to reauthorize the federal farm bill, which provides support for a variety of agriculture and nutrition initiatives, including: critical research, conservation, innovation, infrastructure, health and nutrition, and supply chain security.Agriculture is a vital part of national, state, and regional economies. Throughout the country, 46 million jobs are supported by this industry which yields $8.6 trillion in economic output. Agriculture is responsible for more
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) provided the following statement in response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address:
Mariposa Port of Entry, Arizona: U.S.
Earlier today, Congressman Gus Bilirakis spoke to WFLA's Jack Harris about the urgent crisis occurring along the southern border resulting from President Biden's failed open border policies. More than 3 million illegal migrants have entered our country since President Biden took office. Since last October, 66 suspected terrorists were among those caught illegally entering our country.
Tampa, FL: Earlier today, Congressman Gus Bilirakis visited Cyber Florida and the Global and National Security Institute (GNSI), both of which are housed at the University of South Florida in Tampa and led by General (Ret.) Frank McKenzie, former Commander of U.S. Central Command at MacDill AFB. Bilirakis has long-championed the need to modernize our nation's critical infrastructure including: communications, energy, financial, water and transportation (ports, roads and rail) to better protect against cyberwarfare.
WASHINGTON, DC-Congressman Gus Bilirakis and dozens of his Republican colleagues penned a stern letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the first anniversary of the Biden Administration's disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal. The group of lawmakers questioned the Administration's mismanagement on every level of the withdrawal of troops and personnel from Afghanistan, including the fall of Kabul, and demanded accountability and oversight for this abject failure.
Land O' Lakes, FL: Earlier today, U.S. Congressman Gus Bilirakis participated in a Ride Along with a Pasco County Sheriff's Office Captain. During the visit, the lawmaker got a first-hand view of the unique challenges law enforcement officers face as they work to ensure public safety. One of the main topics of discussion was the rise in overdose deaths happening throughout the state of Florida and within Pasco County. Since 2019, Pasco County has seen a 71% increase in the number of confirmed overdose deaths.
Washington, DC: Earlier today, the House passed the "Reporting Attacks from Nations Selected for Oversight and Monitoring Web Attacks and Ransomware from Enemies Act" or the "RANSOMWARE Act" authored by Congressman Gus Bilirakis. This critical bill willstrengthen the federal government's efforts to respond to recent ransomware and other cyber-attacks from foreign adversaries, such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
Washington, DC: Earlier today,Representative Gus Bilirakis voted against the "Bipartisan Safer Communities Act" because the legislation would undermine the fundamental Constitutional rights of Americans by criminalizing routine firearm transactions, singling out law-abiding citizens under the age of 21 for heightened scrutiny, and eroding due process protections for Americans subject to red flag laws.
Washington, D.C. — Suspecting that President Biden intends to use the newly created DHS "Disinformation Governance Board" to increase the targeting of conservatives online, House Energy and Commerce Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers, and Subcommittee Republican Leaders Gus Bilirakis and Bob Latta are demanding answers.
Washington, DC: Representatives Gus Bilirakis, Scott Franklin and approximately 170 Republican colleagues recently sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas demanding answers from the Department of Homeland Security regarding the establishment of its Disinformation Governance Board.
Washington, DC: Earlier today, Congressman Gus Bilirakis took to the House Floor to denounce what he referred to as "the complete and utter failure of the Biden Administration's dangerous open border policies." Bilirakis highlighted that there were 221,303 migrant encounters at the southern border in March of this year, which is a 542% increase from March of 2020.
Washington, DC: After the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) released an unprecedented update to its natural gas pipeline policy statement that will severely impede new and pending pipeline projects, causing energy costs across the country to remain sky-high and weakening America's energy independence, Congressman Gus Bilirakis and other House Republicans condemned the Administration for the negative impact its continued war against the oil and gas industry is having on American consumers.
Washington, DC: Representatives Gus Bilirakis and Nicole Malliotakis recently sent a stern letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken vociferously objecting to the Administration's recent reversal of support for the Eastern Mediterranean Pipeline. By undermining the project, the Administration is undercutting three of our strongest allies in the region: Israel, Greece, and Cyprus, as well as the European Union's hopes for energy independence and economic prosperity.
Washington, DC: Today, Congressman Gus Bilirakis and a group of his colleagues co-sponsored a House Resolution condemning the heinous terrorist attack on Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, on January 15, 2022. This resolution acknowledges the local, state, and federal law enforcement officers who responded swiftly to Saturday's incident, and makes it clear that the United States Congress stands behind both the city of Colleyville and the entire Jewish community.
Washington, DC: Saddened by the overdose epidemic that is worsening throughout the nation, Congressman Bilirakis took to the House Floor late last night to spur much needed Congressional action as deaths involving synthetic opioids continue to skyrocket.
Washington, DC: Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) proudly cast a vote in favor of this year's National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which is now headed back to the Senate and then to the President to become law.
Washington, DC: This week, Congressman Gus Bilirakis implored the Biden Administration to take immediate action to secure our nation's southern border. When referencing the more than 1.2 million people who have been apprehended illegally crossing the border since February of this year, Bilirakis noted that this staggering figure exceeds the total number of people that reside in either Pasco or Pinellas counties.
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives today unanimously passed the Medical Preparedness Allowable Use Act (H.R. 437) authored by Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) to support first responders and public safety. The legislation secures reliable grant funding for the stockpiling of medical kits and equipment for first responders across the country, ensuring our communities are prepared for any type of emergency.
Now more than ever before, we need to work together to ensure the safety, security and long term success of our nation. I am proud to join my colleagues in the House in an effort to prioritize the things that truly matter. We are tackling the issues together to keep us safe, boost our economy, reform our health care, improve our tax code, fight poverty, and get back to our founding fathers' vision.
The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday evening advanced legislation to improve public alerts and warning systems based on legislation Congressman Bilirakis introduced several years ago.
The House approved the Integrated Public Alert Warning System (or IPAWS) Modernization Act to provide authorization to update our communications infrastructure. This legislation will help disseminate important information and alerts instantaneously over cell phones, text messaging, the Internet, and broadcasting.
Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) released the following statement regarding the President's plan to close Guantanamo Bay:
Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) released the following statement following the President's State of the Union Address:
"The President, once again, delivered his laundry list of empty goals and failed policies during his final address to the American people tonight.
While he may be content with the path he has paved, I remain dedicated to leading our nation down a solid road with a brighter, more prosperous future.
On Thursday, the House advanced H.R. 2029, the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act. This legislation makes permanent over 20 tax relief provisions and extends a number of other tax relief provisions that expired in 2014.
"This legislation delivers certainty to taxpayers in my district and across the country," said Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL). "This bill prevents tax increases which would have been harmful to our economy and will help strengthen the integrity of tax credit programs to prevent fraud and abuse. This bill is a win for taxpayers."
Helping people is why I came to Congress. It is the motivation behind everything I do. This year, I am honored to have been a part of many legislative initiatives that will truly help my constituents and families across the nation.
The U.S. House of Representatives today advanced legislation to address the recent terrorist attacks in Paris and the issue of our national security.
H.R. 4038, the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act of 2015, prevents admission to the United States of any proposed Syrian or Iraqi refugee, or any proposed refugee, until the nation's top security officials—the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of the FBI, and the Director of National Intelligence— unanimously certify that the individual does not represent a security threat.