Press Releases
Washington, DC: Congressman Gus Bilirakis and other Members of the Florida congressional delegation are questioning the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) sudden decision to revoke the emergency use authorizations for two monoclonal antibody drugs. This decision cut off these treatment options for thousands of Floridians in need and forced all of the state's monoclonal antibody treatment sites to close.
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, D.C. – Today, Congressman Gus Bilirakis and Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to the executives of Meta Platforms, Inc., WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Snap Inc., and TikTok requesting information about each platform's actions to stop the raging opioid crisis, which took the lives of more than 75,000 Americans over the last year.
Washington, D.C. — Earlier today, Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Neal Dunn (R-FL) teamed with Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rick Scott (R-FL), along with other Republican members of the Florida congressional delegation to urge U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to reverse its burdensome allocation for monoclonal antibody drugs (mAbs) and return to a state-based model in which states and local healthcare providers can directly order mAbs from drug manufacturers.
Continuing his strong record of legislative achievement, two more bills co-authored by Congressman Gus Bilirakis have recently been signed into law. The Department of Defense (DOD) Burn Pits Health Provider Training Act implements mandatory training for all DOD medical providers on the potential health effects of burn pits. This legislative change will help ensure the early identification and treatment of health issues caused by burn pit exposure.
Palm Harbor: U.S. Congressman Gus Bilirakis applauds the United States Air Force's recent decision to select MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa as its home base for 24 new KC-46 Pegasus tankers. MacDill Air Force Base is already home to 28 associate units from all branches of the military, including: U.S. Central Command, U.S. Special Operations Command and the 927th Air Refueling Wing.
Congressman Gus Bilirakis held a roundtable discussion this week with local emergency room physicians, behavioral health clinicians, health department officials, law enforcement and other community leaders to learn more about how fentanyl is impacting the Tampa Bay area and identify ways Congress can provide more effective assistance. According to the CDC, 100,000 Americans have died from fentanyl-related overdoses in the past year. Pasco and Pinellas counties report approximately 800 fentanyl deaths in 2021 alone.
Washington, DC – Today, Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12), Lois Frankel (D-FL-21), and Debbie Dingell (D-MI-12) introduced the Protecting the Health of America's Older Adults Act. This bipartisan legislation would create a program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to improve the health and well-being of older adults and provide grants to state and local health departments to implement age-friendly public health programs.
Oldsmar, Florida, Area Agency on Aging of Pasco Pinellas (AAAPP), a nonprofit focused on coordinating services to keep seniors healthy and independent, today announced a community program in collaboration with Ring to support senior safety in Pasco and Pinellas counties. Attached are pictures from the Press Conference announcing this initiative. During the press conference, Ring also presented AAAPP with an additional $20,000 donation to support the work of this worthwhile senior advocacy organization.