Media
Latest News
This is an opportunity for the community to meet with the Congressman's staff without an appointment and is intended to complement the availability of his district offices in Palm Harbor and Plant City.
Constituents are invited to bring any issues, concerns, or requests for assistance related to Congress and the federal government.
For more information, please contact Bilirakis' Palm Harbor office at (727) 773-2871 or visit www.bilirakis.house.gov.
WHAT: July Community Outreach in Hudson, Fla.
The following article appeared in the Tampa Bay Times on June 22, 2012:
It was one of those "read the fine print" moments.
A Department of Veterans Affairs job-training program for unemployed veterans scheduled to launch on July 1, allowing veterans to get up to a year of training at community colleges, would have excluded schools that offered even a single bachelor's degree.
That would leave 23 of Florida's 28 community colleges ineligible to participate, including St. Petersburg College, according to the chancellor of the Florida College System.
"I congratulate the citizens of Greece on a successful election during this pivotal time. My hopes and prayers go out to the citizens, their new government, and Prime Minister Antonis Samaras as they lay the groundwork for Greece's future."
On Wednesday, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced it was reversing its rule and would allow the benefits to be applied toward classes taken at all two-year institutions that are VA approved.
"I am pleased to learn that the VA has changed its mind and is now expanding its program in a way that will help veterans rather than make the process more burdensome and bureaucratic," Bilirakis said. "As our nation's heroes transition from the battlefield to the workforce, programs such as VRAP will help bridge the gap and provide them with the tools they need to succeed."
As Vice Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Gus chaired a hearing on June 19 examining the Department of Veterans Affairs disability claims backlog.
During the hearing, Gus also addressed a problem with the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP), which is meant to provide one year of training and education benefits to certain unemployed veterans.
Watch his opening statement here and read more below:
By Rep. Gus Bilirakis
Published June 14, 2012
https://bit.ly/Mt8TeI
President Obama's misunderstanding of the economy seems to be far worse than we thought. That's what Americans are realizing after the president's astonishing comments at a press conference last week.
"The private sector is doing fine," he insisted. In other words, unless you're a government worker, the president thinks you're doing "fine."
"For more than two centuries, millions of men and women have honorably served this nation through the U.S. Army. Without these men and women, and without the Army, America would not exist as we know it today. These soldiers make it possible for all American citizens to enjoy the freedoms and liberties our forefathers envisioned when they founded this great country.
"Attorney General Holder continues to stonewall this investigation and it raises serious concerns about the kind of information he is working so defiantly to protect. Congress has given Attorney General Holder more than enough time to fully cooperate with its investigation into 'Fast & Furious,' and the public has the right to know what role this administration played in carrying out this deeply flawed gun running operation. I personally have lost all confidence and trust in Attorney General Holder and his ability to lead our Justice Department."
"It is time that the Theological School at Halki is immediately reopened with no preconditions," Bilirakis said. "What the Orthodox Christian community and all religious freedom watchdogs throughout the world are asking for is simply that Turkey abides by its constitution, which secures religious rights for all of its citizens and institutions."
On Tuesday, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released its annual long-term budget outlook, again confirming that unless Washington makes significant fiscal reforms, American families face a bleak fiscal and economic future.