“The bill is named after Harmony Allen, of Port St. Lucie, Fla., who was raped during her third month in the Air Force by her instructor. Despite being found guilty and sentenced to jail time, he was subsequently freed due to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces misinterpreting the congressionally-mandated statute of limitations,” Mast’s office noted.
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott’s, R-Fla., proposal to ensure the federal government doesn’t buy drones from countries considered national security threats–including China and Iran--is gaining traction on Capitol Hill.
Last week, U.S. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., unveiled the “Modern GI Bill Act” which “allows veterans who are entitled to Post-9/11 educational assistance through the GI Bill to use eligible funds to repay federal student loans.”
When they brought out the bill, Spano pointed to the large number of veterans in Central Florida including more than 100,000 of them in Hillsborough County.
Bilirakis, who was the vice-chairman of the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee when the GOP controlled the chamber and is still on it, introduced the proposal back in July to help students on the GI Bill who are impacted when colleges and universities close unexpectedly. In recent years, several high profile proprietary schools, including ITT Tech, shut their doors with little warning.
Gabbard, currently a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, introduced the “Post-9/11 Veteran Business Acceleration Act” last week with the support of U.S. Rep. Al Lawson, D-Fla., and U.S. Rep. Ross Spano, R-Fla.
“After serving our country, too many veterans are experiencing mental health issues, substance abuse, and homelessness, which can often land them in the criminal justice system. Veteran treatment courts provide the counseling, care, and support veterans need to help address these challenges and more successfully transition to civilian life,” Crist’s office noted.
Spano stressed the important role veterans play in Central Florida and talked about his efforts to help them on Capitol Hill.
The congressman showcased his proposal on Friday, noting that veterans in Jacksonville have to travel more than 60 miles to Gainesville and Lake City where the nearest VA hospitals are.
This week, with U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH, as the main cosponsor, Rubio brought out the “Taxpayers and Savers Protection (TSP) Act” to ensure the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB) will not send federal retirement savings to China.
