The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), H.R. 5376 tackles inflation by reducing the deficit and lowering costs for everyday Americans and their families. Signed into law by Present Biden on 8/16/2022 the Reconciliation bill was passed in both the House of Representatives 8/12/2022 and the Senate on 8/7/2022 by Democrats only; not one single Republican in either Chamber of Congress voted Yea. The IRA reduces the federal deficit by $330 billion over the next decade and $1.9 trillion over two decades.

Lowers the cost of health care by allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs. This bill caps seniors’ out of pocket spending for prescription drugs at $2000 per year – no matter what their drug bills would otherwise be, seniors will not have to spend more than $2000. In addition, the bill caps cost-sharing under the Medicare prescription drug benefit for a month's supply of covered insulin products at (1) for 2023 through 2025, $35; and (2) beginning in 2026, $35, 25% of the government's negotiated price, or 25% of the plan's negotiated price, whichever is less.

Extends the Affordable Care Act tax subsidies that benefit 13 million Americans. The bill extends through 2025 certain adjustments and expansions of the premium tax credit, including allowing taxpayers with income above 400% of the federal poverty line to qualify for the credit. Individuals, covered under the Affordable Care Act, will see their health insurance premiums reduced by $800 and save the average family in Florida roughly $1250 per year.

Closes loopholes to make big corporations pay their fair share and strengthens IRS enforcement so billionaires and big corporations cannot cheat on their taxes. The bill imposes a 1% excise tax on the fair market value of stock repurchased by a domestic corporation after 2022, with certain exceptions. This bill imposes an alternative minimum tax of 15% of the average annual adjusted financial statement income of domestic corporations (excluding Subchapter S corporations, regulated investment companies, and real estate investment trusts) that exceeds $1 billion over a specified 3-year period. The tax is effective in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2022. It does not raise taxes on those making under $400,000 a year.

This bill also makes the largest investment ever in combatting the existential crisis of climate change.  It addresses the climate crisis and strengthens our energy security, creating more than 9 million jobs over the next decade manufacturing solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles in America with American workers.  It lowers families’ energy costs by hundreds of dollars each year. It can save households $1,800 per year if they take advantage of tax credits and rebates while strengthening America’s energy security. Combats the climate crisis by reducing carbon pollution by 40 percent by the year 2030.

Protects our national security and military readiness from climate-related threats. The bill provides additional funding for the President to carry out activities under the Defense Production Act of 1950. That act confers on the President a broad set of authorities to influence domestic industry in order to provide essential materials and goods for the national defense.

In addition, the bill provides funding to the Department of Housing and Urban Development for loans and grants to fund projects that address affordable housing and climate change issues, such as projects designed to increase the energy or water efficiency of affordable housing.

Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act is the most significant expansion of benefits and services for toxic exposed veterans in more than 30 years. President Biden believes that our nation has a sacred obligation to properly prepare and equip the troops we send into harm’s way – and to care for them and their families when they return home. Supporting those who wear the uniform is a commitment that unites all Americans – Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. H.R. 3967, Honoring our PACT Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives on March 3, 2022, 256 Yea, 176 Nay, passed the Senate (S.3373) on August 2, 2022, 86 Yea, 11 Nay, and President Biden signed the bipartisan legislation into law on August 10, 2022. My opponent a Veteran himself, Republican Rep. Greg Steube voted Nay.

Veterans and their families can find help and more information about their benefits under the PACT Act at https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/

The CHIPs and Science Act is bipartisan legislation that will strengthen American manufacturing, supply chains, and national security, and invest in research and development, science and technology, and the workforce of the future to keep the United States the leader in the industries of tomorrow, including nanotechnology, clean energy, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence.  It will boost American semiconductor research, development, and production, ensuring U.S. leadership in the technology that forms the foundation of everything from automobiles to household appliances to defense systems. America invented the semiconductor, but today produces about 10 percent of the world’s supply—and none of the most advanced chips. Instead, we rely on East Asia for 75 percent of global production. The CHIPS and Science Act will unlock hundreds of billions more in private sector semiconductor investment across the country, including production essential to national defense and critical sectors.

H.R. 4346, The CHIPs and Science Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives on July 28, 2022, 243 Yea, 187 Nay, passed the Senate on July 27, 2022, 63 Yea, 43 Nay, and President Biden signed the bipartisan legislation into law on August 9, 2022. My opponent, Republican Rep. Greg Steube voted Nay.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, H.R. 3684 is a historic $550 billion new federal investment in America’s infrastructure. The bipartisan law passed the U.S. House of Representatives on November 5, 2021, 228 Yea, 206 Nay, passed the Senate on August 10, 2021, 69 Yea, 30 Nay, and President Biden signed the bipartisan legislation into law on November 15, 2021. My opponent, Republican Rep. Greg Steube voted Nay. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will grow the economy, enhance our competitiveness, create good jobs, and make our economy more sustainable, resilient, and just. It makes the largest federal investment in public transit ever; makes the largest federal investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak; makes the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system; and makes the largest investment in clean drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in American history, delivering clean water to millions of families. Invests in our nations seaports and harbors. Florida alone will receive over $100 million in new federal funding to expand and enhance seaports. It will replace all of the nation’s lead pipes and service lines. From rural towns to struggling cities, the deal invests in water infrastructure across America, including in Tribal Nations and disadvantaged communities that need it most. Charlotte Harbor, which is in the 17th District, recently benefited from this section of the law, legislation my opponent Greg Steube voted against, but tried to take credit for it on June 13, 2022. The deal’s $65 billion investment ensures every American has access to affordable and reliable high-speed internet with an historic investment in broadband infrastructure deployment. It will help tackle the climate crisis by making the largest investment in clean energy transmission and EV infrastructure in history; electrifying thousands of school and transit buses across the country; and creating a new Grid Deployment Authority to build a clean, 21st century electric grid. The law creates a first-ever program to reconnect communities divided by transportation infrastructure.  The program will fund planning, design, demolition, and reconstruction of street grids, parks, or other infrastructure through $1 billion of dedicated funding.  With an investment of over $50 billion, the law includes funds to protect against droughts and floods, in addition to a major investment in weatherization. The bill is the largest investment in the resilience of physical and natural systems in American history. The deal invests $21 billion in environmental remediation, making the largest investment in addressing the legacy pollution that harms the public health of communities and neighborhoods in American history, creating good-paying union jobs in hard-hit energy communities and advancing economic and environmental justice.

The American Rescue Plan Act, H.R. 1319, the historic one trillion dollar legislation helped everyday Americans, their families, and small businesses recover from the devastating health and economic impact caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic. The American Rescue Plan is continuing to deliver direct relief to the American people, rescuing the American economy, and starting to beat the virus. It helped to mount a national testing and vaccination program, contain COVID-19, and safely reopen schools. It provided extended unemployment benefits for the millions that lost their jobs, helped people stay in their homes by providing emergency aid to cover back rent. In addition, the bill provided assistance to help struggling homeowners catch up with their mortgage payments and utility costs through the Homeowners Assistance Fund. It Increased the Child Tax Credit from $2,000 per child to $3,000 per child ($3,600 for a child under age 6) and made 17-year-olds qualifying children for the year. This means a typical family of four with two young children will receive an additional $3,200 in assistance to help cover costs associated with raising children. The increased child tax credit expired on 12/31/2021 and Democrats in the House have tried to extend this benefit in subsequent legislation but cannot not get enough votes in the Senate for passage. The families of more than 66 million kids benefited. It increased the Earned Income Tax Credit for 17 million workers by as much as $1,000. The top occupations that will benefit are cashiers, food preparers and servers, and home health aides – frontline workers who have helped their communities get through the crisis. Signed into law by Present Biden on 3/11/2021 the Reconciliation bill was passed in both the House of Representatives 3/10/2021 and the Senate on 3/6/2021 by Democrats only; not one single Republican in either Chamber of Congress voted Yea to help everyday Americans, their families, and small businesses in this unprecedented time of need.